His complaint: He said I had injected politics in a magazine where politics had no place. That's interesting, I thought. This industry, like most others, is all about politics, whether you're talking about local laws that impact where you can open a shop, what chemicals you can use and the taxes you must pay or state or national laws and regulations that touch on the same areas. Look into the subject a bit farther and you'll find that our economy is so tied to government regulation, spending and taxation that these factors often dictate the financial health of our communities. That impacts the ability and willingness of customers to ask for your services, which hits your bottom line.
The point of my November column was that to build a better industry we have to recognize those factors and be willing to flex the political muscle that small business owners possess – which isn't exactly a radical idea. Still, believing it was futile to argue the point with this reader, I honored his request and promptly cancelled his subscription. This episode didn't end there since it left me asking the following question: "Why would anyone toss out a tool that could help his business, especially now?"
This column is but one page in a magazine where all the remaining pages are dedicated to news, business instruction and the latest in technology and training. Plus, ABRN is far more than a monthly publication. Twice a week we send out an electronic newsletter called E-Pillar (visit www.abrn.com and scroll down to "E-Mail Newsletters" to subscribe). During the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) we produce the NACE Show Daily. We update our Web site daily with half a dozen news stories, along with videos, pictures, etc. We offer an online community where readers can blog and post their own videos and pictures.
Maybe I'm biased, but that seems to be a lot to give up just because you don't agree with a point one person raises. It also flies in the face of the best piece of business advice I've ever been given or seen at work in the most successful shops I've encountered: Information is your most important tool; use any and all you can find.
Obviously, we're not going to please all the people all the time. For those of you sticking around looking for that kind of information, I believe I have some good news for you. Next month, look for an all new ABRN.
Building on our goal to give you all the information you can use and based on your input, along with direction from industry and publication specialists, we've redesigned ABRN. We'll be offering you an even sharper tool to help you grow your business even more, with more for you to think about in the bays and the front office.
In the meantime, I encourage you to go to our Web site and join the ABRN community. Go to abrn.com or search-autoparts.com and select the Community button. Create a profile (easy to do). Start blogging or share your thoughts or business tips with other repairers at one of our message boards. Have a bone to pick with me? Let the world know. Looking for advice on management practices, performing a repair or selecting the best tools or equipment for your shop? Let other readers help you. Have an idea that could make the industry a better place for all of us? Share it via a video.
It's one more tool for you to use.
Tim Sramcik
