ORLAND PARK, Ill. – Among the 32 sessions in the 2012 AAPEX Learning Forum, five sessions have been designed specifically for warehouse distributor (WD) executives and managers. Learning Forum sessions will start on Monday, Oct. 29, and will be offered throughout AAPEX, which takes place Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas.
Two sessions, “Branch Operations Management I: Keys to Productivity,” and “Branch Operations Management II: All Profits are Local,” will be presented by Mike Workman of Michael E. Workman Associates, and sponsored by the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA). Session I will focus on effective operational structures and new tools to enhance WD productivity. Session II will focus on the role of branch manager and what it takes to focus a team on profitability on a day-to-day basis. Workman is a distribution consultant and is associated with the Texas A & M Industrial Distribution program.
George Swartz Jr. of Capgemini, an expert in distribution trends in several industries, will present “Aftermarket Distributors: Don’t Leave Money on the Table.” He will provide tactics, strategies and advice on how WDs can begin putting money back into the company, especially given the demands of today’s business environment.
“What Your Counterperson Doesn’t Know May Be Costing Both You and Your Customer Big $$” will be led by Bobby Bassett, Gates Corp., and will cover how counterpersons – key to helping ensure that repair shops order the right parts the first time – need to understand that many automobile “systems” are built with the same life cycle and should work with the concept of “needs selling,” not “up-selling.”
To build on the AAPEX 2011 session on the key elements of successful relationships between manufacturers and distributors, “Collaboration: Building Stronger Buyer/Supplier Relations” will provide insights from buyer and supplier viewpoints on what it takes to build a strong relationship. Moderating the panel will be Chris Gardner, Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), with panelists Brent Windom, Uni-Select; Bob Kimbro, Standard Motor Products; Mac McGovern, KYB Americas Corp.; and Robert Roos, XL Parts.
These five sessions are highlighted for warehouse distributors, but the AAPEX Learning Forum offers a full schedule of education for warehouse distributors to attend.
All AAPEX education sessions are free and will be held at the Venetian Hotel, on the Venetian/Palazzo Congress Center Level 1, Marco Polo Rooms 701-706.
Although some sessions are recommended for specific aftermarket audiences, everyone is welcome to attend any session. All AAPEX Learning Forum sessions are accredited by the University of the Aftermarket toward the Automotive Aftermarket Professional (AAP) and Master Automotive Aftermarket Professional (MAAP) designations.
AAPEX represents the $395 billion global motor vehicle aftermarket and is jointly sponsored by the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) and the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA).
For more information, visit www.aapexshow.com or email: [email protected].
