AM has teamed up with eight commercial partners to deliver best practice sessions throughout the day at its new trade expo Automotive Management Live.

Automotive Management Live, which takes place at the ArenaMK on 16 November, is hosted in conjunction with the National Franchised Dealer Association (NFDA) and is the only event of its kind in the motor trade calendar.

A host of exhibitors will make for a productive day out for dealers wanting to understand the range of products and services available. The event will also deliver industry insights with seminars taking place throughout the day and an F&I theatre focuses specifically on one of the most vital areas for dealer profitability, performance and customer care.

Automotive Management Live’s series of ‘Best Practice Seminars’, delivered by some of the sector’s leading suppliers, have been designed to help delegates expand their knowledge, understand the issues facing the industry, identify the challenges and consider some potential solutions.

CitNOW’s session ‘How video is forging customer relationships, sales and retention’, explains ‘video relationship marketing’ or VRM and how dealers and manufacturers are benefitting from implementing the concept in their sales strategy.

The on-going importance of the auction is explored by Cooper Solutions in its workshop ‘The modern auction as part of the new and used car strategy’ underlining its vital role following record new car registrations.

Identifying ways aftersales can maximise the dealership’s customer retention capability as well as confronting issues such as migration to the independent sector, eDynamix delivers its session ‘Boosting customer loyalty via aftersales’ to help dealers future proof their business.

‘The continually evolving digital landscape’ from digital agency GForces will help dealers understand the latest developments in this fast-paced environment by drawing on their wealth of experience working with some of the UK’s top dealer groups.

With much research and even final choices of funding options undertaken online, iVendi’s seminar ‘Understanding consumer online finance behaviour’ draws on its data and detailed analysis to show how finance and the availability of information online is a key influencer on which dealer to visit.

Customer review site Judge Service highlights the hugely influential role fellow consumers play in the buying decision and the need to think holistically about the entire purchase journey in its masterclass ‘From purchase to retention, the customer review cycle’.

Social media has definitely grown up and is regarded as an established and serious communication and engagement platform, in its session ‘The maturing of social media’, Marketing Delivery tackles current challenges and discusses latest trends.

Supagard scrutinises issues surrounding the new car market in its seminar ‘Developing a sustainable new car strategy’ and questions whether the market can sustain continual growth following a record first quarter.

AM and Independent Dealer editor-in-chief Stephen Briers said: “Gathering together so many of the industry’s suppliers and providing a wide range of seminars to help dealers better run their businesses is a first for the sector. We are looking forward to playing host to around 500 visitors later this year and we’re confident we’ve hit on a formula which will prove to be successful for both dealers and industry suppliers.

“In particular, our Best Practice seminars have been put together with trusted industry suppliers who are genuinely experts in their fields.”

More details of Automotive Management Live can be found on the website www.automotivemanagementlive.co.uk including how to register for a free place.