The 2014 AVI Conference Nov. 3 and 4 — which will feature more than 20 high-end technical and management classes — should be enough to get you to Vegas this fall, but while you’re there, you might be surprised at exactly how many learning opportunities there are specifically for service professionals.
AAPEX, in particular, is featuring an all-new Service Professionals Program, which will feature customized education sessions, roundtable discussions, in-booth technical demonstrations and networking events to address what’s keeping shop owners and repair professionals awake at night.
The free, customized program, sponsored by MAHLE Service Solutions, enhances the value of AAPEX for shop owners and repair professionals. Included will be expanded “AAPEXedu” education sessions on branding, mobile apps, relationship and digital marketing, increasing repair shop profits, diagnostics for the connected car, best practices for mobile diagnostics and more. The Recruiting and Retention Conference will address how to find and keep good employees. To encourage dialogue on common challenges and best practices, AAPEX will host facilitated roundtable discussions.
And for some tool learning fun, stop by exhibitors’ booths for technical demonstrations. The parts, tool and equipment demos will take place at AAPEX Nov. 5 and 6 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. Participating companies include Alemite, Anglo American Tools, ATEQ Corporation, AutoEnginuity, CanDo International, Coast Products, Continental Corporation, Denso, Federal-Mogul Motorparts, Flitz International, King Tony America, KNIPEX Tools, Launch Tech USA, Lincoln, MAHLE Service Solutions, Redline Detection, Robert Bosch, STAR EnviroTech, UView Ultraviolet Systems and ZF Services.
The National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) will host its Fall 2014 General Meeting on Nov. 5, 1-4 p.m, giving shop owners and technicians the unique opportunity to interact directly with OEMs to bring solutions in service information.
Wrap up your trip with a little fun at the SEMA Cruise on Nov. 7 when the world’s most unique and celebrated customized vehicles from the 2014 SEMA Show will gather and be accessible to the public, from 4 to 10 p.m.
After four days behind closed doors in the Las Vegas Convention Center, visible only to industry professionals, hundreds of cars and trucks from the SEMA Show will roll out of the building in the SEMA Cruise and, for the first time ever, assemble at the “SEMA Ignited” celebration, which will include food, music, celebrities, iconic builders and exhibitor displays.
To learn more about the 2014 AVI Conference, visit aviconference.com. For more about the Service Professionals Program at AAPEX, visit: www.aapexshow.com/EDU. For NASTF information, visit www.NASTF.org, and for SEMA Show information, visit www.SEMAShow.com.
