The Automotive Service Association’s (ASA) Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) is offering four management seminars selected with shop owners’ financial gain and future success in mind. Approved by the Automotive Management Institute (AMI), the topics of the management seminars include increasing shop efficiency and profitability, strategies to stay competitive, financial planning and leadership. CARS 2007 will be held Nov. 1-3 at the Flamingo Las Vegas.
“AMI is proud to work closely with ASA to provide quality management education to CARS attendees,” said Toni Slaton, AAM, AMI executive director. “AMI education not only helps ensure the business success of ASA members, it also improves the professionalism of the entire automotive service industry.”
AMI seminars to be offered at CARS 2007 include:
• Increase Sales 40 Percent Through Better Efficiency: presented by George Witt, AAM; sponsored by Pace Software Inc. This course is specifically written for shop owners and their techs and teaches attendees how to get more quality work out the door through specific steps taken to make shops more efficient and help the shop make more money.
• Advanced Pricing Strategies – Be Competitive and Profitable: presented by George Witt, AAM; sponsored by Pace Software Inc. Witt will teach attendees how to implement pricing strategies to achieve their gross profit objectives and meet the competition head-on where necessary.
• Financial Benchmarking for Improved Operations: presented by Dan Gilley; sponsored by Auto Value. Attendees learn methods to set up a financial statement to render comparable figures in the repair industry, understand critical financial ratios, improve gross and net profits, minimize expenses, control inventory, improve shop productivity and efficiency, and calculate a labor rate based on costs.
• Leading to the Next Level: presented by Cecil Bullard; sponsored by QuickTrac.Biz. This seminar identifies the differences between management and leadership and explores the five stages of an automotive maintenance business. Attendees will evaluate their own business and learn what is necessary to take their business to the next level.
In addition to management seminars, CARS will offer 12 technical courses, a legislative update by Bob Redding, ASA’s Washington, D.C., representative, and a keynote presentation by Jones Loflin. CARS will also feature two receptions during the event. The first – the Service Professionals Industry Reception, sponsored by iATN and ASA – will officially open CARS and includes an exhibitor showcase. A Member Appreciation reception will close the event.
The latest information about CARS can be found on the official CARS website, www.CARSonline.org. Online registration is also available. ASA members and nonmembers are encouraged to register early to save — the CARS early-bird deadline is Sept. 20.