AAIW Daily: AAPEX Learning Forum Classes for November 3

The AAPEX Learning Forum sessions will be held adjacent to the Sands Convention Center at the Venetian Hotel, on the Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center Level 1, Marco Polo Rooms 701-706.
All sessions are included with the price of show registration and open to everyone. No pre-registration is required, except for the two Lunch & Learn sessions.
Seminar attendees will receive 0.1 CEUs (continuing education units) for each session toward their Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP) or Master Automotive Aftermarket Professional (MAAP) certifications from the University of the Aftermarket.
If you have any questions about the program, please contact Sue Kalish, AAIA, 240-333-1047 or email sue.kalish@aftermarket.org.

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010
7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Gadgets, Gizmos, Geeks: 25 Tools, Technologies, and Web-Based Services that Smart Businesses Are Using to Keep Their Customers Happy
Still working in the old world? Afraid of losing your competitive edge? New startups are appearing every day that are run by a generation of people that understand how to use these technologies to operate more efficiently and profitably. In this session, Gene Marks discusses new tools and technologies that can be used to work quicker and better.

7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Effective Communication for Today’s Workplace: Strategies for Success
Today’s workplace is made up of employees from four generations. Each generation has their own expectations and preferences when it comes to their work environment. For many reasons including technology, modifications to organizational structures, and working arrangements, communication at work has changed significantly. The challenge is that not everyone wants to be communicated with and to in the same way.

9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
The New Health Care Law: What It Means for Your Business
While this is focused on U.S. legislation, it could be of interest to Canadian attendees who have operations in the U.S.

9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Bull’s Eye Aftermarketing for Growth and Profits
Combining targeted marketing with improved repair-shop operating models can increase sales and profits not only for automotive service providers but also parts wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers. In this session, David Caracci explores how repair-shop scheduling and operating models can negatively or positively affect the amount and quality of work done each day by the automotive service provider (ASP).

9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Data Quality and the Impact on Your Website Search Engines
In today’s e-commerce-driven retail environment, it is becoming increasingly important to provide and maintain quality data on retail websites. The largest search engines, including Google and Bing, are putting more and more emphasis not only on the quality of your data, but also the depth of the data you provide.

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Value-Based Selling: Breaking the Discounting Habit
Declining profit margins are a major concern for most businesses. Despite this concern, most sales managers truly believe their salespeople are selling value rather than price. The question at the front of everyone’s mind is this: “If our salespeople are selling value, why do they need to offer discounts and extras to get sales?”

11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.
LUNCH & LEARN SESSION – $15 per person to attend
All Things Automotive: Connecting with Gen Y
Popular notions suggest that younger consumers may not be as committed to all things automotive as previous generations. Since Generation Y and subsequent “generation” consumers will be the driving force for the auto industry, including the aftermarket, understanding their attitudes and behaviours toward driving and their vehicles is extremely important.
TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE DURING REGISTRATION OR BY CALLING COMPUSYSTEMS CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 866-229-3687.

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Cost-Effective Marketing Techniques for Distributors
Distributors are always searching for low-cost, highly efficient marketing programs that reach their core customers-parts stores, repair shops, and repair technicians-that can be launched and managed in-house. The session will first cover the importance of developing a marketing strategy and determining the Unique Selling Proposition for your business, then demonstrate cost-efficient marketing techniques distributors can employ to improve sales.

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Making It Right vs. Getting It Right
Companies may concentrate on doing everything humanly possible to make things right for their customers, after a problem or mistake occurs. They tend to be so focused on making it right that they fail to realize they are dealing with the same problems and mistakes over and over.

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
High-Performance Distribution Centres: The Five Essentials
Why do some warehouses and distribution centres “work” better than others? If you are evaluating or updating your current facility, moving, or building a new warehouse, this session will provide you with the specific principles, ideas, and best practices that can be applied to help create a lean production environment for your distribution centres.

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Building Employee Engagement: Becoming An Employer of Choice
When employees join an organization, they’re usually enthusiastic, committed, and ready to be advocates for their new employer. Simply put, they’re highly engaged. But research reveals that the longer an employee stays with a company, the less engaged he or she becomes. And that drop costs businesses big in lost profit and sales, and in lower customer satisfaction.

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Drive the Business, Steer the Brand
Businesses today need to be savvy and aggressive in their pursuit of profitability, especially in a time of economic uncertainty. Companies with a well-designed marketing strategy and an understanding of proven methods to reach desired customers will certainly beat their competition.