One of the many advantages of membership in a national group like the Automotive Service Association (ASA) is the different perspectives it brings. Fred Hules is the owner of Tech1 Auto in Peoria, Arizona and the chairman-elect of the ASA National board. In this episode, Fred offers a view from the Southwest as he discusses how ASA-Arizona has and continues to help their members stay open and in business through the current pandemic. Fred’s unique perspective reflects what he’s seen so far in the good, the bad and the different effects on repair shops in Arizona as he shares his observations and insights on a range of topics, including:

• What the ASA-Arizona affiliate has done to help shops meet the challenge and not just survive, but thrive in the face of the COVID-19 crisis.
• How the dissemination of information is critical to keeping shops abreast of developments and available resources to meet the challenges of the current pandemic. Providing the “how” along with the “what.”
• The importance of the stimulus support available from the federal government.
• What we’ve learned from one another to take advantage of the help that’s out there and some tips on the best ways to apply for assistance.
• The value of being part of an association and how that allowed Fred to help other business owners—even some in other industries.
• How Arizona shops are taking care of their employees and customers, while learning to adapt to a wide variety of new customer service tools, like paying a bill with a text message. What’s going to stick?
• A local view on how business is returning in Arizona and what it means to repair shops and other small businesses.
• How Tech1 Auto and many other shops are taking advantage of the free training during the crisis and how the down time provided an opportunity to improve their efficiency and processes.
• Lessons learned and where we go from here.

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