Dan Risley, who joined the Automotive Service Association (ASA) in March 2013, is now leading the organization through a significant evolution. In today’s AMN Executive Interview, Risley talks about the association’s evolution, the role member feedback plays in the process, and his short- and long-term goals for ASA.

It was just about a year ago you were appointed to the role of president and executive director at ASA, and you have accomplished quite a bit in that short period of time. Tell us about some of the changes and plans you have put in place since taking over leadership of ASA.

Honestly speaking, there isn’t a lot that I and the board of directors haven’t changed. We’ve made a lot of internal operational changes with many more yet to be implemented. I think our biggest change is the approach and philosophy. When the board hired me, they were interested in building the association on a couple of key principles.

Collaboration and working together was at the core of their mission. We’ve made some decisions in the past that caused many unintended negative consequences. We’ve spent the past 12 months addressing many of those issues and rectifying them whenever we can. I think NACE/CARS in Detroit July 28 through Aug. 2 is a great example of that sincere outreach. We are proud to have CIC, I-CAR, CCIF and others hosting events throughout Industry Week.

Transparency was another area of focus. The communication and information exchanged between the board and our affiliate associations has never been better. The transparency helps to build trust and understanding. Sometimes transparency can be painful. In this case, it has done nothing but spur more energy and ideas. We’ve been very fortunate that virtually everyone we’ve touched has been willing to help carry the message and provide support.

The results have been positive and in some instances we’ve been overwhelmed by the sincere outreach by the industry to support ASA. It has been a great lesson to all of us. When you have staff, a board of directors, members and affiliate associations all pulling in a common direction towards a common goal, anything is possible.

How much of a role does member feedback play in the association, in terms of the way the association grows and evolves?

Member feedback is critical to our growth and evolution. So the first thing you have to be willing to do is listen! Members are customers just like any consumer that pays for a good or service. Nobody is forced to pay association dues. It’s a choice.

The second thing you need to do is be able to use the information to effect change. Being a good listener is a great quality but you need to be able to take action. If you aren’t growing, it is typically because you stopped listening to your customer.

What are some of your short and long-term goals for the association?

Short-term goals include building NACE/CARS. The show has struggled the past few years. A lot of time and energy has been spent to ensure the show remains the premiere collision and service repair event. I’m pleased to report that those efforts have been successful to date. We are expected to double the size of the show this year. Another short-term goal is to expand the membership benefits offered. We recently announced an industry best MOPAR Tech Authority annual subscription for $120/year. We are working on creating similar type programs that can offset their annual dues for several years.

Long-term goals include building reserves, growing our staff and rebuilding our membership back to levels seen prior to the downturn in the economy. We are very optimistic that our recent changes will result in several state affiliate associations joining our family once again. Many years ago, several state associations chose not to renew their affiliation. We are thankful that one of our largest and strongest former affiliates elected to re-affiliate in 2013. Hopefully, ASA-PA serves as a testament to our commitment and desire to serve our members.

Tell us a bit more about the ASA membership itself. What kinds of benefits does ASA provide its members, and in turn what makes ASA members stand out from the crowd?

ASA provides a lot of benefits. Some are tangible, others are not. We offer many discount or rebate programs. Members also receive a lot of timely and relevant information from several different mediums. Members receive our monthly publication Auto Inc., a bi-monthly newsletter, a monthly e-blast as well as up to the minute news through our social media (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn). We are the only national association that solely represents collision and service repair professionals with a full-time lobbyist and office in Washington, D.C., Bob Redding is an invaluable asset to ASA and the industry.

The intangible benefits come in the form of representation. We are the eyes, ears and voice for our members. ASA is fortunate to have dedicated board seats with groups such as NASTF, CIECA, ASE, AMI and I-CAR. We are even more fortunate to have board members and staff participating on committees that drive change in the industry. For example, CIC committees, insurance advisory councils, estimating system provider councils, NASTF committees, vocational school committees and alike.

We understand ASA is in the process of partnering with AAIA on a new project, which is unique given that the two associations were competitors on the Right to Repair issue for so many years. Can you talk to us about this new partnership – how it came about and what it entails?

ASA is committed to working together with all industry stakeholders and respecting each other’s differences. Nobody wins when you can’t sit in a room together to discuss an issue and seek solutions that are mutually beneficial. AAIA is a very powerful group rife with industry leaders. Our leadership teams have continued to keep the lines of communication open to find areas of common ground. When those opportunities present themselves the power and strength of that unified voice will be realized. The industry stands to gain far more in identifying those opportunities to work together as opposed to focusing on those that are polarizing. How it came about? A sincere interest on behalf of both organizations to work together.

Specifically on the collision side, ASA needs to navigate between two potentially contentious partners, the repair shop and the insurer. Which of these two entities do you consider to be the “customer,” and how do you navigate this relationship for your members?

The answer is simple. The customer is the vehicle owner. We share a mutual customer with the insurance company. Insurance companies reimburse the insured for their loss. That said, our industry is unique and working together with insurance companies can blur the lines. Navigating the relationship with insurance companies is specific to each member and their business model. ASA navigates the relationship from a more global perspective. We aren’t interested in lawsuits, disparaging press releases or grandstanding in public forums. Our interest is in doing what’s right for the industry and making concerted efforts to resolve differences. We recognize that it’s not always possible. We’ll exhaust seeking voluntary resolutions and utilize regulation only when necessary.