Web Wise: Introducing the Next Generation in Shop Management Education

What are you doing the second Tuesday of the month? Do you have an hour that afternoon to learn something new?

The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) invites you this month to stop by its new education Web site, www.amieducationonline.com, and register for its next training Webinar session. The live online training sessions combine the strengths of instructor-led classroom training with the advantages of online convenience and accessibility. At a cost of $50 per session, each class is a great bargain. In other words, you don't have to burn a drop of fuel, make airline reservations or close your shop for the day. You simply log in.

"One of the biggest challenges facing automotive service and repair businesses is that people don't have time to get away to do an all-day training session," says George Witt, AAM, chairman of AMI's board of trustees and owner of George Witt Service Inc., Lincoln, Neb. "Webinars make it possible to sidestep that time shortage. In a matter of an hour, participants will walk away with real-world tips and tools to implement in their businesses."

These Web-based seminars - Webinars, for short - are just like an instructor-led seminar with all its key interactive elements, including the ability to give, receive and discuss information among the participants. The difference is that participants view the presentation through their Web browser and listen to the audio through their telephone.

Monthly Webinars are scheduled through the end of this year on a variety of topics: employee management, customer service, telephone skills and more.

Live Webinars are just one of the offerings AMI is making available to the industry with the launch of its all-new, on-demand training Web site. Visitors also can purchase DVD-quality training video downloads and prerecorded archived classes.

Upcoming Webinars - Mark Your Calendar!

• Sept. 9: "Turn Your Employees into Superstars," presented by Bob Cooper.
• Oct. 14: "Beyond the Books ... OEM Service Information Web Sites," presented by Bill Haas.
• Nov. 11: "Built to Last Customer Service," presented by Gary Gunn.
• Dec. 9: "Lip Service - First Class Telephone Skills," presented by Margie Seyfer.

Do you have a question about ASA’s online features? Send it to me at angiek@ASAshop.org. Perhaps your question will appear in a future column!

ASA Web Ways: Members Receive Free Web-based E-mail

Free to all ASA national members, ASAgo e-mail service provides members access to e-mail from any computer with an Internet connection. With 30MB of e-mail storage, this Internet browser-based e-mail service allows users to create personalized signatures, customized filters and folders to organize messages. ASAgo e-mail also houses an address book that keeps track of not only addresses, but nicknames and birthdays. To register for your free ASAgo e-mail account, log in to the Members Only area of www.ASAshop.org and click on the "ASA Web Mail" button.