I’ve said before that one of the best learning opportunities available can be found at a trade show. For fleet training managers, the challenge is as much about knowing what’s around the next bend as it is finding the right training solutions for your operation.

Getting out of the shop and seeing what’s going on around you not only provides a new perspective—it also can give you some new ideas. I’ve never left an industry training event without one or two nuggets of information that make the trip worthwhile. You can find these nuggets if you know where to look. As it happens, I have a suggestion.

Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week is scheduled for Jan. 21-24, 2013 at the Mirage in Las Vegas. This year, something new has been added to the show. It’s called SOLD—Service Opportunity and Learning Day—and was specifically created to provide focused information and education on industry trends, new technologies and more for anyone involved in heavy-duty service.

SOLD is one more indication of the growing importance of the service end of the business. I’ve been invited to moderate a panel discussion titled “Service Readiness: The Shop of the Future” on Monday, Jan. 21. It’s a 90-minute session describing what the shop of the future will look like. If you want to learn about the next generation of trucks and trailers and get a heads-up on what you’ll need to know to service them, I encourage you to stop by. We’ll be looking at the types of repairs your fleet will likely be undertaking, along with the investment in tools, equipment, parts, materials, personnel, training and just about everything else you’ll need to meet the challenge.

The panelists scheduled to share their thoughts, insight and advice are Charlie Gorman from the Tool & Equipment Institute, on developments on the diagnostic front; Dave Milne, president of the Automotive Training Managers Council, on innovative training technologies, and Darry Stuart of DWS Fleet Management Services, who will be covering CNG and LNG issues involving training, safety and service. I think you’ll find all of them both engaging and enlightening.

There’s more, of course. Other sessions will cover topics on the Heavy Duty Aftermarket Service Outlook, recent advances in suspension technology and how to service these new systems, and a look at Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and measurable management to help managers better understand their businesses’ performance. And that’s just the SOLD portion of the show. You’ll also find a revelation or two in the product expo and other events. In short, it’s a chance to see what’s coming to help better plan your training needs to keep your fleet operation ahead of the curve.

Making these investments in time and travel is just as important for fleet training managers as it is for anyone tasked with making the right decisions to maximize increasingly scarce resources. Training is a contact sport, and in my humble opinion, it’s not just about your technical staff.

If you make the trip, stop by the ASE booth and say “Hi!” I just may have a nugget or two of my own to share.