From September 6 to 8, the II International Congress "Trends and Developments in the Automotive Industry Post Pandemic", organized by SIOMAA in conjunction with its strategic partner the NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association), was held at the Hilton in Pilar, Argentina and was attended by more than 140 people. During the first day of presentations, NADA Director, Michael Hayes, presented his talk on new trends in sales channels in the automotive industry. In his presentation, he emphasized the need to incorporate new digital habits in the sales and customer service processes to achieve a true omnichannel experience. In addition, he highlighted the importance of understanding the changes in consumer behavior around the use of digital channels, not only for purchasing but also in the consumption of services. Hayes explained how the pandemic accelerated this process and the need to adapt to these new habits in order to compete in the market. Another relevant topic Hayes addressed in his presentation was the impact of electromobility on the automotive industry. He stressed the need to maximize the new opportunities that will arise in this field and to adapt the sales and service model to the new technologies. During the second day, the speaker Guido Vildozo, Senior Management of Americas Light Vehicle Sales Forecasting at S&P Global Mobility, presented an interesting talk on various topics related to the economic and productive situation of the automotive industry at a global level. First, Vildozo analyzed the global economic outlook and how it has impacted vehicle production and sales. He also presented the production and forecast scenarios for the years 2022-2026, in order to provide a more complete view of the future of the automotive market. Finally, the speaker presented the production and sales scenarios for light vehicles in Latin America, a region with its own particularities and specific challenges for the automotive sector. To complete the second day, the UCA professor specialized in software engineering, Alejandro Bianchi, gave an interesting talk about the digital revolution and its impact on organizations. Bianchi stated that digital transformation is no longer an option for companies, but a reality that must be addressed to remain competitive in today's market. To this end, he presented a guide to carry out the digital transformation in companies. During his presentation, the speaker highlighted five technologies that leverage the so-called Digital Transformation: Mobility, RPA, Cloud Computing, Big Data, IoT, Artificial Intelligence and the Industrial Internet. He also explained the impact of these technologies on the culture of organizations and how companies should prepare for these challenges. Alejandro Bianchi's presentation was very valuable for the congress attendees, as it provided a clear guide to carry out the digital transformation in companies and highlighted the importance of this task to remain competitive in today's market. On the last day of training, Lorena Valenti, Global Account Executive at Google, gave a talk on the "Consumer in a digital world 2022" and how it will affect the future of the automotive industry and, in particular, dealerships. During his presentation, Valenti highlighted the importance of adapting to new trends and changes in customer consumption habits, and offered strategies and tools to improve the online presence of businesses in the sector. Among the topics he addressed, the following stood out: - Waze: Destination based Marketing - How to improve online presence through the website and Google My Business. The II International Congress "Trends and Developments in the Automotive Industry Post Pandemic" was important for the attendees because it provided them with the opportunity to update and learn about the latest trends and developments in the automotive industry, especially in the post-pandemic context. The exhibitors and speakers who participated in the congress shared their knowledge and experience on topics such as digital transformation, new business models, electromobility, sales strategies and customer service, among others. Attendees were able to obtain valuable information on how to face the sector's current challenges and prepare for the future, as well as interact and share experiences with other industry professionals. In addition, the support of NADA provided additional support and prestige to the event. In summary, the congress was a unique opportunity for attendees to improve their knowledge and skills in the automotive industry and establish valuable contacts with other professionals.
