The ASA Blog is written by Ron Pyle, ASA's president and chief staff executive. The purpose of this blog is to provide commentary about the automotive repair industry and association news. We invite you to use the comments section to provide your input on each entry. http://blog.asashop.org For many years now, ASA, through its industry events, has presented some of the most compelling, dynamic and yes, heroic figures in America to its members and guests. If you're in the position of trying to top those acts each year, as we are, you can understand how difficult it can be. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=114&Itemid=88888893 Guest blogger Bob Chabot, an automotive writer based in Bedford, Texas, shares his thoughts on the recently announced voluntary service information agreement in Canada. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=88888893 Discussing the pros and cons of shop and technician licensing is necessary as the industry explores this topic. What are your thoughts? There are many questions to be answered before a general agreement about the need for shop and technician licensing can be obtained. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111&Itemid=88888893 According to Ron Pyle, ASA president, government and free enterprise do not and should not mix. Ron comments on the reported "success" of the federal government’s CARS program, better known as "Cash for Clunkers." http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=110&Itemid=88888893 ASA President Ron Pyle shares his opinion on the importance of staying active on the political front when it comes to small-business issues. Don’t be afraid to ensure you’re being heard by your elected officials. It’s important for this industry, for small businesses overall and for America in general. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=109&Itemid=88888893 Guest blogger Aaron Clements, AAM, former ASA chairman and owner of C&C Automotive in Augusta, Ga., shares his opinions on the Clunkers program, the economy and the importance of an industry to speak with one voice. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=109 In meeting after meeting last Wednesday on Capitol Hill, legislators heard ASA members speak poignantly about their ability to retain or hire workers while their cost of doing business continues to rise. It is no longer acceptable for our industry to sit on the sidelines of the political process, and the grassroots effort displayed last week undoubtedly made a difference. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=107&Itemid=88888893 It is all too easy to be complacent with the status quo and rely on what you have always done. Apparently, some automakers were guilty of this thinking, and now of course, we see the consequences. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=106&Itemid=88888893 At what point do we realize that our current economic woes are not just a temporary adjustment to market conditions, but a result of decades-long dependence on big government spending designed to “level the playing field” or provide a safety net from “cradle to the grave”? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=88888893 When considering your own business, how confident are you that it “sounds” good? Have you ever even considered what your business sounds like? If you haven’t, you may want to reconsider. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=104&Itemid=88888893 I am a little confused today. I need some help understanding how our society has become so rude and so coarse. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=103&Itemid=88888893 We have learned through our extensive assessment survey of members that networking with other members is perceived as a significant value of belonging to our association. As a result, ASA now has a presence on Twitter and Facebook. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102&Itemid=88888893 When a displaced customer shows up in your service lane, make sure they don’t have to guess what’s in the “sampler” box of chocolates. Exceed their expectations and make their lifetime experience with your shop a pleasant surprise. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=101&Itemid=88888893 If you feel grateful to our troops as I did in that moment, take time to let them know in some tangible way this week. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100&Itemid=88888893 Our domestic auto industry is undergoing the most dramatic change since Henry Ford adapted the assembly line process to mass-produce the Model T. Normally, we might call it the "ripple effect," but the size and scope of what is occurring now might be more accurately referred to as a "tsunami" effect. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=88888893 In this era of mistrust and lapsed ethical standards, I can understand why our members place so much value on our commitment to do what is right. It is a treat to work with and for those with whom you share common values. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=98&Itemid=88888893 Just because it happens every spring doesn’t mean we have to continue the ritual. Right to Repair legislation can’t keep the argument of a “threat” from the automakers alive with NASTF's accomplishments proving there is a working solution available already. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=97&Itemid=88888893 Just because it’s older doesn’t mean it needs replacing. Today, consumers are re-evaluating their new item purchases and finding that, like computers, their vehicles work just fine after a little updating and maintenance. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96&Itemid=88888893 This week we feature a guest blogger: Denise Caspersen, manager of ASA’s Collision Division. Denise recently attended the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) event in Dallas and wanted to share her thoughts about the community of women who work in the automotive repair and service industry. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=88888893 One of the cardinal rules in baseball requires a base runner to touch each of the bases as he makes his way around the diamond on his way to home in order to score a run. If the runner fails to touch one of the bases, all the effort he expends - regardless how heroic - is all for naught. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=94&Itemid=88888893 For nearly the entire existence of the automobile, the automotive aftermarket and the independent service and repair market have represented a superior value for a majority of consumers. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=93&Itemid=88888893 How loyal are your customers? With the unprecedented number of shop and dealership closings, it's important to not only keep your current customers happy, but to win over the consumers who are now looking for servicing alternatives. