Aftermarket Insider Issue 83 - (Page 17)

AAIA’s Key Issues Impact survey RANKING BY SURVEY DATE QuesTIoN Mar. ‘13 Dec. ‘12 June ‘12 Dec. ‘11 June ‘11 Average age of vehicles 1 1 1 1 4 Longer lasting vehicles are extending the vehicle repair window 2 2 2 6 1 Unemployment and household budgets 3 4 3 4 3 General health of the economy 4 3 4 5 5 Consumers opting to maintain their vehicles as opposed to buying new vehicles 5 5 5 2 2 Increasing vehicle complexity emphasizes the need for professional technician's expertise 6 6 6 3 6 Changing volume of new vehicle sales 7 7 8 8 9 Consumer debt 8 8 7 9 7 Telematics that could exclude small repair shops 9 9 9 7 8 Changes in DIFM service events 10 13 10 11 13 Telematics that currently connect vehicles to primary, new car dealers 11 11 15 13 12 Increased efficiencies and productivity of service bays 12 10 13 16 10 Aging baby boomers' preference for professional technician's expertise 13 17 11 10 11 Fewer new light truck sales 14 12 14 14 14 Telematics that level the playing field by connecting vehicles to repair shops 15 14 12 12 16 Consumers seeking alternative forms of transportation 16 16 17 18 17 The decrease in the total number of new car dealers 17 15 16 15 15 Virtual office/telecommuting 18 18 18 17 18 The purpose of AAIA’s Key Issues Impact Survey is to gain a better understanding of AAIA member opinions on 18 key issues impacting their business as related to the economy, the consumer, technology and repair outlets. Members are asked each quarter to rate these issues on a scale from one to five, with one having the least impact and five having greatest impact. Current readings are compared to previous readings so that shifts in the relative position of each issue can be monitored and reported at the end of each quarter. The results of this most recent survey completed in March 2013 compared with results from previous surveys, are presented in the table above. The most striking observation about these 18 key issues is that they continue to break along three distinct divisions of six each. While the individual rankings within each grouping will vary from survey to survey, the six issues within each group are generally well defined and consistent. Within the most important group of the top six issues, the March 2013 survey continued to amplify the most significant forces driving our industry today. Tops on the list is the “average age of vehicles,” which has retained the number one position for the past nine months and has been in the number one position since December 2011. The remaining five of the top six issues maintained their positions of significance relative to each other. For more information about the “Average Age of Vehicles” and supporting detail on “The Age Mix of Vehicles,” please refer to the AAIA Digital Aftermarket Factbook 2014, page 61, or call 301-654-6664. AFTERMARKET INSIDER | VOLUME 83 | 17 http://www.aftermarket.org/Publications

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aftermarket Insider Issue 83

Health Care Help:industry News
Millennials:The Aftermarket Generation
Talking Telematics:INSIDE TECHNOLOGY
Dress for Success
Workplace Wear:TOOLBOX
Conflict Minerals
Facts and Feedback:MARKET INTELLIGENCE
Words from a Winner:HEAD OF THE CLASS

Aftermarket Insider Issue 83