R.L. Polk & Co.’s Ask the Industry Looks at Steering in the Collision Industry
Although illegal, many collision repair shops believe that steering routinely happens across the collision industry. For this week’s Ask the Industry, we asked several collision repair shops about their perceptions of steering and how it has impacted their businesses.
Global Accessories Now Offers WHI’s Nexpart Virtual Inventory to its Customers
Global Accessories, a manufacturer of soft products and accessories for the automotive aftermarket, has announced the availability of WHI’s Nexpart Virtual Inventory to its customers. Virtual Inventory will make stock at Global Accessories’ Distribution Centers (DCs) accessible to customers using Nexpart eCommerce websites, creating online availability of parts that are out-of-stock at their customers’ location.
NTEA Releases Report Benchmarking Truck Equipment Distributor Profitability
According to the 2007 Distributor Profit Survey Report, recently released by the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA), being a typical truck equipment distributorship that earns 3.5 percent profit isn’t “good enough” when a high-profit firm can generate a profit margin of 7.8 percent. Survey results are based on 2006 data.
From Counterman.com: Technology: Salvation or Curse?
Counterman Editor Brian Cruickshank’s July column discusses the abundance of technology in the aftermarket. He writes, "technology is only as good as how well you use it — and to use it, you must understand it. It may appear on the surface that the aftermarket is a rather low-tech, nuts-and-bolts, or better yet, pistons-and-camshafts, sort of business. It is, but at its essence, at its core, the automotive aftermarket is really a technology business."
From Herman Trend Alert: Discrimination in Hiring?
From “Herman Trend Alert,” by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists According to the "2007 Graduating Student Survey" conducted recently by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), white males had an easier time finding full-time positions upon graduation than female and minority graduates. Although there were no gender- or ethnicity-based differences
Four Seasons and MACS Worldwide Partner to Train More Techs
The Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide and corporate sponsor, Four Seasons, have partnered to help more automotive technicians attend technical training at the MACS 28th annual Convention and Trade Show. The convention will be held Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2008 in Florida at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World.
Technology Takes Center Stage During Aftermarket E-Forum
The aftermarket is a technology business, and as the Aftermarket eForum proved, the application of technology can make it a more efficient and profitable business as well. During the two-day event, held at the newly remodeled Chicago O’Hare Hyatt, speakers addressed the audience on technology topics such as technology outsourcing, data management, e-marketing, training and inventory efficiency. Each presentation proved from real-world examples that the embracing of technology is good for every level of the aftermarket, from manufacturers to distributors to customers.
From Counterman.com: Time and a Half
One of the hot-button issues in the independent automotive service industry is how to charge for diagnostic time. Currently, the debate is framed by two basic schools of thought. The practitioners of the first school are the shop managers who regard “free diagnostic code reads” as a marketing expense needed to lure potential customers into their doors. The practitioners of the second school are “hard-line” shop managers who believe that diagnostic time should yield profits commensurate with the tooling and training expense needed to diagnose complex powertrain and body control systems.
Johnson Controls Posts Profit: Supplier Nets $396 Million in Third Quarter
As one of the most diversified and resilient companies in the turbulent auto industry, seat maker Johnson Controls Inc. has managed to keep posting record sales and profits. It did so again on Wednesday, but that wasn’t enough to keep the stock from tumbling. Between April and June, Milwaukee, WI-based JCI, which has its automotive headquarters in Plymouth, MI, reported net income of $396 million, or $1.98 per share, on sales of $8.9 billion. Both are record highs for JCI’s fiscal third quarter.
Cars.com Unveils American Made Index, Identifies Top ‘American’ Cars
CHICAGO — Cars.com has updated its American Made Index to help consumers identify the top 10 vehicles that are truly the most American in terms of their parts, where they’re produced and their popularity with U.S. buyers. In today’s global economy, there’s no easy way to determine just how American a car is. Many cars