Schnepper: Importance of teamwork & friendship
This is my first article as ASA’s chairman of the board. And I thought this would be a great time to share how I got involved with ASA and with two of my mentors. First, I had the opportunity to…
Features
At Your Fingertips
NASTF and the VSP Registry provide security and service resources to meet any shop’s technological and information needs. The National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) was created to provide a technology solution to ensure ongoing access to the technical information…
Share and Share Alike?
CCC responds to concerns about its new Secure Share Network and discusses the impact it’s expected to have on the collision repair industry. Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on CCC Information Services’ upcoming launch of…
WHAT’S GOOD FOR BUSINE$$?
Customer retention. So here’s what you need to know to keep them coming back to your shop instead of switching to a dealer. I recently overheard some people talking about having the dealer service their vehicle. To better understand their…
Management: And Don’t Forget to Smile!
Customer loyalty is much more elusive and difficult to acquire than ever before, and to maintain your customers, you have to continue to “wow” them by providing exceptional service that glues them to you. Customers will leave and go to…
Faster, Smarter, Better
Three new technologies that repair professionals can use to detect serious problems before they cause serious breakdowns. The faster automotive manufacturers develop new technologies to improve vehicle performance and automation, the faster automotive service repair professionals find problems with these…
Turning the ‘Job’ Around
What’s the best tool for helping you work ‘on’ your business instead of ‘in’ your business? After selling my business in Buffalo, N.Y., in 2000, I moved to Maine seeking another business to acquire. I brought numerous businesses to the…
Are You Losing Focus?
If so, it might be because you’ve forgotten the fact that you’re in the ‘knowledge’ business. Independent shop operators realize their labor rates must move higher to retain competent technicians, and the customer/client must be educated about the realities of…
What Would You Do
When a service adviser tells the customer a shop tech made a mistake that’ll mean replacing a transmission... ... What would you do? One of our customers came in with a late-model Toyota Camry for some routine service work. Even…
A Look at the 115th Congress and the New Administration
What do the changes mean for the auto repair industry? The final U.S. House and Senate races have been called, and President Donald Trump’s new administration is moving forward with thousands of political appointments. There are some 2.8 million federal…
One for the Team
Trusting his employees to do the right thing created this shop owner’s winning culture. Ryan Cropper has a crystal-clear vision of his professional life, even though he sees things a lot differently than most of the industry. Cropper, owner of…
Give ’Em an Upgrade
Your customers expect authoritative advice. So check out these examples for making their cars better than new. Our customers rely on us for our wisdom and experience, and this is of upmost importance when we have a chance to make…
Some Parting Words of Thanks
This will be my final Chairman’s Message, as the duties of ASA chairman will shift to Roy Schnepper in April. My wife, Christy, and I want to thank you for your friendship and support that have been a hallmark of…
A Volatile Redundancy
Shop owners and automaker reps share concerns over certification’s costs and ROI. But what’s the bottom line? Now that more collision repair shops have experience with automotive manufacturers’ certification programs, it’s common to hear comments of concern from shop owners…
Keeping It Real
Six foolproof ways to protect you and your customers from mishaps caused by counterfeit parts. The word “counterfeit” means a copy or replica of something manufactured with the intent to defraud. If, for example, you bought a Rolex from a…
Women: The Key to a High ROI
Follow these 10 proven marketing techniques to better communicate your message to female consumers. You’ve heard it before: Women are the majority purchasers and influencers in the automotive industry today. This has been true for more than a decade now,…
The Fine Print
What’s the worst that could happen if you don’t read it? I think we’re all guilty of checking the “I agree” button at the end of a full-page disclaimer, just to get an app on your phone or sign up…
Are You In Trouble?
To move forward as an independent shop owner in today’s business environment, it’s time to get your attitude in order. Here’s how. With all the daily pressures of running an automotive service or collision repair business, it’s amazing how the…
