The products and services offered by more than 300 exhibitors and the educational seminar program at the 2013 Australian Auto Aftermarket Expo will provide great opportunities for workshop owners and managers to boost their businesses.

Hosted every two years by the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA), the 2013 Expo will be held at the Sydney Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour from 11 to 13 April. It is the nation's most comprehensive exhibition of vehicle repair and servicing equipment, replacement parts, tools and accessories. Trade visitors can access the show free of charge and can also visit the co-located Collision Repair Expo.

The 2013 Expo will also feature a comprehensive free seminar program specifically designed to help automotive aftermarket suppliers and workshops meet the challenges of a rapidly changing market place. AAAA Executive Director Stuart Charity said technology is rapidly changing the aftermarket.

"In the past, technical developments were primarily focused on the vehicles we serviced and repaired. Today, information technology also impacts the systems we use to help manage our businesses. And perhaps more importantly, digital technology now dictates how we market our businesses and communicate with customers to keep them satisfied and loyal," he said.

"The Expo committee addressed the issue of technology across these key areas and developed an Expo education program to help visitors learn about new ways of doing things - indeed to learn new ways of thinking about things. These seminars are free to all visitors and the content is focused exclusively on helping you boost your business," said Stuart Charity.

Expo Seminar Program

• Independent aftermarket access to technical and diagnostic information – where to from here?

Friday 12 April 2.00 pm - Presenters: Hon David Bradbury, MP, Assistant Treasurer (invited) and AAAA Executive Director Stuart Charity.

Following an approach by the AAAA, on 9 March 2011 Federal Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Consumer Affairs and Competition Policy David Bradbury asked the Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council to review competition issues around the sharing of repair information in the automotive industry. Their final report was released on 20 December 2012 and is available at http://ccaac.gov.au/.

This seminar will provide the most up to date information on the timelines and progress towards the development of an industry code of practice to ensure that independent repairers gain effective and timely access to all the information and tools needed to effectively repair and maintain today's technically advanced vehicles.

• How to compete against the OE dealer by using technology.

Friday 12 April 4.00 pm - Presenter: Jonathan Sampson, National Manager, Repco Auto Tech.

A demonstration of the workshop of the future, this seminar will show how you can integrate service technologies seamlessly with your workshop management system to improve your customers' experiences and allow you to compete more effectively against OE dealers.

• Aftermarket Retailing - Evolution not Revolution!

Friday 12 April 6.00 pm - Presenter: Peter Henry, Managing Director, PDH Consulting.

This session provides an interactive look at how the automotive aftermarket can deal with the fast changing retail landscape. Topics will include retail is tough - what is causing it? . . . what might the future look like? . . . how will online selling impact my bricks and mortar business? . . . how do I build loyalty from generation Y staff? . . . and believe in your brand!

• Common Technical Faults and Fixes.

Saturday 13 April 10.30 am - Presenter: Wayne Mander, Technical and Production Manager, Autodata Australia.

A "how to" seminar  that will present solutions to the most common faults logged from the 15,000 phone calls fielded during the year by Autodata. The focus will be on emerging issues that are now occurring regularly in the industry with the objective of saving you hours in costly diagnostic troubleshooting and providing a better workshop experience for your customer.

• The CarSmart Workshop Accelerated Knowledge and Training Program.

Saturday 13 April 12.30 pm - Presenter: Leigh Morley, Leigh Morley Consulting Group.

A special preview of the soon to be launched CarSmart Workshop training program which consists of a series of integrated web based fully interactive training modules targeting aftermarket fitters. Topics include Efficiency Tools, Optimised Service Method, Increasing Workshop Sales, Maximising Workshop Profitability and Achieving & Maintaining Customer Satisfaction.

Stuart Charity said the Expo continues to grow in importance as an industry hub with supporting associations from most States and Territories arranging special member functions around the show. "We are collaborating with 12 industry bodies across the country and abroad and welcome for the first time the participation of the Motor Traders Associations of Western Australia, the ACT and New Zealand.," he said.

"In addition, we are supporting dozens of exhibitors that are planning to host special customer information, training and networking events linked to the Expo," said Stuart Charity.

On show - world class technologies for . . .

 . . . Your customers' vehicles . . .

Safety technology company Andatech Corporation will have a working demonstration of its advanced driver awareness systems, such as Mobileye. It is an in-car camera system that monitors the vehicle's surroundings, including pedestrians, cyclists, lanes, speed and other vehicles, and will alert the driver to potentially hazardous situations. "Already original equipment in leading vehicle brands, this technology is now available to the aftermarket to generate increased sales," said sales manager Andrew Smith.

. . . . In your workshop . . .

Gates Australia will introduce the aftermarket's first digital belt wear tool - the Parts Image Capture (PIC) gauge belt wear App - as part of its product display. Marketing Coordinator Stephanie Papas said that using state-of-the-art digital imaging technology, in concert with industry standard specifications for serpentine belts, the Gates PIC Gauge uses a photograph taken with a smart phone camera to analyse the degree of rib wear. The patent-pending software then provides one of three results - within specifications (green), wear detected (yellow), or replace belt (red).

. . . . In your office . . .

Business technology specialist Markinson Business Solutions plans a demonstration of a different kind for Expo visitors - the company will feature a range of its business software, including MomentumPro™ Enterprise Management and Shopkeeper™ Retail Management. Australasian sales manager Peter Moore said the company will also introduce its new mobile solutions for field based aftermarket sales teams and new internet and channel integration products for parts catalogues and streamlined electronic order processing.

Stuart Charity said the 2013 Expo is focused on improving aftermarket businesses. "This Expo will be a terrific place for workshop owners and managers to learn about all the new technologies available to make your business an even greater success. It will also be a fantastic educational experience for apprentices and other industry newcomers," he said.

For more information, or to register for this must attend Expo, visit: www.aftermarketexpo.com.au .