By Lee Roberts
TIAA Executive Director
As executive director of the Texas Independent Automotive Association, I recently sat down with a member who actually expected TIAA to deliver customers to his doorstep. Another shop canceled its membership because the owner did not feel the company was benefiting. It struck me that not everyone fully understands why it’s important to be part of a professional automotive association.So I’ll cut to the chase. Below are the Top 10 reasons to join TIAA. And although all are valid and great reasons for membership, I would suggest that everyone pay particular attention to the No. 1 reason to join our professional association.
10. Scholarships: TIAA encourages our youth to be future automotive technicians and interns through its scholarship program. Applications are received online. The annual deadline is June 1.
9. Public Interest: TIAA works to educate the public online about the importance of maintaining and repairing their automobiles. Additionally, TIAA works with Texas educational bodies in advisory capacities and gets involved in community service projects. Some of these include fixing cars for victims of domestic abuse at several battered women’s shelters, supporting public television fundraisers, and being an auction buyer supporting Texas youth competing in the world’s largest junior livestock auction held annually in San Antonio. TIAA members also sponsor car care events, oil changes for single moms, and other worthwhile activities that allow member shops to show their gratitude to the public.
8. Credibility: TIAA members are vetted internally before membership is approved. This eliminates membership discrimination (good ole boy networks), and ensures quality professional members that protect the good name of member businesses and the great reputation of the association.
7. Business Tools: Businesses can post jobs online at the TIAA website. Members also can log into the members only area of the association’s website www.tiaa.net to retrieve news and information that pertains to shop owners. They can also review event calendars, photo galleries, automotive forums, benefit information, association meeting documents, and to post jobs, find vendors & suppliers, and gain access to the membership directory. TIAA routinely sends out information about automotive training classes to its members and also posts these opportunities on the association’s events calendar online in the member’s only area of www.tiaa.net. Business, human resource, financial, technical and management articles are routinely published online and in the association’s magazine for members. TIAA also arranges leading industry speakers and trainers featured at chapter meetings and at the annual Texas Automotive Summit.
6. Savings: Members save through the association’s uniform services, merchant services, workman’s compensation insurance, garage liability insurance, garage keepers liability insurance, fleet coverage, standard fire coverage, group health and life insurance, dental and vision insurance, retirement planning, and inland marine insurance programs. Members also save on car rentals, discounted business promotional items, and business forms. TIAA members get advertising discounts on display advertising in the association’s magazine Topics and with web ads on the association’s website www.tiaa.net.
5. Texas Automotive Summit: This annual event gives members a forum to network and provides access to up-to-date information from business and technical experts in their respective fields. It also includes a trade show where shop owners can interact with vendors on the latest tools, equipment and services available.
4. Endorsement: Your business adds credibility by posting the TIAA sign on your building. Additionally, the TIAA logo can be used on advertising, marketing materials, electronic correspondence, and business stationary. TIAA also promotes your repair facility through the website’s “Find A Shop” tool that allows consumers to search for TIAA network repair and collision shops and to download maps and driving directions.
3. Networking: You can network at monthly chapter meetings and at the Texas Automotive Summit and scholarship fishing tournament. Meeting or even corresponding with other shop owners that are dealing with the same issues provides insight and answers to problems. It also provides access to vendors that can provide your business with additional savings.
2. Communication: Members receive up to date industry news and information online at www.tiaa.netin the public and member’s only areas. They also receive the association’s quarterly magazine Topics. TIAA keeps up with the latest legislative, technical, business, human resources, labor laws, environmental laws, and other topics of interest to pass along to members. TIAA offers all members friendship and fellowship where business ideas and solutions can be exchanged. TIAA also has a Texas Independent Automotive Association Group on the professional networking site at www.linkedin.com. If you have an account, you can request to join our group. TIAA is also on Twitter. Go to www.twitter.com/tiaanews and follow us. TIAA also has a Facebook page. Become a TIAA fan on Facebook from our website www.tiaa.net. Finally, TIAA is on Collision Hub at www.collisionhub.com. For those on this networking site, we encourage you to join our TIAA Group.
1. Representation: This alone is worth every dime spent on membership dues. Every automotive repair & collision shop across the state of Texas should join TIAA solely to ensure their voice is heard, to be informed of any legislation that may affect them, and to be represented at the state capitol whenever necessary. The more shops that join TIAA and maintain their membership, the stronger standing the association has when acting on their behalf when speaking to legislators or testifying on an issue in a legislative committee. There is strength in numbers! This is the number one reason to be a member. It truly is that simple.
There you have it. TIAA exists to further the automotive profession, the interests of individuals engaged in the profession, and to serve the public interest across Texas.
TIAA encourages all that are eligible to join us because as the association grows, so does its ability to serve you and to provide more services and benefits you can enjoy. As an automotive or collision shop owner, vendor, or other related business manager or owner, you should join TIAA so that collectively the individual needs of each business are addressed more effectively through the strength of the whole association.
As our professional body grows, TIAA will be able to more effectively represent and reward you, the automotive professional!
Click Here to join the Texas Independent Automotive Association.