Dean leaves Audatex with parting advice

Industry stalwart Keith Dean has decided its time for both himself and the industry to take a new direction.

Earlier this year, Keith Dean announced to Audatex his intention to resign at the end of March.

“I had rather a rather significant birthday in April and thought it was about time to do some travelling,” Dean said. “The decision to leave Audatex is something I agonised over for some time.”

Dean said he had been involved in the automotive industry for 50 years and most of that time was spent employed by insurance companies working within the smash repair industry.

“I have, over the years, met and worked with a number of fantastic people and from that formed lifetime friendships,” he said.

“It’s been a great ride and I’d like to pay my respects and deep gratitude to all those I have come to know and know well.”

Dean is leaving Audatex at a time when it is proving very popular with repairers and insurers and will be a huge success in Australia, he said.

It is the use of the car manufacturer’s times and repair methods which Dean said he believes is the best way forward for the Australian market. There are some 50,000 repairers and 900 insures in 52 countries around the world using Audatex today who have subsequently achieved big productivity gains as well as consistency in quoting, he said.

“For any one to suggest Audatex is not worthy of consideration for the Australian market is not only laughable but obviously has a narrow minded and blinkered view of the world,” he said.

“We had an excellent opportunity to improve the way insurers and repairers work together after the Productivity Commission findings were announced.

“I feel this has been squandered by a small but loud minority who continue down a path that has been a dismal failure from the start. It’s been more than five years now and the relationship between insurers and repairers are no better.

“This has lead to a high degree of uncertainty for repairers who are finding it difficult to develop good working relationships with insurers to ensure a sustained flow of work and subsequent growth for their businesses.”

Dean described the majority of repairers as “very good people”, passionate about what they do and who want to see an end to the adversarial relationship with insurers.

“These repairers ought to take control of their destiny and bypass that small but loud minority. It’s time for this industry to take a new direction.”