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matula
USA
1 Posts |
 Posted - 03/09/2003 : 07:30:26
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Does anyone use PowerClaim? How does it compare to Xactimate?
Thanks! |
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Dadx9
USA
143 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2003 : 08:21:29
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| I have been primarily a Boeckh / DDS user. Familar with Xactimate. I have used Power Claim and find it very good. It may not have all the bells and whistles as some.... but I find it easy to manuver, good database, photos are a breeze and affordable. Try it for 30 days (free) good folks in Paducah. Considering a full time switch. |
Don
"To be held in the heart of a friend is to be a king."
Bruce Cockburn |
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PJohns
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 03/11/2003 : 09:19:24
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I along with many others are in the process of moving on to Powerclaim. This is a very funtional program and the tech support is excellent. They have an excellent open line of communication and welcome all suggestions.
The program is very simple to use but yet is very complex. I am looking forward to a long and productive relationship with Powerclaim. You are only as good as your tools and with Powerclaim you can't go wrong.
The learning process has been very easy and smooth. But if you have a question tech support is only a phone call away. They have highly qualified tech support members who are more than happy to assist.
Thumbs up to all at Powerclaim!
Excellent Team! Excellent product! |
Paula Johns |
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guybeck
3 Posts |
Posted - 05/14/2003 : 09:32:23
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I really like Powerclaim because of its ease of use and its ability to focus on what adjusters really need. As a comparison to Exactimate. Exactimate has a better database and a few neat tricks, but for the most part Powerclaim is good. The database is questionable in items like cleaning carpet, doors,windows. The reports are easy and I love scanning in "supporting documents" and wrapping up the entire claim and e-mailing it in the acrobat form. The negative is with clients that want you to use what the big boys are using and also with restoration and remodelers who are on Exactimate. What improvements could be made to powerclaim(True macros for similar losses, Depreciate by trade and action after completion of estimate, batch pulling in of all photos, better diagraming tools and ability to save standard diagrams?, saving multiple reports instead of the last one only, ability to import the company logo.) But for the price and support, I really do not think you can go wrong.(As long as your clients don't mandate a specific system.) It also does not spit out a 5 page estimate for a 3 line item claim (imagine that)
Just had a client tell me I must be on integra to get work from them. Maybe I should be running Exactimate, Integra and Powerclaim at the same time? |
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Gale
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2003 : 22:57:20
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| Guy, thanks for your evaluation of the estimating software you have used. It really is a big help to know what the IA’s think of estimating software and its vendors. Your list of weaknesses in PowerClaim is right on target and is on the board to be addressed as soon as possible (all within 18 months). PowerClaim will print your logo now in the upper left corner in the header space if you can create it in the Windows .bmp format. Give us a call at 1-800-736-1246 and we will tell you how to get your logo printing. |
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sbonser
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2003 : 23:15:53
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To hear is to be misled.
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Edited by - sbonser on 10/08/2003 22:54:01 |
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dano009
46 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2003 : 09:47:52
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I started using Power Claim about a year ago. At first I really didn't like it because I was used to all the bells and whistles that Xactimate has. But after a month or so of using Power Claim, I really began to appreciate the simplicity of it. Yeah, the price database at times isn't all that accurrate, but I've been doing this for twenty years now so I pretty much know the going prices for trade items so I just change the price and go on to the next item.
One of the problems in this industry is that client tends to force down your throat the estimating software they want to to use. It 's getting to the point you need Xactimate, DDS, Simsol, Power Claim, ADP, Mitchell and so on if you work for multiple clients. |
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ALANJ
USA
159 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2003 : 08:29:12
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| I have used Power Claim on several storms. I love it and I have never had a vendor refuse it. Most vendors have told me it looks better and is easier to read then x-mate. |
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Gale
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - 06/22/2003 : 19:29:38
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Steve, we at Hawkins Research would like to say thank you for your post about PowerClaim and for currently holding the status of our newest PowerClaim customer (at least over the weekend) and becoming the 21st adjuster currently using our software in your firm, which adopted PowerClaim as its preferred property adjusting software package some three years ago.
As you and Dan pointed out PowerClaim and Xactimate are different to use. Steve your early view our software is in line according to Dan’s reply to your post and our experience over the past five years that we have been selling PowerClaim. The upside is that we can expect your view of PowerClaim to change with daily usage as Dan noted in his reply to you. I do not like change myself but after a while even something new become more comfortable.
