Fear Factor
What are you afraid of as a business owner? When I started to work on this topic, a wealth of resources opened up, along with an abundance of shop owners who contributed to this article. The evolution was exciting, and…
Features
Down-Home Marketing Helping Shop Grow
Brownies ‘big hit’ with customers A desire to run…
Be Prepared to Service Natural Gas Vehicles
Increase your awareness of this growing segment of fleet vehicles so you can meet your customers’ service needs. Natural gas vehicles (NGVs)…
Partners in Customer Satisfaction
How providers of Green Recycled Parts® are helping collision repairers put green in their repairs and their pockets. As a busy collision repair shop owner or manager, when the word “green” is mentioned, your first thought might be “show me…
California Senate Holds Hearing On Consumer Vehicle Information Legislation
Senate Bill 994 fails to pass committee The California State Senate Transportation and Housing Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 994, the Consumer Vehicle Information Choice and Control Act. In last month’s AutoInc., we discussed the details of the…
How to Measure ROI on Your Next Equipment Purchase
Return on investment has different meanings to different shop owners. By its definition, return on investment (ROI) is a way to evaluate or measure the efficiency of an investment. Whether you are a longtime shop owner, one who is getting…
Get Ready for Aluminum - Is your shop repair-ready?
With Ford’s introduction of the aluminum-bodied 2015 F-150, aluminum has become this year’s collision repair industry buzzword. Not just for high-end imports anymore, aluminum is going mainstream, and a growing number of shops are gearing up so that they are…
Great Expectations – Get People to Do Things the Way You Want Them Done
Are the right people and procedures in place to make your shop shine? Let’s start by looking at the evolution of the NASCAR pit stop in a Cup stock car race. Guys leap over the wall, and the gas man…
Houston Shop Going Strong After 68 Years Still Making ‘the Adolf Difference’
Sybren and Kathryn van der Pol are staying true to Adolf Hoepfl & Son Garage’s legacy. A historical Houston shop started almost seven decades ago is going stronger than ever. Adolf Hoepfl & Son Garage has “new” owners, but it’s…
ASA Installs Board, Outlines New Initiatives During Annual Business Meeting
ASA held its annual business meeting March 6 at the Sheraton Overland Park near Kansas City, Kan. The event included an open meeting of the board of directors, a swearing-in ceremony of the new board, and a reception for ASA…
Vehicle Telematics Legislation Takes Center Stage in California
Legislation Is Premature California state Sen. Bill Monning has introduced Senate Bill 994, the Consumer Vehicle Information Choice and Control Act. The California Senate Legislative Counsel describes the legislation as follows: “The bill would require a manufacturer of any new…
Advertising: What Works, What Doesn’t?
A longtime shop owner shares his personal experiences and strategies for advertising solutions that work. The advertising landscape has changed dramatically in the last decade. As technology has evolved, a range of new tools has cropped up to help shop…
Which Came First: Great Customers or Money to Advertise to Them?
The secret to growing your shop is attracting customers. But that leads to the old chicken-egg scenario. Editor’s Note: This article contains an example of fictitious gross profit rates and is only used to illustrate mathematical formulas within the story.…
Ohio Shop Adding 12th Location
Rad Air’s Formula for Success An ASA member-shop that started in 1975 with a good, simple formula for success is showing the world that it was on the right track from the get-go. The shop is Rad Air Complete Car…
Federal Legislative Objectives
113th Congress, 2nd Session – January 1-December 31, 2014 I. Monitor Legislation in the 113th Congress A. The Washington, D.C., office will advocate positions before the Congress in support of or in opposition to legislation as directed by the ASA…
Changing Dynamics of Vehicle Estimating
Writing a successful estimate today requires technology, understanding your market, knowledge of substrates and other key factors. Your estimating system is the first step toward a lean and efficient repair process, and it deserves to be understood and scrutinized before…
Lifts: Avoid Penalties from Health and Safety Officials
Best practices from the Automotive Lift Institute help reduce your risk of citations and fines. Over the past five years, health and safety officials across North America have increased their focus on vehicle service providers. This is in response to…
One Danger of Shop Ownership
Getting out of your office and connecting with others in the industry can pay off in big ways. It takes vision, inspiration, perseverance and hard work to build and maintain a successful repair shop. Pursuing the ideal dream of “absentee…
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