The greatest challenge facing automotive aftermarket businesses is, without a doubt, succession planning in all its forms.

I am pleased to now take on the role of president of AIA Canada’s Quebec Division. For me, having been professionally involved in this industry for 12 years now, this is a natural extension of my passion for the sector and, above all, for the people who drive it.

I am well-positioned to understand the succession planning challenges within our businesses, being an active player in a family-owned SME myself. We think about succession, especially in our repair shops where we seek to identify young talent capable of following in the footsteps of veterans and contributing their expertise to business development. The constant arrival of new technologies in our shops confronts us daily with the need to continuously adapt and leverage the knowledge and skills of the rising generation for the benefit of the business.

But this succession must also take the form of new-generation entrepreneurs, with unconventional professional backgrounds or training, capable of managing these repair shops and stores with an innovative approach. Today’s complexity in the automotive sector demands genuine entrepreneurs.

Training and preparing the next generation

I also know that it’s sometimes difficult for our mechanical repair shops, body shops, and tire centres to find time to train their teams. However, mentoring and enriching our staff’s development is a winning formula for attracting new talent, particularly those we can already count on. In the absence of family succession, who can say if your shop’s next owners aren’t already working for you?

In this industry built on human relationships, I am pleased to see that many networks and suppliers are making themselves available to help our managers refine their operations, making them more profitable and attractive.

Within AIA Canada, I can easily see the importance of working together to advance major national issues affecting our sector. This is an economic segment that, in Quebec, provides employment to 100,000 people.

While I understand AIA Canada’s strength in its power to represent us before various government bodies, I also see its equally crucial role in encouraging collaboration between industry players. We must make it our duty to promote this partnership. And when I think specifically about suppliers, major distribution networks, and stores, I want to remind them, in all friendship, that their financial health is directly linked to that of repair shops.

For me, AIA Canada is a national organization that brings together all players in the automotive maintenance and repair sector, while defending their common interests without favoritism. But AIA Canada also represents, for me, an association that must work hand in hand with its primary clientele, namely repair shops, to offer them not only a listening ear but also support and assistance.