Day 2 - AADA Convention: Landmark Agreement Signed

Ian Field, Chairman, Australian Automotive Dealer Association (left) and Jim Phillips, Director, Custom Education Delivery National Automobile Dealers Association (right) sign a landmark agreement making NADA University courses available to Australian Dealers for the first time ever.

Day 3 - AADA Convention: Closing Keynote

Former Australian PM, John Howard.

Australia's second longest serving Prime Minister may have lost the 2007 election, but he won the audience with his Closing Keynote at this year's AADA Convention. Click to listen.

Day 3 - AADA Convention: Business Advice Sessions

Maria Townsend, Partner, Hunt & Hunt Lawyers.

Maria advised dealers on how to avoid legal obstacles and keep more of their profit.

Mark Ward, Partner BDO.

Efficient compliance with the ATO was the title of Mark's enlightening presentation. He recommended that dealers:

1. Communicate!...EARLY
2. Communicate!...OFTEN
3. Communicate!...IN AN ORDERLY MANNER

Mark Weaver, Partner, Deloitte Motor Industry Governance.

Mark shared his best practice insights gathered from some of Australia's largest automotive dealer groups.

Day 3 - AADA Convention: Plenary Session 4

Frank Romano, Sales and Customer Contact Strategist.

Frank Romano encouraged dealers to take a leaf out of Nicolaus Copernicus's book and change their thinking if they want to take their customer contact strategies to a new level.

Day 3 - AADA Convention: Plenary Session 3

How's your dealership's health?

Dale McCauley, Partner, Deloitte Motor Industry Services.

The Key take-aways from Dale McCauley's enlightening presentation: 

• Dealership's should be constantly reviewing their health 
• There's no shortage of jobs in the auto industry, just a shortage of talent
• Used car sales are still in decline
• Private-to-private buyer market booming
• F&I growth which represents 90% of a dealer's profit is slowing
• Fixed Ops are not keeping up with sales
• Many dealers are losing money on new cars
• Most service customers stay within eight kilometres of a dealership's PMA

AADA TV Trade Village Report

Click the links to see Cam William's 'pampered' reports from the floor of the Trade Village. 

Report 1:

Report 2:

Report 3:
Report 4:

Day 2 - AADA Convention: MTAA Super Fund Feature Session 1, 2, 3 and 4

Paul Cummings: The key to success is to TAKE MASSIVE ACTION NOW! 

Paul Cummings, AADA Convention International Guest Speaker.

Key take-aways from his four presentations: 

• Money follows service everywhere it goes
• Out-serve the competition and you'll always outsell the competition
• How may I serve you?
• Service is REAL
• Service is the multiplier of perceived value
• Time is your greatest resource
• People lose the financial common sense in the middle of a WOW experience
• Winners bounce!

Day 1 - AADA Convention: Dealer Solutions Workshop Presenters

International Speaker, Simon Bowkett.

John Gavljak, Director, Audit and Assurance, Moore Stevens.

Alan Bergman, CEO, Star Automotive Consulting.

Chris Polites, Dealer Director, carsales.com.au

Day 1 - AADA Convention: Policy Presentations - Working for You

Evan Stents, Partner HWL Ebsworth Lawyers.

Doug Tredinnick, Account Director, Deloitte.

John Graham, Partner, Deloitte.

Ron Hardaker, Executive Director, AFC.

Tony Weber, Chief Executive, FCAI.

Links to audio files of all presentations will be uploaded here.

Day 1 - AADA Convention

"The sleeping giant is awake," said Ian Field, AADA Chairman at this morning's address to delegates at the Convention. Click link to hear audio of address: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz4MNyITnvAPTGFkc3RXUW9waEk/edit?usp=sharing

According the Veronica Johns, Australian President and CEO of Fiat Chrysler Group, "It's all in the numbers." Click link to hear John's keynote: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz4MNyITnvAPSnJJNy11TTlNWUU/edit?usp=sharing

Roll ‘em up

AADA National Dealer Convention starts tomorrow, Thursday 10 July with the Opening Keynote Address by Veronica Johns, President and CEO Fiat Chrysler Group. This will be followed by:

• AADA CEO Report
• AADA Board Panel
• AADA Policy Presentations – Working for You
• Dealer Solutions Workshops – Session 1
• Dealer Solutions Workshops – Session 2 (Repeats)
• Gumtree Australia Welcome Function
• Swann Insurance – Late Nights in the Hydrate Bar 

Yes, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get down to business.