Lube + Q1 2017

Q1 2017

TH E MAGA Z I NE OF TH E AU TOMOTI V E OI L CH A NG E A SSOCI ATION

IN THIS ISSUE:

On the Right Track Idaho Quick Lube Finds Success by Looking Out for Customers’ Best Interests MARKETING:

Customer Relationship Management

Good Reasons to Have a Drug- and Alcohol-Free Workplace Program INSURANCE:

HUMAN RESOURCES: REGULATIONS:

Getting Them On Board

It’s Time to Bring the Heat

+ Pertinent Content from AOCA

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE © I S TO C K P H OTO . C O M / O K E A

AOCA FIGHTS AND WINS MANY BATTLES ON BEHALF OF MEMBERS

Greetings once again from the beautiful city of Magnolia, Ark. As I gazed out of my window, watching the deer and the antelope play, I thought how wonderful it would be to never hear another discouraging word.

Human nature is to focus on the negative and ignore the positive things in life. I guess it's more fun to complain about the bad things than to be thankful for the good.

I have owned my shop and been a member of AOCA for nine years. Looking back over the past nine years, I find it very encouraging to see how our industry and our association have endured some of the toughest years in our industry’s history.

I bought my shop in July 2008. It seemed there was a price increase on everything every month during that first year. My first AOCA iFLEX was in Atlanta, Ga. It was depressing. If you remember Atlanta, you know what I'm talking about. I was wondering, “What have I gotten myself into?” Over the course of the next several years, I saw operators complain about drops in car counts, rising costs of goods and quick lubes going out of business. It would have been easy to get discouraged, but the thing that kept me focused on the positive was the friends I made through AOCA.

“Looking back over the past nine years, I find it very encouraging to see how our industry and our association have endured some of the toughest years in our industry’s history.”

AOCA offers a lot of things to its members, but one of the most valuable is the friendships made and the support of those friends when things go wrong. This is a unique group of people. I've been involved with associations where everyone is viewed as a competitor, but with this association, the AOCA, everyone is viewed as a friend and, in a lot of cases, as family. (We even have a couple of those crazy uncles.)

Is AOCA perfect? No. Does AOCA have a committed board of directors striving to make it perfect? Yes. I can personally testify, the AOCA Board of Directors works diligently to make this association the best it can be. It takes time, but I believe we have made great strides over the past three years. We are working to add more member benefits, and we are working to iron out some wrinkles with current issues we face. As a matter of fact, as I am writing this masterpiece on this lovely Saturday morning, I and several other board members are communicating to find a solution to a problem some of our members are facing.

The list of benefits is long, and there is a lot of stuff behind the scenes through Governmental Affairs that we (most members) never hear about. Everything being done is to prevent bad things from happening to our industry. We could do a better job communicating to members the battles and wars AOCA has fought and won on behalf of the quick lube industry. One of the reasons we don't is because when we win one, we are still fighting three or four other wars and really don't think about celebrating the victory. We need to celebrate! We need to shout it out to our members!

W W W. AOCA .ORG

In closing, I would like to express what an honor it has been this past year to have served as your AOCA president. Thank you for your input, your support and, most of all, your words of encouragement.

Respectfully,

David Haney AOCA

PRESIDENT

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DHANEY3283 @ GMAIL .COM LUBE+ Q 1

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Q1 2017

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

C O N T E N T S

COLUMNISTS

David Haney

20

President, Oil & Lube Express dhaney3283@gmail.com

Joanna Johnson President, Johnson Policy Associates jlj4policy@gmail.com

Lauri Steeland Director of Sales & Marketing, PISTN lsteeland@pistn.com

Claudia St. John President, Affinity HR Group claudia@affinityhrgroup.com

Jack West National Account Executive Federated Insurance jewest@fedins.com

Bryan White Executive Director, AOCA bwhite@aoca.org P U B L I S H I N G S TA F F PUBLISHER

John Aufderhaar Bedford Falls Communications john@bedfordfallsmedia.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Scott W. Angus Bedford Falls Communications scottangus47@gmail.com

3

FROM THE PRESIDENT AOCA's president,

David Haney, invites readers to discover the benefits of membership in AOCA.

6

ON THE RIGHT TRACK Idaho quick lube finds

success by looking out for customers’ best interests.

14

MARKETING Consider these reasons to build up your Customer Relationship

Management (CRM) strategy and invest in CRM software or a CRM service.

16

INSURANCE Good reasons to have a drug- and alcohol-free workplace program.

18

AOCA The fine art of diagnosing what’s wrong with the car.

20

HUMAN RESOURCES It’s best to have a plan for helping new employees

learn skills, expectations.

24

REGULATIONS Automakers and dealerships negatively affect the automotive aftermarket service sector.

27

AOCA Board of directors, staff listing and contacts, AOCA mission statement.

28

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Bryan White discusses AOCA member benefits that include education, networking, information and technical assistance.

AD SALES

Ryan Wagner Bedford Falls Communications rwagner@bedfordfallsmedia.com

18

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Karen Leno KML Design, Inc. kmldesign@mchsi.com

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Q1 2017

TH E MAGA Z I NE OF TH E AU TOMOTI V E OI L CH A NG E A SSOCI ATION

ON THE COVER

Power Lube Express Auto Care does right by its customers in Blackfoot, Idaho.

IN THIS ISSUE:

On the Right Track Idaho Quick Lube Finds Success by Looking Out for Customers’ Best Interests MARKETING:

Customer Relationship Management

INSURANCE: Good Reasons to Have a Drug- and Alcohol-Free Workplace Program HUMAN RESOURCES: REGULATIONS:

Getting Them On Board

It’s Time to Bring the Heat

+ Pertinent Content from AOCA

LUBE+ is published on behalf of AOCA, the Automotive Oil Change Association, headquartered at 330 N. Wabash Ave., Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60611.

Toll-free: 800.230.0702 or 312.321.5132, Fax: 312.673.6832, email: info@aoca.org. © 2017 Bedford Falls Communications, Inc. 302 N. 3rd St., Watertown, WI 53094 PH: 920.261.1947

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© I S TO C K P H OTO . C O M / A H M E T TOZ A R

© 2017 INTEGRATED SERVICES, INC. THE INGENICO LOGO IS A TRADEMARK OF INGENICO AND NOLN IS NOT AFFILIATED, SPONSORED, AUTHORIZED OR OTHERWISE ASSOCIATED BY/WITH INGENICO. THE MERCHANT PARTNERS LOGO IS A TRADEMARK OF MERCHANT PARTNERS. APPLE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF APPLE INC. ANDROID IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF GOOGLE INC. SAMSUNG IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF SAMSUNG INC.

