NORTHEAST 2020 Goes Virtual, Collision P.R.E.P. Classes Announced
On July 20th, AASP/NJ shared preliminary details for its virtual 2020 NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show. Originally scheduled for March 20-22, this year’s event was postponed until August 21-23, but when the association decided to cancel the in-person trade show in June, they announced that they would host a free virtual event instead. “We are really excited about the virtual show,” AASP/NJ President Jerry McNee said. “With the cancellation of the in-person show this year, we looked for a new way to get our exhibitors in direct contact with our attendees so that 2020 wouldn’t be a lost year. It obviously won’t be the same as face-to-face, but we are thrilled to provide an effective alternative at no additional cost to our attendees or exhibitors.”
Using a dedicated link on the event website, registered attendees will enter their email address and be able to visit exhibitors’ virtual “booths” online, where they can view product information and videos and schedule virtual meetings with vendors. The show hours will mirror the original schedule: Friday, Aug. 21 at 5-10pm; Saturday, August 22 at 10am until 5pm; and on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 10am until 3pm. Exhibitors have already begun populating their booths.
Ensuring that NORTHEAST attendees enjoy something akin to the educational experience they’ve come to expect from the largest regional automotive show of its kind, the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA) has again collaborated to host live Collision P.R.E.P. training opportunities online. The live format provides attendees with the opportunity to interact with presenters and ask questions in real-time.
The training sessions will begin on August 6th and continue throughout the rest of the calendar year, with five presentations confirmed so far. All currently scheduled courses will take place at 1pm EST on the designated date. Mark Olson of VECO Experts will kickoff the 2020 Collision P.R.E.P. schedule with “Documenting for Repair Process and Liability, and Building a Bulletproof File” on August 6.
On August 27th, BASF’s John Shoemaker will present “Positioning Your Business for Sustainability Among Constant Change,” and on September 30th, Mike Anderson of Collision Advice will team up with the DEG’s Danny Gredinberg to discuss “Utilizing the Vehicle Owner’s Manual to Educate Consumers and Insurers.”
Industry professionals can learn about “Vehicle Diagnostics & Calibrations” with Chuck Olson, Senior Vice President of Automotive Technology at AirPro Diagnostics, and AirPro’s Vice President of Strategic Business Operations, Josh McFarlin, on October 22nd. On November 12th, cPrax Marketing’s Bill Enross will provide valuable information on “Tackling Online Storefront Presence for the Collision Repair Business.”
Current WMABA members and pre-registered 2020 Collision P.R.E.P. attendees can attend the online courses for no additional cost, and full series passes remain valid for the 2021 event. Registration is still available for collision repair industry professionals at a cost of $50 per class.
Industry professionals who pre-registered for the physical 2020 NORTHEAST do not need to register again, but those who have not yet signed up can still register for the virtual trade show and the Collision P.R.E.P. classes. For more information on or to register for AASP/NJ’s NORTHEAST Automotive Services Show, visit aaspnjnortheast.com. Exhibitor questions can be directed to [email protected]. Collision P.R.E.P. registration is available at: wmaba.com/collisionprep.
NORTHEAST 2021 is scheduled for March 19-21, 2021.
