December 2010 New England Automotive Report
Transcription
December 2010 New England Automotive Report
Serving The New England Collision AND Mechanical Repair Industry December 2010 U.S.A. $5.95 www.grecopublishing.com 2 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 3 4 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 5 6 December 2010 New England Automotive Report CONTENTS December 2010 • Volume 8, No. 12 DEPARTMENTS 9 | CALENDAR OF EVENTS 10 | PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Interim No More BY RICK STARBARD 12 | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE It’s Time For You to Join AASP/MA BY PETER ABDELMASEH 19 | TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT A Flu Shot For Your Computer BY MARK GIAMMALVO 21 | 2010 SEMA RECAP 22 | SUSTAINING SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT Sarat Ford Surpasses Industry Challenges, Exceeds Customer Expectations BY JOEL GAUSTEN 31 | IN MEMORIAL Remembering Steve Cullinane 32 | AASP NATIONAL BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS 39 | JUST FOR FUN All in the Family: A Conversation With Rawson Auto Body BY JOEL GAUSTEN 26 FEATURES 26 | JACKPOT! AASP/MA WINS BIG AT ANNUAL CASINO NIGHT With a new Board of Directors in place, AASP/MA members and supporters celebrate the close of another great year. BY JOEL GAUSTEN 45 | AASP/MA MEMBERS TRAVEL TO GERMANY FOR A PAINT REVOLUTION Fresh from their international trip, industry members recount their experience testing Standox’s newest product. BY JOEL GAUSTEN IN EVERY ISSUE 23 | AASP/MA SUSTAINING SPONSORS 43 | AAPEX/AASP SEMINAR RECAP 65 | AASP/MA MEMBER APPLICATION 66 | ADVERTISER INDEX New England Automotive Report December 2010 7 8 December 2010 New England Automotive Report N E W E N G L A N D AUT M TIVE STAFF im ag e© ist oc kp ho to .co m /T ala j PUBLISHER Thomas Greco ([email protected]) MANAGING EDITOR Alicia Figurelli ([email protected]) EDITOR Joel Gausten ([email protected]) ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Norman Morano (800)991-1995 ([email protected]) ART DIRECTOR Lea Velocci ([email protected]) PRODUCTION MANAGER Megan Maletich ([email protected]) PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202, Nutley, NJ 07110 Corporate: (973) 667-6922 / FAX: (973) 235-1963 Advertising: (732) 280-6000 / FAX: (732) 280-6601 www.grecopublishing.com New England Automotive Report is published monthly by TGP, Inc., 244 Chestnut Street, Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110. Distributed free to qualified recipients; $48 to all others. Additional copies of New England Automotive Report are available at $5 per copy. Reproduction of any portions of this publication is specifically prohibited without written permission of the publisher. The opinions and ideas appearing in this magazine are not necessarily representations of TGP Inc. or of AASP/MA. Copyright © 2010 by Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. Cover image ©istockphoto.com/Jamesmcq24. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S OFFICE Contact: Peter Abdelmaseh 464 Common St., #263 • Belmont, MA 02478 Phone: (800) 988-4378 • Fax: 617-484-0568 email: [email protected] website: www.aaspma.org AASP/MA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESIDENT Rick Starbard VICE PRESIDENTS Paul Hendricks TREASURER Molly Brodeur SECRETARY Gary Cloutier IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Tom Ricci AASP/MA STATEWIDE DIRECTORS COLLISION DIVISION DIRECTOR Adam Ioakim MECHANICAL DIVISION DIRECTOR Brian Hohmann ASSOCIATE DIVISION DIRECTOR Michael Coran AASP/MA CHAPTER DIRECTORS N/E CHAPTER COLLISION DIRECTOR Alex Falzone N/E CHAPTER MECHANICAL DIRECTOR Russell Hamel S/E CHAPTER COLLISION DIRECTOR Michael Penacho MID STATE CHAPTER COLLISION DIRECTOR Tom McClements WESTERN CHAPTER COLLISION DIRECTOR Peter Langone WESTERN CHAPTER MECHANICAL DIRECTOR Ed Nalewanski BERKSHIRE CHAPTER MECHANICAL DIRECTOR Robert Denley AASP/MA Executive Director Peter Abdelmaseh (800) 988-4378 617-484-0568 (fax) Date: January 12, 2011 Event: DAM05 – Aluminum Panels & Structures Damage Analysis Time: 6:00 – 10:00 Location: Carl’s Collision Center 1591 Bay St., Fall River, Ma. Contact: I-CAR Customer Care • 800-422-7872 Date: February 9, 2011 Event: RCY01 – Recylced Parts for Collision Repair Time: 6:00 - 10:00 Location: Carl’s Collision Center 1591 Bay St., Fall River, Ma. Contact: I-CAR Customer Care • 800-422-7872 Date: February 26, 2011 Event: REF03 – Color Theory, Application, Tinting and Blending Time: 8:00 – 5:00 Location: Carl’s Collision Center 1591 Bay St., Fall River, Ma. Contact: I-CAR Customer Care • 800-422-7872 Date: March 9, 2011 Event: NEW11 – Vehicle Technology & Trends 2011 Time: 6:00 – 10:00 Location: Carl’s Collision Center 1591 Bay St., Fall River, Ma. Contact: I-CAR Customer Care • 800-422-7872 Date: March 17, 2011 Event: Collision Industry Conference (CIC) Location: Crowne Plaza Meadowlands • Secaucus, NJ Contact: www.ciclink.com Date: March 18 - 20, 2011 Event: NORTHEAST™ 2011 Automotive Services Show Location: Meadowlands Exposition Center • Secaucus, NJ Contact: www.aaspnjnortheast.com Administrative Assistant Nancy Russell (800) 988-4378 781-293-0208 (fax) New England Automotive Report December 2010 9 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Interim NO MORE Rick Starbard As your newly elected (really, recycled) president, I would like to share with you my vision of the direction that I would like to see AASP/MA take in the next 24 months. First, I would be remiss if I didn’t 10 December 2010 thank our interim president, Tom Ricci, for the job that he had done from the initial merger in May until now. Putting the pieces of three groups together was not an easy task and there is still work to be New England Automotive Report done, but Tom did an outstanding job working with our Executive Director, Peter Abdelmaseh, and Administrative Assistant, Nancy Russell, to identify the association’s needs and inform the Board of Directors of what needed to be done. I also thank those who served on the Board of Directors during this time. A great foundation has been laid to build a better, stronger AASP/MA. As we move forward in the next phase of our growth, we need to continue to address communication issues while streamlining our administration to eliminate any redundancies in our operation. We have already created a new phone number, (800) 988-4378, which will enable everyone to call one central number and reach either Peter or Nancy directly. The creation of our new website, www.aaspma.org, is underway and it will be our greatest business resource to find timely and pertinent information, such as the old MABA reference manual that contained laws and regulations applicable to us, and preprinted forms that can be printed off for our use. This site will also have all of the industry links that you need to access other sites like the DEG, as well as links to our sponsor vendors, archived issues of New England Automotive Report and archived articles from Damage Report, including Jim Castleman’s legal articles. This site will be your one-stop portal for all of your informational needs. We will continue to harness the numbers - both within AASP/MA and AASP National - to enhance our benefits to you, the members. The savings found in some of our benefits more than offset membership dues. In fact, one provider we are close to finalizing an agreement with will continued on pg. 17 New England Automotive Report December 2010 11 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE It’s Time For You TO JOIN AASP/MA Peter Abdelmaseh The independent automotive repair industry in Massachusetts is in deep, deep trouble. That is my expert and highly 12 December 2010 articulate opinion. If you share that opinion, what the heck are you doing about it? To those of you who have already sent New England Automotive Report in your dues check for 2011, I offer a big THANK YOU! To those who have the bill on your desk and are ready to send a check, again, I thank you very much. For the rest of you who have stayed on the sidelines because of things that have happened in the past, or never even considered becoming a part of your industry’s best hope for keeping the good things good and fighting like heck to make the bad things better, I humbly ask you, what time is it? It’s time for you to join AASP/MA. This is the time of year that annual membership statements are sent out to thousands of businesses across the state. There is no better time to evaluate the organizations that virtually all businesses support with their hard-earned dollars. Perhaps you are a member of a local chamber of commerce because that group helps support businesses in your community. Or, maybe you’ll renew your membership in one of the groups that promote all types of small businesses, so that those voices can be heard in the U.S. Congress. You’ve probably got a few local charitable groups or fraternal organizations (Elks, Veterans groups, Kiwanis, Lions, etc.) that you’ve supported over the years. You attend their holiday parties and make a contribution to help the cause. And, maybe there’s a group that has been helpful to you, your family and your friends in times of need and you make a donation because, well … just because. It’s called “being human.” And, being a responsible citizen. But, this magazine is published to serve the independent automotive