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IDA COLUMN Shining Together: IDA Community Stays Strong During Challenging Year Members of the International Detailing Association unite to make it through tough times By Erin Reyes IDA Communications Coordinator There is no doubt that 2020 has been one of the most challenging years in recent memory. We have lost cherished friends and colleagues, endured multiple lockdowns, rallied against racial injustice, overcome political differences, and some of us may have even experienced permanent business closures. We have cried together, laughed together, learned together, worked together, all without the ability to physically be together. But we have stuck together nonetheless, and that is what makes the International Detailing Association (IDA) community so strong. The year started off like most others, with the IDA participating at Mobile Tech Expo in Orlando, Florida at the end of January. We hosted our Annual Business Meeting, presented the annual IDA Awards, and inducted the inaugural class of the IDA Hall of Fame. Association leaders including Board members and committee chairs convened to discuss goals and create a strategic plan for the upcoming year. We gained a large group of new members and Certified Detailers at the event. Basically, everything pointed to it being our best year yet. Fast forward to March 2020. The IDA Belgium/France Chapter made their tradeshow debut at The Detailing Show in Tours, France. It was well attended and garnered much international interest for the association. Then, literally the next day, the country went into lockdown and all large events were forbidden. It was ostensibly all downhill from there: countries began shutting down, tradeshows and large-scale events were cancelled, businesses had to cease – or at least greatly alter – operations. How could detailing companies (mostly small, independent businesses) and, subsequently, the IDA, thrive – or, at the very least, survive – through such a situation? However, something surprising happened. Despite all the seeming roadblocks, throughout this past year, the IDA community has continued to grow. At the time of publication, we are 1783 members and nearly 1100 Certified Detailers strong. How then, in a year of struggle and uncertainty, were we able to experience this type of growth? Essentially, it comes down to the sense of community that we have been able to foster. Our leaders and volunteers have worked tirelessly to maintain this tight bond and provide meaningful support to our members in a time when they absolutely needed it most. • A SENSE OF RELIEF Earlier this year, in recognition of the hardships that members and Certified Detailers were experiencing across the board, the IDA Board made the decision to offer some relief in the form of extended dues and recertification periods. At a time when connection and access to information were so invaluable, we did not want detailers to be left out due to whatever financial or operational challenges they might have been facing. That is the exact moment that a supportive network would be most necessary. This summer, we also ran a promotion for one free month of membership for both new and returning members to encourage as many detailers as possible to invest in the community for their own benefit and the support of others. Another popular addition this year was a series of group sessions, which were facilitated by Jason Rose, CD-SV, RT, who has a background in psychology and human services. These sessions, which oftentimes featured special guests, offered a safe space for members to gather and discuss their concerns about the state of the industry – and the world, at large – and offer support to others who understood exactly what they were going through. Topics included managing anxiety, navigating compassion and empathy, courage, and persistence. • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS While providing financial and emotional support for our members was important for us, we also recognized the need to continue offering professional development opportunities. Despite outward obstacles, members still had the drive to continue bettering themselves and their careers. IDA Certification is, without a doubt, the number one opportunity we provide for professional development. With in-person gatherings limited, though, it was clear that an alternate solution was necessary for certification events. 14 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 5, NO. 4 • WINTER 2020
Luckily, Alan Medcraf, CD-SV, RT, IDA Vice President of Operators, was more than ready to accept the challenge and became the first IDA Recognized Trainer to offer online certification events. This allowed detailers from across the globe to take part in the IDA Certification Program without ever having to leave the safety of their homes. As of now, we have successfully held five online certification events, resulting in more than 20 new Certified Detailers. Hopefully, the success of these first online certification events means that they will continue well past the end of the pandemic. With this year’s addition of four new Recognized Trainers, for a total of 33 worldwide, we would say this is a great possibility. Check the event calendar on our website for upcoming testing dates. Along with the success of the online certification events, the IDA Certification Committee also launched the Marine Certification program in September. To date, we have already had nearly 15 Certified Detailers complete or begin working toward the specialty certification. This clearly shows that, even in the midst of a pandemic, there are detailers dedicated to advancing their careers and the detailing profession. Learn more about IDA Marine Certification at https://the-ida.com/Marine. Speaking of advancing the profession, we were also proud this year to introduce the Founder’s Endowment Fund, established by the IDA Founder’s Club, to support programs and projects that further detailing education and training