Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/438149
2 I t's crazy to think we're already in 2015. It seems like only yesterday we were all chatting during the opening reception at Heavy Duty Aftermar- ket Week (HDAW) in Las Vegas, and now we're only weeks from doing that again. If you're like me, you probably have a hundred tasks on your calendar between now and your fl ight to the desert. I love attending HDAW, but it's never not a busy trip. For those of you who are preparing for your fi rst HDAW, or are heading back after years away, I'd like to offer a bit of advice. This year's event is a milestone. It's the tenth in our industry's history. Each year it has grown, and from the conversations I've had in the past few months with event organizers, this month's event is expected to be gigantic. If you want to make the most of it, I'd advise you to sit down right now and come up with a plan. You are seriously at risk of missing something if you think otherwise. Just take a look at the schedule. There are two great events — Service Opportu- nities Learning Days (SOLD) and Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue — taking place before HDAW even formally begins. Now in its third year, SOLD has grown from a morning seminar to a two- day event with four great educational sessions geared directly at independent heavy-duty service providers. This year's event kicks off Sunday, Jan. 25 at noon with a business management workshop by consultant Bob Greenwood. After an afternoon with the service expert, the event continues the next day with presentations on natural gas vehicle maintenance, an OEM vs. Aftermarket panel discussion and a detailed look at some of the industry's most popular and sought after new tools. Meanwhile, just a few doors down, the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA) and MacKay & Company will be tackling every fi nancial and business aspect of the aftermarket imaginable at Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue. And the slate there is equally impres- sive — with representatives from OEM, supplier, fl eet, aftermarket and economic sectors all scheduled to present. Two can't miss events happening in the same building on the same day? Unbelievable. I'll be racing through the halls that day trying to catch as much as possible from both events. If you're going alone, check out the agenda from each now. If you're going with a team, delegate each member a ses- sion. But don't miss out on the wonder- ful educational opportunities each event will provide by not being prepared. That goes double for all offi cial HDAW events. "Each element of HDAW is designed to broaden your business partner rela- tionship, resources and tools, preparing you and your business for a successful future," organizers say. That's not empty rhetoric. I've sat in on HDAW planning meetings where they select these topics. Event organizers write that because they mean it. This year's anniversary event is themed "Elevate Your Business." The three educational programs on tap this year have been built specifi cally for you. For improving your bottom line. Don't miss out on opportunity to bet- ter your business. I'd also recommend reaching out now to any customers, contemporaries or suppliers you'd like to see during your time at HDAW. Calendars fi ll up fast at these shows. There are more than 1,800 distributor- supplier one-on-one meetings already scheduled. Some people are booked solid before they even walk into the casino. Don't miss your one chance a year for a face-to-face meeting because you forgot to send an email. And yes, you probably should prepare now for a 12-hour day. Or two. That's not out of the realm of possibility. But know that with careful planning and preparation you can get a spectacu- lar amount of information out of those long days. T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | J a n u a r y 2 0 1 5 Game planning for HDAW By Lucas Deal, Editor lucasdeal@randallreilly.com Editorial | Lucas Deal Don't miss out on opportunity to better your business.