Steven Apicella, President

Please give me a little bit of your company history, and how you became involved in the Dent & Ding product category.

dentGuy Network or "DGN" has successfully supported and enhanced appearance protection programs, including the Dent category, for over a decade. DGN focuses on providing an unparalleled service solution for Third Party Administrators (TPAs) by leveraging a premier network of technicians and proprietary claims management technology.

Similar to alloy wheel repair and windshield repair, PDR is a very popular method of maintaining a vehicle's appearance. Customers buy new vehicles because they like new. The customer's desire to maintain their new vehicle appearance creates a significant revenue opportunity for TPAs. Offering appearance protection benefits to a consumer — via a service contract or limited warranty — primarily relies on the promise of a great service experience to the customer. The execution of that promise is DGN's commitment.

How do you differentiate your product from those of your competitors? What makes you different?

DGN has focused on three primary objectives to help properly grow the appearance protection program segment of our industry.

First, is the commitment to the service itself by handpicking the best technicians, using an ongoing secret shopper method. This commitment to technician recon and support ensures that DGN provides its TPA partners "THE" tech for great service, not just a tech.

Second, DGN created a proprietary claims management technology to easily manage the contractual promise of service to the customer, the claims management by the TPA, an easy-to-use service drive process and communication to the handpicked technician. DGN's technology easily integrates with a TPA's existing admin technology, providing a plug-n-play enhanced claims management tool.

DGN technology allows a customer to fully process-a-claim via a private labeled website 24/7/365. It provides a touch-based, 3D image of the customer's vehicle type and a palette of various damage photos for a customer to easily process a claim. This method accurately secures the claim details, without the customer having to know the anatomy of a car or how to describe the damage (both of which can be difficult). Customers generally don't know the difference between a fender or a quarter panel, and its difficult to describe a dent. However aided by DGN technology, the customer simply points and clicks to identify the proper vehicle panel and damage type. This makes filing a claim simple for a customer, but protects TPAs reserves by accurately identifying non-covered claims.

Finally, DGNs claims management technology is easily private labeled. Private labeling of the service experience, redefines a private labeled program beyond just the marketing materials.

What is your primary sales channel? How do you market to that channel?

DGN is a service and technology support solution for a TPA that wants to offer a premier appearance protection program with benefits including dent, alloy wheel, road hazard wheel/tire, windshield, headlight, protective film and environmental damage. Our plug-n-play methods can energize an existing TPA appearance protection program or help build a new premier program. Visit dentguy.com for details.

Have technological advances impacted your product in the last few years? If so, how? If not, do you see technology playing a factor in your product offerings in the future?

Technology drives the efficiency and accuracy of proper appearance claims management. DGN's intuitive technology provides the perfect balance of fast claim processing while protecting TPAs from unnecessary losses.

Where do you see the most growth potential for Dent & Ding products?

Dent protection programs thrive within a multiple appearance benefit program and will continue to add significant value in those offerings.