Jerry Vazquez in the shop with technician Marco Llamas and a customer’s late-model Mustang.Twelve years ago, Debbie and Gerry Vicario were awake in the middle of the night talking about a big issue: closing down their business. The husband and…
The U.S. Senate has passed its version of the Dodd-Frank Reform legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 2155, by a vote of 67-31. To move the bill, it required Democratic crossovers and 16 Democrats did just that on the Senate floor. Let’s…
One of the most pressing concerns for body shop, collision center and service managers is replacing the retiring technicians with people capable of repairing today’s modern vehicles.
Consolidation is an evolutionary process drawn by opportunity. The high velocity – let alone breadth and depth – of industry change is daunting. Just consider the relentless introduction of new automotive…
Within the past few years, millennials have been the subject of much conversation in the automotive industry, as well as in society at large. This discussion seems to echo the same theme, that the generation is lazy, unmotivated and wants…
Ride-sharing services, like Uber and Lyft, are becoming increasingly popular with ASA shop owners who offer customers rides to and/or from the shop while their vehicles are being serviced. A recent ASA survey showed that 41 percent of shop owners…
With drastic change sweeping the industry, NACE Automechanika Atlanta provides a super-charged showcase for new technology and repair techniques. It’s no secret that the temperature and humidity soar in Georgia in August. But this year, Hot’Lanta will host the automotive…
An electrical specialty shop sends in the following situation: I had a regular customer call requesting us to fix an electrical problem with their motor home. The complaint was that the house batteries would not charge when the motor home…
If you answered, ‘Good,’ but it’s not, here’s why you should reach out to others. By asking for advice, you might help them even more than yourself. Most of us, as business owners, have “driver” personalities. We will work countless…
Too many shop owners spend all their time working “in” their business and not “on” their business. There really is a difference. One method is known as working hard, and the other method is known as working smart. Each month,…
.size-thumbnail{padding:1px 0px; width:80px; height:auto;} The Beatles said it best when they sang “Gonna try with a little help from my friends,” and the following repair saga came to its best conclusion with help from professional techs on iATN. 2008 Ford…
Our industry is undergoing a time of unprecedented change. Again. Getting bombarded with rapidly advancing electronic, material, manufacturing and powertrain technology is nothing new to ASA members. We’ve been here before, and each time someone predicted the end of the…
In the seven years that I’ve been in the automotive repair business, I’ve learned many lessons. One that really hit home concerns inspections. When I opened my shop in 2011, our inspections were not…
Progressive shops employ a special business-building process. They possess a positive culture that will create the top 10 percent of shops in the industry and provide careers for the owners and staff that are second to none in the automotive…
A customer comes in with a 2003 Chevy Suburban for some routine service work and rear shocks. The following Monday, the customer calls to complain about holes being cut into the plastic inner fender shrouds to gain access to the…
You, the technician, need a voice. I write these articles several times a year, and they also substitute for my therapist. After working on motor vehicles for decades, you start to question your perceptions. Did Nissan make the redesigned Rouge…
When I find myself talking to fellow shop owners about joining the Automotive Service Association, I’ve noticed that the conversation has changed a bit over time. It used to be that the benefits your association offers were front-and-center. Since taking…
