Well, here we are again at the start of another new year. If it’s like the start of every new year, it’s full of hopes and dreams. Sadly, hopes and dreams are just that. They’re not really a strategy to get anything new done.
Now is the time to map out your actions for 2016 to get some of those things accomplished. With no map and no plan, who knows where you’ll end up?
The year 2016 should be a good one for us. We’re coming up on a presidential election, and that means lots of dollars being spent for those campaigns. Anytime there’s money moving around, it’s good for the overall economy. The current administration will try its best to keep the economy propped up till the election to try to ensure their party has the best shot. That and some cold weather should make the year pretty decent. Aluminum will continue to be a hot topic. As more aluminum vehicles hit the ground, we’ll start to see more significant numbers for repair. We need to be sure we’re trained and have the equipment to properly repair these vehicles. It doesn’t matter whether you’re fixing them or selling parts for them, you need to know what makes them different.
The debate over ownership of data will ramp up during the year, and I don’t think it will be resolved anytime soon. This is a big issue, and some of the stakeholders have deep pockets. Ultimately, it will be decided either in the courts or in congress. You need to keep an eye on it because it can change the landscape, depending on the outcome. Know who your representative is, and tell them which outcome you prefer.
Fuel prices are heading down even further, they say. That should be good for business. More miles means more maintenance and repairs. The only exception to this would be some politically-driven interruption in the Middle East.
NACE | CARS is moving west this year to Anaheim, Calif., so we’ll get to see the western members of our industry. And NACE | CARS has some other exciting news to announce. Stay tuned.
From any angle, 2016 looks positive. Our job is to remain positive, deliver parts and fix vehicles. That’s what we do: keep the 265.3 million cars on the road. Happy 2016!