Our new release that will be ready to download in a few weeks should be of interest to you in the fact that it will contain a new enhanced database editor and a database search engine. Every since PowerClaim started shipping in 1998 you could permanently change the cost of any item or add any new line item to the database just once so you do not have to spend time changing cost but the one time.
A total new feature in the new release will be the Property Valuation database from Craftsman Book Company that will permit you to describe the home and then it will provide you with a detail PV report with the replacement cost value.
Steve please call on my staff with any question. We have just extended our FREE live tech support service from 7 AM – 7 PM Central Time M-F to help insure you can reach us either at the beginning or end of your work day depending on your time zone.
As those that have embraced PowerClaim over the past five years can tell you we do listen to your input and keep evolving PowerClaim even if it is at a slower pace that they would prefer.
PowerClaim has become the change leader in the adjusting software industry by raising the expectations of adjusters by providing quality support and the lowest learning curve yet software that is powerful enough to meet the needs of the carriers. As Alan pointed out in his reply, PowerClaim is known for its clear and easy to read reports.
We at Hawkins Research are very proud of PowerClaim yet we are not satisfied with PowerClaim today because we know what enhancements are coming down the pike in the years ahead and all of these are based on input from the field so keep talking.
On a personal note Steve I can tell you my staff is the best it as ever been and is still improving so you can expect the same for PowerClaim. What you see today has been seven years in the making. One thing of many that has made the PowerClaim project personally interesting is having proven those wrong who said we could not become a profitable company by giving the industry more while taking less, a whole lot less.
While our price is far lower than your other options yet our lowered learning curve can save a large carrier even more in training cost than the annual savings in direct cost. More and more adjusting firms and carriers are moving to PowerClaim to increase their profit margins and to make their adjusters happier.
Our Open Standard is making it possible for adjusting firms and carriers to send and receive claims information between their current claim management systems and PowerClaim which will save adjusters from having to do so much typing while making true paperless files a reality without them having to dump their current claims management systems for expensive proprietary systems as is required by some of our competitors.
Steve this has gotten very long but I am trying to say PowerClaim has become one spoke in the claims handling wheel by meeting the industry where it is at today instead of requiring the industry to spend huge addition sums of money on proprietary technology that gives their technology vendors needless control of the adjusting firms and carriers own futures.
While it is the carriers that feed us all in the end we at Hawkins Research will work hard to add as much value to PowerClaim as we can both to you the adjuster by meeting your expectations while providing a quality final product to the carrier in a format that makes them more profitable. After all when the carriers are more profitable it is good for adjusters.
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Edited by - Gale on 06/22/2003 19:40:46 |
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Gale
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2003 : 18:10:36
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Our new PowerClaimXML release 14 is now ready for downloading. If you have high speed access just grab the full install otherwise go for the update option if you currently are running Release 12 J since it is a smaller download.
This release will look and feel like what you have been using for the most part. There is the new 2003 Craftsman NRI database and new Material Database editor.
For the first time PowerClaim now contains the Residential portion of the National Building Cost property valuation database. This will soon be available as a $99 stand alone option for underwriting departments and insurance agencies in all 50 states.
www.powerclaim.com
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Edited by - Gale on 07/14/2003 18:11:59 |
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Gale
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2003 : 22:28:25
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Anyone needing estimating software to work Isabel we just released the 6th generation of PowerClaim. We provide you with the full version free for 30 days initially. If you are still working the storm after 30 days you can renew for $75 per month, $189 per quarter or $599 per year.
This latest release of PowerClaimXML now includes the PV module in case you need to do insurance to value report for the carrier however that is not a likely request in a storm. PowerClaim PV is a standalone version of the property valuation module included in PowerClaimXML now and it cost $99 per year for the residential section. Both the residential and commercial will cost $149 per year.
The standalone version (PowerClaim PV) is designed for underwriting and agent use for those looking for an option to the Marshall & Swift PV solution. The database is from the National Building Cost Manual produced by the Craftsman Book Company.
You can download the new version of PowerClaimXML from http://www.powerclaim.com
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Edited by - Gale on 09/19/2003 22:29:36 |
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sbonser
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2003 : 23:07:34
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quote:
Originally posted by Gale
Steve, we at Hawkins Research would like to say thank you for your post about PowerClaim and for currently holding the status of our newest PowerClaim customer (at least over the weekend) and becoming the 21st adjuster currently using our software in your firm, which adopted PowerClaim as its preferred property adjusting software package some three years ago.
