Peer-to-Peer Roundtable Extravaganza (All)
Facilitated by AASP-MN Member Experts
1:00 – 3:00 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
Attend this interactive session to get ideas, ask questions and learn from your peers. You’ll have the opportunity to visit three different roundtables – when the bell rings, it’s time to move to the next table! Choose from the following topics:

• Hire right: Mars Overlee, Rick’s 36 Automotive
• Getting the right part the first time:Will Latuff, Latuff Brothers; Gregg Egnash, Tousley Ford
• Scan tools: Rick Zirbes, Dick & Rick’s
• Community-based marketing: Roger Bonn, Peter’s Body Shop
• Information resources on the web: Dan Swenson, Alexander’s Import Auto Repair
• Working with family: Tony and Tom Bonfe, Bonfe’s Auto
• Service & Body Repair - tentative
• Free-for-all: You name the topic!


Change Management (All)
Presented by Craig Seelinger, BASF; Sponsored by BASF
3:15 – 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
This presentation addresses the human side of making changes and explores methods used by management for successful change implementation. The different phases of change, along with the roles/responsibilities of management and employees, will be discussed. The four components for successful change – Leadership, Discovery, Enablement and Ownership – will also be reviewed.

• Increase understanding of why people resist change
• Learn what is required for successful change implementation
• Understand the effects that implementing change has on productivity
• Correct the common mistakes that lead to change failure


Loss Control & Safety in theWorkplace (All)
Presented by Jeff Maas, Associated Insurance Agents; Pam Dorrance, Meadowbrook Insurance & Chuck Matthews, Zee Medical Company; Sponsored by AiA
3:15 – 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
Attendees will receive an overview of loss prevention techniques and first aid solutions for the workplace, followed by a presentation on how claims affect workers’ compensation rates and how to control them.

• Prevent claims
• First aid solutions
• Controlling workers’ compensation insurance rates


Earning More Maintenance Sales (Mechanical)
Presented by Mac McGovern, KYB Americas; Sponsored by KYB Americas Corp.
3:15 – 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
Automotive technology improvements have reduced repair opportunities. Simply put, vehicles don’t fail as much, so the service provider has less to fix. Capturing maintenance opportunities (as opposed to repairs) is much more challenging and requires additional skill sets. Among the top reasons that independent service providers under-sell, or are afraid to sell, is because they fail to establish service goals and then communicate or illustrate the need, purpose and value of replacement parts to reach those goals. This session explores the growing need to address these problems and what service providers can do to solve them.

• Why “belief in the sale” is critical and how to earn it
• What service systems and procedures need to be improved
• What new selling skills need to be developed

           
Understand P-Pages &Make ThemWork forYou (Collision)
Presented by Arthur Harris, Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG); Sponsored by AASP National
3:15 – 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
Understanding the P-Pages for an estimating system is an important resource that can be utilized during your estimate or repair plan. These guides hold key information that impact your estimate quality and ultimately affect the bottom line of the shop. This class will cover the P-Pages or Estimating guides for all three of the major estimating systems. After completing this class, you will have a good knowledge of where to find the most current estimating guide and walk away with some tools that will help improve your estimate quality.

• Review included and not-included operations
• Understand how estimate guides are written


Optimizing Performance on Insurance Scorecards (Collision)
Presented by Steve Trapp, DuPont; Sponsored by DuPont
8:00 – 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 13th
This session will examine a sampling of the current industry scorecards and the leading indicators which drive performance. Industry best practices to optimize performance with those leading indicators while maintaining a profitable operation will be discussed.

• Understand how to utilize scorecards to gain more business and increase profitability
• Improve work flow and eliminate waste time in pre-production, production and post-production activities


Nuts & Bolts of Customer Flow (Mechanical/Service Advisor)
Presented by Dan Gilley, RLO Training; Sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts
8:00 – 11:30 a.m., Friday, April 13th
Over time, many of the workflow processes surrounding the customer and vehicle handling become outdated and inefficient, primarily as a result of growth. However, because many shops “appear” to operate smoothly, the processes rarely get revisited and inefficiency creeps into play. The purpose of this workshop is to review many of the critical processes that surround the service advisor in the performance of his/her job with the goal of eliminating inefficiencies.

• Ideas, processes and techniques that build on process efficiency
• Establish written procedures/processes for your individual shop and staff


Leading and Managing Effectively (All)
Presented by Matt Winslow, ATI; Sponsored by Automotive Training Institute
8:30 – 11:30 a.m., Friday, April 13th
In this fast paced course, attendees will learn how to transform employees from unmotivated individuals into a high performance service team. Discover strategies to lead people effectively, align them with your business objectives and unleash their energy. By understanding how the human brain works, you’ll motivate your people and create a tribal environment. This course is for anyone that needs people to follow them into any situation.