for future detailers. At the time of publication, submissions are still under review and no grants have yet been awarded, but a bevy of entries show that there are indeed individuals and companies who are working to improve the detailing industry, and the IDA Founder’ Club is proud to be able to support that mission. Our growth was not just limited to the United States, though. This year, the IDA Chapter Development Committee helped establish two new chapters – Bulgaria and Denmark – bringing our current total up to eight active international chapters. Several more countries and regions have ... even in the midst of a pandemic, there are detailers dedicated to advancing their careers and the detailing profession. expressed interest in creating their own chapters, and the committee has set a goal of adding two additional chapters within the next year, for a total of ten. The Chapter Development Committee made it their mission this year to offer additional support to existing chapters, as there was no corner of the globe that the pandemic and its effects did not reach. Within the chapters, members established regular virtual meetups for detailers in their country or region to come together to discuss how they were dealing with the effects of the pandemic and share camaraderie in a time when it was so desperately needed. The United Kingdom Chapter was hit particularly hard, so they established a schedule of twice-monthly calls, facilitated by chapter member Craig Brigham, CD, to catch up with one another and discuss hot topics. Similarly, the New Zealand Chapter has recently hosted two virtual Happy Hour events. The Chapter Development Committee further helped facilitate cross-chapter meetings so members from different parts of the world could gather to share their knowledge and expertise to help each other grow. One of the greatest benefits of belonging to the IDA, which was made undeniable in a digital environment this year, is being part of a global network that brings individuals together to share tools and knowledge with one another, and establish connections that would not otherwise exist due to distance and other physical constraints. • RELIABLE RESOURCES With tradeshows and in-person gatherings being limited or cancelled altogether, the IDA Tradeshow and Education Committee, like everyone else, had to learn to operate in a strictly digital environment for the health and safety of our members. Instead of planning in-person gatherings, the committee pivoted to focus on coordinating several virtual panel sessions to provide up-to-date information to detailers – both members and non-members – on dealing with the pandemic. Association leaders and experts provided as accurate information as possible, at a time when it may have been hard to decipher what was actually helpful with information coming from a wide variety of sources. Recordings of these panel events are archived on the IDA website at https:// the-ida.com/COVID-19_Resources. You can also find other COVID-related reference materials on this webpage, including safety documents, UK-specific resources, and a copy of the press release we released in March, explaining our thoughts on why auto detailing businesses should be considered essential businesses, at a time when non-essential businesses were being forced to shutter. The press release was also translated into several other languages, as a resource for our growing international member base. Though all these resources are important, perhaps the most vital was something that, in this digital age, is easy to overlook: a dedicated space for social networking. Members have always turned to our exclusive Facebook group as a way to connect with one another, but this year it took on a whole new meaning as a place where members could commiserate and get feedback from those who were living the same experience. They could also go to the group to find pictures of work other members were doing to establish a sense of normalcy in a world that is, truthfully, anything but normal. Several chapters also have their own Facebook groups, where they can connect in the same way as the main group but do so in a language that is most comfortable for them and discuss regional-specific topics. For members without access to Facebook, there is also the integrated website community, where members can connect in a space truly built just for them. • LOOKING AHEAD Though we remain optimistic about one day soon being able to resume our previous activities – in-person certification, tradeshows, meet and greets – this year has taught us that we can weather the storms and thrive in times of adversity, all thanks to the hard work and dedication of our community. In the event that we are not able to “return to normal” (if there even is such a thing), you can rest assured that our leaders and volunteers are already working diligently to plan for all contingencies, including the introduction of digital SV testing and a potential virtual tradeshow in 2021. While many things remain uncertain for the coming year, one thing is for sure: the IDA will be here to support the detailing community, and we will work together to make it through whatever comes our way. VOL. 5, NO.4 • WINTER 2020 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | 15
Page 1 and 2: VOL. 5, NO. 4 WINTER 2020 BUFFMORE
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Nitty Gritty .............
Page 6 and 7: NITTY GRITTY an oven. These steps a
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Page 12 and 13: INNOVATIONS Introducing new & impro
Page 16: SYSTEM 4000 PAD WASHER LAUNCHING JA
Page 19 and 20: SEMA360 attracts thousands of atten
Page 21 and 22: DETAIL DOCTOR The Facts about Paint
Page 23 and 24: sional retail center. It was out-gr
Page 25 and 26: Special pricing offer valid through
Page 27 and 28: YOUR RELIABLE SUPPLIER FOR THE DETA
Page 29 and 30: Ed Terwilliger Ed Terwilliger is a
Page 31 and 32: 2020 Mobile Tech Expo was the deter

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