repair industry in Massachusetts, and I’m going to stick with that theme in this column. Chances are, you’re reading this column because you want to - or need to - know more about what is going on in the industry in which you’ve likely invested your life savings, your professional and business skills, countless hours of your life, and, most importantly, your good name. And, for another investment of just $395, you can make your best effort to guard against losing value in your other investments (your life savings, your skills, your time and your name). I hope that doesn’t come across as a “hard sell,” because it is certainly not meant to be. It is, simply, a very rational appeal to your better senses. Of course, you should also ask what you’d be getting for that investment in membership, because that would be the right thing to do. So, let me give you just a flavor of what AASP/MA can do for your business. Let’s start with the cold, hard cash aspect of membership. If you own and operate a mechanical repair shop, AASP/MA, through its national organization (you would join approximately 9,000 other shops as members) offers discounts on repair information services such as Mitchell 1 and Identifix. These discounts alone would likely equal or exceed the amount you pay for membership. And here, we offer the most popular (and, some would argue, the absolute best) repair, estimating, and management software system you can buy for your business (OnDemand5 by Mitchell 1), along with, again, arguably the best “repair hotline” in the world, supplemented by a state-ofthe-art online diagnostic information service (Direct-Hit by Identifix). If you didn’t previously use these services because you couldn’t afford them, well, AASP/MA just made your life a lot easier. This is just one example of the discounts afforded to AASP members. There are even more benefits for our mechanical shop members. Every mechanical repair shop could use more repeat, fullservice customers – heck, that’s the name of the game for successful shops. AASP/MA has additional discounts for one of the best stand-alone marketing systems for mechanical repair shops – CustomerLink. Partnership programs with Mitchell 1, Identifix, and CustomerLink can help you perform demanding repair jobs better and more efficiently, streamline scheduling, create better estimates, manage your business more profitably and gain and retain more customers. And, you can help yourself to all of these successful programs at discounts that likely will equal or exceed the price of your annual membership. In cold, hard cash, that sounds like a winning proposition for you and your business. In addition to these “tangible” benefits of membership, AASP/MA endeavors to deliver a series of opportunities for the mechanical shop owner. This past October, we held a series of four seminars across the state introducing the Mitchell 1 system to shop owners. As happens with software that includes a management system, customers rarely use more than 10 percent of the capabilities available. Nationally, AASP has thou- sands of members who use the system, and we discussed with the representatives from Mitchell 1 the idea of forming a “user group” of members in Massachusetts who would meet on a regular basis to discuss how to implement more of this state-of-theart software system in their businesses. By being able to share implementation strategies with other shop owners who encounter the same issues that you would, we hope that AASP can help make a huge difference in the success of your business. AASP/MA is also working on a “partnership” with one of the state’s most respected mechanical repair training facilities. This training center already develops hundreds of technicians who work in OE dealerships; they have chosen AASP/MA as their potential partner to serve the local independent mechanical repair industry. It is our hope that AASP members will be able to avail themselves of all of the factory-level training that they need to continue down a successful path. This type of training, along with a series of other business management and technical seminars, are in the planning stages for 2011. Today’s AASP/MA is the only trade association that serves the collision repair industry of Massachusetts. A merger between AASP/MA, the Central Mass. Auto Rebuilders Association (CMARA) and the Massachusetts Auto Body Association (MABA) was consummated in May of 2010. Since that time, we have worked very hard to consolidate all of the activities and involvements of each organization and we are now one united association that serves the interests of the nearly 1,800 collision repair shops in Massachusetts. What does that mean for you as one of those 1,800 shop owners? Again, from the standpoint of cold, hard cash, AASP/MA offers member benefits that can easily offset the price you pay for membership. This is the only organization that offers a discount on the Mitchell RepairCenter TechAdvisor software package. Using TechAdvisor, your technicians will have access to critical OEM repair data, including the industry’s only color-coded wiring diagrams, as well as OEM procedures that you can use to support your estimates. Again, during this past October, AASP/MA sponsored four seminars across the state to introduce Tech Advisor to Massachusetts’ collision repair shop owners and, already, some of our members have added this unique software to their information systems. AASP/MA members also receive discounts on the ShopProbe Auto Body Management System, which is one of the most user-friendly and affordable collision shop management systems on the market. Several of our members already use this system and, if you are looking to begin using a management system in your shop, you could have an opportunity to discuss its implementation with several of your peers. And if you’re wondering what you can do to retain your existing collision repair customers before insurance companies steal or steer them away from you, then look no further than one of the New England Automotive Report December 2010 13 14 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 15 16 December 2010 New England Automotive Report EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE latest and most unique marketing tools to hit the market – the “Help, I Crashed My Car!” digital marketing system from Summit Software & Mobile Solutions. AASP members get a discount on this system that includes mobile phone apps, as well as a customer service, sales, marketing, advertising and communication platform. By taking advantage of AASP’s discounts with Mitchell International, Shop-Probe and Summit Software, the price of your membership would be outweighed by your savings. But we offer so much more than just a handful of discounted services to our members. Our regional chapters give members an opportunity to discuss important issues with other shop owners so that they can make intelligent decisions in their businesses. Operating a collision shop is hard work and can be very frustrating when you consider the intrusion of insurers into every aspect of your company. Being able to discuss the latest industry news with your peers provides an invaluable asset to members of AASP/MA. Out association sends representatives to attend meetings of the Auto Damage Appraisers Licensing Board (ADALB), and works with the Division of Insurance and the Office of the Attorney General on a wide range of issues that affect collision repair shops across the state. You may get news of these events and issues regularly in this magazine, but AASP/MA members receive even more industry information through our monthly newsletter, Damage Report. This email-only, member-only newsletter helps members get to know the inside story on a whole host of issues in a timely fashion. I began this column with my opinion of where the independent auto repair industry stands right now. It is not in a good place. Independent mechanical repair shop owners are continually fearful that diagnostic and repair information - the lifeblood of their businesses - can become less accessible and much more expensive in the future. AASP/MA authored the original Right To Repair legislation that has gained popularity in the Massachusetts State Legislature. AASP/MA continues to support the expansion of rights to this information for both repair shops and continued from pg. 10 be putting two percent of all of purchases towards the cost of dues. Stay tuned for that announcement. This is also the time of year that we re-file our Labor Rate legislation, which will once again require a monumental effort from the industry to be successful. AASP/MA is also working on restructuring the Northeast and Southeast chapters to not only serve as education outlets, but also get messages out to all members statewide in a short amount of time. I look forward to all of our chapters replicating the great work that the mid-state and Western Mass. chapters have been able to accomplish. At this time, we are getting ready to plan next year’s education consumers. In addition, AASP/MA works with the Registry of Motor Vehicles to support the rights of independent shops that perform state inspections by attending and participating in the IMPAC meetings. We continue to support higher standards for repair shops, despite the efforts of others to maintain the status quo. The collision repair industry continues to suffer from a variety of horrible