The 2024 AED Summit in Las Vegas was nothing short of spectacular, drawing a record crowd of 2,500 industry experts and enthusiasts! It wasn’t just the numbers that made it special, though – it was the buzz, the energy, the sharing of groundbreaking ideas. Speaking of ideas, our presentation on Team Preventative Maintenance really struck a chord. We were thrilled with the turnout and even more so with the active participation. The audience’s keen interest and insightful questions made it clear that this is a key evolving topic moving forward.
During our session we discussed the evolving landscape of workforce development & retention. Stay interviews were one of our main talking points. The idea is to get ahead of exit interviews and increase retention by engaging in quarterly, open conversations with employees. While taking Q&A, we learned about a dealership that revamped its approach by implementing stay interviews. This resulted in a reshaping of its leadership, redefined team key performance indicators, and a significant uptick in productivity. This real-world example sparked a lot of conversation, highlighting the need for continuous improvement in management soft skills and the importance of adapting to changing workforce dynamics. If you’re interested in hearing more about Team Preventative Maintenance and how we can help your team, please let us know.
The other educational sessions were a treasure trove of knowledge, delving into topics ranging from finance, data, and technology to dealership consolidation and numerous industry forecasts. It was a privilege to be a part of these impactful discussions. Despite some murmurs about a potentially softer market this year, the optimism at the summit was undeniable. Everyone seemed ready to tackle challenges head-on, which was inspiring. A huge thank you goes to Liz McCabe and Jon Cruthers from AED for their flawless management of the logistics of our participation, and to George Russell, Russ Green, and MAC for setting up a centrally located networking “rest stop”.
Oh! Let’s not forget the show floor – a vibrant display of components, technology, service providers, and machines from compact lifts to heavy haulers. There was also a golf simulator that Kristie and Sean took a few swings on, trying to get it closest to the pin. Sean had the right distance on his shots but came up a little left. Kristie on the other hand, made a memorable impression! She finished in third place! Las Vegas is certainly a unique place and this time was no different. We stayed at the Mirage and were able to have most of our meals, have meaningful client and candidate conversations, participate in a conference, sleep, and see a Cirque Du Soleil show all without having to go outside or get in a cab.
Check out our video from this year here, but we’re already looking forward to 2025 in Orlando!
