Aftermarket E-Forum Details Announced

“Learn More, Earn More: Techniques & Tools for Growing Your Business” is the theme for the 2008 Aftermarket eForum.
Now entering its eighth year, this year’s event will be held July 14-16 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago.
Scott Luckett, vice president for technology standards and solutions at AAIA, will provide an explanation of the conference theme during his keynote address.
Scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, during the general session portion of the 2008 eForum, Luckett will offer a high-level overview of the standards, best practices and emerging developments that will define the future of eBusiness for the industry.
“It’s understandable that the topic of standards and best practices tends to put some people to sleep that is not my objective at the eForum,” explained Luckett.
“So, I intend to take a completely different approach in explaining the good work that is going on in information technology. I plan to talk about money!”
Luckett, who serves as chairman of the eForum, says the reason why attendees should care about ACES, PIES, IPO, XML and SOA is because of the acronym: MONEY.
Widespread adoption of standards-based technology has three principal impacts on aftermarket businesses, including increased sales, reduced returns and improved profit margins through increased efficiencies.
“I realized we were going about it all wrong trying to explain the benefits of technology by talking about schemas and data synchronization. Those, in the audience of the eForum who practice IT everyday, already understand the advantage of industry standards they don’t have to be told,” Luckett said.
“Our purpose is to break it down into terms and messages that non-technical decision makers can understand, apply to their own business and convert into action.”
The 2008 event will begin on Monday afternoon, July 14, with three separate track sessions.
New to the eForum this year, these practical, hands-on sessions will include demonstrations of the latest technologies for data synchronization, PIM, electronic ordering and supply chain connectivity.
A full day of general sessions on Tuesday, July 15 will include the results of a new telematics study, a panel of shop owners panel, a panel of leading innovators in distribution, and a look at managing intellectual property and brands in an online world.
The 2008 eForum will conclude with three breakout sessions on Wednesday, July 16.
The Aftermarket eForum is produced by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), in conjunction with Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), Automotive Industries Association (AIA) of Canada, Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), and Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) to provide an educational and business development symposium dedicated to e-commerce and supply chain technology solutions in the vehicle aftermarket.