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=91&Itemid=88888893 About this time last year, John Scully, ASA executive vice president, and I were having a conversation about the economic outlook for independent automotive service. Our primary concern at that time was the effect of increasing fuel prices. Remember when that was the urgent priority consuming the media? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90&Itemid=88888893 Traditionally, non-dealership shops have outscored dealerships in customer satisfaction on the J.D. Power & Associates' Service Usage and Retention Study. But dealerships have gained 15 points in the past few years. How can you ensure your shop is exceeding customer expectations? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=89&Itemid=88888893 Bob Redding, ASA's Washington, D.C., representative, steps in this week as our "guest blogger" to discuss ASA's efforts to encourage a repair option in the "Cash for Clunkers" debate. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87&Itemid=88888893 It has been years since I read "Atlas Shrugged," but I still have a dog-eared paperback version stashed away somewhere, so I am going to retrieve it and read it again - not for pleasure, but in preparation for what may come. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=86&Itemid=88888893 As we enter into a new year, the onslaught of bad news can be overwhelming, even paralyzing. But business does go on, and some are prospering even in this challenging environment. So what is their secret? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85 "What you make, you spend. What you save, you lose. What you give, you keep." A simple, yet profound, statement. We are blessed here at ASA, and we will be able to share our blessings with others. After all, isn't that what this season is supposed to be about? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84 We may be about to experience the most pronounced change in consumer automotive service purchase preferences in the history of the automotive industry in the United States. Are we ready for it? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=83 What I find remarkable is how casually our society is simply accepting all this new debt in the name of "it could be worse." However, in the larger scheme of things, it really could be worse, and at this time of year, we should give thanks that it isn't. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=82 Recently released news from a leading trade publication honored top shops in our industry. I was pleased - but not surprised - that seven of the 10 were ASA members. This is an awesome testament to the value of association membership. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=81 In this energetic political season, and on the eve of electing a new president to lead this great county, Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive shares his views on what he really wants from government - one that works. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80 During an election year, it's easy to be skeptical when it comes to tax policy because the proposals we are asked to evaluate never seem to come with any associated plans to stop the wasteful spending that is at the heart of our economic woes. And how will these proposals affect Joe the Shop Owner? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79 From a strategic point of view, the best time to acquire market share is when your competitor is at a disadvantage. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=78 This week, Clarence Mills, ASA's legislative analyst, is attending the 24th Annual Clean Air Conference in Boulder, Colo. The conference is sponsored by Colorado State University and the National Center for Vehicle Emissions Control and Safety. Mills is sending in her reports and updates throughout the event. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77 What is so compelling about these experiences? I think it is the affirmation that we have the capacity to rise above these events, adapt and move forward. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76 This week, our guest blogger, Dave Lanspeary, looks back on more than nine years of failed efforts in the Right to Repair legislation campaign. How much longer, he asks, will the industry allow itself to be divided by one issue? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=75 Wouldn't it be great if every group could collectively address a need cooperatively - without adding any tax or regulatory burden to any citizen? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74 You are known by the company you keep, and ASA is proud of the relationships it has formed over the years. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73 Small businesses - like those that belong to the Automotive Service Association - are the very backbone of our economy. It is time for politicians and government employees to be reminded of their responsibility to be fiscally responsible with our money. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72 The ASA has adopted a four-day workweek to immediately reduce our energy consumption. What actions have you taken personally or professionally to cope with rising energy costs? Weíd love to hear how you, co-workers, friends and family are working to make a difference ñ at home or at your place of business. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71 A look at telematics and its potential effect on independents and the aftermarket is explored in ASA’s newly published report, “Telematics: Past, Present and Future,” now available online at www.ASAshop.org. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=69 To borrow a phrase from the national political scene, it is officially “silly season” in the automotive aftermarket governmental affairs arena. The aftermarket is quickly becoming the “world that doesn’t work” in the eyes of lawmakers around the country. When everyone is claiming to represent the same constituents, but espousing completely different views on the same issues, just how silly is that? http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=68 While we’re not officially in a recession, the mainstream media seems intent on declaring we will be soon. In the past, our industry was deemed “recession proof,” but the market is certainly more complex today than in years past. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=67 The lines are blurring when it comes to traditional parts distribution models. For the independent repairer, it’s about choice – and quality, availability and competitive prices each play a role. Business is earned by producing a value proposition that suits the circumstances of each repair as determined by the shop and its customer. http://blog.asashop.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=66