ASCCA What You Need To Know

November 17, 2014

ASCCA Members Can Take ESi Courses at a Big Discount; Course Dates are Nov. 22, Dec. 1, and Dec. 2

One of ASCCA's newer member benefits is being able to take Educational Seminars Institute (ESi) classes, which usually cost $149.95, for only $95! Classes coming up are on "Sales and the Customer Experience" and are offered Nov. 22 in La Palma, Dec. 1 in Santa Clara, and Dec. 2 in Fairfield. All proceeds from course registrations go back to ASCCA, helping us bring you even more member benefits. The number of ASCCA discounted courses is limited, so register today!

Link to more information and the registration area

Free Sales Teleforum Offered Through Autocare Association

The Auto Care Association's Manufacturers' Rep Council is sponsoring a free sales teleforum for salespeople and sales managers, "Five Ideas to Quickly Improve Your Salespeople's Selling Abilities", on Nov. 21. It is led by professional coaching firm Sa1esWise. For more information, contact Freda Jones at freda.jones@autocare.org, or call 301-654-6664.

Registration is required. More information and registration is at this link.

Insurance Commissioner Recommends Lower Pure Premium Rate than Suggested by Workers' Comp Rating Bureau

Nov. 14 - Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today adopted an advisory average pure premium rate of $2.74 per $100 of employer payroll for workers' compensation rates effective January 1, 2015. The adopted amount is lower than that proposed by the Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California (WCIRB). The WCIRB's proposed advisory average rate was $2.77 per $100 of payroll. The commissioner's pure premium decision is advisory only. Pursuant to California law, the commissioner does not set or have authority over workers' compensation insurance rates.

Read the Press Release

Why You Should Track Your Effective Labor Rate

Your effective labor rate tells you what your shop is making per billed hour. Improved efficiencies allow more hours to be billed out in the same amount of time. Ideally, you will bill for every hour you're paying a technician to work on a car. You do this by getting paid for diagnostic work, vehicle inspections, and other non-routine work.

Read the article from Ratchet & Wrench

ASCCA Member of the Month - November

The ASCCA's member of the month for November is Steve Elstins, owner of West Coast Muffler in Concord. Steve was nominated by Chapter 20 because of his passion to make a difference in the industry. He has organized a Father's Day car show for the last 20 years and donated the proceeds to charity. Steve is also an ASCCA board member, chairs ASCCA's Education, Training and Information Committee, and is a member of ASCCA's Summer Conference and Government Affairs committees.

Know someone deserving of being ASCCA Member of the Month? Nominate them! More info here

Click here to read about previous ASCCA members of the month.

ASE Announces New Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Certification

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has announced a new certification category for those involved in servicing hybrid vehicles. The Light Duty Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Specialist (L3) is a new advanced level certification geared toward technicians who perform diagnosis and repairs on hybrid/electric vehicles. Technicians may register starting December 1, 2014. Testing begins in January 2015.

Read the ASE's press release

RepairPal Expands its Network of Certified Auto Repair Shops with an Investment by USAA

RepairPal has announced a strategic investment by a subsidiary of USAA, a premier financial services provider to U.S. military and their families. The investment will allow RepairPal to further expand its nationwide network of certified auto repair shops. RepairPal presently has about 1,000 shops, with some in all 50 states.

Read the announcement

Vehicle Manufacturers' Privacy Principles Fail to Adequately Provide Consumers Control of their Car's Data

The Auto Care Association (ACA) has issued a press release calling for vehicle manufacturers to build into their vehicles a secure gateway, which will allow motorists to have information that is transmitted by their vehicle to be sent to the third party of their choice. Their statement comes in response to the release, by the Alliance for Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers, of their "Consumer Privacy Protection Principles," which ACA says still fail to provide car owners any choices regarding the information that is available from their vehicle.

Read the ACA press release

Member Benefit Extended! ASCCA Discount on DAD Device Good Through the End of this Year

Applus Technologies, Inc. ("Applus") is pleased to offer ASCCA members a 15% discount off the retail price of each Applus Smog DADdy� full system. To obtain the discount, Applus Technologies asks that ASCCA members wishing to purchase the units order on their website www.smogdaddy.com and enter promotion code "ASCCA" in the appropriate space on the order form.

This offer will expire December 31, 2014. ASCCA members will receive their discount immediately upon purchase. In cases where established members have made purchases prior to the date of this agreement, Applus will adjust the purchase price to reflect the aforementioned discount.

Recall Notices from the NHTSA This Week