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Give Back to Your CommunityPosted 7/18/2003By Kevin Caldwell, Chairman
Let's face it - we're all extremely busy. In today's economic times, it's no wonder we spend every waking moment ensuring our shop is running efficiently and effectively in order to turn a profit or just make ends meet. But as an industry, we must make time to get out of our shops and into our communities. Or in some cases, bring the community into our shops. Promotion of our industry, our professionalism and our dedication outweighs the few hours a month we give up to create community outreach programs that mirror those of large corporations. ASA members are continually giving back to their communities. Read a "Shop Profile" in any given issue of AutoInc. and you will see how so many ASA member businesses participate in community outreach efforts. This month, AutoInc. features several of these ASA members who give up valuable time to host radio shows throughout the United States. Their efforts help educate the motoring public about automotive repair and ultimately promote the professionalism of our industry. I invite you to read about their commitments on pages 38-40 of this issue. For most of us, the opportunity to host our own radio show probably will not come to fruition. But in each of our communities, there are many other opportunities. Probably the best place to start introducing our industry to the community and to future technicians is our local schools. Job fairs at colleges and high school and PTA meetings present contingencies to promote the industry. My son's middle school recently held an event where parents shared their work experiences with students. What a great way to tell young people about the fast-paced and challenging career of an automotive technician. And as a reminder, ASA offers a career video to its members, which serves as a superior resource when speaking at community events. Instead of going out into the community, some shops choose to bring the community to their facilities. Hosting weekend car care clinics not only educates, but also creates third-party promoters of our industry. Members of the Girl Scouts can even earn a badge for automotive repair if they attend a clinic in an automotive repair business. Your expertise creates credibility for the industry and helps establish a potential new customer base for your shop. It's our community that helps our businesses thrive. If you're not doing so already, take some time to give back to your community. The opportunities are endless.
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Copyright (c) 1996-2008. Automotive Service Association. All rights reserved.
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We can all relate to the hectic lifestyle that comes with running an automotive service business. I believe automotive service professionals are some of the hardest working, most dedicated individuals out there. We start our days before the sun rises, and usually leave the shop after dark. No two days are ever the same and we are continually entrusted with our customers' second-most valuable possession.
