If your technicians had a tool in their box that would help them turn many jobs faster and with more accuracy but never used it, would you not ask him or her why they do not use it? They paid good money for the tool, and it is in easy reach. Why not use it?

Well, you have a tool in your box that can help you get your job done faster and with more accuracy. It is also paid for and easy to access.

It is your ASA staff. Whether it is on a local, state or national level, it should be used when needed.

Many members do not realize that they have experts in many areas at their fingertips. For example, if you are specialized in Toyota vehicles and plan to open a second location in a different city, then would it not be nice to know how many Toyota vehicles are registered in the city in which you plan to open a shop? Call the research specialist at ASA and request a market profile.

Another example might be that one day you received a letter from the Department of Labor. They want to sit down and talk. After your heart palpitations subside, would it not be nice to talk to an expert in the field so that you will know what to expect? ASA offers a Wage & Hour Hotline that fields calls about compliance with federal wage and hour laws and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations.

I can give many more examples, but I'll let this be the last one. You read about a bill pending in Congress that does not sound good for your segment of the industry. You could call representatives or their aides and do a lot of footwork on your own, and filter through opinions that may not have your best interests in mind - or - you could simply look up the issue on TakingtheHill.com. (sign up for the legislative alerts offer while you're there.) If you did not get the information you were looking for in that area, you could call your (yes, I said "your") Washington, D.C., representative, Bob Redding, who works full time on behalf of ASA and its members.

Now, just like the tool that is in your technician's box, the more that you use it, the better acquainted with it you will become. If you do not use it very often, you may forget that it is there.

Many of you reading this article are in positions of leadership. You have been put in a position where you must take in information and make decisions that not only affect you and your family, but also your team and their families. To be fair to each one of them, if the tool is there, use it to its full potential.

Editor's Note: To learn more about all of the benefits available to you as a valued ASA member, access the electronic benefits portfolio within ASA OnDemand. To download your free copy, visit www.ASAOnDemand.com. You may also review your benefit options on the ASA Web site. Visit www.ASAshop.org and click on the "Member Benefits" button on the top of the home page.

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