Many complexities of our business are now front-and-center. Consider the following: The independent sector of the automotive service industry is experiencing a crisis of profitability, retailer attitude and public perception. Most shop owners have bought themselves a job, not a…
An ASA member writes: I have a customer who has spent thousands of dollars with me during the past several years. Eighteen months ago, we installed genuine Toyota brakes on his 4Runner. A month later, the customer returned to my…
When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its Federal Automated Vehicles (AV) Policy in September 2016, the focus was on NHTSA issuing a guidance document and its four key sections: vehicle performance guidance; model state policy; NHTSA’s current…
Jim Maddox learned a lesson growing up in rural Los Lunas, N.M., that he has not forgotten: The value of a good education. He uses that lesson every day as a guidepost for his…
Twenty years ago this December, the Prius was introduced to the world. Three years later, it came to America and the quintessential hybrid was born. Everyone has heard of Prius. The Plug-in Prius came out in model year (M/Y) 2012…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