circumstances - some of its own making - but AASP/MA is trying its best to bring some measure of sanity to the independent market. Suppressed Labor Rates, customer steering, inferior quality aftermarket parts, “no-profit” paint and materials pricing, rejected P-Page procedures, low training standards, database manipulation, insurer/appraiser fraud and the general fear of reprisal for non-compliance with insurers’ dictatorial demands are, sad to say, just the beginning of this sad, sad story. Sure, there are bright spots here and there, but making fundamental changes is going to take a huge effort. AASP/MA is ready to fight for all that it can get to support its collision shop members. The effort supporting the Auto Body Labor Rate Bill is but one example of what our industry can do when we work together. No, we haven’t won the war – YET. Some battles along the way have already ended in our favor, just because we are fighting. Our presence at the State House is increasing every year, and the respect that our industry has in important governmental offices is growing as well. Working on behalf of collision repair shops and mechanical repair shops, AASP/MA has an executive director, an administrative assistant and a respected lobbyist who keeps our agenda alive at the State House. We’ve never been more committed to solving the problems the independent auto repair industry faces, and we’ve never been closer to breaking through some longtime barriers that have held us down. It’s not going to be easy. We need you and you need us. We must make things better. It’s time for you to join AASP/MA. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE seminars for both mechanical and collision shops, and are also scheduling I-CAR and OE sponsored classes. We will continue to keep a close eye on the government agencies that are important to us, like the ADALB, the DOI and the Legislature. While there is much to do, we can’t do any of it without you, our members. Our success is dependent on your involvement. We need you to participate at association events, become involved in the association leadership, share ideas with your colleagues and learn from them. If you have any ideas or concerns, don’t hesitate to call us. I look forward to the next two years and to hearing from you. New England Automotive Report December 2010 17 18 December 2010 New England Automotive Report TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT A Flu Shot Mark Giammalvo FOR YOUR COMPUTER Considering getting a flu shot this season? Hopefully, you’re also thinking about getting anti-virus protection for your computer. It seems like every fall, we are inundated with advertisements touting how we should consider receiving the flu shot as well as other vaccinations, like the dreaded H1N1. This is also the time of year that every one of our shop computers displays a warning box that our Norton AntiVirus software is going to expire in X amount of days. Perhaps a little history is in order here. Loyal readers may remember that, back in the fall of 2009, we decided to replace seven outdated computer terminals here as well as our shop network. At that time, our computer installer recommended that we switch our firewall and anti-virus protection from the McAfee brand to Norton. It was not that there was any problem with McAfee, but our new computer installer’s warranty - as well as the Dell warranty - would cover those systems protected specifically by Norton AntiVirus. In any event, once the new computers were installed, our computer technician spent a good portion of a weekend here installing Norton as well as a myriad of other software that needed to be copied over from our old system. In addition to the seven replaced computers, we also had three computers were not very old and, as such, remained unchanged. These computers still had valid McAfee anti-virus subscriptions, so the decision was made to let sleeping dogs lie and not to bother switching those over to Norton at the time. Fast-forward a year later, and these three computers were now warning that McAfee would soon expire. I decided it was time to switch them over to Norton. The first computer, in my office, was a breeze to convert over to Norton. I simply uninstalled McAfee and then installed the Norton software via CD. The second computer, a stand-alone main garage terminal used for access to ALLDATA, was also updated in the same manner without incident. The remaining computer in our shop to update was the one that was part of our Hunter alignment machine. This computer was also working well (and uses Microsoft XP just like our newer shop computers). So, how hard could it be to update a computer running in Windows XP? Well, things did not exactly go off without a hitch. Like the other Windows XP computers that I had just updated, I followed the same procedure. Uninstall McAfee; then, install Norton. After McAfee was successfully uninstalled, I inserted the Norton CD and began the install process. Approximately 15 minutes later, when we were at about 98 percent installed, I received an error message from Norton stating that the software could not be installed on this machine because the operating system was Windows XP Service Pack One (SP1). It recommended that I perform the free update to SP2 via the Microsoft website. It was like a giant gong went off inside my head. I remembered how, within a year or so of purchasing this new Hunter Alignment System, I had turned on the Windows Automatic Update feature (the recommended setting by Microsoft). At that time, the system flagged that SP2 would be installed. Shortly after the SP2 install, the aligner system crashed and we were no longer able to perform wheel alignments. We had called Hunter and it was advised that our aligner could only operate, by design, with an operating system of Windows XP SP1. We had a Hunter technician come to the shop and restore our SP1 settings. Back to the present day. I figured we were in a pickle, because the system now had no anti-virus protection at all (since I had uninstalled McAfee and could not install Norton). Even worse, this computer was tied into our shop network and was connected to the Internet so our techs could use it to access iATN and ALLDATA. My options were to either get some type of anti-virus software installed, or take this computer off the network and the Internet entirely. But wait a minute. On this machine, how was it possible that Windows could not be updated from SP1 to SP2? As Judge continued on pg. 59 I figured we were in a pickle, because the system now had no anti-virus protection at all. My options were to either get some type of anti-virus software installed, or take this computer off the shop network and the Internet entirely. New England Automotive Report December 2010 19 20 December 2010 New England Automotive Report 2010 SEMA SHOW RECAP SEMA 2010: REVOLUTIONIZING THE TRADE SHOW EXPERIENCE By Joel Gausten If you think trade shows are dead, you weren’t at SEMA 2010. Unquestionably the largest automotive trade show in the United States, SEMA (held November 2-5) is an experience that needs to be felt in person to be truly appreciated. Outside the Las Vegas Convention Center, attendees were greeted by seemingly endless rows of some of the finest hot rods and custom cars imaginable. But once inside, the true size and scope of this amazing show truly hit home. “This show is a monster!” exclaimed SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg from the show floor. “There are 130,000 people here, and over 2 million square feet of booth space and over 9,000 exhibitors. I heard that if someone wanted to see every exhibitor here and stay at the show 8am to 5pm every single day, they would have three seconds at every booth to see it all!” Impressed by his SEMA experience, AASP National President Rick Starbard was quick to praise the organizers for a job well done. “SEMA is so much of everything that if you’re a collision shop or a mechanical shop and are looking into getting into something else – whether it’s accessories, trucks, bed liners, restoration – anything that goes on a car after it leaves the factory is [at SEMA] in a way that doesn’t exist in any part of the country,” he said. “It’s the only opportunity you have to see all of that under one roof.” Starbard felt that the neighboring AAPEX show (held at the Sands Expo Center) made for a more complete trade show experience. “From an AASP perspective, SEMA and AAPEX cover all the bases for both sides of our association,” he added. While SEMA has already been long recognized as a mustsee industry event, this year’s festivities enjoyed a serious boost thanks to the infusion of collision repair businesses that filled the show’s highly visible Paint, Body & Equipment section. The new appearances of collision vendors and personnel at this year’s show is due in large part to the efforts of SCRS, who marked its transition to SEMA from NACE by sponsoring a slew of “Repairer Driven” educational seminars. Combined with increased input from collision vendors, these courses contributed to an energy in the air that was impossible to ignore. “It is overwhelmingly exciting,” offered Schulenburg. “For us, it’s been an incredible opportunity to watch the show build, be a part of it and hear ecstatic feedback from vendors and attendees alike.” SCRS and AASP were not the only groups who benefited greatly from their SEMA participation. The Collision Industry Conference (CIC) at SEMA boasted the highest number of new attendees ever to attend a single meeting, while the CIC Reception featured the largest crowd in the group’s long-running history. Of course, no trade show would be successful without satisfied vendors. Already known for coming up with impressive trade show displays, PPG truly stepped up its game at SEMA, creating an absolutely jaw-dropping display in the style of a fullservice ’50s diner. “The booth has been crazy!” opined PPG’s Calvinia Fields on the show’s final day. “This is a Friday, and it’s supposed to be slow, but as you can see, we have a crowd of people at the booth. Our goal is just to really create the ‘PPG Experience.’ We wanted to draw people in and let them have fun. It’s such a great show, so what we wanted to do was have everybody come in, have a good time and get to understand our products and what we have to offer to the market.” Like many other vendors, Fields noted the positive impact experienced at her booth as a result of the collision repair presence at this year’s show. “[Traffic has] definitely increased,” she said. “We definitely wanted to come back with a strong presence at SEMA knowing A dazzling array of products, services and jaw-dropping displays drew a crowd of over 100,000 to the 2010 SEMA Show. continued on pg. 24 New England Automotive Report December 2010 21 SUSTAINING SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT Sarat Ford Surpasses Industry Challenges, EXCEEDS CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS By Joel Gausten A New England automotive institution since 1929, Sarat Ford in Agawam, Ma. has been long regarded by the AASP/MA community as one of the most dependable suppliers of original equipment Ford parts. Currently owned by John “Jack” Sarat, this certified parts wholesaling dealer boasts a $600,000 parts inventory, four parts drivers and a wide service area that includes western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut. “I have three trucks out there all the time, but I always hold one back here for guys who need a part in an emergency, and I use a shipper-receiver for that,” offers Parts Manager Jim Loomis. Loomis’ career at Sarat Ford began in 1992, when his brother and then-Parts Manager Bob Loomis brought him in as an on-the-road salesperson. When Bob left the dealership in 1997, Jim took over the vacant position. Thirteen years later, Loomis’ department continues to thrive thanks to a focus on maintaining new and repeat customers. “Customers expect a lot nowadays, and that’s what I’m trying to do,” he says. “Service is very important. If you can’t get the parts to them, and they’re tying up their shop and not getting another job in or the parts are coming in wrong, there is a problem.” A longtime supporter of MABA, Loomis is looking forward to seeing how the recent merger between the association, CMARA and AASP/MA will ultimately affect his industry. “I think [the merger] will be a good move for the association to pool all their resources together,” he offers. “Hopefully, all the different segments will be on the same page and work together to create common goals. We have a body shop at this location, so I’m hoping that one of the biggest [goals] is the Labor Rate – that needs to be critically addressed. With the combined resources of all three associations, I’m hoping they will have a bigger turnout for that. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, because [the rate] is a ridiculous state of affairs right now.” Despite the ups and downs of the economy, Sarat Ford continues to rise above many of the challenges affecting their fellow dealers. “Being in the Ford end, and not taking bailout money, played a crucial role in us still being here,” Loomis says. “The name ‘Sarat Ford’ has played a tremendous role; it’s something that people have come to know.” In addition to utilizing OEConnection’s CollisionLink system, Sarat Ford offers a special online parts ordering service at 22 December 2010 New England Automotive Report www.fordparts.com/saratflm. If that’s not enough, regular Sarat Ford parts customers have a chance to win special prizes with their orders. “Any wholesale customer who sends $50 or more gets a tear-off ticket at the bottom of their invoice that goes into a bucket,” Loomis explains. “I have a drawing at the end of the month for a $100 gift card. It’s been pretty successful; a lot of guys really enjoy it when they hit it.” Since adding Lincoln-Mercury to its product line in 2009, Sarat Ford continues to look for new ways to expand their services. Plans for a redesign of the parts building (complete with a service drive-through) are currently underway, while Loomis promises to earn the support of AASP/MA long into the future. As he says, “I’m looking for everybody’s business out there, and we’ll always do the best that we can to help shops retain their customers.” Sarat Ford Parts Manager Jim Loomis. AASP/MA SUSTAINING SPONSORS Please Support Our Sustaining Sponsors: CREST INDUSTRIES (508) 259-9006 / Fax (206) 888-6235 National Account Pricing (even on small purchases) Parts Direct 800-247-3033 Parts Direct 800-247-3033 Free Freight on orders over $150. AASP/MA receives minimum of 2% of total purchases. Parts Direct 800-254-1169 RUBBER SEAL PRODUCTS (413)527-4189 A traditional 1% Sponsor. Donates 1% of your total purchases to AASP/MA. Parts Direct 800-248-3035 AASP/MA NEWSLETTER SPONSOR AASP/MA Statewide Chapter Meeting Sponsor (800) RENT-A-CAR Provides a 5% rebate to AASP/MA. 2% applied to members’ annual dues. 1-800 RADIATOR Please Support our Vendor Members: ABSAP Adams Equipment Akzo Nobel Coatings Allied Auto Parts Astro Automotive Autocraft Sales, Inc. Bald Hill Chrysler Dodge Jeep & Kia Best Chevrolet Center Subaru Central Chevrolet Central Chrysler-Jeep Clay Nissan Cooper-Lewis DB National Warehouse Supply Designer Office Systems Don Kennett, Inc. Finishmaster Gallery Automotive Group Garrity Insurance George’s Specialty Imperial Parts J&J Bumpers J & R Auto Body Supply Jaffarian Volvo/Toyota Keystone/Route 16 Auto Salvage Lexington Toyota Kwik Auto Body Supplies Lappen Auto Supply Linder’s Inc. Lombard Equipment Long Automotive Group Montague-Brown Northern Booth Technology Norton Company Providence Lacquer & Supply Rainbow Auto Paint & Supplies Sherwin-Williams Spraybooth Services Stone Auto Body Supply Tasca Automotive Group Tiny & Sons Glass Toyota of Hanover/McGee Toyota Verc Rentals West Springfield Auto Parts Wurth, USA provides all AASP/MA members with Best Pricing (up to 30% discount) regardless of total purchases and FREE delivery! Hertz Local Edition 1-800-654-3131 Wurth, USA also contributes 6% of your total purchases to AASP. 1-800-987-8487 ext. 1049 (800) 914–3802 Contributes 2% of gross sales to AASP/MA; half goes to your annual dues. New England Automotive Report December 2010 23 2010 SEMA SHOW RECAP continued from pg. 21 that we were going to have an opportunity to meet some of those collision repair [shops]. In addition, we’ve done seminars for the past three days, talking about our products and MVP programs, which are a way to help collision shops perform better.” With so many successes found at SEMA 2010, Schulenburg and the rest of SCRS are poised to enjoy even greater experiences when the show returns next year. “The show has embraced us with open arms as a strategic partner, both from the educational standpoint and from the collision area of the show,” he says. “We’re going to take the huge success that we had this year and use the feedback we’ve received to make the show even better every year.” 24 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 25 IN THE AREA AASP/MA WINS BIG AT ANNUAL CASINO NIGHT On November 13, hundreds from the AASP/MA community gathered for an evening of fun at the association’s annual Casino Night. This wildly-successful event, held at Periwinkles Restaurant in North Oxford, serves as a way for association members, sponsors and vendors to enjoy a variety of gaming opportunities while celebrating all that AASP/MA accomplished in 2010. Addressing the crowd, newly-elected AASP/MA President Rick Starbard noted the ongoing success of the merger between AASP/MA, MABA and CMARA. “[The merger] was no doubt the best thing that’s happened to our industry in Massachusetts in quite some time,” said Starbard, who also publicly thanked MABA member Tony Sampson for being “instrumental in getting this merger done.” 26 December 2010 New England Automotive Report Starbard continued, “I know I speak for Tom [Ricci], Paul Hendricks and myself when I say thank you to the interim Board that took office in May when we merged together and agreed to stay on to November to get everything put together. I also want to thank our current Board. There’s still a lot of work to be done – more work than I had ever imagined, but we have tools and people in place and a great Board. I know that in the coming year, we can return Massachusetts to having the strongest automotive association in the country, the way we used to.” The Casino Night served to officially welcome the new AASP/MA Executive Board: President – Rick Starbard, Vice President – Paul Hendricks, Treasurer – Molly Brodeur, Secretary – Gary Cloutier and Immediate Past President – Tom Ricci. New England Automotive Report December 2010 27 28 December 2010 New England Automotive Report IN THE AREA Congratulations