Professional Dealer Education Sessions
Jan. 11
2:45-4 p.m. (concurrently)
Dealing With Difficult Customers and Situations
Columbus Hall EF
Christine Corelli, president, Christine Corelli & Associations
“In the equipment distribution business, most of us think difficult people just “come with the territory.” Whether dealing with difficult customers face-to-face or on the phone, they can be much more than mere challenges. If you can’t handle them professionally, resolve their problem, and make them happy, you might lose them as a customer. Worse, they may ruin your reputation – something you cannot afford. This session will provide you with methods and skills to handle difficult customers and situations with the utmost professionalism, communicate with them in a confident, competent, and non-combative way, and effectively resolve tough situations.”
The Polished Professional
Columbus Hall AB
Joe Boes, associate director for Student Administration, IU School of Optometry
“According to a study conducted by the Stanford Research Institute, Harvard University, and the Carnegie Foundation, 85% of your professional success is attributed to your social skills. When you compare two equally qualified employment candidates, the skills of polish they have acquired through the years will provide a competitive advantage when competing in the real world. The Polished Professional, although focusing on the art of dining etiquette, will also address other areas of professional concern. This presentation is essential for anyone looking not only to survive but to succeed in the corporate world.”
The View From the Hill: Risks and Opportunities in the New Political Environment
Columbus Hall KL
Jade West, senior vice president of Government Affairs, National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors; Aric Newhouse, senior vice president, Policy & Government Relations, National Association of Manufacturers; Christian Klein, vice president of Government Affairs, AED
“As a new president takes office and a new Congress gets underway, our expert panelists will discuss the changed political environment in the nation’s capital. What’s the outlook for dealer and manufacturer policy priorities, including infrastructure investment and tax reform? What policy risks and opportunities lie ahead? And what political engagement tactics can business leaders use to most effectively influence the machinery of government?”
Aligning Talent with Your Business Strategy
Columbus Hall CD
Brian Gareau, president, Brian Gareau Incorporated
“Many executives have been focused on basic talent management—acquiring, hiring and retaining talented employees. But, to drive optimal levels of success, business leaders need engaged, high-performing employees. The key to inciting a workforce to greatness is to align your talent management with company strategy, define consistent leadership criteria across all functional areas, and identify specific competencies to cultivate for continuing growth. Learn some tools to make sure that your talent is matching your company goals.”
Turning Investment into Margin: How to Make Your Customers Appreciate You
Grand Suite 5
George Russell, facilitator, Machinery Advisors Consortium
“Are your customers giving you credit for all the investments you make to support them? Are your costs increasing while your margins stagnate? This session will show you how to turn your investments into increased margins in your service department.”
Future Distribution – Rent to Rent is Required
Grand Suite 3
Larry Kaye, president, Script International
“This seminar will examine the changing marketplace and how the high performing AED dealerships are embracing rent to rent. The numbers are quite clear, those dealers that are intentional about growing their rental business are more profitable than those that don’t. We will review the AED Cost of Doing Business Survey and help you understand why Rent to Rent needs to be part of your strategic growth plan. This is such an important issue for the near term profitability and the future sustainability of your enterprise, don’t miss it.”
Negotiating the Big Sale – Tips for Aspiring Sales Leaders
Columbus Hall G
Matt Bresline, senior vice president, Infor
“This session will provide tips for negotiating with customers in an ever-changing business world. The presenter will explain why successful negotiating is absolutely critical to business success and why emotion and luck have no place in the process. With the proliferation of data to the expansive use of smart devices, you need to be more creative and more prepared for negotiations than ever before. Insights on the changing landscape and how you can communicate a clear, winning vision for your organization will be shared.”
4:15-5:30 p.m. (concurrently)
Keeping You Connected to Your Customers
Columbus Hall EF
Lindsey Wreggelsworth, profuct marketing manager, commercial web services
“We’ve all heard the buzz around social media, but most of us are still stuck on how it benefits our dealership and/or what to do to be successful. Unlike other social media presentations you’ve been to in the past, this presentation will go more in depth about what social media is, why it is important to your dealership, why you should build a social community, and some best practices, including industry specific examples, to keep that community engaged.”
Wine 101 for Business
Columbus Hall G
Ken Fischang, president & CEO, Sonoma County Tourism
“So much business is conducted in the presence of wine. From dinners to happy hours, having a core knowledge of wine can be a very valuable asset. We’ll review the basics and discuss differences in grapes, tips on judging the quality of a wine, and even proper food pairings. We’ll share professional tips on what you really need to know about wine in a business situation. Improve your knowledge of wine and become a wine rockstar… or at least learn what to pour for your boss or a prospective client!”
Navigating the New Lease Accounting Regulations
Columbus Hall IJ
Paul Janson, vice president Structured Finance, DLL
“In February, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) announced several significant changes to the existing lease accounting standards. In this session, I will walk through the new lease accounting regulations and explain the impact these changes will have on dealership operations.”
Leading Across Generations
Columbus Hall CD
Craig Green, director, Product Development, CDK Global
“Are you trying to figure out how to build a high performing team with Millennials? Are you ready for Generation Z? This session will highlight differences between each generation’s outlooks on the work place and offer practical suggestions to build effective teams that build on the strengths of multiple generations in the workforce.”
Parts Inventory: Valuable Asset or Black Hole?
Columbus Hall KL
Bill Mayes, facilitator, Machinery Advisors Consortium
“You know you need to have the right part in stock to satisfy your customers and to keep your shop running. But what happens when you stock the wrong part? You might as well be flushing your money down the drain. Learn some best practices to ensure that your parts and your profits keep moving.”
Top 10 Reasons Why Your Rent to Rent Fleet is Underperforming
Grand Suite 3
Larry Kaye, president, Script International
“This seminar will take a detail look at the most common issues facing dealers today with rental fleets and why they may not be performing well. Having the right expectations to begin with is important but also measuring and monitoring the right things is vitally important. Sometimes the issues are external to the business, however most of the time it is internal issues. Identifying these hurdles is the first step in overcoming them. Your takeaways from this session will turn into real dollars when you implement the recommended changes. Don’t miss this seminar as it will turn into a pipeline of revenue!”
VITAL Planning Regimens for Construction Equipment Sales Professionals
Columbus Hall AB
Don Buttrey, president, Sales Professional Training
“In this very practical workshop we will expound on the requirements for 6 vital regimens. Each attendee will receive a worksheet and develop their own detailed prescription for each regimen including details of specific actions and intervals (per day, week, or other period).”
Knowing When to Delegate
Grand Suite 5
Brian Gareau, president, Brian Gareau Incorporated
“Delegating is a difficult task for many managers. But when done right, it can help you become a high performing and efficient dealer. Learn skills to ensure that you are delegating and not just dumping projects onto your employees. Gain tools effectively giving acceptance and feedback and creating a comfort level for both manager and employee.”
More details on the 2017 AED Summit and CONDEX is available at http://aednet.org/summit.
