New Free Trial Removes Cost Barrier For Shops Willing to Contribute Anonymous Data to the Industry Data Exchange

ASE Connects (formerly WrenchWay), the workforce platform by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), today announced the industry’s most ambitious effort yet to solve a problem that has persisted for decades: the lack of reliable, current data on what automotive, diesel, and collision shops actually pay and offer their technicians. To fuel that effort, ASE is offering free ASE Connects memberships through December 31, 2026, to any shop or dealership that completes the required sections of its Industry Data Exchange—covering technician pay, benefits, and company policies.

“Shops have been making some of their biggest decisions around technician pay and benefits based on guesswork,” said David Johnson, President & CEO of ASE. “The only way to fix that is to get enough real data into the system that shops can trust it. This free trial removes any excuse not to participate.”

To qualify, shops and dealerships sign up for ASE Connects at no cost and no credit card required, then complete the anonymous technician pay, benefits, and policy survey that feeds into the Industry Data Exchange. The survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete, and all submitted information is aggregated and kept strictly anonymous before it becomes part of the dataset. Shops that complete the survey receive full access to ASE Connects through the end of 2026 which includes access to:

  • Industry Data Exchange
  • School Assist
  • Members-Only Content
  • NEW! Student Profiles (launching this fall)

“Every shop that contributes data makes the entire Exchange more accurate for everyone in it,” said David Johnson, President & CEO of ASE. “This is the kind of industry-wide effort that only works if enough shops participate, and giving shops free access removes the biggest reason they might sit on the sidelines.”

The push comes as the technician shortage continues to strain shops, dealerships, and OEMs across the country, many of which have no reliable way to benchmark their pay or policies against competitors in their local market. ASE Connects has positioned the Industry Data Exchange as the first tool of its kind built specifically for the automotive, diesel, and collision industries by combining self-reported data with comparisons by location, shop type, and industry that update as more shops join.

Shops interested in the free membership offer can sign up at wrenchway.com/solutions/shops/free-trial/ and complete the required Industry Data Exchange sections to activate full access through December 31, 2026.