One of three new events debuting at this year’s Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW), attendees of the NACE Town Hall participated in the latest industry discussion of aftermarket parts. ASRW includes the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE) and the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) and was held Oct. 10-13, 2010, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Moderated by Dan Stander, ASA Collision Division director, the discussion was titled "Is Certification the Best Aftermarket Parts Policy for Consumers and Repairers?"
"Having access to such a focused group of industry professionals at NACE was a bonus, as the event provided a superb backdrop for addressing this issue. It’s an important issue and involves every shop owner out there on a daily basis," said Bob Redding, ASA’s Washington, D.C.. representative.
The purpose of the NACE Town Hall was to present a panel of the more recognized programs and give the OEM and aftermarket representatives a chance to answer questions and raise awareness, and give attendees the opportunity to ask questions. Proliferation of certified programs surfaced in the industry over the past several years. Since all of these programs are unregulated by state or federal governments, many collision repair shop owners say the systems currently in place are confusing, and repairers are left not knowing who to trust.
The discussion focused on these key questions:
• What does parts certification mean to consumers and repairers?
• Has parts certification been effective to date?
• What should determine whether a parts certification program works or not?
• With multiple parts certification programs in place and more in the developmental stage, does this hurt or enhance the effectiveness of certification? Where does the proliferation of these programs stop?
• Would consumers and repairers benefit from a single parts certification program versus multiple programs?
"Our members are concerned about the types of parts insurers require them to use in repairing a customer’s vehicle. This Town Hall brought to the repair community the major certification players in the industry and one of the most informed OEM representatives to discuss the aftermarket parts certification process and where it’s headed," said Redding.
Because of the success of this event, ASRW has committed to providing a NACE Town Hall meeting for the 2011 event.
An archived version of the NACE Town Hall will soon be available for downloading and viewing online at www.NACEexpo.com.
