"A shift in the average age of vehicles in the car parc has changed the whole  landscape of the automotive aftermarket" says director at Trend Tracker Chris Oakham, who will explain the challenges the franchised dealer faces in this area, at the AM Aftersales Conference 2015.

Chris is one of the keynote speakers at the event, taking place on Thursday April 16 at the Heythorp Park Hotel in Oxfordshire.

Aftersales - Today, tomorrow and beyond is the theme and the event will show how a changing world can present new opportunities in the aftersales arena.

According to Chris, a larger proportion of cars aged 4-13years means a shift from warranty work to retail work:

"While this presents an opportunity, the tendency for drivers of older cars to opt for servicing, maintenance and repairs (SMR) in the independent sector actually makes this a challenge for franchised dealers to address."

Chris will examine these and other trends that are set to affect the aftersales departments of franchised dealers in detail.

As well as a range of main stage speakers from the automotive sector and beyond, there will be workshops covering a wide variety of aftersales topics with the goal of helping franchised dealers become more profitable.

Further details on speakers and workshops will continue to be announced on the event website www.aftersalesconference.co.uk.

Tickets are available to dealers and manufacturers, with a limited number of supplier tickets on sale. To book, please contact Emma-Louise Kinnaird on 01733 395133, email emma-louise.kinnaird@bauermedia.co.uk or visit the booking pages https://am-aftersales-conference.am-online.com/booking.