• Understand the difference between leading vs. managing people
• Identify key types of power in your business
• Learn how to change people’s beliefs – so you can change their behavior


Say “Cheese!”: Photography 101 for Repair Shops (Collision/Estimator & Mechanical/Service Advisor)
Presented by Val Strachan & Jim Siegfried; Sponsored by AASP-MN
9:00 – 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 13th
A picture is worth a thousand words. Virtually every insurance company requires some sort of photography to document damage covered by an insurance policy. And many mechanical repair shops now use photos as a means of remotely verifying and explaining the need for repairs to their customers. Improving photo quality will help you visually capture all damage information, saving you time and money.

• Key features on your camera
• Framing and lighting considerations
• Uploading and sending files
• New technologies for photo management


Tips for Using and Getting TheMost Out of iATN (Mechanical)
Presented by Scott Brown, iATN; Sponsored by AASP National
10:15 – 11:30 a.m., Friday, April 13th
The International Automotive Technicians’ Network (iATN) is an online community of over 73,000 automotive service industry professionals in 150 countries. It provides a forum for the exchange of knowledge through features such as: iATN TechHelp, where professional automotive technicians discuss auto repair problems on almost every topic; over 20 web forums; live conferencing for realtime discussions with peers; and technical information and repair resources not found anywhere else. Scott will provide a tour that covers both basic and advanced features of iATN, including how to search, save, post, and collect screen captures/movies and upload them to a personal library. Attend to find out how to use iATN to help resolve daily challenges and enhance your automotive career.

• Gain foundational knowledge about iATN.
• Features and services iATN can provide for service technicians, shop managers and owners.
• General computer system concepts and best practices that can help you operate more efficiently.


Tips for Using & Getting theMost Out of the DEG (Collision)
Presented by Arthur Harris, DEG; Sponsored by AASP National
10:15 – 11:30 a.m., Friday, April 13th
Have you ever come across a part in the estimating system without a labor value? Have you ever thought that the labor associated with installing a particular part was inaccurate? Do you understand the methodology used to calculate labor values in the estimating systems? These questions and many more will be answered during this interactive, educational and informative class. The DEG serves as a resource for estimating system users to resolve issues or problems within the estimating systems. After attending this class you will have a better understanding of the DEG and what a valuable tool it can be to help correct problems within the estimating systems.

• Proper techniques for submitting inquiries to the DEG
• Samples of resolutions to previouslysubmitted inquiries
• Impact of the DEG in your shop


Best Practices in Reputation Management & CRM Automation (All)
Presented by Anlin Sethi, Mitchell; Sponsored by Mitchell Intl.
1:30 – 3:00 p.m., Friday, April 13th
Shop owners are continually searching for an edge over their competitors. Utilizing various forms of customer satisfaction indexing (CSI) is one tactic to gain that edge. This presentation is focused on how to utilize tools available in the market today to design a strategy for customer engagement, not just managing customer satisfaction data.

• Pros and cons of customer satisfaction indexing tools and metrics
• Impact of Social Media methods to “listen” and “analyze” consumer sentiment
• Usefulness and appropriateness of automated digital marketing tools
• Online brand management
• Best practices in reputation management


Managing Multiple Priorities (All)
Presented by Jim Lovejoy, AkzoNobel; Sponsored by AkzoNobel
1:30 – 3:30 p.m., Friday, April 13th
Do you ever feel like there just isn’t enough time in the day? This program will help you understand and manage the activities in your life that you choose to spend your time “allowance” on.

• Increased focus on activity management vs. time management
• A process for evaluating & prioritizing activities
• A process for goal setting, planning and scheduling activities


Retaining Unhappy Customers (All)
Presented by Dan Gilley, RLO Training; Sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts
1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 13th
We all work very hard to do things right, but how do you respond when something goes wrong? Do you have a plan for dealing with upset customers? Are you ready to take care of a parts failure? Do you know what it costs your business to replace a lost customer? This workshop will answer these questions and many more.

• Develop a plan to retain customers
• Build more loyalty in your customer base

Practices for High-Strength Steel Repairs (Collision)
Presented by Mitch Becker, I-CAR
1:00 – 5:00 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
Today’s lightweight but stronger steels require different repair considerations and limitations of repair than previous model years of vehicles. Identifying where to locate High Strength Steels, Ultra High Strength Steels and Advanced High Strength Steels and knowing how to repair is critical to the repair process. Understanding the increasing requirements to the use of Squeeze Type Resistance SpotWelding, Mig Brazing,WeldBonding and Laser welded panels and corrosion concerns will give personnel the background needed to properly repair vehicles back to vehicle manufacturer specifications.

