Commencing this Thursday July 10, the three-day AADA national dealer convention on the Gold Coast will focus on issues affecting dealership operations. It will also provide information on customer relations, and new products and services.
“In the 19 years that I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in the AADA’s prestigious convention, never have I witnessed such eagerness from Australia’s dealers to be involved in this event,” says AADA president, Patrick Tessier.
Australian president and chief executive officer of Fiat Chrysler Group, Veronica Johns, will deliver the opening ‘keynote address’, while other keynote speakers include former prime minister, John Howard, delivering a speech titled, ‘Are we still the lucky country?’
The much anticipated session by John Paul Cummings will involve a four-part presentation titled ‘Sustaining excellence’. Cummings makes a return to the AADA conference for the first time since 2007.
With his sharp insights and witty humour, he will explain how ‘A successful dealership is the result of a well-planned journey’.
Meanwhile there will be a total of 15 policy/business sessions including: ‘Changing landscape in LCT and GST’ by Jon Graham, tax partner, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, and ‘The right to repair and protecting dealer Interests’, by FCAI chief executive, Tony Weber, among others.
For the first time, the convention will host a number of Q&A sessions designed to expose the pressing issues affecting the industry and its livelihood. Not only will attendees have access to all members of the AADA board, but also to significant figures from all corners of the automotive industry.
According to Ian Field, AADA chairman: “this conference will be the most important in the AADA’s 30-year history as it hands over the proceedings, for the first time, to motor dealers.
“At this year’s convention, dealers and allied industry members will have an unprecedented opportunity to have their say and contribute to discussions about industry issues – both directly at the convention and online at aada.asn.au
“We’re handing the microphone over to dealership staff – the people who are the lifeblood of our auto industry today,” Field adds.
Importantly for dealers, there will be four Dealer Solutions’ workshops, which will all run concurrently at 2.00pm Thursday July 10, with a repeat of all four at 3.45pm the same day.
The four workshops include:
• Sales: Simon Bowkett, CEO, Symco Training and international speaker – effective strategies for managing the sales team;
• Fixed operations: Alan Bergman, CEO, Star Automotive Consulting – turn your fixed ops into a gold mine;
• Administration: John Gavljak, director, audit and assurance, Moore Stephens – fraud – the enemy within; and
• Marketing: Chris Polites, dealer director, carsales.com.au – online marketing – the other front door
In line with the ‘forward thinking’ convention theme, ‘Profitable Products’ will return in 2014 with a showcase of unique products designed to increase leads, fast-track sales and improve the bottom line.
Dealer Solutions will be speaking on day three at the ‘Profitable Products’ session about its exclusive Australian partnership with CallSource and how dealers can convert more phone leads into sales.
An important session will be the AADA panel session titled, ‘Real issues, right now – shape the association voice’ hosted by Australian journalist Ian Leslie, this session will focus on the threats, concerns and opportunities present in the minds of dealers across the country.
The convention will take place at the RACV Royal Pines Resort from July 10 – 12, Gold Coast.
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