State Farm’s controversial new deal with the PartsTrader parts procurement platform will take center stage at the 2012 Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) annual meeting Oct. 12.
Like this article? Sign up to receive our weekly news blasts here.The evening event will feature a guest presentation by Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg, who will offer his insights on the issue based on an extensive investigation on behalf of the association.
Schulenburg, who has spent several months speaking with PartsTrader participants in both the United States and the company’s home country of New Zealand, has gained first-hand knowledge into the potential pitfalls of the program. Schulenburg said he hopes AASP/ NJ members who attend the meeting will get a greater understanding of why the PartsTrader issue has become so important to the industry.
“We simply want to have open and honest communication about what has been said and seen in national meetings, and in the test markets,” he offers. “We believe the skepticism is healthy and warranted for our industry, and hope that the exchange of information helps repair facilities digest the information and make informed business decisions if and when they are faced with them in their market.”
AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant urges shop personnel to attend the meeting – and bring their local parts vendors with them.
“The implementation of insurance-mandated parts procurement programs, such as the State Farm/ Parts Trader program, is the biggest issue to impact the collision industry in recent years,” he says. “They have the potential of negatively impacting both your profits and the way you do business. You need to attend this critical meeting to better understand how these programs are being implemented, what feedback is stemming from the markets facing it firsthand and how it might affect you if it is allowed to enter the New Jersey market. SCRS and AASP National have been at the forefront of researching and educating the collision industry on this topic, and [Schulenburg] will present the most current information available on the program, as well as answer your questions.”
The annual meeting will also include an update on the recent Right to Repair victory in Massachusetts, and how this could impact Right to Repair efforts in New Jersey. To register or to receive additional meeting information, call AASP/NJ Executive Director Charles Bryant at (732) 922-8909.
For more information on AASP/NJ, visit www.aaspnj.org.