to the following Casino Night winners: ABSAP Cribbage Tournament: Dana Kearns (Ed’s Auto Body), Texas Hold’em Tournament – First: Erik Richards (Bernardi Auto Group), Second: Pat Simeone (Best Chevrolet), Third: Jim Audet (Precision Auto Rebuilders), Spin & Win with FinishMaster – Red Sox tickets: Sabrina Latham (Midway Service Center), $100 AMEX Card: Roger Rondeau Jr. (Hendricks Auto Body), $50 AMEX Card: Bud Vumback (Managed Air Systems), Silent Auction High Bidders – BMW Cruise Bike: Donna Roberts (Midway Collision), Celtics tickets: Peter Kilkenny (Providence Lacquer), Red Sox tickets: Dana Kearns (Ed’s Auto Body) and Ed Nalewanski (Ed’s Auto Body), Model T Fire Engine: TJ McClements (Tom’s Auto Body). High Rollers: Rich Connor (FinishMaster) and Don Vermette (Vermette Auto Body). A special “shop owners-only raffle” for a Paint Air Filtration System donated by SprayBooth Services & Equipment Sales was won by Craig Gridley (Larry’s Auto Body). Many special thanks to the following sponsors for making the latest Casino Night such a success: Tournament Sponsor Stephanie Krch of SprayBooth Services & Equipment Sales, Food & Beverage Sponsors – Don Cushing of Bald Hill Motor Group, Larry Higgins & Jim Simeone of Best Chevrolet, Tom Schube of Long Automotive and Paul Dowd of Managed Air Systems. Texas Hold’em Sponsor - Don Cushing of Bald Hill Motor Group, Cribbage Sponsor - Rick Hutchinson of ABSAP, Goodie Bag Sponsor - Matt Leonard of the IRA Motor Group, Board of Directors Sponsor - Ken Zimmerer of Balise Motor Sales, Stage Sponsor - Sal Calautti of The Hertz Corporation, Spin & Win Sponsor - Dennis Seaver of FinishMaster, Goodie Item Sponsors - IRA Parts, Linders Inc and Wurth USA. Silent Auction Gift Providers – Garrity Insurance, J & R Auto Body Supply, Bald Hill Motor Group, Colonial Ford and Wagner BMW. Gaming Table Sponsors: AccuDraft Paint Booths, Akzo Nobel Coatings, Bald Hill Dodge-Chrysler Jeep & KIA, Colonial Ford, Crest East Coast, DuPont Refinish, Future Cure Spray Booths, Garrity Insurance, Kelly Automotive Group, LKQ/Keystone Automotive, Montague Brown, Sherwin Williams Automotive, Thomas Greco Publishing and Woburn Foreign Motors. Prize Donors – AASP/MA Western Chapter, Akzo Nobel/LKQ Keystone Automotive, Auto Masters, Bald Hill Dodge-Chrysler Jeep & KIA, Balise Motor Sales, Bernardi Auto Group, Best Chevrolet, BillEnross.com, Cape Auto Body (Plymouth), Car-part.com, Designer Office Systems, Enterprise RentA-Car, F.L. Roberts/Golden Nozzle, Gengras BMW W.S., Imperial Chrysler, IRA Motor Group, J & R Auto Body Supply Co., Jaffarian Volvo Toyota, Albert Kemperle Inc., Managed Air Systems, Mitchell Auto Group, Rodman Ford Collision Parts Connection, Sarat Ford Lincoln-Mercury, Snap-On Tools, SprayBooth Services & Equipment Sales, Stephens Auto Mall, Woburn Toyota and Woburn Jaguar. Special Thanks to Carrie Tavares and David Schroth of Hertz Local Edition for once again selling all the winning raffle tickets to the enthusiastic crowd. MASSACHUSETTS New England Automotive Report December 2010 29 30 December 2010 New England Automotive Report IN MEMORIAL REMEMBERING STEVE CULLINANE On November 6, the AASP/MA community lost a dear friend with the passing of Stephen P. Cullinane. A resident of Marlborough, Cullinane was the longtime parts manager at Bernardi Honda in Natick. A graduate of Natick High School, he enjoyed a variety of sports, interests and outdoor activities, from attentively landscaping his yard to riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle and driving a Viper sports car. He was a member of the Natick Elks, the Viper Club of New England and the Riverside Gun Club of Hudson. In addition to his wife Kristin, he is survived by brother Rick Cullinane, sisters Kathleen Catton and Barbara Cullinane, sisters-inlaw Susanne Beatty and Elisabeth Forest, father-and mothers-in-law Gerald and Gail Forest of Ashland and Phyllis Murray of Milford. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. AASP/MA offered their thoughts on Cullinane in the following official statement: “Steve’s knowledge of this industry and his assistance to our members will be sorely missed. Our condolences go out to Steve’s family at this difficult time.” AASP/MA Immediate Past President Tom Ricci, who used Cullinane’s services for at least a decade, remembers his personal commitment to bettering the New England collision repair field. “Steve always made it much more than business; it was always more personal [to him] than just a job,” Ricci says. “Steve was a strong supporter of the association, and he supported all three associations before the merger. Everybody knew that he was one of the top supporters of this industry. He will be dearly missed and never forgotten.” New England Automotive Report Editor Joel Gausten remembers Cullinane as someone always willing to take time out of his busy day to share his thoughts on the industry. “I had the pleasure of interviewing Steve on many occasions, both for New England Automotive Report and Hammer & Dolly,” Gausten says. “His dedication to the New England repair community will be forever felt, and his presence in the automotive industry will be forever missed.” Steve Cullinane New England Automotive Report December 2010 31 AASP NATIONAL BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS AASP National Board Meeting EXPLORES VARIOUS INDUSTRY ISSUES By Joel Gausten On November 3, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) in Las Vegas was the site of the latest meeting of the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers (AASP) National Board. The following AASP Executive Committee members were elected: President – Rick Starbard (AASP/MA), Vice President – Jeff Walter (AASP-PA), Secretary- Bruce Tschida (AASP-MN), Treasurer – A. C. Guarino (IGO-NC), Chair of the Executive Directors – Ron Reiling (AASP-MO) and Immediate Past President – Nick Kostakis (AASP/NJ). Speaking with New England Automotive Report following the election, Starbard noted that AASP National is committed to assisting state affiliates that wish to hold timely educational seminars and explore new marketing activities. “We’re a bunch of state associations that run a national association,” he said. “Being in that ‘state association’ state of mind, we’re always thinking of how to better serve the local associations. By using the numbers that we represent on a national level, we’re able to raise the money that we do on a national level, but trickle that down to our state affiliates in a way that no other automotive association in the country does.” businesses, Mitchell 1 continues to enjoy a strong relationship with state affiliates throughout the United States. Currently one of the association’s most popular endeavors, the Mitchell 1 benefit deal includes a 20-percent discount on all Mitchell 1 print and electronic products. Additionally, the company continues to host special management seminars for AASP affiliates throughout the country to rave reviews. David Boyington, Mitchell 1’s senior manager of corporate sales, visited the AASP National Board meeting to voice his company’s ongoing commitment to the association. “I’m proud of what we’ve done, as it’s been because of our regional managers and our reps trying to put this information together, get out there and deliver it,” he said. “We want to be available for you and your members to help with best practices. It’s not just about trying to pitch a Mitchell product.” Additionally, Boyington feels that the marketplace is poised to enjoy even greater returns in the future if shops continue to utilize Mitchell 1’s products and services. “Over the past two years, the aftermarket repair facilities should have seen the greatest opportunity to go and get AASP/MA Moves Forward AASP/MA Northeast Chapter Mechanical Director Russ Hamel appeared before the Board to update them on AASP/MA’s recent activities. Regarding the recent merger between AASP/MA, CMARA and MABA, Hamel explained that the three groups continue to work to build a unified state association. “I don’t think anyone really realizes how much needs to be addressed when you [merge], and we’re still sorting through that,” he said. Additionally, Hamel noted that the unified AASP/MA will work to develop ways to address longstanding state issues, such as the Labor Rate. “We’re in discussions on whether to make tweaks to the Auto Body Labor Rate Bill,” he said. “A lot of logistical things need to be done with the philosophies of the three different associations and getting everything on the same page.” Mitchell 1 Helps AASP Strike Gold A longtime benefit provider for AASP mechanical 32 December 2010 New England Automotive Report Mitchell 1’s David Boyington visited the AASP National Board meeting to reaffirm his company’s commitment to its partnership with the association. New England Automotive Report December 2010 33 34 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 35 AASP NATIONAL BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS business and capture market share in their area than they’ve ever had,” he says. “ If they didn’t take advantage of understanding what’s going on in their industry and area and try to capitalize on that, then they’re probably the folks who are struggling. We want to help them.” AAIA Provides Right to Repair Update, Defends Aftermarket Parts Aaron Lowe, vice president of regulatory and government affairs for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), appeared before the AASP National Board to provide an update on his group’s ongoing work in support of Right to Repair. Lowe noted the recent re-election of Barbara Boxer (D-Ca.) to the Senate as a victory for the ongoing campaign. “Whatever you’re personal views are [on Boxer], she did support the bill,” Lowe said. Lowe added that he expects increased activity on the Right to Repair front in the coming year. “I do believe the states are going to be more active on Right to Repair than they were this year,” he said. “We’re going back to Massachusetts, in all likelihood. We think we built a strong coalition there and built a very strong case…I think we’re in really good shape [for] next year.” Additionally, Lowe voiced his concerns over “across the Aaron Lowe of AAIA addressed concerns over negative “across the board” media statements on the safety and quality of aftermarket parts, and their effects on AAIA members. 