Washington, DC — September 21, 2016 — There has never been a time when technology wasn’t a major force in business, but its impact and effects have increased in recent years. That might be why the upcoming Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA) convention will feature an all-day Technology Forum for the first time.
Taking place at the ARA’s 73rd Annual Convention and Exposition, the Technology Forum is specifically designed for professional automotive recyclers and their employees. The convention takes place October 26 to 29, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Technology Forum is set for Saturday, October 29 at the Baltimore Convention Center.
“We believe that a very focused forum on using technology to stay competitive in the automotive parts market and automotive recycling industry is exactly what our members and their employees are looking for,” said Michael E. Wilson, CEO of ARA.
Among the highlights of the Technology Forum are sessions by several leading automotive recycling industry service and software providers, including Hollander, Car-Part, CRUSH, and Power-DB.
“All of us at Hollander are thrilled to participate in ARA’s Technology Forum. It’s a great opportunity to share training, tips and insights directly with our customers. We’re excited to provide the information needed to take full advantage of our solutions, including Hollander Powerlink and eLink,” said Chris Budion, Vice President of Sales for Hollander.
Hollander will provide information about its Powerlink Inventory Management system dealing with vehicle inventory, managing existing inventory, and updating and managing part prices. Hollander will conduct hands-on training for employees who may not have prior experience using their Powerlink inventory management system and also present a session on establishing a successful online presence.
Car-Part will participate in the Technology Forum to detail its software products and cover topics such as using images to help boost sales, procedures to make smarter buying with Bidmate and Car-Part.com marketplace data, how to simplify the inventory using Partmate, and how Checkmate’s Listing systems can help with eBay listings and customized templates.
A hands-on workshop to learn Checkmate’s new SalesPro screen and dashboard is also available.
“The ARA Convention is our industry’s premier event and a great way to keep up with all things auto recycling. Combining a day of tech training with the ARA Convention makes it easy for busy auto recyclers to come to one event, network with friends, and catch up with the many changes affecting our industry. We expect the ARA Tech Forum in Baltimore to be the largest training session of Car-Part’s 2016 World Tour,” said Jeff Schroder, CEO of Car-Part.com.
CRUSH, an inventory management system provider for self-service automotive recycling facilities, will be on hand to discuss web integration and car buying techniques, as well as how to use CRUSH for inventory control and parts sales efficiently.
In a session with Power-DB, recyclers will learn about the Power-DB productivity suite that provides sales tips to motivate and create incentives for sales staff and help generate commissions. In addition, Power-DB has an inventory tool system that allows employees to manage parts and vehicle locations and physical inventory audit on any mobile device to help improve a recycler’s inventory system.
“We believe that the ARA’s initiative to hold a Technology Forum is one of the best means to help all recyclers, large and small, keep a competitive edge. Making such forums accessible to all is very beneficial to the industry,” said Philippe Clermont, CEO of SolexD, creator of Power-DB.
ARA will offer special pricing for the Technology Forum to draw attendance from employees of automotive recycling facilities.
“I believe that this year’s Annual ARA Convention and its special focus on the Technology Forum will be the most valuable and productive session that we have had for professional automotive recyclers,” said Wilson.
For more information, please visit araexpo.org.
