Attendance at free ASA workshops growing

BEDFORD, Texas — The Automotive Service Association (ASA) recently hosted three more Service Information Workshops in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Willow Grove, Pa., to educate shop owners and technicians about the availability of service information to automotive repair shops. John Francis III, co-owner, Francis Automotive Services, West Chester, Pa., led the workshops on behalf of the association, when representatives from Subaru and Hyundai were present to assist with the workshops and provide demonstrations of their Web sites to attendees.

“Attendance in Pennsylvania was better than at any previous event,” says Bill Haas, ASA’s vice president of education and training. Haas also praised ASA Mechanical Division Operations Committee member Howard Pitkow for his demonstration of the Volkswagen Web site and diagnostic tool at the Willow Grove workshop.

The agenda included education on computers and Internet resources necessary to access service information, use of manufacturer and third-party Web sites and diagnostic tools that may assist in handling the repair most efficiently. Additionally, Francis explained the role of the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF), which accommodates the identification and correction of gaps involved in the access of automotive service information, diagnostic tools and equipment, and training.

Attendees were able to ask questions about specific service information issues they have experienced. The meetings concluded with drawings for training videos and subscriptions to automaker service information Web sites. Attendees Jim Bastone, Pittsburgh, Pa; Keith Katz, York, Pa.; and Peter Rudloff, Newark, Del., will each receive a subscription to an automaker Web site.

ASA says it believes the current voluntary, industry-supported service information process protects independent repairers and consumers by allowing them access to the same information available to manufacturers and dealers. The workshops in Pennsylvania are part of ASA’s efforts to educate shop owners and technicians about current systems and how they can manage the service information options available to them.

Additional workshops are scheduled in the coming weeks for Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Florida. For more information, including dates, locations and times, visit www.ASAshop.org/KEYS. The workshops are free for attendees.