University of the Aftermarket Courses at AAPEX

The University of the Aftermarket will offer two new three-hour business workshops on Monday, Oct. 29, 2007, at the Venetian Resort Hotel in Las Vegas.
The new workshops Improving Sales Proficiency and Fact-Based Marketing/Category Management will enable aftermarket professionals to enhance their competitive skills and earn continuing education units (CEU) in conjunction with the 2007 Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX), which opens Tuesday, Oct. 30.
Improving Sales Proficiency, 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 29, is designed for aftermarket professionals with responsibility for sales growth, margin retention, customer acquisition, and overall customer satisfaction.
The course will help participants learn how to track proficiency rather than sales performance in making sure that their employees, service groups and channel partners properly sell, support and service specific product lines.
This workshop will be led by Tom Easton, AAP, senior partner of the Essential Action Design Group.
Fact-Based Marketing/Category Management, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on October 29, will help prepare manufacturers, distributor buyers and sales agency professionals to more effectively address the changing needs of todays service dealers and consumers.
Led by Jon Rubich, vice president of marketing services and category management for United Components, Inc. and chairman of the AAIA Category Management Committee, this workshop will cover common category management pitfalls in todays aftermarket as well as best practices from outside the industry.
Tuition for each workshop is $149 for professionals who have earned an AAP or MAAP designation and $199 for all other participants.