The educational program for Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week 2009 will focus on the them "Maximizing Opportunities in Challenging Times" with sessions on profit analysis, customer service, business plans, trends in fleet technology, motivating employees, and developing or improving service operations.


This distributor/supplier executive conference will be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel and the Orange County Convention Center, Feb. 16-19, 2009, in Orlando, Fla.

Sessions will include:

Profit Planning Analysis, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: How will you maintain service levels without decreasing profit margins? How can you add value to your sales efforts and maximize profit margins? Learn how to find the "pockets of profits" in your current and future sales in a 90 minute session presented by Dr. Al Bates from the Profit Planning Group.

Understanding The Customer's Value, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: What is adding value through great customer service and how to win the price battle. Harry Howard of How 2 Consultants will present a "street level," "grass roots" session addressing the price and value add impacts for customer service. Program elements also include the importance of customer profiling in accomplishing the best possible customer service.

Essential Elements of Your Business Plan, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.: "A Forward Looking Discussion Focused On The Essential Elements To Include In Your Future Business Plan." This session will feature three distributors, a moderator and their focus on heavy duty distributors planning for the future.

Transforming Technology into Profits, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Prepare to increase your profits by selling and servicing the newest truck technology. How are industry trends driving fleet demand for advanced technology? What steps do you need to take to be ready? Newport Communications' Executive Editor Steve Sturgess moderates a panel to answer these questions.

How to Deposit, Transfer and Draw From Each Employee's ATM (Improving Employee Attitude, Talent and Motivation), Wednesday, Feb. 18, 8 to 10:30 a.m.: Essential Action Design Group brings to HDAW a unique and valuable learning session utilizing the latest techniques for adult accelerated learning. Participants will leave the session with ready-to-teach, ready-to-implement knowledge transfer programs. Learn why certain training "sticks" when the employee's internal "motive" is unlocked. This original and actionable concept also includes real world training situations which all HD distributors face regarding employee attitude, talent, and motivation. These three aspects represent the trinity of higher productivity and improved customer service.

Service Distributor Workshop, Improving your Operation and Profitability, Thursday, Feb. 19, 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Developed by ACOFAS & SSA, these three one hour sessions focus on three timely and specific opportunities for the service distributor. The program begins with a needs assessment for distributors considering entering the service business. This segment is also appropriate for current service providers as a check list on their day to day operations. The program continues with a focus on shop profitability with contributions from a service industry expert and distributors. The workshop concludes with demonstrations of the latest technical advances in vehicle repair diagnostics.

For more information, go to www.hdaw.org.