36 December 2010 New England Automotive Report board statements” made in the press concerning the safety and quality of aftermarket parts and the negative effect these statements have had on his members. He explained that his association took exception to a recent press release issued by Honda on the subject of non-OEM parts. According to Lowe, AAIA feels that the release “made no distinction between hard parts and crash parts” and that the statements made by Honda were “a direct hit on our members.” Additionally, he noted that the ongoing aftermarket parts discussion within the industry has clouded the necessary distinction between non-OEM collision parts and aftermarket mechanical parts. “We believe there should be choice in parts, one way or the other,” he says. “We think the quality issue is important, and the issue of certification needs to be addressed, [but] we don’t feel it is right for us to get involved in the body shop [side]; they’re not our members.” AASP Awards Grants The AASP Board of Directors used the Board meeting to select the first recipients of its new Industry Improvement Grant program. The program, established earlier this year, funds initiatives that demonstrate innovative and collaborative projects and programs that address unmet needs within the mechanical and collision industries. The first grant was awarded to a collaborative project between AASP and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS). The effort would partner the two associations’ work in researching the issues of business-to-business data ownership and data privacy rights – specifically as they relate to the collision repair industry’s relationship with the estimating Information providers (IPs) and management systems – in a time where technology is moving the industry toward business services that are managed through “cloud-based” servers. The goal of the initiative is to bring clarity and awareness to the concern, identify the legal and ethical issues that come into play and develop tangible solutions to advance the interests of the collision repair industry. A second grant was awarded to the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota (AASP-MN) to help further expand its “Get to Know Your Neighborhood Auto Repair Pro” campaign, an industry promotion program that raises awareness of the benefits of doing business with independentlyowned automotive repair shops. The campaign utilizes radio, search website, point-of-sale, social media and customer reward/referral tools to educate consumers and drive business to independent shops. New England Automotive Report December 2010 37 38 December 2010 New England Automotive Report JUST FOR FUN ALL IN THE FAMILY: A Conversation with Rawson Auto Body By Joel Gausten It takes a lot of patience, time and use of electronic estimating – has en- starting out in the business today? “You have to be best friends; you’ve effort to run a successful auto body busi- abled her to keep the business moving got to work together,” he says. “It’s not ness, but it takes a lot more to run a re- forward. “[Electronic estimating] is a big help, easy – when we go home, I go downpair business as a family. For 34 years, the husband-and-wife team of Tom and and you’re not missing things you might stairs and she goes upstairs, she Beverly Rawson has guided Rawson Auto have missed doing things manually,” she watches her TV and I watch mine. But we Body thanks to love, mutual respect and a commitment to doing the job right. A lifelong automotive enthusiast, Tom decided to open his first shop - a modest two-bay facility - in March 1976. At the time, Beverly worked in the shop’s office with the couple’s baby daughter, Stacy, alongside her in a playpen. “It was pretty scary,” Beverly recalls with a laugh. “It was a difficult decision [for Tom] to make – to leave a full-time job [and start the business]. He was the sole bread winner, and it was hard to accept that this was going to happen with only one car booked in – and that car was my dad’s 1973 Dodge Demon!” Thankfully, the gamble paid off; by (L-R): Rawson Auto Body Inc. staff members Tom Rawson, Beverly Rawson, Dick Haladay, Bob DeAngelis, Greg Mignosa and Jonathan Rawson. the time the Rawsons moved into their know our business, and we know we’re third and current location on Broadway says. “It’s quite an advancement.” The Rawson family business has the only ones who can do anything about Street in Wakefield in 1982, the busigrown to include youngest son Jonathan, it.” ness had grown considerably. After decades of hard work in the “It was a much bigger place, and we who has worked at the shop as a tech for had employees,” Beverly says. “By 1982, six years. After all these years, Beverly shop, Beverly feels that the family busifeels that working with family has been ness’s greatest strength is the high level our feet were pretty firmly planted.” of work they produce. “I was one of the smart ones who the key to the shop’s ongoing success. “We built up our reputation, and I’m “The fact that you’re in a close relapurchased back in the ’80s,” adds Tom. “I bought a piece of property here; when tionship would definitely be an advan- proud of that,” she says. “We have a other people were paying thousands a tage in getting everything done and trying good name out there because of our business practices. That is the most remonth in rent, I was paying my mortgage. to do it as a team,” she says. Considering his experience balanc- warding thing for me.” That’s my blessing.” Over the years, Beverly’s use of ing work and family, what is the best adevolving technologies – especially the vice Tom would offer a young couple New England Automotive Report December 2010 39 AS A COLLISION REPAIR SPECIALIST, YOU MUST ALWAYS FO HOWEVER, INSURANCE ESTIMATES ARE OFTEN FOCUSED O BMW centers stock Original Equipment Parts that never sacrifice quality or For Original BMW Parts, contact one of these authorized BMW centers: BMW of North Haven 610 Washington St. North Haven, CT 06473 203-239-7878 fax: 203-234-0384 BMW of Newport 1215 West Main Road Middletown, RI 02842 401-847-9600 fax: 401-841-0680 Wagner BMW of Shrewsbury 752 Boston Turnpike Shrewsbury, MA 01545 508-845-0505 fax: 508-845-5335 New Country BMW 1 Weston Park Ave. Hartford, CT 06120 860-240-7881 fax: 860-240-7873 WWW.BMWNORTHHAVEN.COM WWW.BMWOFNEWPORT.COM WWW.WAGNERBMWOFSHREWSBURY.COM WWW.NEWCOUNTRYBMW.COM BMW of Peabody 221 Andover St. Peabody, MA 01960 800-696-2691 fax: 978-538-1912 BMW of West Springfield 1712 Riverdale St. West Springfield, MA 01089 413-746-1722 fax: 413-304-9009 BMW of Bridgeport 43 North Ave Bridgeport, CT 06606 203-340-3900 fax: 203-394-6209 BMW of Stratham 71 Portsmouth Avenue Stratham, NH 03885 603-772-0000 fax: 603-772-9436 WWW.BMWPEABODY.COM WWW.BMWWESTSPRINGFIELD.COM WWW.BMWOFBRIDGEPORT.COM WWW.BMWOFSTRATHAM.COM 40 December 2010 New England Automotive Report OCUS ON SAFETY, QUALITY AND COST. ON JUST COST. safety for cost. · Every detail is exactly matched to the vehicle’s safety systems for optimum occupant protection. · Original BMW Panels and Components are built from premium materials using ultra-precise processes. · To maximize the safety of all passengers, replacement panels undergo strict and extensive quality control tests. · To ensure optimal paint adhesion, electrophoretically applied primer coats are used during the manufacturing process. Inskip BMW 1515 Bald Hill Rd. Warwick, RI 02886 401-821-1510 fax: 401-823-0530 Tulley BMW 147 Daniel Webster Highway Nashua, NH 03060 PH:603-821-8830 FAX: 603-888-8427 BMW Gallery Norwood 918 Providence Hwy Norwood, MA 02062 PH: 800-239-5482 FAX: 781-769-8278 BMW Gallery Norwell 98 Accord Park Norwell, MA 02061 PH:781-278-1386 FAX:781-982-4573 WWW.INSKIPBMW.COM WWW.TULLEYBMW.COM WWW.BMWGALLERYNORWOOD.COM WWW.BMWGALLERYNORWELL.COM BMW of Sudbury 270 Eliot Street Ashland, MA 01721 800-338-3198 fax:508-881-7578 BMW of Ridgefield 746 Danbury Road Ridgefield, CT 06877 PH:203-438-0413 FAX: 203-894-8950 WWW.BMWPARTSWHOLESALE.COM WWW.BMWOFRIDGEFIELD.COM New England Automotive Report December 2010 41 42 December 2010 New England Automotive Report AAPEX/AASP SEMINAR RECAP AASP-Sponsored Seminar Explores SOCIAL MEDIA By Joel Gausten There was a time when websites like Facebook and Twitter were seen by many as only tools for young people to socialize with friends and family. However, the ever-growing use of these platforms has encouraged more and more businesses to utilize