There is now less than 24 hours to go until car retailers, suppliers and top industry experts pack the halls of the NEC in Birmingham for Automotive Management Live 2019.

The free to attend event, which opens its doors to visitors at 9.30am tomorrow, not only offers car retailers a crucial networking opportunity but the ability to take in best practice advice from top industry specialists, receive briefings on the most challenging topics in car retail and visit a variety of suppliers under one roof.

Automotive Management Live will also, once again, include the presentation of awards to the top performers from this year’s AM Best UK dealerships to Work For survey, celebrating the very best employers in the business.

Sue Robinson, director of the National Franchised Dealers Association, who co-host the annual event, said: “AM Live provides franchised retailers with an ideal opportunity to meet with colleagues and industry stakeholders.

“Thanks to a number of informative best practice sessions, attendees will obtain key insights into the latest trends facing the automotive industry.

“We look forward to attending this year’s AM Live, which promises to be a well-attended, thought-provoking event.”

AM’s one-day expo brings together a host of suppliers in the exhibition hall, a series of masterclass sessions focused on particular aspects of running a modern-day dealership, a Future of Motor Finance seminar discussing the latest proposed changes to the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) motor finance legislation, a Future Dealerships Zone and the opportunity to network with colleagues.

Free for manufacturer and dealer delegates, 10 masterclass sessions will be hosted in partnership with some of the sector’s leading suppliers and expert speakers to tackle some of the pressing topics of the day.

Among the subjects explored in best practice sessions on the day are: social media; used cars; digital marketing; online retailing; video; live chat; creating customer loyalty; data driven leadership; and the future of car retail are all on the agenda at the event.

Elsewhere, Automotive Management Live’s Future Dealership Zone has been created to focus on some of the products and services dealers will need to consider in a fast-changing environment and is made up of a handful of exhibitors put forward by dealers to the AM editorial team.

In the IMI People Theatre, meanwhile, a trio of experts will discuss how dealers can adapt in response to increasingly sophisticated vehicle technology and the onset of electrification including training, accreditation and understanding their legal obligations.

The IMI’s chief executive Steve Nash will tackle the issues alongside Tom Denton, the IMI’s technical expert, technical trainer and consultant; Quentin Le Hetet, general manager of automotive data and research providers GiPA Group UK; and Dean Lander, head of repair sector services at Thatcham Research.

Nash will discuss employers’ legal obligations under the Electricity at Work Regulations and whilst there is no legislative framework for ADAS, the IMI will highlight its work with partners to establish an industry Code of Practice to develop minimum repair standards, undertaken by appropriately trained and qualified individuals.

By 2020 it is estimated that 40% of new vehicles will have at least two ADAS features, calibrating ADAS features on vehicles, particularly following accidents, has been identified as a major issue by the IMI and its partners.

Nash said: “Nearly every new car has some level of driver assistance on it yet the level of knowledge out there to set those systems up after repairs, even after a windscreen replacement, is really poor. Many don’t have the knowledge or the equipment to do that work.”

Automotive Management Live’s packed day of activities is free for car retailers to enjoy and visitors’ attendance can still be booked at https://www.automotivemanagementlive.co.uk/

For more details of what's happening on the day click here.