OPER ATOR PROFILE Power Lube Express Auto Care OWNERS:

John and Hilary Lindsay

LOCATION:

895 S. Broadway Street, Blackfoot, Idaho YEARS IN BUSINESS:

19

NUMBER OF LOCATIONS:

1

2 for quick lube; 3 for auto repairs, window repairs/replacement

NUMBER OF BAYS:

SECRETS TO SUCCESS:

• Communicate with customer • Be “brutally honest” Always do the right thing •

ON THE RIGHT TRACK IDAHO QUICK LUBE FINDS SUCCESS

BY LOOKING OUT FOR CUSTOMERS’ BEST INTERESTS

B Y S C O T T W. A N G U S

J

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

ohn Lindsay was a second-generation potato farmer in Idaho when he got into the quick lube business in 1998.

John Lindsay

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Some 19 years later, business is good and getting better, and Lindsay credits two key principles for much of his success at Power Lube Express Auto Care in Blackfoot, population 12,000.

The first is always doing the right thing. “It doesn’t matter what it is, what’s the cost or whatever comes up, we absolutely focus on doing the right thing,” Lindsay said. The second is following the sage advice of fellow members of AOCA. (See related story on page 10.)

Lindsay started out managing the business when his parents and a partner opened Power Lube Express. Eventually, the partner moved on, and John bought out his parents. He and his wife, Hilary, are now sole owners of the two-bay, 2,400-square-foot quick lube, which features high doors to accommodate commercial trucks. The shop is open every day but Sunday; Mondays and Fridays are its busiest.

“We stay pretty consistent,” Lindsay replied when asked about the state of business.

Power Lube Express benefits from a steady flow of fleet vehicles, which make up about 25 percent of its count. Fleet trucks come from electricians, plumbers and other trades groups, along with agricultural and manufacturing businesses.

Both services have helped generate business, though they didn’t take off at the same pace.

“The auto glass was an easy hit right from the start. Again, we’re just doing the right thing, doing the job right. We lacked a lot of competency in that area in the region. It was a home run from the start,” he said. “The auto repair has taken a couple of years to really feel like we’re gaining steam, but we are now.”

The auto repair business has found a niche as a small shop that takes mostly jobs that can be turned around in a day. Blackfoot has a number of good mechanics, Lindsay said, but many are booked two to three weeks out. Power Lube Express tries to get people in and out quickly, he said.

“We had 15-16 years with the quick lube, so that’s what people were accustomed to. People had that same expectation on the repair side. Even with auto glass, a lot of what we do is same day. They call, and we make it happen just as quick as possible.”

Power Lube Express’s average daily lube count is about 40 after dipping into the mid-30s during the recession.

“We saw things pick up about the time we started doing auto glass and auto repair. I think that’s helped drive business to us because we can take care of more things.”

The extra work also has boosted average ticket prices, which are about $84 on the lube side, $265 for auto glass repair and replacement and a little more than $300 for repairs, Lindsay said. An oil CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 ➤

W W W. AOCA .ORG

“Growing up in the ag business, we built those relationships early … a long time ago. So even though there has been a lot of changes in our almost 20 years, we’ve been able to carry those through,” Lindsay said. “We take care of all of those guys.”

Blackfoot has only one other quick lube, and it has just one auto dealership.

“We’ve been pretty fortunate. The tire and independent mechanics have stayed away from what we do,” he said.

More auto dealerships are located less than 30 miles away in Idaho Falls and Pocatello, and Lindsay has dealt with the competition from them and the Blackfoot dealership. He believes he’s seeing a trend away from people relying on dealers for maintenance, even with free or discounted service that often comes with a purchase.

“People either are not buying into what they are selling or they are getting out of them as quick as they can,” he said. “They aren’t quick.

They aren’t efficient. It can be a real pain to get things done. I really feel like we’re seeing a transition where people get out after their warranty periods or before. We are seeing some growth again over the last three years or so.”

The additions of auto glass repair and replacement and general auto repair also have helped increase traffic at Power Lube Express.

Lindsay added the auto glass work in 2011 and the general repair in 2013. That work is done in a separate three-bay, 1800-square-foot shop behind the quick lube building.

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Power Lube Express has about 10 employees, finding most of them through referrals from current workers. Employees start as “courtesy technicians,” washing windows and helping with inspections They get their training on the job as they get a feel for the pace and requirements of the job. BELOW: The additions of auto glass repair and replacement and general auto repair have helped increase traffic. ➤ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

change and filter cost $32.99, while a lube, oil and filter are $41.99, and a full service oil change is $45.99. Those prices are in line with the nearby competition, Lindsay said.

Power Lube Express doesn’t have a car wash, and it doesn’t sell tires, so it relies on basics such as filters, fluids and belts to supplement oil changes in the quick lube. The shop sells Mobil oil exclusively and also offers BG Products cleaners and supplements.

“The thing I like about those” Lindsay said of the BG Products, “is that even though they are probably one of our lower-margin products, we don’t have any labor in it. You just pour it in. That’s good for us.”

The shop makes no promises about how quickly it will service a vehicle, and that goes back to the “do the right thing” philosophy. “It takes what it takes to do it right,” Lindsay said, adding that trucks that come with the fleet work can take extra time because they often require more extended services than autos.

No matter what, though, the people at Power Lube Express are “brutally honest,” Lindsay said.

“If we know it’s going to be a 45-minute wait, we tell them that. If that doesn’t work for them, we keep our fingers crossed that they’ll come back when they have more time. Most of the time, they do because of our reputation. They don’t want us to hurry somebody else’s vehicle any more than they want us to hurry on theirs.”

Power Lube Express has about 10 employees, and it finds most of them through referrals from current workers.

“We’re a small community. We have eight or 10 employees as advocates helping us find people. It’s mostly, ‘I know somebody’ or ‘I’ve got a cousin.’ It works well for us,” Lindsay said.

Employees start as “courtesy technicians,” washing windows and helping with inspections, and they get their training on the job as they get a feel for the pace and requirements of the job, he said.