• Identify how to locate HSS and UHSS
• Understand the considerations and implications of heating HSS and UHSS
• Understand best practices for removing and attaching parts on HSS and UHSS vehicles


General Motors Drivability Diagnostics (Mechanical)
Presented by John Thornton; Sponsored by Automotive Seminars, Inc.
1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
This class offers solutions to a variety of drivability and engine management system problems. The presentation uses case studies of actual repairs of electronic throttle control, variable cam timing, misfire due to mechanical problems and CAN network communication issues. Technicians will learn a practical diagnostic approach they can use to successfully diagnose problem vehicles.

• Prepare technicians with a useable diagnostic approach to common GM drivability issues
• Learn how to quickly identify the problem
• Determine which test yields the information desired
• Learn how to perform the test
• Learn what a good test outcome should be


Electric & Electric Hybrid Vehicles (Collision & Mechanical)
Presented by Mitch Becker, I-CAR
7:30 – 11:30 a.m., Friday, April 13th
Technology in today’s vehicles is rapidly altering repair proceduresfor repair facilities. Training for technicians becomes a necessity to correctly diagnose and repair new cars. ALT01 will give you the insight of how these vehicles operate and what it takes to be safe while working on or around High Voltage Electronics. As this technology also expands to non “EVs” and “HEVs,” the information gained will prepare technicians for what’s ahead in years to come.

• Identify terminology related to parts and understand the construction of an electric vehicle
• Examine system design and operation including vehicles from Honda and Toyota
• Analyze collision damage to electric and hybrid electric vehicles
• Know how to work safely around electric and hybrid electric vehicles, including how to properly disable the high voltage system and the service disconnect


Discover the Power ofYour Diagnostic Equipment (Mechanical)
Presented by Jerry Baarson, CARQUEST; Sponsored by CARQUEST
1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 13th
This course highlights testing techniques and diagnostic capabilities using popular scan tools, scopes, digital multimeters, graphic meters and test lights. Indepth explanations of test equipment setup, functions, and techniques will be provided. Learn to make full use of your test equipment investment with methods you will use for the rest of your career. Theory and case study applications will be presented.

• Get the most out of all your test equipment
• Understand what your test equipment is telling you – andwhat it’s not
• Expand your testing techniques and improve your diagnostic capabilities

Sponsor Appreciation Social Hour & Showcase (All)
4:30 – 6:00 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
You’ll have the opportunity to visit AASPMN’s convention program and hospitality sponsors. This is your chance to catch up on the latest and greatest in products and services, make some new contacts, or get answers to those questions that you haven’t found the time to pick up the phone and ask, all in a fun and relaxing setting.

Industry Dinner at Jake’s City Grille* (All)
6:30 – 9:00 p.m., Thursday, April 12th
Jake’s City Grille is where the energy of a city café meets the casual comfort of a neighborhood hangout. onveniently located just a mile from the Convention venue, Jake’s features a contemporary and inspired menu sure to please the discriminating tastes of AASPMN attendees. (*Additional charge of $35, transportation is not provided.)

Luncheon & Keynote Address (All)
Presented by DJ Harrington; Sponsored by aaa Auto Salvage
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Friday, April 13th
Improving customer service and communication skills are today’s key to a more profitable tomorrow. DJ Harrington will help AASPMN attendees chart the course toward an “Eye Can” attitude in 2012! DJ’s presentation will include team building tools to create a strong, positive working environment. As a bonus, DJ will be hosting an “EyeCan” contest with winners receiving a Caribbean trip.

Take some time to get away! The Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West offers guests the conveniences of a business hotel with the amenities they need for a restful, enjoyable stay. The hotel features graciously appointed guest rooms, awardwinning dining, room service, complimentary Internet access, parking and shuttle service and a topnotch athletic club. The Crowne Plaza MinneapolisWest is an ideal destination for business or pleasure, offering convenient access to the Twin Cities.

AASP-MN convention attendees are guaranteed a room rental rate of $89 if reservations are made by March 23, 2012. Call 763-559-6600 to reserve your room today!

To sign up for the convention contact AASP-MN:

AASP-MN (website)
2520 Broadway St. NE, Suite 202
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Phone: 612-623-1110
Toll Free: 800-852-9071
Fax: 612-623-1122
Email: aasp@aaspmn.org