The Innovation Group, a provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) and software solutions to the insurance, fleet, automotive, and property industries, announces a strategic partnership with Estimator Technologies' Instant Estimator to enhance Innovation Group's BPO service, Innovation Auto.

The partnership and combined solution offers direct to consumer, Web-based auto damage estimator solution, allowing consumers to interact directly with repair shops, regardless of insurance coverage. The solution improves customer service and increases referrals and repair work to Innovation's Managed Repair Network (iMRN) of over 2,500 auto body shops across North America.

Instant Estimator empowers users, including policyholders, agents, adjusters, and body shops to generate their own estimate and auto body evaluation, with an online tool, with little or no auto body repair experience. Users can determine if damage exceeds their deductible and easily obtain quality referrals for nearby auto body shops within Innovation Group's network of auto body shops. Auto body shops benefit from additional referral business and the speed, accuracy and ease of use of the tool.

"The strategic partnership with Estimator Technologies and their Instant Estimator solution enables both organizations to offer an innovative, customer-centric, and valuable service to our Innovation auto network across North America," says Bill Langley, CEO BPO North America for Innovation Group. "This partnership will truly deliver a win for everyone involved from auto owner to insurer to repair shops."

"We are pleased to partner with Innovation Group for the benefit of policyholders and body shop owners," says Craig Schulz, founder and CEO of Estimator Technologies. "This partnership is consistent with our strategy to expand our reach globally, enhance our body shop referral network, and reinforce our industry leadership position.”