The Automotive Service Association (ASA) in late summer hosted four Service Information Workshops in Florida. Workshops were held in Tallahassee, Orlando, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale from Aug. 26-28 to educate shop owners and technicians about the availability of service information to automotive repair shops. Donny Seyfer, co-owner, Seyfer Automotive, Wheat Ridge, Colo., led two workshops; and John Francis III, co-owner, Francis Automotive Services, West Chester, Pa., presented the other two workshops on behalf of ASA. 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 and Seyfer 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 encouraged to ask questions to address specific service information issues they have experienced. The meetings concluded with drawings for training videos and subscriptions to automaker service information Web sites. Attendees Larry Gillespie of Gillespie’s Auto, Plant City, Fla.; Andrew Poole of Dashlight Diagnostics, Lake Worth, Fla.; Denise Randolf of SDW Southern Design, Wellborn, Fla.; and Sean Carmichael of Glenn’s Tire & Service, Melbourne, Fla., were each awarded a subscription to an automaker Web site. ASA states that 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 Florida 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. For more information, visit www.asashop.org. |
