Issues Along The Way
by B.J. Frank, ASA Affiliate Group Liaison Whether you know it as IGA, IGOA, ABAA, IASA, ASC or even ASA, the association representing the automotive service industry celebrates 45 years of organization this year. The Automotive Service Association (ASA), the largest trade association of its kind, was founded May 31, 1951. It was organized to bring professionalism to an industry regarded as lacking in it.
Throughout the years, ASA has been the national voice for the automotive service industry and has faced many issues; some issues remain, while many have been overcome. Let’s take a look back to some of the challenges and ASA’s role during the past 45 years.
Image
This month’s cover shows how consumers have perceived the automotive service industry at one time or another. Through various avenues, ASA has worked to change this perception. Over the years, this has involved building relationships with the consumer media through personal contact and educational news releases. Now, ASA is often sought by the news media for comments or information. For example, ASA has been referenced in the Chicago Tribune, Woman’s World, the Wall Street Journal, Entreprenuer, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the Tampa Tribune and USA Today, to name a few.Member-businesses also help combat negative publicity by offering consumer-oriented informational brochures to customers, using the ASA logo and displaying their business affiliations. ASA members in selected areas also participated in a pilot television advertising cooperative program. In 1995, ASA went one step further in taking the message of professionalism public by developing a web site on the Internet. The site gives consumers literally thousands of service facilities at the touch of a finger. Consumers may search for the nearest ASA member-business, learn more about ASA and its benefits, and learn automotive tips, all without leaving their homes. It is estimated that more than 30 million people use the Internet.
The public seems to be taking notice, as evidenced when a long-time member recently appeared on a nationally syndicated cable television show and informed viewers to contact the ASA national office to locate their nearest member-business. The national office was inundated with requests for this information, as were some of the ASA affiliate offices.
To further impact the perception consumers have of the industry, ASA also led the aftermarket in technician training programs through its staunch support of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation, Inc. (NATEF). The association has also backed the Car Care Council since its inception in October 1969. National Car Care Month is a nationwide program that many ASA affiliates support. And, although progress has been made, ASA will continue its role to educate consumers and further the image of the service industry.
Legislative
Early on, the association saw the need for representation in Washington, D.C. In 1973, Don Randall, who was ASC Washington representative at the time, opened the ASA Washington, D.C. office. Randall worked diligently over the years and retired in 1993. Through his tenure Randall took the association to new heights regarding the U.S. Congress, including his successful work on the passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. The amendments set new requirements for mobile air conditioning service, called for enhanced emissions test programs, and mandated air quality reduction goals for nonattainment areas that set in motion state and regional laws affecting repair shops.Congressional members came to refer to Randall as the "Onion Man" because every year he would send each member of Congress a supply of Vidalia onions--a delicacy in Randall’s home state of Georgia. This is just one example of his persistence to have ASA’s voice heard. The Washington office has fought to repeal the McCarran-Ferguson Act for more than 20 years and will continue in each congressional session to put pressure on lawmakers to reverse the antitrust exemptions allowed under the act. On behalf of ASA, Randall often met with government officials to discuss the industry’s concerns. For example, Leon Panetta, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), met with Randall who urged the administration to consider tax credits for citizens who purchase new capital equipment.
Representatives of the association have also testified before Congress on numerous occasions on various subjects. ASA has influenced many favorable acts in Congress regarding toxic waste, simplified business records, tax reform, wage and hour laws, occupational safety and health, environmental concerns, salvage vehicles and others. Just as important, ASA halted unwise proposed laws and helped make enforcement of laws less burdensome for small business. In Washington, ASA speaks with credibility and authority on behalf of the entire independent automotive service industry.
In 1993, Randall passed the torch of ASA representation to Bob Redding. With this passage, ASA’s voice in Washington, D.C. continues to advance the issues and causes of importance to every shop owner in the United States.
Capitol Hill has changed a great deal in the last 45 years. Power used to be concentrated in the hands of a few key committee chairs in the House and Senate. Now it is much more evenly distributed throughout the Congress. Although the average age of members of Congress has held steady at about 50, the length of service has changed considerably. Members do not develop the tenure as in past years. With these changes, ASA has developed alternative approaches to working with Congress and the executive branch.
