They’ve been around for Donkeys Years. A customer signed to confirm they were happy with the repair. Simple. Fair. Sensible. But now, that same note has become something else entirely.

It’s being used by some insurers as a reason to delay or withhold payment.

And that’s a problem worth talking about.

Originally, the process was straightforward.

The piece of paper was about customer satisfaction, a quick check and signature to confirm the repair was complete and the work was up to standard.

But as the industry’s evolved, that original purpose has been lost. We now have digital job systems, photo documentation, delivery records, and timestamped communication.

Everything an insurer could possibly need to confirm a job’s been completed already exists. And yet, repairers are still being told:

“Payment can’t be processed until the Collection / Satisfaction Note is received.”

So what started as a safeguard for quality has quietly turned into a tool for delay.

In many cases, these notes don’t even mention satisfaction anymore. They simply confirm the car’s been collected or delivered. So, let’s be honest, if the repair’s done, the customer’s got the car back, and the insurer already has full job records what are these notes really achieving?

Because right now, they’re not protecting customers. They’re protecting cash flow, just not for the repairer.

Each missing form becomes another administrative reason to hold back payment, and every delay puts more financial pressure on businesses that have already done the work.

It’s an outdated process with real-world consequences.

For repairers, this isn’t about paperwork — it’s about getting paid for completed work. Every unnecessary delay has a huge impact on the businesses and people actually delivering the service.

• Jobs are finished.
• Cars are collected.
• Invoices are sent.

But payment still sits in limbo because a single outdated form hasn’t been ticked off.

In an industry already facing tight margins, that’s not just inconvenient — it’s unsustainable.

The industry has moved on. We’ve got better systems, stronger documentation, and more transparency than ever before. What we don’t need are processes that exist purely because they always have.

If the intention behind these notes was customer satisfaction, there are better ways to confirm that.

If it’s proof of delivery, there are cleaner digital solutions already in place.

At this point, Collection / Satisfaction Notes don’t add value — they add delay.

This isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about recognising that old paperwork can’t keep pace with modern processes in place within the industry.

When insurers hold up payments for admin that adds no real value, it doesn’t protect the process, it damages it. And ultimately, it puts unnecessary strain on repairers who’ve already upheld their side of the agreement.

It’s time to start asking:

• What actually helps the customer?
• What supports the repairer?
• And what just slows everything down?

Because if a note designed to confirm satisfaction now creates frustration, then maybe the system needs to evolve, not the paperwork.