PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Welcome (Back) to the Real World

by JERRY MCNEE

As you’ll read in this month’s New Jersey Automotive, our industry is finally getting back to holding in-person events. At AASP/NJ, we’re busy getting ready for this year’s NORTHEAST® Automotive Services Show, which will be held live this September 10-12 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus. I’m sure I can speak for everyone on the AASP/NJ Board when I say we can’t wait to regain a sense of normalcy and actually learn, network and celebrate this industry together. Personally, I’m itching to get out there again. The Tristate area is typically a fast-paced place, and it was hard for a lot of us to adapt to almost everything grinding to a halt. I’m also looking forward to eventually getting away from Zoom and virtual meetings. Meeting up online was a huge help to us all in staying in touch and keeping our inter-industry work going through the pandemic, but I think it’s largely worn out its welcome. For one thing, I’m burned out on virtual meetings all taking place on the same day, with a lot of them sneaking up on me while I’m trying to simply keep my business going. There is a lot of value in committing in advance to attending a set industry event held at a set place and time. That enables you to give what’s happening your full attention as opposed to trying to conduct a meeting or attend a class at home or in your busy office. AASP/NJ still has a few virtual events planned for the near future as the final wave of vaccines are fully distributed and more and more things open up, but rest assured that NORTHEAST will represent the beginning of our full return to live events. The collision repair world thrives on face-to-face interactions. This is true of estimating and negotiating, and it’s true of meetings and seminars. Frankly, I’ve learned just as much from a sidebar conversation in a hallway than I have sitting all day in a meeting room somewhere. NORTHEAST will be our chance to shake off the “Zoom Gloom” and actually experience training, education and new products away from our computer screens. Won’t it be great to not have to start a conversation with, “Can you see me? I think you froze”? I’ll take a handshake over a Zoom invite any day. If you feel the same way, then I’ll see you again soon!

NJA

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