FIX AUTO Signs Agreement to Use Mitchell's ABS Body Shop Management System; FIX Says ABS is Industry's Most Proven, Reliable Product.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 23, 2002

Mitchell International and FIX AUTO, a network of independently owned collision repair facilities, today announced an agreement under which FIX AUTO has selected Mitchell's ABS Body Shop Management System as the preferred system for all FIX USA network members.

"We, at Mitchell, are very proud that ABS has been chosen as FIX AUTO's management system," said Paul Gange, Mitchell's vice president, collision sales. "We view FIX AUTO as a progressive and innovative collision repair organization. Their selection of ABS is a testament to our product leadership and proven reliability."

Erick Bickett, CEO of FIX AUTO USA, said "there are a lot of reasons" FIX chose ABS as its preferred management system. "It's a stable, proven product," he said, noting that ABS is used by more shops in the collision repair industry than any other. "Also, the Mitchell team is very forward-thinking and responsive to our needs. We feel that using ABS will provide the members of the FIX AUTO network a competitive advantage."

Forty percent of the FIX network members were already ABS users prior to the agreement, Bickett said. Since the agreement was signed, 11 more FIX AUTO member shops have installed the system. FIX AUTO is a growing shop network, which recently added members and now stands at 89 repair facilities.

The ABS Body Shop Management System is the collision repair industry's leading solution for increasing profitability and efficiency by automating shop management functions. FIX AUTO will be using ABS Version 7, the latest ABS version released by Mitchell in November. Version 7's feature-rich offerings and new technological architecture provide shop owners even more ways to boost their bottom line, while also saving time and money.

The product's many new features are designed to increase productivity and streamline business functions and include supplement support that can save collision repair shops up to 30 minutes per repair order. ABS Version 7 communicates openly with CIECA-standard EMS files and includes an Internet-standard XML data export for repair orders. This allows individual shops or chains to send management reports and other data, via the Internet, to a central location for analysis by shop owners -- a feature that will be used by FIX AUTO. And the entire system, with its technologically advanced new 32-bit platform, is faster and will easily accommodate product enhancements.

About FIX AUTO

FIX AUTO is a unique organization where its members retain ownership and control of their businesses while they share a common code of ethics and corporate culture. They remain independent, but enjoy the benefits of large organizations such as consistent marketing; centralized claims management functions and information technology (IT); enhanced business relationships with insurance companies; buying power and training.

About Mitchell International

Mitchell International, founded in 1946 and headquartered in San Diego, is The Source for information software and e-business solutions for the insurance and collision repair industries. Providing services that enhance productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction, Mitchell facilitates several million electronic transactions between more than 16,000 business partners each month. Mitchell's own parts and labor database, a critical connectivity point between shops and insurers, is trusted for its accuracy and respected as the industry standard. For more information on Mitchell International or ABS, call Chris Andrews, Director of Marketing, at 858/578-6550, ext. 8321. Visit our Web sites at www.mitchell.com and www.emitchell.com.