IT lessons for automotive

The fast-paced world of IT has some valuable lessons for the automotive retail sector, Val Risk, client executive at Fujitsu will tell delegates at this year’s Automotive Management Live.

Risk, who first started work in IT and communications in 1990 – pre-internet, no smartphones and social media didn’t exist, will be speaking as part of the IMI’s People Theatre at the event which takes place on 8 November at Birmingham’s NEC.

With a focus on managing change and diversity, the IMI’s CEO Steve Nash and Nigel Banister, director of GMD People, will also take to the stage. Nash, along with other IMI experts, will also be on hand to discuss apprenticeships and the apprenticeship levy in the adjacent People Zone.

Drawing parallels with the IT sector and the challenges faced by the automotive industry, Risk has worked for companies which have similar profiles to automotive, such as:

Tremendous pride in their engineering and technology heritage
A focus on operational excellence
Tough investment decisions with long term returns
Strong global regulation
Demanding shareholders
Traditional customer relationships based on brand, trust and local presence
Homogenous workforces
A competitive landscape they understand well

She said:

“Both IT and automotive companies are now faced with a rate of change and complexity from much more demanding customers and workforce, with new competitors, business models, technologies, product innovations, digital channels and digital disruption in the mix. Expectations have never been higher!”

“We have entered the era of mass personalisation and it brings with it many opportunities and challenges. Those retailers who can adapt to this era of mass personalisation will thrive.”

Risk’s seminar focuses on the need for a diverse workforce in order to meet the demands of consumers and their changing behaviour. She will be joined by Lynda Ennis, co-founder of automotive specialist executive search firm, Ennis & Co, which, in partnership with Auto Trader, has driven the #diversityinauto initiative, exploring diversity requirements in the industry and creating a culture of diversity and inclusion.

Automotive Management Live, now in its third year, is the must-attend event for automotive retailers. It includes a series of best practice seminars where some of the sector’s leading suppliers draw on their experience, data and case studies to help dealers put together effective strategies for specific areas of the business.

Hosted in conjunction with the National Dealers Franchised Association (NFDA), the expo is free to dealer and manufacturer colleagues. Places can be booked at http://www.automotivemanagementlive.co.uk/online-registration for the most productive day automotive retailers will spend away from their businesses this year.