“We hire attitude and then train ability.”

Lindsay’s son, Tyler, has started working at the shop and plans to join his dad in business after completing college in a few years.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 ➤

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If this is what you see…

FOCUS. Poor driving decisions could keep you and your employees from making it home S.A.F.E. today.

PEED

DRIVE

TTENTION ATIGUE MOTION

To learn more about our new Drive S.A.F.E. risk management resources, please contact your local marketing representative.

Federated Mutual Insurance Company Federated Service Insurance Company* • Federated Life Insurance Company Owatonna, Minnesota 55060 | 507.455.5200 | federatedinsurance.com 17.02 Ed. 2/17 *Not licensed in the states of NH, NJ, and VT. © 2017 Federated Mutual Insurance Company

Tyler and John Lindsay. Tyler started working at the shop and plans to join his dad in business after completing college in a few years.

LEFT:

AOCA, iFLEX Offered Critical Support for Fledgling Business

J ➤ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Having a 20-year-old on board helps the company “bridge the gap” to communicate and recruit good young employees, Lindsay added.

Power Lube Express has an informative, easy-to-use website and a Facebook page, but it’s still dipping its toes in social media. Lindsay thinks Tyler’s youth will help jumpstart that movement when he gets more involved. The company does send coupons via direct mail, and those are effective.

Mostly, though, Lindsay relies on word of mouth: “That’s your best asset. Besides our customers, we really try to make our employees advocates of the business. When they are out coaching sports or have kids involved in community events, we want them to be proud of who they work for – wearing their jackets and shirts, that kind of thing.”

Down the road, Lindsay plans to get into window film that, along with tints, offers protection from UV rays and glare. Not many people are familiar with the advancement in the product, and he believes it has significant potential – first for autos and then for residential and commercial use.

As for challenges, he cited the increase in OEM proprietary products such as coolants, fluids and oils with enhanced specifications and the challenges of expanding his inventory to keep up. In many cases, the independent shops will pay more and need to charge more for the products, and they will have to make up for the cost with better service, he stressed.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 ➤

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ohn Lindsay isn’t sure he’d still be in business if he hadn’t attended his first iFLEX convention and trade show back in 2003.

He had a farming background and knew how to change oil and do basic maintenance on a vehicle, but he was no expert on running a business. “There were just so many things I didn’t know,” Lindsay said.

At iFLEX, he met people who had been in business for many years, and he learned from them how to operate a quick lube and how to maximize revenue and profit. He remembers sitting in one of his first seminars and hearing other operators talk about average ticket prices that seemed “ridiculously high.”

“I’m like, ‘How? How do they do that?’ As I sat there and was able to talk to other people, it really changed our business,” Lindsay said.

Many relationships that he cultivated at that first iFLEX and subsequent conventions continue to this day, and the sharing of ideas and information has been invaluable, he said.

Lindsay joined the AOCA board in 2016, and one of his goals is to convey the value of membership to newer operators.

“AOCA has really matured. There are not nearly as many people coming in. It’s harder for new operators to see the benefit. One of my agenda items in being on the board is to make sure we’re focusing on those newer people and to show them the benefit and to help them be successful.” n

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IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT IT IS, WHAT’S THE COST OR WHATEVER COMES UP, WE ABSOLUTELY FOCUS ON DOING THE RIGHT THING. JOHN LINDSAY

”

➤ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Which brings Lindsay back to his belief in the importance of over-the-top communication and customer service.

“We try to make communication the key. I pretty much have one guy dedicated to the customer experience. Even if it’s a brand new vehicle and it doesn’t need anything but an oil change, we still make them aware of anything we may know about the vehicle, anything they may need to watch for.”

Through it all, the people at Power Lube Express focus on building relationships with their customers.

“We are a small community. It’s a daily battle to make sure your reputation stays good and you stay credible,” Lindsay said. “And you do that by always doing the right thing.” L+

AOCA BY THE

NUMBERS 4,000

WHO IS THE AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION?

Quick lubes represented across all 50 states, Canada and Mexico

AOCA is the only non-profit trade organization representing the convenient automotive service industry.

AOCA is dedicated to: • Enhancing the competency of fast lube owners • Educating the public about the benefits of preventive automotive maintenance • Maintaining a favorable business environment for the industry

500+ Operators 100+ Vendors

600+ 60+

Members

Products in the AOCA Store

10+ Free Tools

300 3

Management Certification Courses

12 20+

Fast Lube Owners and Operators at the International Fast Lube Expo

Monthly Government Affairs Updates

Discount Programs Through Strategic Partnerships

8

On-demand Lessons in the AOCA Online Technician Academy

Join now at www.aoca.org

M A R K E T I NG |

FROM THE LUBE+ EXPERTS

Customer Relationship Management CAN HELP YOUR SHOP ADD $10,000 IN MONTHLY REVENUE

Lauri Steeland is director of sales and marketing at PISTN: Marketing Accelerated.

To learn about how you can develop an effective Customer Relationship Management strategy, contact Lauri at Lsteeland@pistn.com, 800-742-4511 Ext. 103 or visit www.pistn.com.

PISTN: MARKETING ACCELERATED

I

n today’s competitive business world, the smart money is on keeping loyal customers – not finding new ones. Keeping your customers is cheaper than finding new customers, and it will ultimately provide a bigger boost to your bottom line.

Consider a few of these reasons to build up your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy and invest in CRM software or a CRM service:

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

14

BY LAURI STEELAND

IT’S COST EFFECTIVE. On average, CRM

returns more than $8 in revenue for every dollar spent on it, according to a study from Nucleus Research. That’s a nearly unbeatable ROI. IT’S PRODUCTIVE. Another study from

Nucleus Research indicates that sales reps showed a 27 percent increase in productivity when servicing existing clients over finding new ones. It stands to reason for the simple fact that once you build up a rapport with a customer, it is more effective to sell to their needs than to work with new customers.

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IT BUILDS LOYALTY. Three out of four

consumers say they spend more money with a business because of a positive costumer experience. It’s difficult to find good service these days, and when your customers are happy, they’ll stick around. They’re also more likely to tell their friends – eliminating or greatly reducing the need for you to find new customers – and that kind of advertising is as good as gold.

IT’S PROFITABLE. Because of a combination of those factors, a good CRM system can increase your bottom line by as much as 40 percent.

