The committees overseeing the development of sessions have helped identify the best speakers and trainers to cover the most relevant and vital topics for leadership in the service and collision repair industries. Visit NACEexpo.com or CARSevent.com for more information on various programs and to register.
“Building the Road to GREAT Technicians” was the featured topic of the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) Spring 2016 General Meeting, Wednesday, March 2, 2016 in Overland Park, Kansas. The challenge of finding qualified technicians is well documented in the automotive service industry and that challenge is expected to become even greater as vehicle technology continues to proliferate.
Bosch Automotive Aftermarket North America has announced a multi-year renewal of its technical partnership with 11-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions Hendrick Motorsports. Dating back to 2001 with an agreement to supply spark plugs to the racing powerhouse, the scope of the relationship has since expanded to include alternators, starters, oxygen sensors, fuel injectors and fuel pumps.
ACDelco recognized 19 of its top distributors during its 2016 National Meeting. Tonsa Automotive, of Port Washington, New York, won the 2016 Distributor of the Year award, and the Parts House, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Rowerdink Automotive, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, were honored for outstanding growth in key sales categories.
Leadership Excellence recently name Northwood University’s Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) program as one of the top 10 most prestigious Master of Science degree programs with an emphasis on leadership and organizational development. The university recently received a Leadership Excellence Award at the LEAD2016 event in Nashville, Tennessee.
“The benefits to this sort of technology are huge, with estimates that the overall U.K. economic benefit could be as much as £51 billion (approximately $70.96 billion) a year due to fewer accidents, improved productivity and increased trade,” said Philippa Oldham, head of transport at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and lead author of the report.
ETI is surveying automotive repair facilities to learn what services are offered by shops and which of those services are performed by in-house technicians, outsourced technicians or sending the vehicle to a different shop. The institute also would like to learn which services customers ask for that are currently being turned down and why.
This is the sixth event hosted by YANG since the Regional Meet-Up program was announced in June 2015. These events provide local opportunities for young professionals to gain industry insights and build their networks without traveling far from home.
Problems with technology continue to affect vehicle reliability according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). The number of problems with infotainment, navigation and in-vehicle communication systems – collectively known as audio, communication, entertainment and navigation (ACEN) – has increased and now accounts for 20 percent of all customer-reported problems in the study.
The ASA Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Resource website will serve as a consolidated hub for manufacturer-specific scan tool information, calibration and reprogramming updates, training materials and service information. The website was developed by repairers for repairers, with direct input from the manufacturers.
The Auto Care Association has released the first in a series of animated Technology Minute online videos about the association’s technology standards and best practices. The videos are aimed at fostering awareness and understanding of the standards by presenting individual 60-second videos in simple, approachable terms that are appropriate for multiple audiences, the association says.
The MACS Board of Directors has 13 members: four members representing service and repair, four members representing distribution, four members representing manufacturing and the past chairman.
