FMG Repair Services
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Excellent repair but did it really have to take nearly a month?
Our car suffered minor damage while parked and, as part of the no-fault claim, our insurance company suggested we use its preferred repairer FMG. The actual repair (to slight damage on the front passenger side) went fairly smoothly and all now appears to be in order. However, I feel it's worth commenting on two aspects in the hope it might help others. First, the internet portal that FMG uses to collect customer information, make arrangements, and provide progress updates (FMG Connect), is glitchy. To give just a few examples: (1) The link used to register with the portal can't also be used to log in afterwards. (2) Having registered, I received five separate requests by SMS to upload photos of the damage to my car - why so many? (3) The Event Timeline on the 'Dashboard' webpage, which is used to indicate the progress of the repair, doesn't display dates. Stating that a part was ordered on 'Monday, 1:16 pm' isn't terribly helpful when the entire repair process lasts several weeks. (4) The website sometimes displays contradictory information. Thus, the Event Timeline on the 'Dashboard' webpage stated: "User requests replacement vehicle" whereas the 'Replacement Vehicle' webpage stated: "You do not currently have a replacement vehicle booked". People getting their cars repaired are often stressed. Collectively, such minor glitches during the repair process tend to increase stress rather than diminish it. The second aspect worth mentioning is the length of time it takes to complete even minor repairs. Our car had relatively minor damage yet it took almost four weeks to repair it. There might be a shortage of skilled repair staff but a more rigorous initial assessment would have significantly speeded up the process. For example, why was it necessary to order a part after the car was in for repairs rather than beforehand? It's no coincidence that the car hire company used by our insurer was incredibly keen to get us to use them rather than accept a replacement car from FMG. They emailed and phoned us several times and even offered to deliver the hire car (a Mercedes) to our house. Presumably they charge the non-discounted rate to the insurer and, over several weeks, this amounts to a significant profit for them. In our case, the cost of car hire was more than £2,500. Yes, it was paid by the insurers but inevitably they pass on the cost to customers in the form of higher premiums for car insurance.