That being said, all CRM systems are not created equal. At PISTn, we’ve developed a plan that has shown a net increase of up to $10,000 a month for many of our customers.

It’s effective because it’s easily adapted to your brand and, within that, to your customers and their purchasing habits.

FROM THE LUBE+ EXPERTS

| M A R K E T I NG

In today’s competitive business world, the smart money is on keeping loyal customers – not finding new ones. Keeping your customers is cheaper than finding new customers, and it will ultimately provide a bigger boost to your bottom line.

• BRANDING. Everything is customized for your brand and personalized for your customers. It is completely automated. Once you set it up, you merely allow the system to take care of all the follow-ups.

• INTEGRATION. The system works with your current point-of-sale software, turning your customer database into a powerful network. Our proprietary technology organizes, automates and synchronizes sales and marketing to develop a seamless

O NG VA HA TU /T AS M O .C TO HO KP C TO

Staying in front of your customers is the cheapest, easiest way to improve your relationship with them as well as the most cost-effective way to increase your monthly revenue. Our CRM system will help you do just that, by automating many of your communications with customers and increasing their satisfaction. It will allow you to concentrate on what you do best: providing the service that brought them to see you in the first place. L+

W W W. AOCA .ORG

• PROMOTION TIMING. The Pistn CRM software will automatically send out the thank you email within 24 hours and the declined services reminder within five days.

After that, there are bi-weekly reminders tailored to your customers. The inactive customer mailings can be staggered anywhere from 180 to 210 days after their visit to your shop.

• PERFORMANCE TRACKING AND REPORTING. Because the system works with your point-of-sale software and uses coded coupons and offers, you’ll know exactly how well it’s working.

You’ll be able to generate daily or monthly reports that will track the success of each promotion and graphs that show the rate of return on your postcards and emails. You’ll get a monthly activity report sent to your email that is easy to read and interpret, in addition to the ability to access your reports at any time.

IS

• SMART SOFTWARE AND PROCESSES. Our smart software system will send out thank-you emails to customers tailored to their invoice total and invite them back to your website to write a review of their service – the gold standard of word-ofmouth-advertising in the social media world.

Those emails will go out within 24 hours and be followed up with other offers referring to services they declined while they were in your shop, oil change reminders (modified to fit their individual driving patterns), followed by, if necessary, inactive customer reminders. Everybody likes to know they’ve been missed!

Customer Relationship Management system. The notifications are sent out daily, beginning when your customers visit you, and provide specific reminders that will bring them back to your shop and bring in additional revenue.

©

Our system relies on five main tactics: smart software and processes; promotion timing; branding; integration and performance tracking and reporting.

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I N S U R A NC E |

FROM THE LUBE+ EXPERTS

Good Reasons TO HAVE A DRUG- AND

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

ALCOHOL-FREE WORKPLACE PROGRAM

16

Jack West is a national account executive for Federated Insurance. Located in Owatonna, Minn., with representatives in 47 states, Federated is AOCA’s exclusively recommended insurance provider for association members. Federated provides customized coverages and proven risk management techniques to more than 3,000 quick lube and auto service centers nationwide.

Jack can be reached by phone at 800-533-0472 or by email at jewest@fedins.com.

For more information on Federated, visit its website at www.federatedinsurance.com.

BY JACK WEST FEDERATED INSURANCE

I

n its simplest form, managed care describes a variety of techniques that, when properly deployed, can help support an effective risk management program. These strategies can be most effective when they concentrate on both injury prevention and post-injury techniques.

Testing May Equal Savings One effective managed-care strategy is a drugfree workplace program, which, when used where appropriate, often includes pre-employment, random or post-incident drug testing. An appropriately utilized and compliant program can help monitor and prevent drug and alcohol use. A drug-free workplace program can also offer benefits over and above its initial intent.

• Direct savings may come in the form of premium credits. Some states offer work comp discounts for a certified drug-free workplace program. Insurance carriers

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in other states may have discretionary underwriting credits available.

• Indirect savings are those realized by simply reducing the negative consequences of workplace drug and alcohol use. Intuitively, it makes sense that employees who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol are more likely to experience a workplace injury.

These workers jeopardize their productivity and safety and the safety of others.

Estimates indicate more than 70 percent of illegal substance users are employed. Few businesses are immune from this issue.

What Can a Drug/Alcohol Policy Impact?

An effective drug-free workplace program can have an impact on your business in a few different ways:

|

I N S U R A NC E

An appropriately utilized and compliant program can help monitor and prevent drug and alcohol use.

A drug-free workplace program can also offer benefits over and above its initial intent.

• Pre-employment drug testing can help sidestep the risk before you hire it into your business.

• Random drug testing sends a strong message to employees that workplace substance abuse will not be tolerated. It may also help you identify and manage employees with risky behavior.

• Post-incident drug testing can be a critical component of claims management. The mere presence of this type of test may result in fewer claims.

The End Result When using any of these drug testing measures, a worthwhile goal is to help

eliminate negative consequences of drugs and alcohol. You’re not testing to “catch” anyone; in fact, it could be argued that the best testing program is one that catches no one. Success can be defined by the absence of these substances.

Taking appropriate measures to help reduce the number of claims could create a distinct competitive advantage, not to mention the overall positive effect on your business. A compliant and well-managed program is a technique you can use to

enhance your work environment. It is important to note, however, that legal rules and restrictions may apply to policies that involve workplace drug use or testing; therefore, be sure to seek qualified legal counsel before developing and implementing a policy. Federated Insurance offers clients access to vendors who provide drug and alcohol testing resources.

For more information, contact your local Federated representative or log in to Federated’s Shield Network. L+

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W W W. AOCA .ORG

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FROM THE LUBE+ EXPERTS

Whitefield Oil Co. 1-888-394-3835

Samples are availalble. Call 1-800-528-0334. www.oileater.com LUBE+ Q 1

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The Fine Art of Diagnosing WHAT‘S WRONG WITH THE CAR

BY AOCA

R

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

yan Mendez, owner of the Kwik Kar Marsh Lube & Auto Repair in Carrollton, Texas, recently hit on something the industry should be thinking about in the months and years to come.

Mendez, who was named 2016’s Best Looking Lube winner by National Oil & Lube News, told the publication, “We need to continue to get better at diagnosing vehicles.”

