Eastern Automotive Warehousing/Auto Machinery - Autosphere

EDITORIAL
Know Your Parts
In the United States, the Automotive
Aftermarket Suppliers Association’s
(AASA) “Know Your Parts” campaign
is an initiative of the association
and the AASA Marketing Executives
Council (MEC).
This was started in the fi rm belief that it’s
not important where a product is made
but rather who stands behind it. Many
name brand suppliers have taken up this initiative
and wear buttons proclaiming they stand
behind the “Know Your Parts” campaign. Most
of these same suppliers operate in Canada and
also stand behind their parts.
This was all initiated because of the concern
about low-cost, off shore, generic auto parts
coming into the aftermarket throughout the
entire supply chain. In other words, the whole of
the aftermarket could suffer if the public loses
confi dence in the industry’s parts and services.
Responsibility
As a shop owner, you have a responsibility to
your customers when parts are installed on their
vehicles; not just “parts”—quality parts! Vehicles
of today are made to last 20-25 years. You
should install quality parts on their vehicle as a
return on their investment to make the vehicle
lasts longer, and make sure the client knows
that this investment is certainly worthwhile.
Low cost, low quality parts may not meet safe
operating standards and post a possible danger
4 | CarCare Business | December 2009 | www.autosphere.ca |
to your client and you, the shop owner, who
will handle the installation. You don’t want to
install brake pads that slow down the vehicle;
you want to install brake pads that stop the
vehicle when and where it is needed.
This will add up for you; when you put quality
parts on vehicles, you’ll be getting a decent
return on your investment. In turn, that investment
can be reinvested in proper training,
new technology, new equipment, etc. If
you install low quality parts on vehicles,
you know the profi t is less, therefore your
ROI is less—the warranty likely won’t hold up,
you can’t rely on it or the parts.
Purchasing parts from the correct source is
also important—buy quality parts from recognized
jobbers and distributors. They will
stand behind their products. When you install
low quality/inexpensive parts on vehicles, you
stand apart from the automobile dealers who
claim they install quality parts.
You could lose
At the end of the day, if you keep installing low
quality/inexpensive parts, you stand to lose.
How many times can you go back to the supplier
with a warranty claim that’s not worth the
paper it’s written on?
Change your business outlook—install quality
parts on your customers’ cars that you know
will keep them safe, and purchase those parts
from the most reliable source. It’s one way to
make your business more successful.
Here’s another tip: Check out our website
www.autosphere.ca—it contains all the latest
news, events, products, and information on
today’s automotive issues.
And we have renamed CASP; please have
a good look at the aptly named CarCare
Business.
Rémy L. Rousseau
remy.rousseau@autosphere.ca
Publisher & Editor Rémy L. Rousseau
Associate Publisher Shirley Brown
Contributing Editors
Pierre Bissonnette, Éric Descarries, Brian Early,
Pierre Lalonde, Dave Redinger, Frank Tonon
Production Management
Valérie St-Cyr valerie.st-cyr@autosphere.ca
Graphic Design
Monique Desbiens 100cDesign@videotron.ca
Revision Shirley Brown
Administration
Wendy Allain wendy.allain@autosphere.ca
Marie-Hélène Côté marie-helene.cote@autosphere.ca
Denise Prud’homme denise.prudhomme@autosphere.ca
Circulation Management
Nancy Belleville nancy.belleville@autosphere.ca
Sales
Luc Champagne lucchampagne13@videotron.ca
514-945-1299
Nathalie Plouffe tirenews@rogers.com
1-866-925-5665
Réjean A. Rousseau r.a.rousseau@videotron.ca
450-649-9007
Garth Vogan rgvogan@yahoo.com
905-689-1963
Subscription
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Published by
Rousseau Automotive Communication
455, rue Notre-Dame Est, suite 311
Montréal, QC H2Y 1C9
T : 514-289-0888, 1-877-989-0888
F : 514-289-5151
administration@autosphere.ca www.autosphere.ca
CarCare Business Magazine is dedicated to serving the
business interests of the maintenance and repair industry.
It is published eight times a year by Rousseau Automotive
Communication, a member of AIA Canada. Material in
CarCare Business may not be reproduced in any form
without written consent from the publisher. The publisher
reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims
all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its advertisers
or independent columnists. All facts, opinions and
statements appearing within this publication are those of
the writers and editors themselves, and are in no way to
be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by
Rousseau Automotive Communication.
Printed in Canada
ISSN no. 1920-731X
Publications Mail Agreement no. 40014105. Return undelivrable
Canadian addresses to Rousseau Automotive
Communication / Circulation Department, 455, rue Notre-
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