During GIE+EXPO, officials with the United Equipment Dealers Association (UEDA) announced a new, interactive version of the popular OPE Flat Rate Guide (OPE FRG), which is currently available on CD. The new, online version of the OPE FRG will provide dealers with more accurate and continuously updated information.
“This is the only industry resource that factors actual dealer times into the flat rate calculation used to determine job pricing,” said Kim Rominger, UEDA Executive Vice President/CEO. “This project is not just important to members of UEDA, but to all dealers selling and servicing the machines found in the OPE FRG.”
According to Rominger, the new online OPE FRG benefits dealers and their service operations in three major ways: more accurate estimating since the data comes directly from dealers and better reflects real-life repair times; improved customer relations because dealers are able to provide timely, consistent and accurate estimates; and better shop productivity since dealers can gauge the performance of their mechanics more accurately.
Longtime dealer BMS supplier Charter Software is working with UEDA to develop the online FRG technology platform. Anne Salemo, President/CEO of Charter, says she’s excited about a technology tool that’s managed by a dealer association for dealers. “Our goal is to get as many dealers as possible to subscribe to the OPE Flat Rate Guide,” Salemo emphasizes, noting that the web portal and interface available through the UEDA allows any business system to integrate with the OPE Flat Rate Guides.
The OPE FRG web site is mobile-capable, with an open platform that works with many different BMS. UEDA is working with other dealer associations to develop member- and non-member pricing. Meanwhile, dealers can pilot test the new OPE FRG beginning in November at www.unitedopefrg.com, while the full roll-out of the new OPE FRG is scheduled for January 2017.