He and others see electrical diagnosis and diagnosis in general as the sector’s biggest opportunity in 2017 and beyond.

After all, once an automobile is properly diagnosed, most repairs are fairly straightforward for any experienced mechanic, and the customer drives home satisfied. Today’s vehicles require a lot more diagnostic time along with varied equipment to perform even some of the most basic tasks that a few tweaks of the wrench used to accomplish in the old days.

For instance, “passenger presence reset” and “cam to crank correlation” didn’t exist years ago. Today, by contrast, programming and calibrating body and engine components are as common as adjusting the idle on a carburetor used to be.

Even with modern tools, techniques and scanners, though, problems pop up due to previous work performed incorrectly.

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© ISTOCKPHOTO.COMWAVEBREAKMEDIA

“The difference is how the computers in modern cars interpret incorrect parts or faulty workmanship,” wrote Scott “Gonzo” Weaver in a recent edition of Brake & Front End. Back when computers didn’t get in the way, so to speak, things worked or they didn’t. Now, communication between control modules can lead to entirely different circumstances than mechanics and other repair personnel could have ever anticipated.

“Sometimes, a signal blocks the entire data stream, and the car won’t start or multiple systems won’t work,” said Weaver, owner of Superior Auto Electric in Tulsa. In other instances, a battery will drain because the wrong connector was plugged into the wrong socket.

Among the hardest problems to diagnose are any related to a car’s electrical system. That’s because new automobiles are packed with electronics and computerized controls, thus providing more opportunities for problems to occur when proper upkeep is not maintained.

While modern cars are electronic-aided, they typically come with a way to determine causes. That would be the car’s computer system, which has a set of internal diagnostic codes that can be accessed by an external device or displayed on the vehicle’s odometer.

Looking ahead, the cars of the future – including next-generation hybrids and fully electric vehicles – will only grow in complexity.

As a result, technicians will have to deal with new diagnostic issues.

Individual companies are stepping forward to help ease the intimidation factor.

Volkswagen, for instance, recently chose Sierra Wireless AirPrime AR Series modules and the Legato platform for its next generation of connected vehicles. Sierra Wireless’s integrated 4G technology is on track to hit the market next year in a number of VW models worldwide. That technology will deliver high-speed cellular connectivity for the Volkswagen Car-Net platform, which provides such in-vehicle, Internet-based services as diagnostics and remote vehicle access.

Separately, Tesla President Jon McNeill recently announced that his company will make it easier for independent body shops to get access to the information necessary to conduct work on Tesla’s line of vehicles. Such information includes repair manuals, diagnostic codes and parts information.

According to Futurism, this change of policy has been spurred by a recent bill in Massachusetts stating that owners have a “Right to Repair,” which requires vehicle manufacturers to provide all repair shops with the same information they give to dealer shops.

Similar legislation is being pushed in a number of other states.

Tesla is simply following the lead of other manufacturers that have agreed to meet these guidelines to avoid a patchwork of regulation nationwide. L+ LUBE+ Q 1

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W W W. AOCA .ORG

Back when computers didn’t get in the way, so to speak, things worked or they didn’t. Now, communication between control modules can lead to entirely different circumstances than mechanics and other repair personnel could have ever anticipated.

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H U M A N R E S OU RC E S |

FROM THE LUBE+ EXPERTS

GETTING THEM On Board © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / LIDERINA

IT’S BEST TO HAVE A PLAN FOR HELPING NEW EMPLOYEES LEARN SKILLS, EXPECTATIONS B Y C L A U D I A S T. J O H N AFFINITY HR GROUP, INC.

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

Claudia St. John is president of Affinity HR Group, AOCA’s affiliated human resources partner. Affinity HR Group specializes in providing human resources assistance to associations such as AOCA and their member companies.

To learn more, visit www.affinityhrgroup.com.

So you’ve made a great hire, and you are looking forward to onboarding your newest employee. Expectations are high, and optimism abounds. But before you rely too heavily on those positive feelings, here are some sobering statistics to consider:

These statistics should be especially unsettling

• Up to 20 percent of turnover happens within the first 45 days of work.

or expensive. It just needs to be planned and

• Nearly 33 percent of new hires look for a new job within their first six months on the job.

Here are five tips for setting up an

• 23 percent of new hires leave before their f irst anniversary.

1. START ONBOARDING BEFORE THE

• 60 percent of companies fail to set milestones for new hires.

• It typically takes eight months for a newly hired employee to reach full productivity.

• Organizations with strong onboarding processes experience 50 percent greater retention of their new hires.

to you if you do not have a formal, structured onboarding process. Onboarding – the process by which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviors to become effective organizational members and insiders – does not have to be complicated, burdensome executed well. effective program in your company.

FIRST DAY. After the job offer has been

accepted and before your new employee has started, stay in touch and communicate often.

Check in frequently before the start date. Ask if there are any questions. Make sure your new employee has all the information needed to be prepared for day one. Not only will this help make the new hire feel valued and appreciated, but it will help to deflect any competing interest from other employers.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 ➤

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In Tune and at your Service

✦ Know and understand the industry we serve. ✦ Know what our customers sell and how they bring their products to market. ✦ Know and understand the role of distribution. ✦ Know and understand the importance of educating everyone in the channel.

These are Bedford Falls Communications’ operating principles. We employ them in the development of each custom publication we produce on behalf of the clients we are privileged to serve. When we do our job properly, everyone is aligned to drive home the message you want delivered.

Interested in a custom publication? Call us today.

John Aufderhaar /

Bedford Falls Communications produces high quality association, trade and custom publications for corporate clients.

If you are interested in a custom publication, please call us today.

PR E S I D E NT

Bedford Falls Communications www.bedfordfallsmedia.com 920-206-1766

H U M A N R E S OU RC E S |

FROM THE LUBE+ EXPERTS

➤ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

2. MAKE THE FIRST DAY SPECIAL. The good news is

that, chances are, your new hire is excited about his or her new job. Make that first day special – be as excited about your new hire as he or she is about the new job.

Have a special welcome ready, have your new hire’s workspace ready and, if appropriate and possible, have business cards ready. Make your new hire feel like he or she is expected and welcome in the new job. The goal is to show your new hires that you are as excited about them joining your company as they are.

Of course, there are the formal things one does to C KP © IS TO

H O TO

AR EK .C O M /M

U LI AS Z

orient a new employee on the first day(s) on the job.