them to drive new people to their products and services. In an effort to help automotive service professionals take better advantage of this technology, AASP sponsored “Adding Social Media to Your Marketing Toolbox,” a special one-hour course held November 4 during the AAPEX show in Las Vegas. Formerly in the IT business, guest speaker Tyler Olson of SMCpros now serves as a social media consultant to a growing client base that includes AASP’s Minnesota state affiliate. His course offered a variety of tips on how automotive businesses can develop strategies to use social networking to position themselves in front of existing and potential customers. “If you’re a car parts distribution company, if you’re a manufacturer or a service provider, there are people on Twitter and Facebook asking questions, [like] ‘I need an oil change. Where do I go?’” he said. While it is relatively easy to create a Facebook page or Twitter account for your business, Olson cautioned that these sites are merely tools; your success with either of these sites depends on the effort and thought put into your particular online campaign. “So many people jump into creating a [Facebook] Fan Page or creating a Twitter account without thinking ahead of time how it’s going to drive extra value to the business and make money from these tools,” he said. “If you just go in and do it, it’s probably not going to drive business results, and that’s a waste continued on pg. 49 New England Automotive Report December 2010 43 44 December 2010 New England Automotive Report FEATURE AASP/MA Members Travel to Germany FOR A PAINT REVOLUTION By Joel Gausten AASP/MA President Rick Starbard is opportunity presented itself, and I didn’t well known for his travels across the want to pass it up. Everybody was great, In addition to planning to incorporate country on behalf of the automotive in- and they did it up right.” In addition to the Standoblue into his shop (Rick’s Auto dustry. His work recently led him over- Standoblue introduction, Standox hired Collision in Revere), Starbard is working seas to the Standox facility in Wuppertal, a tour guide for the group as they wit- to get the product into the Lynn Voca- Germany for an experience he will never nessed the City of Cologne and the River tional Tech Institute. forget. At the invitation of J&R Auto Body Rhine. time.” “Last September, we switched Lynn Supply in Framingham, Starbard joined “They took us around to the cathe- a small group including AASP/MA mem- dral and gave us the ‘lesson of beer,’” bers Carl Manoogian (Norwell Collision), Starbard adds. “It was really a good Tech over to Standox water-based [paint] continued on pg. 53 Josh Cobb (Midway Collision) and J&R rep Rich Blair in visiting with Standox and testing the company’s new Standoblue water-based product – which Starbard calls “probably the best paint I’ve ever sprayed.” The group also had a chance to visit with some collision repair shops in the area. “In our industry, we always hear how Germany sets the standard and the bar for our industry; the best paint technology comes from Germany,” he says. “The people who do collision repair in Germany are viewed as high-level craftsmen, and they take great pride in what they do. It was a great opportunity to go out there and check it out.” As for the trip itself, Starbard has many positive thoughts to share. “It was different,” he says. “From collision repair to beer and everything else AASP/MA members Carl Manoogian, Rich Blair, Rick Starbard and Josh Cobb, you hear about Germany…the photographed at the Standox facility in Wuppertal, Germany. New England Automotive Report December 2010 45 46 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 47 AAPEX/AASP SEMINAR RECAP continued from pg. 43 of your time.” In order to make the most of the Facebook or Twitter experience, Olson suggested that businesses consider these questions before creating their accounts: • Who’s my target market? • How do I reach them? • What do I want them to do? • What do I want them to know after being connected with me? • Which platform should I be on? • Where are there already customers? Olson recommended that businesses utilize Google Alerts to keep track of who is talking about their business online – and what they are saying. Additionally, he warned of the dangers of posting pictures and other content that might project a negative image of your company. “This is the brand of you, “ he said. “What do you want to be perceived as online? Do you want to be seen as a stud on the beach, or a business professional? Do you want to talk about what you had for breakfast, or do you want to talk about “What do you want to be perceived as online? Do you want to be seen as a stud on the beach, or a business professional? Do you want to talk about what you had for breakfast, or do you want to talk about that major success story you just had?” - Tyler Olson, SMCpros that major success story you just had?” Although he admitted that the business world currently underutilizes the site, Olson advised attendees to consider building a presence on LinkedIn, which has around 70 million users. “If you Google your business name, and you’re not coming up in the first two or three results, LinkedIn will get you there,” he offered. “There are probably LinkedIn groups and Facebook groups of people already talking about what you do…Investing a little time into where those communities already are is probably a very effective use of people’s time.” Of course, no truthful discussion of social media can be held without discussing the potential risks. Privacy continues to be a primary concern for many online social media users. “There are a lot of dangers out there,” Olson said. “You want to be smart and you want to be careful. On Facebook, you can choose who sees what; that’s the same with Twitter and LinkedIn. All social media platforms have privacy settings because people are so concerned about it.” For example, a business owner can construct a “friends list” just for college buddies and another strictly for business contacts, and control the content that each group sees. Above all, Olson encouraged attendees to investigate each of the main social sites thoroughly before determining which to use to reach a particular audience. “I dare you to try to find two teenagers who use Twitter,” he said. “You might get lucky and find one, but you won’t find two. Teenagers don’t use Twitter; they don’t see the purpose of it. It’s primarily the business community that’s using Twitter and LinkedIn – and heavily using Facebook more and more.” Tyler Olson of SMCPros presented on the ins and outs of using social media to properly market one’s business. New England Automotive Report December 2010 49 50 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 51 52 December 2010 New England Automotive Report FEATURE continued from pg. 45 so that we could start training the kids,” he explains. “But after seeing [Standoblue], it just takes things to a whole new level.” Equally amazed by Standoblue, Manoogian feels that the product is another example of Standox’s high-quality craftsmanship. “[Standoblue] is incredible,” he says. “I’ve painted for 17 years, and Standoblue is probably the first paint I’ve ever sprayed in my life that really impressed me. The color covers in one coat, which is just amazing.” In Blair’s mind, Standoblue is an obvious choice for J&R to carry. “Standox is probably the top-of-theline solvent out there right now, and always has been,” he says. “Standox has a waterborne [product] now, but it’s been around for about 15 years and is on the older technology. Standoblue is their latest basecoat offering that falls into that Save the Date! waterborne platform. It’s based on the same platform as the OEM paint they spray at the manufacturing level, so the chance of it matching is much greater.” For Josh Cobb, the experience offered a great opportunity to see how water-based technology is evolving. “Obviously, you don’t see the full story in a training environment, but what we saw was pretty educational,” he said. In Cobb’s mind, the industry’s switch to waterborne will lead to greater professionalism and further separate legitimate shops from the wannabes that keep the field down. “We’re ready to adapt, and we have to,” he says. “I think part of this business is having to adapt or die, so hopefully some of the backyarders will not adapt and die. [The switch to waterborne] should be good to the guys who step up, spend money and do the right thing.” March 18, 19, 20, 2011 Meadowlands Exposition Center 355 Plaza Drive Secaucus, NJ visit www.aaspnjnortheast.com for show info Proudly Presented by: New England Automotive Report December 2010 53 54 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 55 56 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 57 58 December 2010 New England Automotive Report TECHNICAL SPOTLIGHT continued from pg. 19 Judy would say, “It didn’t have the ring of truth.” I could understand if the computer’s XP operating system was unable to be upgraded to a newer operating system like Vista or Win7, but why couldn’t it get the normal recommended Microsoft updates for the current version of its existing operating system? Time to put in another call to Hunter. As usual, the Hunter rep promptly called me back. I explained my dilemma of trying to convert the Hunter computer over to Norton and how I needed to update to SP2. The reps