Whether you’re a new technician entering the automotive world, or you know someone who is – perhaps you’ve just hired one or two – it’s critical to understand one thing: Your education is never finished! “The future belongs to those…
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is Part Two of a two-part series on Succession Planning. Family businesses are the backbone of America. About 95 percent of all businesses in America are family or privately held. A 2014 study revealed that there are…
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.…
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…
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,…
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…
The benefits that come with multiple shop operators (MSOs) and corporate-owned repair shops can prove immensely useful from a business perspective.
Ask Todd Black what’s the most important thing he’s learned in the automotive service repair business, and you’ll quickly discover a lot about his philosophy for success. He makes no bones about the…
Wei-Yun Gibson, former AYES apprentice, now works for Subaru of America.In a recent conversation with one of my industry partners, an independent shop owner located two miles from our high school’s automotive program, I invited him…
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on auto-shop succession planning. What is the difference between a dream and a goal? While many shop owners dream about selling their shop and retiring, for most a dream is…
In mid-May a group of 108 of the country’s best technicians gathered in Detroit for the first of two new programs created to give the Congress of Auto Repair and Service (CARS) a stand-alone presence in supporting our members. That…
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.…
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…
Just as staying on top of new-vehicle technology is a must in today’s automotive service industry, shop owners in particular have to stay on top of advancements in shop management software to better serve their customers. Modern integrated network systems…
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…
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…
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…
Fred Hules II, AAM, newly elected general director of the Automotive Service Association (ASA)…
