Alacrity Solutions
damage appraisal
(Formerly PDA Corporation)
Services Provided:- Software Development
- User Experience Strategy
- Mobile App
- User Interface Design
- Database Management
- Ongoing Technical Support
- API Integration
- Private Cloud Hosting
- IT Consulting
- Hybrid Cloud Hosting
- Website Development
Alacrity Solutions (Formerly Property Damage Appraisers Inc.) is the nationwide leading independent damage appraisal firm. Alacrity Solutions completes over 420,000 estimates a year for property, heavy equipment, over-the-road truck, specialty equipment, auto, RV, boat, motorcycle and other damage across the nation. Their new claim processing software, developed by Falkon, has helped them close claims faster, reduce downtime, and complete appraisals accurately.
The Challenge
Before Falkon, their existing claim processing software was built on an older framework that required a very specific setup with Windows and was difficult to use.
Falkon’s initial task was to take over the existing system and incorporate additional functionality, including a payroll system, scheduled assignment view, a CRM system that integrated directly with WebFMS (their Franchise Management System) and forms such as a bundled rate calculation form which also pulled data from FMS. Additionally, they wanted to increase efficiency for people in the field, so a mobile app was requested.
Our Solution
Falkon understood that a software migration of this magnitude required close coordination internally and precise scheduling after hours to avoid workflow disruption. To achieve a seamless migration, Falkon scheduled updates outside of West coast working hours to account for nationwide business hours. We also maintained both the old and new programs until the new WebFMS was completed and able to be fully replaced. After the migration, WebFMS could be used from any device with a Chromium browser, making it much more accessible and easier to use.
Falkon switched the application from a native, downloaded app to a web application, which allowed us to separate all the various functions of the app into separate areas, meaning the user would only see and access what pertains to them, resulting in a faster application. Using a web application also kept everything in a secure datacenter, significantly improving security.
The nature of damage claims includes integrating with many companies and systems to provide the best customer experience. Falkon was able to provide integrations with multiple software companies such as CCC, Mitchell, Audatex, AdjustRite, Xactimate, in addition to multiple File Transfer Protocol (FTP) integrations.
The FMS Mobile app was our solution that allowed appraisers to use their phones to set their schedules, upload photos (with an offline mode for low-connectivity areas), upload documents, scan VINs, and even includes tracking capabilities. The app was originally designed as a web app and rebuilt as native mobile apps for Android/iOS for a better user experience and to alleviate the limitations of a web-only app.
The Outcome
Overall, the new WebFMS application was cleaner, faster, more secure, and was functional on a variety of screen sizes.
By integrating with all the various software companies, Alacrity Solutions saw greater security by
limiting the local files on a device and reduced the time/number of steps in the process. Users no longer
had to download a file to attach to the system – It simply imported directly into Web FMS. Data integrity
was also improved, as users no longer had to retype or copy/paste data in multiple places because the
important data was copied directly.
The FMS mobile app directly affected efficiency of those in the field, resulting in fewer scheduling
conflicts, and eased the appraisal process for Alacrity employees.
Over our 13-year relationship, Falkon has delivered numerous diverse solutions for Alacrity’s internal
and external processes, from a mobile app to a client portal, and are still providing managed
services to Alacrity for additional integrations and upgrades.
The Falkon team plays a crucial role in [Alacrity’s] execution of strategic technology initiatives.
Their track record of helping us define the problem we are trying to solve, propose possible solutions, and delivering the final product has earned a level of trust from [Alacrity] that is rarely found in traditional vendor relationships.
We truly consider the Falkon team a part of our organization as a strategic partner.
Bryan Goodwin Alacrity Solutions, Vice President, Information Technology & Cybersecurity
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