had changed territory not long ago, so my current rep had to call my prior rep to double-check the status of this problem. My current rep called back shortly thereafter to state that I definitely could NOT update to SP2. Still feeling somewhat dismayed, I tried to push the rep further for the rationale behind this. He admitted that, to the best of his understanding, Hunter did not want anyone to be able to steal or copy their software. As a result, the Hunter control board for the aligner only works with Windows SP1. We weren’t ready to blow another $30,000 on a newer aligner, but out of curiosity, I asked the rep what the newest aligner runs on for an operating system. His response: Windows Vista. I was dumfounded. Windows Vista? Are you serious?! That’s the system that no one wanted two years ago! I couldn’t resist asking, “So, if we get your newest system with Windows Vista, and it has SP1, if I ever need to upgrade to SP2, will I be able to?” I don’t think I ever got an answer to that question. I don’t mean to belabor the issue. It’s just that I’m used to having computers that can be updated with the latest patches and service packs of their current software. Like I said before, I can understand if the machine cannot be upgraded to a different operating system, or if update support is no longer available for the current operating system. But, give me a break; we’re living in the 21st century here. We’re not talking about updating an old Windows 95 system, either. In the end, I improvised. I had the Windows “Restore” function go back two days; I was able to return to a point where McAfee was still on the machine, as if I had never made any changes. I then purchased an online update to the latest McAfee anti-virus definitions. The bottom line is, it pays to check to see if all your computers are using some type of anti-virus software, especially if your computers have online access to the Internet. New England Automotive Report December 2010 59 60 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 61 New England’s Award Winning Jaguar Dealership for more than 35 years. WOBURN FOREIGN MOTORS Parts Direct: 1-339-645-2472 Toll Free: 1-800-984-9623 Fax: 1-339-645-2492 Prompt, Professional, Courteous Parts Department 394 Washington Street, Woburn, MA 01801 62 December 2010 New England Automotive Report Web: www.woburnjaguar.com 64 December 2010 New England Automotive Report 2011 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION As a member of the Alliance of Automotive Service Provider of Massachusetts (AASP/MA), I will abide by the association’s bylaws and code of ethics. I understand that membership in AASP of Massachusetts is non-transferable, and I must remain current with my dues in order to be a member in good standing. I understand that if I discontinue my membership that I must immediately cease using any association promotions, logos or materials. Additionally, I understand that as part of my AASP of Massachusetts membership, I will receive New England Automotive Report, the official publication of AASP of Massachusetts, and other mailings. *** PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT LEGIBLY *** PERSONAL INFORMATION: BUSINESS INFORMATION: Mr. Mrs. Business Representative Name: Ms. __________________________________ Name ____________________________________________________ Business Name ______________________________________________ Nickname __________________________________________________ Street Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street City State Zip Mailing Address __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Street Phone Number ( City )________________________________________ Fax Number ( State Zip ) ______________________________________________ E-mail Address ____________________________________________ Web Site Address ________________________________________________ Enrolled By (Name and Address) ______________________________________________________________________________________________ PRIMARY DIVISION (check one) Collision Mechanical/Transmission SECONDARY DIVISION (check one) Collision Mechanical/Transmission LIST OTHER SPECIALTIES ____________________________________ ________________________________________________________ What benefits motivated you to join AASP of Massachusetts? 2011 MEMBERSHIP DUES Annually Total Due $395.00 Check or Cash Credit Card: Visa MasterCard Card Number ______________________________________________ Expiration Date ____________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Signature ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Date ____________________________________________________ Just like good tools and equipment, membership in AASP of Massachusetts is a valuable investment. AASP of Massachusetts works for you through such outstanding programs as: (1) management and technical training; (2) low-cost credit card processing; (3) discount uniform rental; (4) a wide variety of other business services. Put AASP of Massachusetts to work for you today. COMPLETE THE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND RETURN IT WITH PAYMENT TO AASP OF MASSACHUSETTS. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Check Number ________________________Check Date ____________________Check Amount ________________________ Date Joined ________________________Member Number __________________Next Bill Date __________________________ 464 Common St., #263 • Belmont, MA 02478 Phone: 617-484-0205 • Fax: 617-484-0568 email: [email protected] New England Automotive Report December 2010 65 N E W E N G L A N D AUT M TIVE AD INDEX Audi of Brookline................................................24 Audi Group ..........................................................48 Bernardi Group ............................................34-35 Best Chevrolet....................................................IFC BMW Group ..................................................40-41 BMW of Ridgefield ............................................11 Clark & White ....................................................18 Clay Chevrolet ..................................................OBC Clay Hyundai ......................................................37 Clay Nissan of Norwood ....................................64 Clay Subaru ........................................................20 Colonial Auto Group ............................................8 Database Enhancement Gateway ....................51 DuPont/Standox ................................................33 DuPont/Spies........................................................5 Empire Auto Parts ..............................................24 Enterprise ..............................................................6 Ford Group ..........................................................44 Future Cure ........................................................31 Garmat USA ........................................................66 Herb Chambers Hyundai/Toyota ......................63 Honda Group ......................................................58 Hyundai Group....................................................52 Imperial Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep ............................4 Imperial Ford ......................................................44 Inskip Mini/BMW ..............................................61 Infiniti of Norwood..............................................57 IRA Group ......................................................14-15 Jaffarian Toyota/Volvo ......................................16 Kelly Automotive Group ....................................30 Lexus of Northborough ......................................59 Liberty Chevrolet ................................................25 Liberty Isuzu........................................................18 Liberty Mazda ....................................................64 Linder’s, Inc. ......................................................12 Long Automotive Group ....................................42 Mazda Group ......................................................54 McLaughlin Chevrolet ........................................66 Mopar Group ........................................................4 Nissan Group ......................................................60 Replica Plastics ..................................................24 Robertsons GMC Truck ......................................62 Rotary Lift ..........................................................55 Saab Group ........................................................56 Sarat Ford ..........................................................43 Sentry Group ........................................................3 Stephen AutoMall Centre ....................................6 Subaru Group ................................................46-47 Tasca Group ........................................................28 Toyota Group ......................................................38 Toyota of Nashua................................................10 VW Group ............................................................50 Wagner Group ..................................................IBC Wellesley Toyota/Scion ....................................20 Woburn Jaguar ..................................................62 66 December 2010 New England Automotive Report New England Automotive Report December 2010 67