Be sure to: • Provide the employee handbook and obtain acknowledgment that the handbook has been read and understood.

• Collect all payroll and benefit information.

• Process all necessary I-9 paperwork.

• Highlight specific policies and procedures that are important on the job.

Official Digital Marketing Partner of AOCA

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

The Oil Industries Leading Digital Marketing Experts!

22

• Discuss appropriate workplace safety and health topics.

• Provide training on equipment and processes and procedures.

• Cover any position-related topics such as supervisory responsibility, duties and responsibilities and expectations of the new hire.

Don’t Take Our Word For It ...

And don’t stop there – the informal things are just as critical.

Since we went live with PISTN web system, our car count during the second quarter of 2016 has resulted in record car counts every month.

—Louis Church, Kwik Kar Ridgmar

company’s culture. For example, how important is the matter

PISTN captured the essence of who we are and tied all my social media to my website. They delivered on time and exceeded my expectations.

—Bobby McCue, American Lube Express

Websites • Email & Text Marketing • Reputation Management Google Ad Management • Social Media Management • CRM Local Listings Management • SEO / Mobile Optimization

Call today for your FREE Consultation!

For more information call, email or visit us today: 1-800-742-4511 • info@pistn.com • www.pistn.com LUBE+ Q 1

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Take the time to talk about the unique aspects of your of being on time? Are there unwritten rules about meeting attendance, dress, voicing opinions? And don’t forget to cover smart-phone usage and social media access while at work. Talk about it!

3. PLAN YOUR NEW EMPLOYEE’S FIRST FEW WEEKS.

When it comes to onboarding your new hire, it is likely that there are many people responsible for the learning that will ensure that the employee is properly trained and ready for work. Before his or her first day, map out what the learning objectives are for the first four to six weeks and who is responsible for ensuring that the learning takes place.

A clearly structured roadmap for your new hire will help the

employee know what is expected and know who she or he can go to for help and support in the early days. A structured plan also puts the person responsible for training the new employee on notice that it is his or her responsibility to make sure the new hire has all of the time and tools and support necessary to accomplish those learning objectives.

4. FOSTER FEEDBACK EARLY ON. According to the

Gallup Organization’s “12 Elements of Great Managing,” key to employee engagement is the knowledge of what is expected of the employee at work, having the equipment to do the work right and getting the feedback and encouragement necessary for professional development and personal growth. All of these elements require ongoing, formal and informal feedback.

Especially in the early days, providing employees with an equal balance of positive and corrective feedback enables them to truly understand what is expected and how they can make changes to satisfy your expectations. This type of informal feedback is critical to ensuring employee engagement. Be specific about what the employee is doing well and why it is critical to the organization. And be just as specific about the areas where the employee needs to focus his or her energy during the onboarding period.

5. MAKE ONBOARDING A YEAR-LONG EFFORT.

Make sure you schedule periodic check-ins in the weeks and months that follow. Remember, the learning curve for most positions is almost always longer than anyone expects. If your new hire feels supported in the first six to 12 months, you will improve the likelihood that he or she will stay engaged and committed. Consider a formal 45- or 60-day performance evaluation plan during the first year of hire. You can never give new employees too much feedback or attention.

By following the tips above and seeing the new employee as a business investment, you will recognize that your dedication of time and attention to these matters is a business investment that will pay measurable returns, particularly by enabling new employees to more quickly get up to speed and deliver value to the company.

If you are interested in receiving a free employee development template to help managers structure and communicate the new employee’s learning objectives, and to provide a structure for ongoing feedback during the first few weeks and months, please send us an e-mail at contact@affinityHRgroup.com to receive a free copy. L+

R E G U L AT ION S |

FROM THE LUBE+ EXPERTS

‘Winter’ is coming, SO IT’S TIME TO

BRING THE HEAT

BY JOANNA L . JOHNSON

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

JOHNSON POLICY ASSOCIATES

24

Joanna L. Johnson has represented AOCA since 1991.

She is the president of Johnson Policy Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in win-win strategies for environmental, transportation, competition, consumer protection and safety issues. She has developed many regulatory solutions for fast lubes, including the CERCLA Service Station Dealer Exemption Application Process and the Fast Lube Self-Certified Oil Spill Prevention Plan. She can be reached at 515.991.4971 or jlj4policy@gmail.com

“Game of Thrones” fans may recognize the title as referring to a recent turn in the story that’s especially relevant to the automotive aftermarket service sector. The main characters are finally waking up to the fact that their common enemies—the zombies from the northern hinterlands—don’t care about who sits on what throne. They’re not interested in the squabbling of neighbors over riches or power or who marries whom. They want everyone dead, and the wall that used to hold them back isn’t holding anymore.

As in the television show, the automotive aftermarket service sector has long had many kingdoms and outposts proudly flying their own banners. Today, competition remains fierce, and the opposing forces of consolidation versus independence can seem irreconcilable. And yet that’s fine, as long as everyone knows when and how to work together against their common enemy, in this case, automakers and dealerships. Though not as gruesome as flash-frozen “whitewalkers,” absent sufficient opposition, automakers and dealerships can and will decimate the automotive aftermarket service sector through a combination of proprietary product mandates, warranty denials, state regulations and good old-fashioned defamation.

Scary? Yes, but there is a tremendous potential upside. Every step AOCA stands poised to take on behalf of this industry once unified does more than fend off hostile forces: It could be immediately impactful to service providers’ bottom line. Consider the nexus between recall-related repair decisions, routine maintenance decisions and legislative/ regulatory decisions about repair and maintenance. According to a 2015 national opinion poll conducted by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, those who repair vehicles in response to a recall are “those

This is a call to action.

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extremely/very concerned about the recall (76 percent); ages 35-44 (73 percent) or 65+ (67 percent); household income $80K+ (68 percent); purchased vehicle new (68 percent); college educated or higher (67 percent); primary vehicle is SUV/CUV (67 percent); perceived safety risk of recall was viewed as extremely/very serious (67 percent).”

Logic dictates those same people would also be the most interested in: • Adhering to the service interval appropriate for their actual driving habits if they understood what that was.

• Getting more frequent maintenance checkups if they understood things like the risks of ethanol-related water contamination of their engine oil and/or how easy it is for an automaker to deny warranty coverage for failure to inspect and service in a timely manner.

