Lobbying is hard work. Political activists spend most days pumping information into the minds of the less learned in the hopes of convincing them to adopt a favored position. Sometimes the message is difficult to comprehend; sometimes it’s obvious. Whatever the agenda, the message must be constantly repeated or it goes unnoticed—like a falling tree in a vacant woods.
In Las Vegas last month, ASA President Ron Pyle repeatedly discussed the issue of access to OEM repair information. The International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) served as ASA’s rallying point against federal legislation that forces automakers to offer repair data to anyone needing it. In press meetings and throughout the convention hall, ASA challenged the need for new laws on the issue. Why such a full-court press to fight proposed laws? Collision repair shops, he says, have a monumental need for easy access to automaker repair data because they encounter new makes and models almost instantly.
The legislation, known as the Motor Vehicle Owners’ Right to Repair bill, was sidetracked in Congress during the last session. Proponents vow to push the bill next year; opponents, meanwhile, claim an ASA/automakers agreement that provides repairers with access will suffice. Self-regulation is working, Pyle argues, and the Federal Trade Commission appears to share that sentiment.
Are shops truly clamoring for data that they can’t get currently? Depends on whom you believe. Some technicians claim they can’t find the data, others claim they aren’t looking hard enough. The information is too costly, say some, others define such fees as a business expense and charge customers accordingly.
As an industry, we lack unity on the issue because of varying agendas. Thousands of dollars are being spent fighting for or against the Right to Repair bill and in the end, nothing has changed. Is access vital to repairers? Absolutely. Do you have adequate access? The jury is still out. Is this the biggest fight worth fighting in 2005? Perhaps, but let’s not forget another crucial issue—that of image.
It’s common to see news reports blasting “crooked” shops and building the perception that ours is a less-than-noble community. Segments of society still view technicians as a bunch of knuckle-draggers who couldn’t make it in college and turned to vocational schools as a place to hide from scholastics and higher education. What they don’t see are the countless hours of continuing education that most techs need in order to stay current on new repair materials and procedures. What’s missing is education, all right—education of the general population that working in the repair bays, paint booths and metal shops demands knowledge and respect.
We’ve got an image problem, greater than an OEM data problem, and yet nothing is being done to set motorists straight. Where’s the vast image campaign, à la “Got Milk?” or “Pork: The Other White Meat”? Done right, a media campaign targeting the masses could shift that negative public perception and add value to the industry. The schools might just swell with aspiring technicians we often clamor for. And then, when you charge an honest price for a repair, perhaps customers would comprehend the depth of your knowledge and skill level, and not balk at the final bill.
