Exciting changes in Store for ToolTech 2012

By: Charlie Gorman - Executive Manager, ETI

Plans for ToolTech 2012 are well underway.  Major changes are in the works that will enhance the experience for our members and provide new and compelling reasons for ETI member customers to attend.   For 2012 we plan to shift emphasis towards our customers, not just to sell them something, but to help them provide products and services to the aftermarket.

For the most part, vehicle manufacturers have not been very interested in promoting factory tools and equipment to aftermarket customers.  In some cases there is no interest in doing so and in other cases there is a lack of expertise on how to do it.  In either case the result has been aftermarket dissatisfaction that in many ways has lead to the “Right to Repair” (R2R) movement.

It is not the purpose of this article to discuss the merits of R2R, but rather to point out that there may be compelling reasons for OEMs to improve their marketing efforts to the aftermarket.  ETI member companies know how to market tools and equipment to the aftermarket; it is what they do.  Vehicle manufacturers should be taking advantage of this knowledge in order to solve two problems.  First, it would help satisfy the aftermarket need for OEM information and tools, and it is highly probable that a significant profit can be made while doing it, thus justifying the cost of putting a marketing program together.

Therefore, ToolTech 2012’s theme is OEMs and the Aftermarket… A New Direction... Renewed Partnership.   We will explore ways vehicle manufacturers can provide dealership level service capabilities to the aftermarket using ETI member capabilities to help get them there.

 ETI members have the know-how to get vehicle manufacturer service-related products into the aftermarket the right way.  Not only are ETI manufacturing and OEM tool program relationships important, so are OEM and ETI marketing and distribution relationships.  ETI members can help vehicle manufacturers gain access to some of the more difficult mass merchandising and specialty repair shops as well as traditional independent aftermarket shops.

So what changes are in the works for ToolTech?

In order to make all this happen we plan to change some of the traditional elements of ToolTech Work.  Some we have worked out and others are still in the works.  For now, let’s mention some of the reworked elements.

Presentations and Panel Discussions:

ToolTech presentations will appeal to a wide cross section of attendees while targeting the theme of the conference.  We have not chosen any specific presenters or decided on any specific topics, but here are some potential topics that might get the thought process going:

• Should OEMs Use Multiple Third Party Distribution, Training and Support in Order to Get Their Scan Tools and other tolls to the Aftermarket?
• Selling Special Tool Packages to Aftermarket Shops in the Same Fashion They Are Sold to Dealerships
• Providing Minimum OEM Tool Specifications to Aftermarket Shops (what does an independent shop have to purchase in order to be as well equipped as a new car dealer?)
• Providing OEM Services to National Accounts and Mass Merchandisers
• The Difference Between Writing Software for a Captive Audience All Using the Same Hardware and Writing it for a Diverse Aftermarket On Multiple Platforms. (flexibility and robustness)

We would like to hear your ideas for topics and potential speakers including some non-traditional types.  For example, it would be good to get product managers from scan tool companies and OEM service support engineers on a panel that would discuss how they decide what goes into diagnostic products and why.  Perhaps these two groups could learn something about each other’s business model that will help them understand what is needed going forward.  Discussions like this lead to relationships that can eventually turn into business agreements.

 One-on-One meetings:

One-on-One meetings are private prearranged meetings between one company that wants to propose a product, service or idea to another company having a potential need for the product, service, or idea and a willingness to listen.  Traditionally, these meetings take place during the afternoons of Wednesday and Thursday of ToolTech and have been approximately 30 minutes in length.

One-on-One meetings are and will continue to be an important part of ToolTech, but we need to do a better job of screening potential One-on-One meeting participants to make sure that the meetings are meaningful and fruitful.  Not only do we need to make sure that the companies have reason to meet, we need to make sure that the right people from both parties are in attendance.

How can this be done?

Instead of waiting until the last minute to see who will attend and then trying to put all of the combinations together, we will, in the very early stages of the process, ask ETI members to tell us what customers they would like to see at ToolTech.  We will ask them to put together a sealed business meeting proposal along with a cover letter that provides ETI staff with enough information to contact the company the member wants to see and drill down to find the right person within that organization who makes product decisions.  We will then send them the members sealed envelope along with an invitation to ToolTech.  Meeting slots will then be filled immediately as meetings are agreed to.

This proposal will require more work for ETI and its members, but it will also increase the quality of the meetings, reduce the number of required meeting rooms, increase the amount of time available for other important activities and hopefully increase the number of participants from ETI’s customer base because all of their meetings will have been pre-qualified.

This new One-on-One program will be kicked off soon after this newsletter is published.  All ETI members on our general mailing list will be notified all at once.  It is important to start thinking about who you would like to meet with and why.

ETI’s business meeting

Since all of ETI’s corporate requirements (elections, member voting, and bylaw changes) are handled on line these days, there really is no requirement for an ETI business meeting as such.  Of course we want to inform the membership of committee activity and other important information, but this can be done in other sessions during ToolTech.  We are thinking of moving the installation of officers and board members to the closing dinner.  We are also considering adding an awards ceremony to the closing dinner.  This is something new that ETI has never tried before.  Some of the suggestions for awards we received from the Scan Tool Group include:

• the best scan tool data submitted by an vehicle manufacturer  award
• the best OEM website award
• the best J2534 support award

None of this has been worked out yet, and we sure could use your suggestions.  There are many possible award ideas from every vertical group.  Awards do not have to limited to ETI customers.  There may be member awards that should be considered as well.

 In conclusion I’d like you to consider this article your invitation to attend ToolTech 2012, a new kind of ToolTech that will embody important information and opportunities for ETI customers as well as members.  If you are a vehicle manufacturer ETI wants to offer ideas on how to bring your service repair products to market and make sure your vehicles are being repaired correctly.  If you are a mass merchandiser, or an independent repair facility, we want to provide you with information about what is available from OEMs as well as aftermarket sources and provide you an opportunity to marry the two in such a way to improve your unique business model.  If you are an ETI member, we want to provide you with an opportunity to be part of the solution.  ToolTech is the way to get your products and services in front of the right people.  See you at ToolTech 2012!