• For those with GDI engines, choosing more frequent de-carbonization services if they understood the risks of allowing buildup and how simple it is to avoid.

• Fighting back against unlawful dealership warranty denials based on the use of aftermarket parts and services, if they knew about their Magnuson Moss Warranty Act rights.

The demographics above also happen to represent the majority of people elected as legislators and appointed to regulatory leadership positions, which means automotive aftermarket service providers have even more reason to make sure the truth about engine function, professional preventative maintenance services and warranties reaches them. Right now, it isn’t, not in the comprehensive manner required to combat the relentless, facts-optional marketing of automakers and their dealerships.

Is the automotive aftermarket service sector outnumbered? No. The number of North CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 ➤

AOCA: WHERE MEMBERSHIP

COUNTS By becoming an AOCA member, you will join over 4,000 quick lube centers in the only organization exclusively representing the fast lube industry. Receive support and advice from peers and industry experts.

START ENJOYING THE MANY BENEFITS OF AOCA MEMBERSHIP, SUCH AS: • Advocacy. AOCA is the fast lube industry’s voice when regulation or legislation threatens to make doing business more difficult.

• We keep you informed about staying in compliance and alert you when important issues arise.

• Management Tools and Discounts. Access charts, checklists, templates, kits and guides at no cost, and save on health insurance, liability/garage keepers insurance, life insurance and more.

• Technical Support. Via our Technical Hotline, or email-based Q&A system AOCA Talk, save time and money by sharing tips with fellow members.

• Custom Operational, Marketing and HR Support. Through our partnerships with Affinity HR, Savings4Members, and PISTN: Marketing Accelerated, save on an abundance of services ranging from employee handbooks and credit card processing, to website solutions for upgrading your marketing efforts.

• Education. Take advantage of the Technician • Publications. Stay up-to-date with association and industry news to help you grow your business, with our monthly YouAutoKnow e-newsletter, and LUBE+ Magazine

Academy, Management Certification Course, and iFLEX educational sessions, now co-located with the International Carwash Association’s annual event The Car Wash Show.

Learn more by visiting www.aoca.org.

© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / IPGGUTENBERGUKLTD

as well as their dealers have a motive “ OEMs to reduce competition in the aftermarket for automotive repair services and in fact this reduction has been taking place at a fast rate. UNDER THREAT: COMPETITION IN THE

”

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE AFTERMARKET (AMERICAN ANTITRUST INSTITUTE WORKING PAPER # 08-05), BY NORMAN W. HAWKER, PROFESSOR)

of competitive conditions in “ Regardless the market for new car sales, OEMs will

“

Unlicensed products have not gone through GM's rigorous testing process, are not monitored for quality, and are not approved or recommended for use in GM vehicles. (WWW.GMDEXOS.COM (2011)

raise prices above competitive levels in the aftermarket to the extent they can.

Furthermore, innovation will suffer.

”

Let the OEMs set the lube requirements for their engines, “monitor the tests and handle the approvals. ”

ICIS PANELISTS

DEBATE SPEC DEVELOPMENT, LUBE REPORT (FEBRUARY 17, 2017)

”

would likely suffer little, if any, loss of “ Chrysler competitive advantage in the primary market by monopolizing the aftermarket for its brands of automobiles, and it should come as little surprise that refusals to deal with independent service providers have become common. ID AT 22

”

➤ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

American dealerships has dropped while the aftermarket continues to grow. Fast lubes alone have matched dealerships at 17,000+ facilities, leaving an additional 193,000 nondealer automotive repair and maintenance facilities. Dealerships now represent less than 8 percent of the marketplace.

26

Automakers and dealerships continue to successfully manipulate consumers and lawmakers against their competition for only three primary reasons, and the aftermarket can overcome two of them immediately.

1) Automakers and dealerships participate 100 percent in their national trade associations, which means they create, disseminate, market and lobby unified messages backed up with studies and statistics year round. Approximately 23 percent of businesses with fast lube service currently maintain membership with AOCA. 2) Too many automakers and dealerships withhold information from consumers, use scare tactics and deny warranty coverage whenever they think they can get away with it. The truth is on the aftermarket’s side. The key is to tell it everywhere relentlessly in support of the best LUBE+ Q 1

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interests of consumers and automotive aftermarket service providers alike.

Unified industry representation makes that possible, too.

3) Automakers and dealerships have deep pockets. If the automotive aftermarket service sector has No. 1 and No. 2, however, the deep-pockets factor can no longer automatically tip the scales.

THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION. The automakers and dealerships never could beat the aftermarket on service, which means there’s no incentive for them to play fair.

Anyone who has ever been up against them alone knows how infuriating and hopeless it can seem. Join AOCA today, and then join us at iFLEX at the Las Vegas Convention Center this April. L+

Fast Lube Products & Services Under Scrutiny: WHAT CAN YOU SELL? WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT IT? Presented by Joanna Johnson, AOCA Policy Advisor 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. | Tuesday, April 4 Consumers want hassle-free services and cost-effective aftermarket products, but regulators are questioning whether the way installers provide them amounts to fraud. Certain products, such as transmission fluids and converters, and certain services, such as de-carbonization, are drawing extra heat, as well. Even recommending service intervals on reminder stickers can be problematic. Attend this session to get the latest information on regulation, legislation and cases affecting your business model. Find out what you can do today to keep customers happy while staying in the clear with this new wave of regulation.

AOCA Government Affairs Committee Meeting John Denholm (Oil Changer Inc.), Chairman 2 p.m. | Wednesday, April 5 | Room N222

330 N. WABASH AVENUE, SUITE 2000 | CHICAGO, IL 60611 TOLL FREE: 800.230.0702 | TEL: 312.321.5132 | FAX: 312.673.6832 EMAIL: info@aoca.org | WEBSITE: www.aoca.org

AOCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

David Haney Oil & Lube Express dhaney3283@gmail.com VICE PRESIDENT

Dave Jensen Pennzoil 10 Minute Oil Change Centre Penn10w@rogers.com TREASURER

Bob Falter Multi Mgmt Inc. D.B.A. Jiffy Lube multimgtrjf@aol.com

AOCA STA FF CON TACTS MEMBERSHIP & OPERATIONS

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS POLICY ADVISOR

Bryan White

Joanna L. Johnson, PRESIDENT

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

JOHNSON POLICY ASSOCIATES, INC.