As you and Dan pointed out PowerClaim and Xactimate are different to use. Steve your early view our software is in line according to Dan’s reply to your post and our experience over the past five years that we have been selling PowerClaim. The upside is that we can expect your view of PowerClaim to change with daily usage as Dan noted in his reply to you. I do not like change myself but after a while even something new become more comfortable.
Our new release that will be ready to download in a few weeks should be of interest to you in the fact that it will contain a new enhanced database editor and a database search engine. Every since PowerClaim started shipping in 1998 you could permanently change the cost of any item or add any new line item to the database just once so you do not have to spend time changing cost but the one time.
A total new feature in the new release will be the Property Valuation database from Craftsman Book Company that will permit you to describe the home and then it will provide you with a detail PV report with the replacement cost value.
Steve please call on my staff with any question. We have just extended our FREE live tech support service from 7 AM – 7 PM Central Time M-F to help insure you can reach us either at the beginning or end of your work day depending on your time zone.
As those that have embraced PowerClaim over the past five years can tell you we do listen to your input and keep evolving PowerClaim even if it is at a slower pace that they would prefer.
PowerClaim has become the change leader in the adjusting software industry by raising the expectations of adjusters by providing quality support and the lowest learning curve yet software that is powerful enough to meet the needs of the carriers. As Alan pointed out in his reply, PowerClaim is known for its clear and easy to read reports.
We at Hawkins Research are very proud of PowerClaim yet we are not satisfied with PowerClaim today because we know what enhancements are coming down the pike in the years ahead and all of these are based on input from the field so keep talking.
On a personal note Steve I can tell you my staff is the best it as ever been and is still improving so you can expect the same for PowerClaim. What you see today has been seven years in the making. One thing of many that has made the PowerClaim project personally interesting is having proven those wrong who said we could not become a profitable company by giving the industry more while taking less, a whole lot less.
While our price is far lower than your other options yet our lowered learning curve can save a large carrier even more in training cost than the annual savings in direct cost. More and more adjusting firms and carriers are moving to PowerClaim to increase their profit margins and to make their adjusters happier.
Our Open Standard is making it possible for adjusting firms and carriers to send and receive claims information between their current claim management systems and PowerClaim which will save adjusters from having to do so much typing while making true paperless files a reality without them having to dump their current claims management systems for expensive proprietary systems as is required by some of our competitors.
Steve this has gotten very long but I am trying to say PowerClaim has become one spoke in the claims handling wheel by meeting the industry where it is at today instead of requiring the industry to spend huge addition sums of money on proprietary technology that gives their technology vendors needless control of the adjusting firms and carriers own futures.
While it is the carriers that feed us all in the end we at Hawkins Research will work hard to add as much value to PowerClaim as we can both to you the adjuster by meeting your expectations while providing a quality final product to the carrier in a format that makes them more profitable. After all when the carriers are more profitable it is good for adjusters.
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Steve M. Bonser |
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sbonser
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 10/08/2003 : 23:18:59
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| Gale, you are right about Powerclaim and I stand corrected. Now that I have used your program for some time, I like its functionality. I just printed an estimate a few days ago from a contractor with exactimate - it was 17 pages long. It cost more in ink to print exactimate estimates than what powerclaim cost me to use over the long haul. I like being able to send an email to clients in one package. I think the diagraming can be improved a lot, which I am sure will come in time. Integriclaim has a good commercial data base, which I have yet to see in any other program. For now, I will stay with Powerclaim. The support team has been great. You will note I deleted my previous message. I don't want to leave a bad impression, now that mine has changed. |
Steve M. Bonser |
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cajunboy696
USA
15 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2003 : 01:06:59
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I am currently working Isabel and am trying powerclaim for the first time. I really like the short learning curve, and it's pretty easy to change the database acording to carrier pricelists. I do have an issue with the diagraming component in power claim though. I like the output (look) but the time I have to spend drawing is a very strong negative. Currently I have switched back to hand drawing to save time. Which should also say something positive, it's worth me hand drawing diagrams instead of switching back to DDS.
There are only two other issues I have found, and that is when you write in a line item, for example Tree removal, and enter the quantity, then the price etc., let's say you go on to the next line then notice that O&P is checked when you don't want it. Well if you click back on that line item to edit the check box, your unit price goes back to zero. This can be quite frustrating... The other is that on the captioned reports, there is no auto fill field for Apprt. Structure coverage. I have tried to import my companies report to autofill, but if you have a loss under B coverage you can't fill it........ Other than that the program is working quite well, especially considering that I switched at the beginning of a storm..... |
Kevin |
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Gale
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2003 : 22:14:39
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Thanks Steve. I like a person that is open to making a new decision when they get new information. From the info you put on CADO about yourself it is clear you are not new to the world of adjusting and most likely you have worked with several adjusting software packages.
