Serviceability Report: 2018 Chevy Bolt vs. 2018 Tesla Model 3
In 2011, I wrote about the Nissan Leaf and compared it to the Chevy Volt. Since then, ACDC bought one of each, so we know them well. But a…
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Kukui adds DVI to All-In-One Success Platform
Want to improve the way you communicate with your customers, during and between visits to your shop? Check out Kukui Corp.’s new addition to its All-in-One Success Platform: the Kukui DVI. Designed to offer full transparency into the repair process…
Schnepper: Never too late for training
In the mid-1970s when I graduated from high school, young people who wanted to go into a profession went to college. Those who wanted to go into a trade didn’t need college. They just needed to get a job and…
Redding: ASA continues to push for small-business tax reform
Congressional leaders and the administration are…
A gateway to a wider working world
When speaking to students at career day events, I often use my own career path as an example of how technical knowledge and ongoing training can open up many new working worlds most people might never have considered.
Automotive service industry career paths that may surprise you
Mike Rowe has it right: Job growth in STEM careers looks strong into the foreseeable future. That’s particularly true in the automotive service and repair industry. The U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that the automotive repair…
The Need to Refocus: Business owners need different set of skills
Being part of a family business offers some comfortable expectations, not least of which is the ability to be married and support a family at a young age. I owe this to the opportunities afforded by my family’s transmission shop.…
Greenwood: Supplier vs. Partner?
During the “lazy, hazy” days of summer, I’m sure you’re getting in many rounds at a more profitable sport than golf? By that, I mean never-ending rounds of business decisions. So what did you learn this year? Maybe you’ll see…
WWYD: Customer wants shop to pay for cabs, room rentals after motor home breaks down
A customer called the shop with a motor home that didn’t have working brake or taillights. He was on day three of the family’s vacation and traveling north. The shop agreed to look at it immediately. When the customer arrived,…
Redding: House committee passes 'Financial CHOICE'
The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Financial Services has passed the Financial CHOICE Act of 2017. This bill, approved along party lines 34-26, replaces the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 that attempted to address…
Feelin’ the Love
I’m not a big believer in coincidences, unless they run contrary to common sense. Say, for instance, a consumer says their car won’t start when they come out of the convenience store unless they first pull down the visor mirror.…
The Surest Bet in Vegas: CARS@aAAPEX
Meet the entire auto industry, from widgets to gadgets and the people who make and repair them. Attend the premier automotive service repair event of the year, taking place Nov. 2-4 at CARS@AAPEX. Back in Las Vegas at the Sands…
Schnepper: The value of active membership
What’s the real value of an ASA membership? The board of directors and executive leadership of ASA believe that it’s active involvement. Of course, members enjoy the significant discounts they receive from our Sponsored Benefit Providers, and they frequently tell…
Don’t overlook automotive technology as a high-tech career path
Parents, if becoming an automotive technician is not high on your list of career choices for your child, perhaps it’s time to look again. Automotive service and repair has changed dramatically in just the…
WWYD: Should customer receive free battery?
A customer had her ’95 Nissan pickup towed in to our shop and said, “The truck sits a lot, and it won’t start. Just let me know what it needs.” We performed a charging system diagnosis and determined that the…
Holcom: Are your customers ‘family’?
I’ve been in this business for a few years, and whether I heard it during a training event, picked it up while networking or just figured it out, I’ve learned that to retain or to acquire new clients you have…
Greenwood: Supplier vs. Partner?
Owners should plan all their management and employee training a year in advance. There’s too much to do to think it can be handled in a last-minute fashion. Because proper planning is required to ensure the team continues to develop…
A Tale of Two CRVs
Case studies illustrate diagnosing a vehicle’s misfire and a customer’s misfire. If your shop is like ours, Honda CRVs make an appearance weekly. Mostly…
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