Independent’s Day
an iga viewpoint

Designed for You
by Dave Zoldowski

For any of you who missed the annual Independents’ Days Conference in Las Vegas in May, I, along with the rest of the Independent Glass Association (IGA) Board of Directors, am sorry you were unable to attend. You missed an array of valuable seminars, along with a good chance to catch up with fellow IGA members and prospective members—not to mention the trade show, which offered a slew of new products. 

Along with all of these new products and seminars, the IGA took the chance to introduce some new services at the conference. For those of you not able to attend, I’d like to take this opportunity to share a few of these services with you here. 

Free AGRSS Registration
In a push to make the industry safer, the IGA has agreed to pay its members’ registration fees to AGRSS at certain times of the year. 

At the conference, there was a session called “AGRSS Session: Special Bonus.” For all IGA member companies that attended this seminar and were not previously AGRSS-registered, IGA agreed to pay their registration fees and first year’s AGRSS fees if they signed up by June 30. 

IGA Certification
During the show, we also debuted our new training and certification system.

The IGA’s web-based learning, manuals and certification program will be available later this year. Testing can be completed online.

The certification lasts for a period of two years, and once that period is up, you can keep your certification current by taking three qualified professional courses a year. 

All new applicants are expected to have a minimum of six months experience on the job at a bona-fide auto glass replacement company; a minimum of 50 percent of the applicant’s annual employment must be dedicated to auto glass replacement work; and he must demonstrate his competency in basic skills.

To learn more about this new program, please visit www.igacertification.org. 

Legislative Alert and Action System
One of the most exciting services we have available, this new legislative alert and action system has already led to assistance with legislation in Minnesota. 

This program allows our director of operations, Patrick Smith, to send us alerts from his headquarters in Virginia when legislation around the country that could affect our industry is up for debate. In Minnesota this allowed us to not only halt an amendment the insurance industry was trying to make to a bill—but to also put forth our own proposed amendment to the bill. 

I’m sure many successes like this one will result from this new ability. Patrick receives his alerts daily and will pass them on to us as necessary.

Anti-Steering Campaign
I think many will agree that the anti-steering campaign is one we’ve all been waiting on for years. The program, titled “Don’t Be Steered the Wrong Way,” will become available to members on September 1 and will be introduced formally at the IGA Fall Conference November 2-3 in Las Vegas.

The campaign will provide our members with consumer brochures, radio and television advertising scripts, postcards, sample press releases and sample scripts. 

Instant Analysis Program
The IGA has developed an extensive database that will allow us to issue a full report on how an insurer’s contract is changing within 24 hours, so members who are doing work for that insurer will be able to see an analysis within 24 hours.

What’s to Come
As I mentioned, IGA unveiled ten new services at the conference, but unfortunately, space only permits me to share five of these with you within these pages. If you wish to learn more, though, please visit the IGA website at www.iga.org, and be sure to stay tuned to the next issue of AGRR, in which I’ll provide information on the rest of these exciting new programs.

IGA Launches New Services
The Independent Glass Association unveiled ten brand-new programs at its annual conference, Independents’ Days, held in Las Vegas May 17-19. These services are as follows:

1. Free AGRSS Registration – At certain undisclosed times of the year, IGA will pay its members’ registration fees to AGRSS.

2. IGA Certification – The association debuted its certification and training program.

3. Legislative Alert and Action System – Through this program, the association will keep members up to date regarding proposed legislative changes that will affect their businesses.

4. Anti-Steering Campaign – The IGA is launching an effort to inform consumers about what steering is and how to avoid it.

5. Instant Analysis Program – This service will provide members with access to an up-to-date analysis of newly released correspondence from insurance companies and networks.

6. Guide to Contracts – The IGA is producing a series of booklets explaining what various contracts relevant to its members mean, including Safelite’s network contract, State Farm’s O&A contract, etc.

7. Ethics Accountability Program – The association will promote ethical standards to insurers and competitor administrators (third-party administrators), particularly in these groups’ communication with their insureds.

8. IGA Fall Meeting – IGA will hold a Fall Conference, in addition to the annual meeting, in conjunction with NACE.9. Jobs4You – This Internet marketing program will refer jobs to IGA member shops.10. Regional Training Programs – IGA plans to begin training programs in various regions of the United States.  www.iga.org

Dave Zoldowski is president of Auto One in Brighton, Mich., and serves as president of the Independent Glass Association (IGA). Mr. Zoldowski’s opinions are solely his own and not necessarily those of this magazine.

AGRR
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