Service to our Industry

Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | May 2019

Service to our Industry | James Copeland | May 2019

We serve our customers every day by repairing their automobiles and solving their transportation problems. Most of us work very hard to perfect our skills at servicing our customers and their automobiles and take pride in doing this, but a little extra service can go a long way in improving our industry and our own businesses through participating in our trade associations.

I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t have time for that and what difference can one person make?” The truth is that one person giving just a little time makes a huge difference to our association’s overall health and brings fresh ideas and insight in ways to improve our industry for everyone involved in auto repair.

Attending meetings and helping to direct your local chapter’s path will bring your business the technical or management training or information that you may need now or in the future. Your inspiration through your local chapter and your regional affiliate can make a profound difference in the image and professionalism of the auto repair industry, and represent something you might have had trouble achieving on your own but through membership is doable. Local chapters can perform relationship-building community projects that give back to your own areas, and our regional affiliate has the power to implement larger projects that can impact the entire region and help push that trustworthy, professional image we work so hard to achieve. 

Shop owners who network at meetings can build strong relationships that will benefit all who are willing to give and receive advice. We’ve all made missteps and breakthroughs in building our businesses and can help fellow shop owners navigate difficult times. We are in an industry that faces many challenges in the future and it is much less difficult moving forward as a unified industry working together, as opposed to working alone and hoping it all works out for the best.

I implore you to get involved with your local chapter and make a difference. It has been one of the most rewarding things that I have done in my lifetime and has had such a positive impact our industry and my life.

We can all find many reasons to not get involved—you just need one reason to try! 

James Copeland is the owner of Midwest Autoworx, a family-owned, two-shop operation in Columbia and Boonville, Mo.

 

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