“TIA’s reputation for providing the best tire training and education in the business is borne out by this first-class slate of educational sessions,” says TIA Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield.
“Global Tire Expo attendees will have the opportunity to receive valuable knowledge and advice given by some of the top experts in their field and still have plenty of time to spend on the Expo floor, where they can conduct the business that is vital to their health and growth,” he reports.
In addition to the four educational session tracks from last year’s Expo (TPMS at 10, Truck Tires at 10, Tires at 2 and Management at 4), a new session track has been created: Green @ Noon.
The following is a current list and description of each session within these tracks:
TPMS at 10:
Tuesday, Nov. 1:
The World of Programmable and Multi-Format TPMS
Replacement Sensors.
This seminar will feature representatives from
Alligator, Continental Automotive Systems US,
Orange Electronic, Schrader Electronics and 31,
Inc. They will be discussing their product and how
it best serves the needs of the tire dealer when
replacing TPMS sensors. With the replacement
market constantly growing in the TPMS aftermarket,
the need has never been greater to understand what
is out there to help make TPMS sensor replacement
easier for the tire dealer.
Wednesday, Nov. 2:
TPMS Tools of the
Trade.
Representatives from ATEQ Corp., Bartec USA, and
SPX Service Solutions will discuss their latest
products and how they can help the tire dealer
service vehicles equipped with TPMS. With close to
30 million sensors needing replacement in the next
two years, tire dealers need to know what products
are required to service TPMS on these vehicles
quickly and with confidence.
Thursday, Nov. 3:
TPMS Diagnostics.
Back by popular demand, Matthew White, TIA’s
senior ATS/TPMS instructor, along with Sean
MacKinnon, TIA’s director of automotive training
development, will be conducting a seminar on TPMS
diagnostics. This seminar will focus on TPMS
troubleshooting and diagnostic skills that help
the tire dealer gain the confidence to begin
turning TPMS lights into profit.
Truck Tires at 10:
Tuesday, Nov. 1:
CSA and Truck Tire
Service.
Compliance, Safety and Accountability
(CSA) is the Federal government’s new initiative
for improving large truck and bus safety. CSA uses
data from roadside inspections, state-reported
crashes and the Federal Motor Carrier Census to
quantify the performance of each fleet in a number
of different areas. In addition, drivers are
assessed points for violations under CSA, so
enforcement officers can more easily identify
habitual offenders. This seminar will outline the
requirements for CSA and explain how they relate
to the commercial truck tire service
industry.
Wednesday, Nov. 2:
The Future of
Emergency Road Service. Up until recently,
commercial tire dealers who provide emergency road
service have been focused on tire work. With the
new CSA regulations in place, there is an
increased need for additional types of roadside
repairs that may create new profit centers. This
seminar will focus on the types of light
mechanical repairs that truck tire technicians
should be able to perform with some additional
training, tools and equipment.
Part 1
Sustainable Tire, Battery and Automotive Shops
“Sustainability” is now a common buzzword. But,
what exactly does it mean? Many companies have
“sustainability initiatives.” It is now used to
identify superior environmental performance, but
it means more than that. How does this concept
intersect with the retail tire, battery and
automotive service sector, and what should tire
dealers do about it? Going beyond simple
compliance with laws, sustainability takes a
long-term view past the boundaries of our own
operations. A high-level view of what
sustainability is about will help attendees’
businesses go from reactive to proactive, so they
can be ready for the future.
Part 2
Environmental Best Practices for the Tire, Battery
and Automotive Dealer
It's no longer, “Are my shops and services
environmentally regulated?” It’s how tire dealers
effectively and economically deal with the
regulations that matter. A well-organized and
clearly articulated best management practices
program will allow them to stay in compliance,
avoid fines and create an improved environmental
image, which may be the competitive differentiator
they’re looking for.
Wednesday, Nov. 2:
Tire Manufacturers
Going Green.
The session will focus on what
manufacturers are doing “inside the tire” to make
them more environmentally friendly.
Thursday, Nov. 3:
What are Dealers
Doing to “Green” Their Tire Business?
“Green”
is here to stay. And the smart tire dealers are
implementing concepts to make being eco-friendly
an effective and financially viable endeavor. In
this forum, attendees will have an opportunity to
hear from three representatives representing a
large, national retailer, a tire manufacturer and
an independent tire dealer on how they are making
“green” work for them. There will also be a
question and answer period, so attendees will have
the opportunity to ask questions pertaining to
their business. Attendees will also learn how to
make environmental sustainability a practical –
and profitable – reality and get the jump on their
competition.
Tires at 2:
Tuesday, Nov. 1:
Successful Tire
Dealers Share Their Secrets.
The longest-running seminar in history of tire
industry conventions returns with a new group of
presentations. Each speaker will give a short
presentation on what they believe has led to their
success. They then will participate in a panel
discussion with the audience. It's been an amazing
free exchange of ideas among tire dealers for
decades, and judging from last year's edition,
this new format is ready to take it to the next
level.
Wednesday, Nov. 2:
Managing the
Excellence in Your Sales Force. Managing excellence can be a daunting task for
managers and owners. Luckily, there are principles
that will make perfecting this art more efficient.
During this presentation, managers and owners will
be engaged in a dialogue that will improve their
perspective on managing, so they can encourage
more success. This session will cover talking
points like what to expect over the phone,
establishing relationships and building value.
Valuable strategies to help sales people ask for
the business and identify the traits of blind
managers who stand in their way will also be
discussed.
Thursday, Nov. 3:
Repair the Tire, or
Fix the Flat?
When a foreign object penetrates a tire and
causes air to leak, there are a number of
different guidelines that must be considered
before attempting to stop the loss of air. This
seminar will outline the various repair
limitations for passenger car and light truck
tires, so attendees have a better understanding of
what is and is not repairable. Following the
presentation, industry experts will participate in
a panel discussion regarding the state of tire
repair and the recommended practices that service
providers should follow.
Management at 4:
Tuesday, Nov. 1:
Understanding Health
Care Reform.
A panel of insurance experts will outline the
main requirements for employers under the new
health care reform law. Following the summary of
the legislation, the panel will explain several
approaches that employers can select to comply
with the regulations. Specifically, they will
address Limited Medical Indemnity insurance plans
to demonstrate how employers and employees can
control their health care costs. Various options
of coverage and choices will be discussed along
with data and statistics relating to why indemnity
plans work.
Wednesday, Nov. 2:
What Women Want.
Women are just as passionate about the cars they
drive as men are, and they are equally capable of
making purchasing decisions from local automotive
service providers. By creating an experience that
has the “wow” effect on women, retailers can
increase market share, drive return on investment
and differentiate themselves from their
competitors. This seminar will help attendees
learn how to create a culture and experience that
attracts and retains loyal women customers.
Thursday, Nov. 3:
When Will You be
“Finished?”
Too many business owners are caught up in running
their operations to stop and think about their
ultimate goal. Is owning the business a family
asset – or a job? If a tire dealer wants to own an
asset (much more valuable than a job), what does
it look like when it is complete – in other words,
finished? This session will provide attendees with
an insightful examination of the true purpose for
owning a business and where it might lead them. It
will also help owners refocus their attention on
how to achieve what all true entrepreneurs want
from their businesses:
For more information, visit www.tireindustry.org.