IAA Houston

How Volvo Telematics Helps Insurance Auto Auctions Houston

As a major force in the automobile industry, Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA) handles the recovery, transport, storage, remarketing and auctioning of damaged vehicles on behalf of their clients. IAA's global footprint allows them to serve a wide range of clients, including insurers, dealerships, fleet lease and rental car companies, and charitable organizations. IAA Houston

When a natural disaster hits, IAA's Catastrophe Team and dependable equipment, such as tow trucks and wheel loaders, help them recover vehicles quickly. It's a complicated job that requires a lot of planning and ingenuity.

To prepare for these disasters, IAA works to secure properties in areas that will be needed as soon as a storm is named so they can begin processing vehicles quickly and effectively. They've also worked to acquire a large fleet of wheel loaders in advance of the need, which helps make the deployment of the machines and their operators much more efficient.

With so many vehicles moving through their yards, it's critical to keep the equipment running at peak performance. That's why IAA rely on Volvo Construction Equipment for their wheel loaders, and the local dealer ROMCO to service them.

They've also used telematics to manage their fleet. However, it has presented some challenges, such as data overload. That's where a new program from Volvo called ActiveCare Direct came in.

By using ActiveCare Direct, IAA is able to track machine utilization more effectively. This data enables them to make decisions about which machines should be deployed to areas where they can best serve their customers.

Having visibility into machine utilization can also help them identify areas where they can conserve fuel. For example, if a machine is idling excessively, it can train its operators to recognize when to shut it down.

As a result, IAA is saving up to $300,000 a year on repairs and maintenance costs. That's money they can use to hire more Catastrophe Team members and better equip them for the work.

The company also uses telematics information to track its vehicle maintenance needs and identify ways to avoid costly repair issues, such as high temperatures in axles or hot turbo shutdowns. The Volvo telematics software sends them alerts when these issues occur, and Quiroz and another member of the fleet management team then review the case to determine the next steps.

IAA also takes advantage of the reports to identify when a machine is overusing certain features, such as high-speed cruise control. If a machine is doing this, it could be time to replace that component or upgrade the vehicle's navigation system.