ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill.-Internal Revenue Service recordkeeping and paperwork requirements have the greatest impact on the daily operations of a business, according to 40 percent of the Automotive Service Industry Association membership responding to the latest semi-annual Aftermarket Business Trends Survey. Another 22 percent of the membership said hazardous materials regulations have the most influence, 19 percent said environmental protection regulations, 13 percent cited the failure to enact product liability and litigation reform, and 6 percent listed worker safety regulations.
According to the survey results, 67 percent of the members responding said their sales had increased during the first half of 1996 compared with the first half of 1995, while 20 percent said their sales were even with the year-earlier period and 13 percent reported a drop in revenues.
However, 72 percent of the respondents are optimistic about their sales performance in the second half of 1996, with only 9 percent anticipating lower sales.