With the implementation of advanced computer technology, ASA can provide a state-of-the-art legislative program. ASA has been able to broaden its advocacy beyond the traditional issues of insurance reform and environmental tracking. ASA is now capable of being involved in every issue impacting the small business person, as well as participating in the early stages of regulatory development at the state and federal level. ASA has put priority on working with the executive branch through federal advisory committees and groups during the early discussions of regulations that impact the independent repairer. ASA has also heightened its participation in industry coalitions.
ASA’s response to legislation and regulations is that if action will have even a remote impact on independent repairers, ASA should be involved.
Education And Information
The need for ongoing education has always been a top priority of the association. The formation of Transmeet in 1972 and the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) in 1983, offered management and technical information to mechanical and transmission repair facilities. (These two events were combined in 1989 and are now known as CARS.) In 1983, ASA launched what has become the largest collision repair event in the world--the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE). In 1995, ASA announced a new educational event for collision repair professionals in the north-central region of the United States, the Northern Autobody Congress and Exposition.The association also saw the need for more advanced business management education. To meet this need, ASA organized the Automotive Service Association Management Institute (ASAMI) and began offering the Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) designation in 1989. This is the only accreditation program offered to the automotive service industry. To date, the institute has graduated 173 industry members. It is now a separate entity and operates as a public foundation.
The issue of licensing automotive repair facilities has been around for quite some time. It has surfaced throughout the country at different times over the years as a means to clean up the industry. To supply members with both sides of the licensing issue, ASA developed a licensing consultation service and brought on Ed Meeks as the consultant. Meeks was the consumer services supervisor for the Dallas Consumer Protection Division, Automotive Repair Licensing and Investigations for 17 years. He is also past president of the ASA-Dallas chapter and has numerous qualifications for this service. ASA does not support national licensing. It believes decisions about licensing should be made at state levels and opposes any effort by the federal government to license automotive service businesses or technicians. This service has been used by many ASA affiliates and Meeks has provided excellent advice to members. He has even testified before a state legislature on behalf of ASA affiliate members.
The association provides its members with the most up-to-date information pertaining to their divisions through the association’s division newsletters. Another valuable source of information is the association’s monthly publication, AutoInc. The magazine provides the industry with management, technical and legislative articles that are researched and written with the highest regard for accuracy, quality and integrity.
Another area of concern the association addressed was the need for a financial institution that understood the independent shop owner. In 1973, ASA formed the Federal Credit Union. The credit union is the most solvent it has ever been and continues to grow every day.
Industry Relations
Over the years, the independent service business has been affected by the actions of vehicle manufacturers, paint companies and the insurance industry. Through expanded relationships with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, ASA is able to offer input in areas such as design and repairability of new vehicles. ASA representatives have also met with top officials from the insurance industry and paint manufacturers to better the independents’ business relationships with these companies.The association has not limited itself to the borders of the United States. Association staff has visited and worked with representatives from England, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and France. ASA also maintains membership in the Association International Des Reparateurs En Carrosserie (AIRC) and is the only United States delegate represented on the AIRC board. ASA is also a founding member of the Coalition for Safer, Cleaner Vehicles (CSCV), a national organization committed to assisting states in adopting and improving vehicle emissions and safety inspection programs.
These are just a few examples of the issues the industry has faced and the action taken by ASA. The association and its members head into the next 45 years with more knowledge, leverage and determination than ever. ASA will continue to enhance the professionalism of the automotive industry through new and advanced programs and strategies. ASA is your association, working with you and for you on all fronts. Become involved at the local, state and national levels to improve this industry. As a well-oiled machine, we can meet the challenges of tomorrow head on.
ASA Main Page || AutoInc. Main Page
Directions || Stat Corner || News Briefs || Taking The Hill
More Info About AutoInc. || Tech To Tech || News Briefs Extra
A Look at Collision Repair In The North-Central Region || Tech Tips
Chairman's Message || Issues Along The Way || The Top 45 Tips For Success
Guest Editorial || The Changing Parts Market -- And How It Affects Shop Owners
Collision Estimating Times: Are They Shrinking? || Have You Heard About OBD III?
AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 5, May 1996