Ah, November. Summer’s long gone, the days are getting shorter by the minute and the holidays are right around the corner. But while most of the country is starting to cool down for winter, things are just beginning to heat up in Vegas.
Notorious for being the biggest and arguably the best automotive show in the U.S., the SEMA Show offers more than a million square feet of the hottest new vehicles, automotive equipment and even some renowned celebrities. But this event isn’t just for flashy hot rods and glitzy paint jobs – it offers the most thorough, up-to-date education and the latest products for collision repairers, all in one location.
This year marks the fifth SCRS’ Repairer Driven Education series, which will feature educational sessions on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of the show. SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg says that with sessions focusing on topics such as HR, management, estimating and technical information, there’s something for everyone at SEMA.
But perhaps the most talked-about addition to this year’s RDE series is the OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit. Scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 5, the daylong educational event will focus on the rapid acceleration of new technologies implemented by vehicle manufacturers.
“The purpose of the Summit is to take a topic that’s important to everyone in the industry, regardless of business model, and have a very high-level discussion that brings tangible conversation that’s aimed at shop floor changes,” said Schulenburg. “We’re also trying to give people good information about business solutions that can better serve their businesses, the consumer and make sure our industry is prepared for these new technologies.”
By hosting the event in the middle of the week, Schulenburg hopes that topics addressed during the Summit can carry over to other discussions taking place during SEMA – including the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 6.
“We’re bringing in some great speakers from the aluminum and steel industries to talk about market development of the use of their products and why that’s going to drive use of their materials and vehicles down the road, and I think a lot of that conversation will be relevant to CIC and the discussions that take place out in the hallway,” he said. “There’s obviously a lot of conversation going on in the industry right now about proper repairs and the new technologies coming down the road. Repairers need to understand where those technology trends lie and what the expectations are.”
Other Happenings
A welcome reception will kick off the show on Tuesday, Nov. 4, offering showgoers an opportunity to unwind and network with fellow industry members. In addition, CIC will take place Thursday, Nov. 6 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., hosting hundreds of collision professionals who will be discussing the hottest topics in the industry. A reception will precede the event, followed by the SCRS After Party co-hosted by PPG, which will be held at the new Westgate Resort. And with I-CAR training taking place every day on the show floor, the SEMA Show won’t be short on educational opportunities.
SCRS Repairer Driven Education Schedule
TUESDAY
10:00 – 10:45 a.m.
RDFree1
Dispelling Common Collision Repair Myths
Shawn Collins, 3M
11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
RDFree2
Considerations in Structural Repair Labor
Toby Chess
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE1
Creating Engaging Consumer Videos for Marketing
Kristen Felder, CollisionHub
Learn the basic principles of creating engaging video content along with easy-to- follow production steps in this hands-on class. Attendees will learn the principles of video marketing to consumers:
- How to create video ideas.
- How to plan a shoot.
- How to direct and produce a video.
- Important steps in post-production.
- How to upload, optimize and promote a video.
At the end of class, attendees will receive access to an online video series that explains all the steps in greater detail and available for them to replay at any time
Shops will also receive three PreFab Ads videos to add their name and contact information.
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE2
Aluminum Repair Procedures, Techniques and Requirements
Larry Montanez III, P&L Consultants, LLC
This program will cover cosmetic and structural repair techniques and procedures for aluminum components. Topics discussed will be outer panel repair and reshaping, structural component replacement, attachment and replacement methods, tools and equipment, precautions, welding and rivet-bonding. Costs of investing in aluminum repair will also be addressed.
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE3
Leading For Results: Hiring, Coaching and Managing a Winning Team
Ted Williams, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes
The biggest potential obstacle in making productive changes in your business is your people. How you manage your human resources is critical to your success. The purpose of the course is to share best practices for interviewing, coaching and performance management. Attendees will come away from the course with specific techniques and tools that they can use in their facility. The end result is to equip shop owners and managers to create the right dialogue that leads to improved performance and employee retention.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
RDE4
Express Repair Workshop – ZERO Day Repairs
Lee Rush, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes
This workshop is designed to maximize throughput performance of light severity repairs and examine fundamental improvements that can be implemented on the shop floor and the processes associated with repairing “0” to “2” day repairs. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Organize their workplace to recognize Express Vehicle opportunities and effectively process them into Express Repair.
