Sept. 16, 2020—The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) conducted a survey last month to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the automotive service industry and its workforce, according to a press release.
The survey found that while 19 percent of those surveyed have seen an increase in business since the start of the pandemic, 56 percent have reported a decrease in business.
The survey also found that 34 percent of service facilities have reduced business hours, and the effect on technicians has come in the form of a reduction of hours (34 percent), temporary furloughs (14 percent), and terminations (8 percent).
According to the survey, shops have been proactive in adopting safety measures for their employees and customers. Results show that nearly 70 percent of those surveyed are using protective equipment, while 63 percent have implemented social distancing measures, and 62 percent have added supplemental sanitizing measures.
The use of social media by professional service providers also increased over the past several months. Over 42 percent of respondents said they have increased their usage of social media somewhat or significantly, with Facebook and YouTube named as the top platforms utilized.
