Register for an Upcoming Management Certification Course

Registration for the Dallas and Vancouver Management Certification courses is now open. Obtain the knowledge and tools needed to help you and your managers develop skills in planning, organization, staffing, leading and controlling.

Click here for an overview of the training curriculum.   
 
 

AOCA would like to thank the course sponsors, Solid Start/True Brand and PureCars
We Want to Hear From You! 
In an effort to continually develop content that serves our member's needs, AOCA is seeking your feedback with this one question survey.

Which services and/or business operations are you and your company involved with?

How to Measure Your Social Media Return on Investment
AOCA Partner, PISTN: Marketing Accelerated
 
The value of social media for businesses has been debated for almost as long as there has been social media channels for businesses to use.

Even if you don't spend any money on social media advertising, you still want to know how effective your efforts are-what you're doing right, what you're doing wrong and where your customers are coming from. You need to know what your Return on Investment (ROI) is, even if your investment is only your time and creativity.

It's difficult to measure, but fortunately there are tools out there that will help. Click here for a list of some of the best.

As an AOCA partner, PISTN: Marketing Accelerated offers AOCA members discounted services. Visit their member page to learn more .
Q&A with Affinity HR's Claudia St. John
Q: We have an employee who has used all of her paid time off and now frequently takes unapproved, unpaid leave. In her absence, we have discovered an unacceptable number of mistakes and errors in her work. Can we start deducting the leave from her pay? Can we apply a financial penalty for her mistakes?

A: You cannot apply punitive deductions from pay except in certain instances. That is disallowed under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Instead, you should manage her attendance issues and her performance challenges through your normal progressive disciplinary process, just as you would (and should!) for all other employees and their performance challenges. Start with a clear articulation of your concerns, offer advice on how the employee can improve. If the employee fails to perform, proceed with verbal and written warnings, up to and including termination if necessary.

Learn more about AOCA's partnership with Affinity HR Group and how you can access custom support to your most challenging people management issues.







Oklahoma Tech Conference 

AOCA Board Members David Haney and Jim Grant attended the 49th Annual Oklahoma Career and Technology Education Summer Conference on August 1-2, 2016. During the conference, David and Jim talked with Oklahoma CareerTech teachers, counselors, administrators and state staff about the benefits of AOCA educational programs.

For a full list of available AOCA training, visit the website and follow the "Education" tab on the homepage.

Be on the lookout for additional AOCA training opportunities in the coming months!
AOCA Staff Spotlight
Meet Addie Drillock, Marketing and Communications Coordinator for AOCA. In addition to You Auto Know, Addie will be assisting with membership promotions, iFLEX, advertising, and the Government Affairs Update.

Hailing from Kalamazoo, MI, Addie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University. She's been on the AOCA team since July and is excited to be a part of the team.

Fun Fact: Addie loves to travel! Her latest trip was to Berlin and Prague this past spring.
Give Your Marketing a Digital Tune-Up
By AOCA Headquarters

The path to more service center appointments requires understanding customers. The quick lube industry is competitive, so owners need to evaluate their marketing efforts and effectively use their existing customer data, says Dustin Harris, major accounts manager at PureCars.

Harris recently presented a webinar to AOCA members, during which he described what owners and managers need to know about the digital landscape and how it can drive service center appointments.

Read more.
The Unpleasant Side of Cyber Space
The Internet connects businesses of all sizes to data networks and computer systems around the world. It also exposes companies to hackers, viruses, and other computer attacks. And, let's face it, there is no such thing as perfect computer security. Whether by hacker, glitch, or employee error, many businesses will experience a data breach incident at some point.
 
One Key to Running a Great Business 
What is one of the most influential factors affecting your company's success? It's your employees-the people who are right beside you, helping to build the profit and pursue opportunities for growth. Physical assets-the buildings and equipment-support financial goals, but to carry out the directives necessary to reach those goals, a company won't get too far without trusted employees.