- Execute the use of visual controls to create the urgency and visually manage these vehicles through the process.
- Set up standard work (SOPs) at “shop level” and not as philosophies, concepts and theories.
- Produce “Zero Day” repair in your collision operation with these processes to reduce overall shop cycle time averages.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
RDE5
Using Industry Statistics to Your Advantage
Mike Anderson, Collision Advice
This seminar provides collision repair centers with the latest industry-related statistics. The seminar looks at industry trends, OEM trends and statistics from the latest sources from across the country. The seminar also looks at legislation updates on laws and pending court cases that could impact your business.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
RDE6
LEARN to Earn – Opening the Door to Sustainable Profits
Tony Adams and Kevin Wolfe, Leaders-Way and PPG Industries
This session will teach attendees about leadership, development and collaboration. You will learn how to create an environment where everyone moves as one, and how to close the gap between where people are and where people can be.
WEDNESDAY
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
RDOEM14
SCRS Presents: OEM Collision Repair Technology Summit
A completely unique networking and learning opportunity designed to put SEMA show attendees in a room with a content-rich agenda focused on emerging trends and evolution in vehicle design, construction and technology as it relates to the collision repair environment. The format, featuring elevated discussions surrounding shop floor issues, will include high level speakers, panel discussions, breakout sessions, hands-on technology displays and organized interaction with OEM representatives and others with direct impact on vehicular changes relative to collision repair. This event will give great insight into current and future requirements necessary to maintain pace with the automakers in your repair business, while operating in our highly competitive marketplace.
THURSDAY
10:00 – 10:45 a.m.
RDFree3
2015 F-150 Repair Information
Larry Coan and Gerry Bonanni, Ford Motor Company
11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
RDFree4
Guide to Complete Repair Planning – Estimating Tips
Toby Chess
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE7
Check Yourself – Departmental Quality Control to Prevent Incorrect Repairs
Larry Montanez III, P&L Consultants, LLC
This program is designed to cover commonly missed or discovered procedures during post-repair inspections, which cause corrective and/or re-repairs. After this presentation, attendees should have a better understanding of the following:
- How to implement SOPs per department to ensure proper repairs
- What the most common mistakes are in each department in the facility
- How to correct an incorrect repair or problem before it becomes a problem
- How to prevent incorrect repair in the future and sleep better at night
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE8
Leaning on Process for Profit Improvement
Steven Feltovich, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes
Driving financial results by increasing efficiency should be the goal of every business owner. Establish a process-driven culture for the ultimate competitive advantage! Learn how to connect the power of process to a sustainable business model. Increase profits by applying a Rapid Throughput Production Model.
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE9
Surviving the Push for Refinish Reductions – Spot Within Panel
Survival Kit
Tim Ronak, AkzoNobel Automotive and Aerospace Coatings
This presentation is a 2014 update on the industry acclaimed Spot Within Panel Survival Kit designed to utilize the databases to deflect requests to “alter” or “reduce” refinish times from published database times.
A copy of this kit will be provided to attendees, and the session will define:
- History of the labor operation, and where it came from
- What is the difference between a “Blend Panel,” “Spot within Panel” or “Refinish within Panel Boundaries?”
- What do the database providers and paint companies say?
- Do the database providers calculate time for “Spot within Panel?”
- What specific criteria qualify a repair as a “Spot within Panel?”
- What is the “Six Inch Rule?”
- What considerations are required when performing a “Spot within Panel?”
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
RDE10
Managing Online Reviews – How Your Reputation Hangs Precariously In the Balance
Mark Claypool, Optima Automotive
You’ve worked hard to earn your good reputation, but it can all be lost in a single incident. In today’s electronic communications world, nothing is secret, especially when things don’t go quite right, or when unreasonable people decide to try and stick it to you with bad reviews. You simply MUST be paying attention. Your reputation rests in the balance and you need to know how to track things that are said about your business online and how to properly respond to reviews, both good and bad. This workshop will cover all this and more.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
RDE11
Customer Service Manager Training
Steve Trapp, Axalta Coating Systems
This presentation will prepare the attendee to be aware of the processes taught to a CSR to train them to fill that role in a collision repair center. The course will review the pre-repair, during repair and post-repair roles the CSR could or might fulfill.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
RDE12
Getting Paid For Investing in Facility, Equipment and Training
Tim Ronak, AkzoNobel Automotive and Aerospace Coatings
Repairers are facing significant additional tooling and training to repair modern vehicle construction materials and technology. This session will look at the shrinking Labor GP% due to additional costs of investment in equipment, facility and training. Strategies will be explored to understand the mechanisms at your disposal to offset these rising business costs to justify a return on that capital expenditure.
