The results you receive are dependent upon the effort you expend” is a philosophy that has served me well in both my professional and personal endeavors. In our aftermarket businesses, we work hard each day developing strategies and implementing tactics with the hope that they will result in increased profits. What some refer to as challenges, we embrace as opportunities. More often than not, when we put forth a strong effort we are rewarded with a successful result.
The greatest differentiator for success is how we respond to challenges and turn them into opportunities. Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week 2009, more than most any other industry event, will offer the greatest opportunities to identify changes and alternative business strategies that will impact future success.
Many people have worked very hard to achieve one common objective: to reward attendees with multiple, useful takeaways that can be brought back to their businesses and implemented for positive results.
Never before has so much content been set forth for a single event. Every year, the educational programs are heavily attended and rated highly in post-event surveys.
This year, they will be even better. The content will deal with a range of hard-hitting subjects of importance to distributors. They will include profit planning; methods to improve your customer value proposition; how to improve employee attitude, talent and motivation; how to generate a useful business plan; using technology to increase profits; and a service workshop to help distributors who are contemplating adding service or already have implemented shops.
Another very popular HDAW event is the opening session featuring Stu MacKay. Nobody knows our industry better than Stu and his analysis is essential to everyone who is planning for the future and looking for new growth opportunities.
Each of these sessions will have specific tools that can be brought back to your business for implementation. Additionally, this year, for the first time, each of these sessions will be recorded on DVDs and given at no-charge only to attendees. Distributors can take the HDAW 2009 DVD library back to their businesses to share with their key people.
The pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings already have attracted a record 100-plus suppliers. My company is sending three teams to meet with 54 suppliers.
Preparation is vital to have effective one-on-ones. We try to have a strategy with specific objectives going into each meeting. Here is where we solve problems and negotiate programs, discounts, freight and terms that help us grow our business.
Without pre-planning, it is just a social meeting. Put the time in ahead of time to get the most out of these important meetings.
The HDAW Product Expo gives us the opportunity to look at new potential suppliers and new products from more than 200 exhibitors. Each year my company adds a couple of new lines based on the meetings at this trade show. These new lines have helped increase our sales and increase our customer base, as well as enhanced the value we deliver to our existing customers.
Finally, the best part for me is the many opportunities to discuss business with fellow distributors. This activity always yields new ideas for me to take back home and try in our business. My financial goal for the HDAW meeting is to create so many new opportunities that it pays more than five times the cost of attending. In my many years of attending CFS, CVSN and now HDAW, I have never failed to achieve this return.
With all of the above – including Florida in February, the opportunity to see old friends, participate in the Pinewood Challenge competition, play golf in the Legends golf tournament and visit with key industry people – it is difficult to understand why anyone would not attend this event.
I hope you agree and I look forward to seeing everyone in February.
Marc Karon is president of Total Truck Parts and the 2007 Truck Parts & Service Distributor of the Year.
Total Truck Parts is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Fla., and has six locations throughout the state.
