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Letter to the Editor
Friday June 6
ASA Presents Golden Quill Awards
Three Automotive Service Association (ASA) member businesses received this year's Golden Quill Award for communications excellence. The award, presented during ASA's Annual Convention held this spring in Sandestin, Fla., recognizes individual ASA members for their Web sites and television commercials. Entries were judged by Amy Rae Mullins, a business-to-business marketing and design professional in Fort Worth, Texas.There was a first-place tie for best member Web site. The winners were Acme Body & Paint Company in Jamaica Plain, Mass., owned by Chuck Sulkala; and Pennsylvania Body & Frame, owned by Matt Herzing in Saint Marys, Pa.
The outstanding features of Acme Body & Paint's Web site, as noted by Mullins, include easy navigation, prominent placement of contact information, the shop tour section, an online survey for customers, and a frequently asked questions page that takes the reader step by step through the repair process. Overall, the judge said the site was developed with the customer in mind. Technical jargon is avoided and someone who spends any time on this site will be better informed about collision repair.
Mullins said Pennsylvania Body & Frame's site provides a substantial amount of information to assist individuals who have been in an accident. The table of contents and "Quick Find" section speeds visitors to the information they're seeking. Features such as vehicle status updates, online appointment scheduling, things to know before having your car repaired, and information about the employees and their training serve to establish a high level of customer confidence.
Mahneke Motors in Goleta, Calif., owned by Mike Mahneke, won the award for best television commercial, a 30-second spot advertising this mechanical repair businenss. Mullins said the commercial quickly establishes credibility with the viewer by stressing the shop owner's experience. It then builds on that credibility by highlighting the shop's certified technicians, breadth of services offered and makes of vehicles repaired, and use of state-of-the-art equipment. The commercial's closing tag leaves a positive impression, Mullins said, noting the importance of creating a lasting image with viewers.
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