9:00 – 12:00 a.m.
RDEPARTY14
SCRS’ RDE Sky Villa After Party
After a long and fulfilling week of traversing booths on the show floor, and attending educational classes to better your business, you’ve earned a remarkable evening of luxury, Las Vegas style! Located in the famed LVH Sky Villa suites at the LVH Hotel, this after-hours event gives you the opportunity to relax and network with some of the collision industry’s most influential leaders and educators, all while taking in the views of Las Vegas in some of the most recognized high-roller suites in the city. Access to the event is through the Central Hall elevator in the LVH Hotel lobby.
FRIDAY
10:00 – 10:45 a.m.
RDFree5
Aluminum 2014 and Beyond
Ken Boylan, Chief Automotive Technologies
11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
RDFree6
3.5 VOC Solvent-borne Basecoat
Technology — a Viable Alternative to Waterborne Basecoats for Collision Repair
Bruce Williams, Axalta Coating Systems
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE13
Are You Really Repair Planning or Just Estimating?
Scott Wheeler, AkzoNobel Automotive and Aerospace Coatings
This session focuses on what is required to create and sustain a consistent repair planning/blueprinting process. Many repair facility operators believe they have mastered the process, yet are plagued by last-minute delays and additional supplements. During this session, participants will learn how to implement the culture, process, position responsibilities and scorekeeping that will sustain repair planning success.
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE14
“Got Brand?” – Building an Effective Brand Strategy
Dominic Brusco, Audrey Nass and Bruce MacKenzie, PPG Industries
Building an effective brand strategy begins by defining what a “brand” is and what it is not. The session will focus on the importance of customer experience, employee engagement, online image and community involvement in building an effective brand strategy. The session will detail the key elements of building a brand and driving the strategy.
- Defining the key elements of an effective brand and brand strategy.
- How to evaluate the impact of a brand.
- How telling your story is a great way to create an emotional connection while building your brand.
- The impact employees have on a shop’s brand identity and how to engage them in your efforts in driving the strategy.
- The importance of your online image in driving your brand strategy.
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RDE15
Effective Hiring, Discipline & Termination – Managing the Entitlement Generation
Cory King, Fine, Boggs & Perkins LLP
Human resources problems and employment-related lawsuits/claims are among the biggest drains on the financial health of employers. Shop owners cannot stop disgruntled employees from being disruptive, making claims and filing lawsuits, but they certainly can put themselves in a position to maintain control of their shops and win lawsuits. This seminar will provide owners and managers with the training and tools they need to avoid hiring “the walking lawsuit,” manage their workforce in a productive way, and win any claim that may be filed before they boot problem employees out the door.
In the City
Kiss
Nov. 5-23
The Joint at Hard Rock
Hotel & Casino
After years of trying to book the band, the Hard Rock finally scored big. In celebration of their 40th anniversary, the rock greats promise a show that’s larger than life, with a one-of-a-kind stage setup and atmosphere. We won’t judge if you dress like Gene Simmons – just make sure you save that for the concert, not the SEMA Show!
Phish
Oct. 31- Nov. 2
MGM Grand Garden Arena
The iconic jam band takes the stage for three nights of groovy sounds. Drawing from such musical genres as jazz, funk, rock and folk, the band is known for their lengthy, energetic performances and impressive improvisation.
Wicked
Nov. 4-9
The Smith Center
A spin-off of the classic musical “The Wizard of Oz,” “Wicked” tells the other side of the story, with a focus on the Wicked Witch’s past. With tons of comedic banter, catchy music numbers and incredible theatrics, this performance will leave showgoers feeling starstruck.
