In 2018 the AADA National Dealer Convention & Expo returns to the Gold Coast for a two-day program designed to equip Dealers with the tools and knowledge they require to deal with the ‘shifting ground’ in which they must operate in the age of disruption.

The Convention will be held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 September.

The 2018 program will address the changing nature of the modern retail automotive playing field, with a series of innovative tracks designed to help Dealers adapt and prosper in the age of “Automotive Disruption”. The program will consist of a suite of workshops, super sessions, catered events and feature sessions aimed at educating and engaging Dealer Principals, management and staff.

The Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre provides a state-of-the-art substantive venue in which to conduct all the activities required of a vibrant and active AADA Convention & Expo.

In 2018 the agenda will be addressed over two days and one evening, with sessions for sales, service and dealership staff, and a bustling, working Expo hub.

The AADA National Dealer Convention is the annual chance for Dealer Principals and key operational staff from all over the country to come together to network, learn and socialise. In conversation with governments and regulators, AADA does a power of work on behalf of Dealers behind the scenes. Your association does its best to keep Dealers informed of all its projects and priorities, but coming together at the Convention is the best way to engage in that all-important two-way dialogue – communicating our message while listening to your needs.

As usual, we have put together an outstanding Expo, showcasing the latest products and services designed to make your life easier and your dealerships run smoother.

Convention theme: Developing Prosperity in the Age of Automotive Disruption

Disruption is more than just a buzzword; it’s a business model that has reaped billions of dollars for its best practitioners. Uber disrupted taxis, Airbnb disrupted hotels, Bitcoin is attempting to disrupt currency, and let’s not forget one of the trendsetters, Carsales, which disrupted the newspapers.
If there’s a product or service for sale or hire that involves a middle man buying from a manufacturer and adding a margin and showroom on the way through, you can bet there’s someone developing an app to disrupt that middle man.

The retail automotive industry is a ‘middle man business’; we shake hands with the makers and the users. They’re coming for us. The new and used car franchise dealership model is under attack, both direct and tangential, from many sides. Some will change the way Dealers do business; others will aim to take that business.

As always, adaptation is the key to survival. Our four-track program of sixteen total workshops, two Tuesday Night Super Sessions, two feature sessions, keynote speakers and policy sessions will explore the new environment Dealers find themselves in and help them draw a map of their new business terrain.

The AADA National Dealer Convention prides itself on hosting leaders of the industry, and this year we have a Tuesday night Super Session conducted by one of the USA’s most successful Dealers, David Kain. Leaders in the digital space, Google, Facebook, Carsales and Gumtree will run workshops, and world-class keynote speakers will inform and enthrall you.

The 2018 AADA Convention program will examine the ways in which disruption works at operational and business levels, from legal and taxation to supply and profitability, and more.

The AADA will present a unique offering of sessions and dedicated workshops designed around a series of content tracks, aimed at giving dealership personnel specific information and solutions in dealership categories. The tracks – titled “Operational Disruption”, “Business Disruption”, “Managing Prosperity” and “Marketing Prosperity” – will allow delegates to choose a series of sessions customised to their specific needs.