Rian Garner has held almost every position in the auto recycling business and wants to share his experiences. The Automotive Association of Atlantic Canada will be having its annual meeting in May with special industry guest speaker, Rian Garner. He will also be headlining at the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association Convention in March. 

 

“These events are important for the industry so managers and owners can get rejuvenated and inspired so they can go back, improve operations and increase sales,” Garner says. He is part of the Counts Consulting Group and has a wealth of over 10 years experience in both full service and self-service auto recycling. 

 

He will have two main topics for discussion at both events. One topic will be sales management made easy, specifically, how to get the most from your sales staff. Garner has a proven sales management structure that focuses on the key aspects of sales management.  He will cover activity as well as measurement points in his presentation. Garner says, “Its about how to motivate your staff. As well, providing a proven set of metrics that myself and other industry professionals rely on.” 

 

His second topic will be the important points on vehicle purchasing. That is, the important points on THE most important aspect of your full service business. Garner’s advice is that this is one aspect of your business that requires your special attention. He will help you understand the best approach to this department and will cover some key metrics to track. Garner says, “You can make or break your business through purchasing. If you don’t have it, you can’t sell it.”

 

Garner started his career in the pricing and procurement department with LKQ, and his responsibilities included calculating bids, pricing parts, and coordinating auctions for the west region.  In addition to pricing and procurement, he also held the position of Regional Sales Manager. He was promoted to Plant Manager-in-training and within six months became the Plant Manager.  He held the position of Site Manager with Greenleaf Auto Recyclers, and specialized in growing sales and increasing production efficiency.  Garner was then promoted to the position of Regional Director with Pick N Pull, and was responsible for the operations of three self-service yards.

 

The ARAAC meeting and the OARA Convention will be some of Garner’s inaugural speaking engagements. “I have a more grassroots and fresh approach to the business, ” Garner said. His education consists of an undergraduate degree in accounting and an MBA from Kent University. “I have held almost every position in the business and I have a real passion for it, ” says Garner.

 

On more information about attending these events, visit araac.ca and oara.com.