AASP, SCRS to partner on data ownership, privacy rights project

Technology is moving the industry toward business services that are managed through "cloud-based" servers, which raises questions about who owns the data held in those servers and who can that data be shared with. The issue has been raised - but not resolved - at various industry meetings, including the Collision Industry Conference. It also has been discussed in several ABRN columns by Tony Passwater.

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, according to AASP.

"Both AASP and SCRS have shared a long history of working side-by-side on initiatives that better business conditions for our collective memberships," says SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg. "The new technology shifts have made it easier to collect and centrally store data generated by repair businesses, and have increased the ease in which that data can be shared with others and used in ways that may not have been intended or understood by the business using the estimating or management system. It is important for our associations to use our position in the industry to heighten education of the issues and find meaningful solutions; and SCRS is certainly proud to work with AASP to deliver that value through collaboration such as this."

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. The campaign is an industry promotion program that raises awareness of the benefits of doing business with independently owned 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.

Judell Anderson, AASP-MN executive director, says, "This campaign keeps independent shops front-of-mind by helping consumers better understand the capabilities of independent shops and the many benefits of establishing a relationship with their Neighborhood Auto Repair Pro. AASP-MN appreciates both the vote of confidence and financial support from our national organization and looks forward to sharing this program with our fellow AASP Affiliates in other geographic areas."

The AASP Industry Improvement Grant is an ongoing initiative of AASP. It was established to fund initiatives having the purpose of improving or advancing the collision and mechanical repair industries.

"Both of these grants represent what we had envisioned when we instituted the Industry Improvement Grant program," says AASP President Rick Starbard. "These initiatives have the potential to positively impact the collision and automotive repair industries in two key areas: addressing data privacy and ownership issues, which is an emerging concern to anyone whose data is being uploaded to third parties, and also offering AASP affiliates and their members access to a truly professional marketing program. I look forward to witnessing the results of both of these industry investments."

A second round of grant applications will be accepted early in 2011, for consideration at AASP's April board meeting. Grant proposals must have a sponsoring AASP Affiliate and/or involvement of the AASP national office. A grant application can be accessed at www.autoserviceproviders.com.