312.673.4959 bwhite@aoca.org

P.O. Box 13302 Des Moines, IA 50310 515.277.4320 (OFFICE) 515.991.4971 (CELL) 515.277.4340 (FAX) jlj4policy@gmail.com

Megan Schwartz MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR

312.673.5979 mschwartz@aoca.org

Gena Parsons

EDUCATION SUPPORTER PROGRAM AND SPONSORSHIP SALES

MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATE

Bryan White

312.673.5775 gparsons@aoca.org

SECRETARY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

312.673.4959 bwhite@aoca.org

Jim Grant

DIRECTOR

Bill Floyd Lucas Oil Center Bill@lucasoilcenter.com DIRECTOR

John Lindsay Power Lube Express Auto Care powerlube@cableone.net DIRECTOR

Greg Strawhun Lube Specialties, Valvoline Express Care gb1424@yahoo.com VENDOR DIRECTOR

Jeff Malicote Valvoline Express Care wjmalicote@windstream.net VENDOR DIRECTOR

Steve Barram Integrated Services, Inc. steve.barram@ints.com VENDOR DIRECTOR

Sean Malmstrom S&E Quick Lube Distributors Inc. sean@selubeproducts.com

OUR MISSION

AOCA is dedicated to providing its members with the business tools, resources and education to professionally and successfully deliver convenient automotive oil changes and other preventive maintenance services.

HISTORY OF AOCA

The Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA) is a non-profit trade organization representing the convenient automotive service industry. The association was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. AOCA is dedicated to enhancing the competency of fast lube owners, educating the public about the benefits of preventive automotive maintenance and maintaining a favorable business environment for the industry.

AOCA members adhere to a Code of Ethics and a Standard of Service Excellence. Members provide “Professional Service at YOUR Convenience” to the motoring public, helping to extend the life and safety factors of their motor vehicles through quality maintenance.

A C O M M I T M E N T T O E D U C AT I O N

Emphasizing education, the AOCA provides expert technical training for lube center employees. For business owners and managers, the organization provides programs to enhance management skills, automotive engineering and industry issues. The association also serves as a resource for consumers regarding the benefits of regular, preventive maintenance in protecting their automotive investment.

As part of its commitment to education, AOCA has a scholarship program that provides tuition assistance to employees of member firms attending institutions of higher learning.

AOCA: THE INDUSTRY LEADER

In addition, AOCA provides counsel on regulatory issues, represents the industry on Capitol Hill, and develops research data on the convenient auto service market. The association also makes available a wide variety of business products and services to help members improve business operations.

W W W. AOCA .ORG

FastLube jsgrant@fstlube.com

AOCA accounts for over 4,000 auto maintenance centers throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada and many other countries around the world.

What made AOCA the industry leader? The answer is simple. We give our members access to tools, training and information to help them serve their customers efficiently and effectively.

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27

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

AOCA: WE ARE MORE POWERFUL TOGETHER

I

n David Haney’s president’s column, he

The one benefit that I reference the most is

mentions all of the positive work that AOCA

the legislative work AOCA does on your behalf.

does behind the scenes for the quick lube

Even if you don’t take advantage of the cost

industry. He states that everything being done

savings benefits mentioned above, you are still

is “to prevent bad things from happening to our

benefiting from AOCA. You may not realize it,

industry.” This statement, in a nutshell, is one

but know that AOCA is positively affecting your

of the primary reasons for you to be an AOCA

bottom line every day. The work AOCA is doing

member.

from a legislative perspective is invaluable to

For current AOCA members reading this column, you’ve probably seen my cover letter that is sent with your renewal notice. In it, I

you. We are fighting legislation that can make doing business more difficult and, in some cases, even put you out of business.

reference the cost saving benefits of AOCA

David referenced the fact that AOCA could do

and how an investment of a couple hundred

a better job in communicating our success to

dollars is worth thousands of dollars in your

the membership, and I agree. Our industry and

pocket. I also reference the countless other

business model is under constant attack, and

AOCA member benefits that include education,

we often forget to celebrate our successes.

networking, information and technical

In an effort to educate AOCA members and

assistance. We have them, and as a member of

the quick lube industry, we’ve created The

AOCA, you will get them.

2017 AOCA Government Affairs Agenda. This document can be found by following this link,

AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

www.bit.ly/2lUEwGZ.

28

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AOCA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

|

BWHITE@AOCA .ORG

The work AOCA is doing from a legislative perspective is invaluable to you.

We are fighting legislation that can make doing business more difficult and, in some cases, even put you out of business.

The Government Affairs Agenda outlines the

I wish I could say this is all that AOCA is

top priorities of AOCA for the year. It includes

currently working on from a legislative

updates on the following:

perspective, but far from it. Since the

• Magnuson Moss Warranty Act Enforcement

printing of the 2017 Government Affairs

• National Conference on Weights and Measures (Engine Oil & Transmission Fluid)

federal and state levels – just add them to

Agenda, new issues have arisen both on the the list of battles we need to fight! By the

• Anti-Competitive Transmission Fluid Regulation – FTC Inquiry

time you read this column, I’m sure there will

• Oil Change Interval Attacks

That is why this issue is so important. We

• GF-6 Engine Oil Development and Rollout

will continue to fight, but it takes resources.

• OSHA’S New Electronic Reporting Requirements for Some; Anti-Retaliation Rule for All

Your investment and support is key to our

• Hazardous Communications Program • Changes for Global Harmonization

be a handful more.

industry’s success. OEMs and legislative agendas are coming after us. We are more powerful together, and if we do not unite as an industry, we are going to be in trouble.

• Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems (Slips, Trips, and Fall Prevention) A/K/A “Pit Safety” Rule

• DIYer Used Oil & PCBs • Used Oil Superfund Sites • Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems

Bryan White © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM /RAWPIXEL

• Lock-out Tag-out Rule

29

Q1 2017

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AUTOMOTIVE OIL CHANGE ASSOCIATION

To advertise in future issues of LUBE+, please contact Ryan Wagner at Bedford Falls Communications. rwagner@bedfordfallsmedia.com 920.261.1945

ADVERTISERS

PA G E

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Why do we go the extra mile to educate your technicians? Because, as we always say:

“Our Best Customer, Is An Educated Buyer!�

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Customer service is a philosophy, not a department.

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