Greetings!
Welcome to the September 2010 edition of our e-Newsletter published exclusively for members and friends of USA.
September marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall. The children are back in school and daily routines return to normal. Cooler nights are here and the harvest season has begun. This month Americans celebrate Labor Day, Rosh Ha-Shanah, Yom Kippur, Citizen Day, Constitution Day and Mexican Independence Day which all make for a very busy month. September is the 9th month and the end of the third quarter. Are sales on target to make your budget? If not, it's not too late to make changes to improve your business during the last quarter.
Yours sincerely, The USA team
SEPTEMBER QUOTE
You may only be one person to the world, but you may also be the world to one person. ---unknown |
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Samsung Seeks Major Appliance Market Supremacy
TWICE Staff -- TWICE, 9/16/2010
Seoul, South Korea- Samsung said it is aiming to surpass No. 1 major appliance maker Whirlpool in global sales by 2013.
The company is already closing the gap in refrigeration, where Samsung is in second place behind Whirlpool, appliance VP Hong Chang-Wan said.
According to a report in India's The Economic Times, Hong said Samsung would achieve its goals through "continuous research and technology innovation."
Read more... |
Appli  ance Tech Buddies Meeting Held at Coast Appliance Parts
Technicians helping technicians. A meeting for independent servicers and a roundtable (open discussion) was held on September 21. The meeting was organized and run by independent servicers. Their goal was to identify and search for solutions to issues that are affecting their businesses.
For further information contact : Lou Bennett, Affordable Appliance Service 949-795-6237 Jim Kerr, Jim Kerr's Appliance Service 626-523-1352 Bert Miles, Coast Appliance Parts 714-292-2835 Click here for event flyer |
 Jennifer's
Warranty Tip # 6 
Electrolux servicers, did you know that if you install an upgrade kit into an Electrolux refrigerator (ice maker upgrade), dishwasher (wash-ability kit or leak kit) and then have an unrelated repair issue(s) you can split the claim to get paid twice.
Are you collecting all of the labor that is available to you?
Read Jennifer's warranty tip... |
Early Bird Registration Ends Sept 30th 
Save $100
 Appliance Service Training Institute (ASTI)
Town and Country Resort & Convention Center |
Do you ever wonder what to do with obsolete inventory? 
Do you ever wish you could display your entire obsolete inventory to the industry in hopes that someone else was looking for that NLA part that you still have? Well, now you can do just that on www.mypartshelf.com.
MyPartShelf.com is a simple, but powerful web-based inventory control program.
It was designed for small independent shops to use the power of the computer and Internet to list their entire parts inventory. There is no need to buy expensive complicated computer programs, worry about backing up data or to deal with yearly software upgrades. The MyPartShelf.com inventory control program can be accessed from virtually anywhere in the world and it's absolutely FREE!
Listing your NLA inventory on MyPartShelf.com means that your parts are promoted to the WORLD without maintaining an expensive website or listing items on auction websites such as eBay.
For more information, call Bob Johnson at 218-206-2105 or email bobj@mypartshelf.com.
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Calculating Your Cost Of Doing Business(CODB) the Hard Way
By Jeff Jones
All-Tech Appliance
I ran my business for years by a picking a number from the air to set my labor rate. Other companies were charging $55 an hour so I figured I would charge $65. I ran this way for years and did ok with several guys working for me doing mostly commercial kitchen work all over Southern  California mainly pizza places. It was just dumb luck that the rate I picked actually covered my expenses and overhead leaving me with a profit.
Read Jeff's story....
Running a professional service company doesn't have to be learned the hard way. Come to the Appliance Service Training Institute and
learn how to set your rates based on your costs to ensure you meet your profit goals. |
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Anza Appliance Utilizes Social Networking to Promote Quality Service on YouTube
 Click here to watch video
Few service companies understand the value of social networking sites such as YouTube to promote and differentiate their business. Watch this YouTube video to see how one USA member did it.
Serving Silicon Valley since 1972, De'Anza Appliance is family owned and operated. The mission of De Anza Appliance Parts & Service, Inc. is to provide prompt, efficient, and quality service to their customers at a fair and competitive price, and to insure their continued satisfaction throughout the useful life of the product. Owner Roger Boucher and his brother, David Schick created this video to demonstrate to their customers the difference between bad and good technicians during the service experience. |
Why didn't I use Virtual Fleet Supervisor GPS sooner?
After doing a lot of research into GPS tracking for my company, I found Virtual Fleet Supervisor. The price was right and the system they offered just plugged into the OBDII diagnostic port of any vehicle manufactured after 1995.
I called Virtual Fleet Supervisor and talked to Drew, who answered all of my questions and offered a 30-day money back guarantee. We decided to give it a shot and the devices arrived quickly. We plugged all eight units in and voilą, they worked perfectly. The GPS makes dispatching easier because all of the staff can see exactly where the technicians are. We can set parameters that send instant emails, such as speeding, idling, starting, stopping, movement after hours, and maintenance intervals. It will even alert you if the unit is unplugged!
There were several surprises as soon as we got started. One technician came into the office and said, "So can I still pick up my daughter from school?". Another tech had the van idling all day. We found out that she kept the air conditioning running continually because she had brought her sick puppy to work to give him medicine!
While I can't put my finger on the total savings, I sleep better at night knowing that the techs know that I know where they are.
Jay Miskin, Owner
A Action Appliance Repair LLC
Glastonbury CT 06033
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Vero Beach Franchise Owners Recognized for Outstanding Contributions to Franchising09.20.2010 - Trey Beatty, Matt Beatty and Chris Greer, owners of Mr. Appliance of Treasure Coast, traveled across the U.S. from Vero Beach, Fla. to Washington, D.C. where they were honored by the International Franchise Association (IFA) for the annual Franchisee of the Year Award.
"The IFA is proud to recognize the outstanding efforts of Trey, Matt and Chris with the Franchisee of the Year Award," said IFA Chairman Ken Walker, chairman & CEO of Driven Brands. "The franchising community is an important component of the U.S. economy due to the hard work of these exemplary individuals who have helped bolster the growth of the industry."
Read more... |
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Blue Book
Flat Rate Job Guide Now Available in Desktop Version
The New Edition (Version 10.4) of the Printed Blue Book is now available for purchase. The books include Standard and Premium appliance rates in one book. The Books are available in Technician Edition BBT001 (4" x 6.5" Bound books) and Desktop / Large Print Edition BBD001, loose-leaf format in a 3-ring binder that doubles as an easel back stand. The desktop pages are 5.5" x 8.5" and the print is about 25% larger. Special lower prices for USA members.Order yours now! |
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Member Benefit 5% off Tuition Fees
Fred's Appliance Academy offers a diverse technical training program that covers all aspects of appliance repair. Their hands-on program provides students with the skills and experience to service all major appliances, from washing machines and dryers, to ranges and refrigerators. If it's in the home, you'll know how to fix it by the time you leave Fred's Appliance Academy.
They offer a 3 week program consisting of classroom instruction, hands-on practice, troubleshooting and repair. Imagine, in less than a month's time, Fred's will prepare you for real-world employment in a field where there's never a shortage of business. By the end of the course, each student will take the nationally recognized NASTeC (National Appliance Service Technician Certification) exam. Students will also be offered the opportunity to apply for Class one CFC certification.
 Watch Fred's Applaince Academy Video |
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