Adjusters with a lot of experience sometimes initially have the same response as you did. There are a few adjusters that are really computer geeks and try to master every piece of technology that comes along but for most adjusters estimating software is nothing more than a tool. If a new tool slows us down we are ready to toss it and go back to using the old one. I am the same way.
As you pointed out most software packages have their strong and weak points. There is no question that our diagramming module needs to be replaced and it will be but I do not time line just yet. I use only the straight-line tool to draw like you would with a pencil and use the ABC tool to label the dimensions. Forget the shape tools and dimension bars that work off of a scale. If you do not already use the diagramming module in this fashion I think you can get to where you can draw a basic roof diagram and label it in less than 2 minutes if you are average with a mouse. Call me if you like.
I wish PowerClaim were everything today that it will become in time. It is clear that it is easier to develop good estimating software than it is to become a financial success selling what you have developed or stay a success in the industry when one looks at the past and present players in the industry. The pressure is real to price yourself out of the market or stop investing in development until you are hopeless behind the pack.
Thankfully through the years we have grown a custom base that saw what we could become and stuck with us long enough that it is becoming a reality. This gave us the opportunity not only to become the value player in the industry but to also learn how to feed ourselves in the progress. You will see more rapid progress in the future now we have the depth and width in our custom base that is required.
Steve I promise you we will continue to strive to produce the products and services that you and the industry need and at a price that you and the industry can afford. In the mean time please call on my staff or me if we can help.
Thanks for you nice remark about my staff. Back when PowerClaim was a very green estimating software package more people stayed with us because of our support team than because of our software.
My thought on how to build a business is borrowed and simple. “Build the people and the people will build the business.” I have proof that it works.
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Gale
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2003 : 00:11:59
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Kevin you are a clearly a fast learner when it comes to software. According to our records in the two weeks since you started your trial use of PowerClaim you have never had any over the phone training or even had to call for support to get started making money with PowerClaim. I sure hope your job last long enough we can get to sell you a month, quarter or year of PowerClaim. :)
As I stated in my reply to Steve we will be replacing our current diagramming module in the future. Try the more free handing approach if you wish like I described to Steve. I really hate to see you having to attach a piece of paper to your file.
While our diagramming module is not like the one in DDS I would like for you to see part of an email that came in tonight while composing this reply to you from a 2 year DDS veteran as a perspective. Like you, he as a list of improvements he would like to see. I will provide you with his name if I get permission to use it.
“I have been using Integriclaim or DDS for a couple of years but ******* Claim Service likes your program so I've been giving it a try. PowerClaim is a good value, the support is superior to most software I use, and there are things in the program that I prefer over DDS (diagram tool, diary, and database management).”
Chris should have sent you an email late this afternoon covering several of your questions raised in your post. Someone is in tech support from 7 AM to 7 PM CST M-F so try to give us a call after it gets dark at your location when you can’t be out scoping very well. I think we can help reduce some of your frustrations.
I am curious how you learned about PowerClaim and why you would try to switch software at a beginning of a storm? Even though it is very stressful to learn software under that kind of stress you will forever know PowerClaim if you use it hot and heavy for several weeks. Typically after about 6 claims in short order many adjusters will have the jest of using PowerClaim and then build speed after that point.
Kevin you have our newest version of PowerClaim that makes it easier to edit/add line items to the database so you do not have to manually enter the same line items over and over by typing. Your version also added the insurance to value calculator if you need to use it for a valuation report or get your coinsurance value but being on a CAT you may not be asked for either.
Thanks again for your kind words about our short learning curve and that we are the lesser of two evils. :)
Do call us if you get a chance or just email to support@powerclaim.com . I almost forgot but from like 8 to 6 you can start a chat with tech support by clicking a button on our website, www.powerclaim.com if you like. No, we do not charge $20 to talk with someone live at Hawkins Research, Inc. so please call. If you are asked to leave a message please do and a live person will return your call.
P.S. Have you viewed any of the 45 minutes of free PowerClaim training tutorials that ship on every PowerClaim CD and are on our web site? At least start the 13-minute one on doing an estimate and set back and watch and listen as the instructor uses PowerClaim and is explaining each point as you watch his mouse pointer move through the estimate. Also please watch the one on how to do a diagram.
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PowerClaim
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