Industry Watch 1.877.Gets.Uta • Volume 8 • Issue 10 • October 2006
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Industry Watch 1.877.gets.uta • www.uta.org Volume 8 • Issue 10 • October 2006 2006 Convention Keynote Speaker Ross Shafer oss Shafer didn’t start out as one of the films on the subject of customer service and Rcountry’s funniest motivational speakers. motivation (14 to date); they are distributed He was reared in the rugged timberlands of the worldwide in seven languages. After Ross spent Pacific Northwest where his father worked for Arco time on the speaking circuit, he noticed a and his mother had her hands full raising three disturbing trend…a lot of the so-called boys. Ross made an unlikely student body ‘motivational speakers’ had never actually worked president in high school and as an All-Confer- in the trenches! And they were preaching clichés, ence football player, was awarded a scholarship not truth. This prompted Ross to write the to the University of Puget Sound – a small critically acclaimed book, Nobody Moved Your NCAA-II school where Ross was often the Cheese!, to encourage people to trust their own player voted most likely to be “shaken up on the gut and be accountable for their own success. play.” He earned his BA degree is Business Ross reinvented himself and went from comedian Table of Contents Marketing within four years…an achievement to “expert,” but he still maintains his electric he’s convinced is a football team record. sense of humor to this day. As his friend Jay Convention Keynote Speaker ................ 1 Leno put it, “Finally a motivational speaker, In 1984, Ross was approached by Seattle television President’s Message .......................... 2 without the speech!” station KING-TV to write and produce a weekly Elections Updates ............................... 2 comedy/ talk show, and the concept took off! In the Ross’ latest books, The Customer Shouts Back! Convention Sponsors ...................... 2–3 five seasons Ross was at the helm of “Almost Live,” and Customer Empathy are a result of 11 years Getting to the 2006 UTA Convention .... 3 the show won 36 Emmy Awards — six going to of customer response research. He recently Marketing Update ................................ 6 Ross for his work as Host, Actor, and Writer — founded The Customer Empathy InstituteTM Endowment Updates ........................... 6 as well as the prestigious IRIS award for the “Best because he’s convinced the reason customer Local Entertainment Series” in the United States. service hasn’t improved, is because we haven’t tried Medium Duty ...................................... 6 And it was during his time at “Almost Live” that to understand the customer’s emotional state People ................................................ 7 Ross actually created Bill Nye, The Science Guy! before, during, and after the transaction. When Industry News Briefs ........................... 7 you book Ross Shafer for your event, your audi- Corporate and association audiences have ence is guaranteed to laugh, see their business in Training .............................................. 7 become fascinated by Ross’s story of ‘Failed Pet a new way, be inspired to trust their gut and File Cabinet ........................................ 8 Shop Manager turned Network TV Host.’ Now fulfill their own potential. n Bear-o-meter ................................... 8–9 he is in demand as a Keynote Speaker, seminar Industry Events Calendar ................... 10 leader and event emcee. In 1994, he started Convention Registration Form............. 11 writing and producing funny human resource How are YOU supporting the UTA? UTA 7th Annual Convention Moody Gardens n Resort Galveston, TX n November 1-4 7th NewsWorthy Annual Convention Have you expanded your business? n Networking opportunities Promoted staff? Won an award? n Golf or attraction pass to the Rainforest, IMAX Theatre, Opened a new location? We want to aquarium and paddleboat know. Share your news with the UTA n Information, Update on UTA programs and plans Knowledge & Industry Watch. Send submissions, as n State of the Truck Industry Address Networking well as ideas and comments, to: Equals POWER n Keynote address by Ross Shafer UTA Industry Watch Editors Moody Gardens Resort n Industry Leadership Forum Galveston, TX David A. Kolman, Rick Clark November 1-4, 2006 18521 Brick Store Road, Suite 400 n “Think Tank” roundtable discussions. Hampstead, MD 21074 n Spouse tour (luncheon at the Moody Garden Mansion) Phone: 877-GETS-UTA (877.438.7882) n Awards dinner Convention Notebooks Sponsored by Fax: 410.374.9196 n Sponsor information centers R.L. Polk & Company E-mail: [email protected] For details and to register, visit the UTA’s website at www.uta.org UTA Industry Watch President’s Message Elections by Eddie Walker, UTA President Updates hen the UTA was formed more than We talked to some of the W18 years ago, solving disputes founding members and e in the election committee among its members was far from the they agree that the stance Wwould like to thank you, our imagination of the organization founders. The of the UTA is not one of members, for taking the time to submit used truck industry is not unlike other policing its members. We earnestly encourage your nominations for the Board of professional businesses when people interact everyone to follow and commit to the UTA Directors and the Lifetime Achievement with each other. There are situations that arise Code of Ethics our founders established. We Award. We have had a very good which are hard to explain and sometimes trust that they will. selection for the Board this year, and misinterpreted primarily due to lack of As our industry continues to grow, we believe after our voting is completed in the next communication. that no matter how big we get, our group is couple of weeks, we will be notifying all As membership continues to grow and our relatively a small family in the scope of those selected to join us at our upcoming things. We will continue to solicit member- association becomes more visible, it is convention in Galveston, TX. ship that we trust will adhere to our Code of understandable that members seek solutions Ethics which is the strength and backbone of We would like to see every member of the by contacting the UTA for direction and our association. UTA at our convention so that we can resolution of their problems. However, our welcome any new and/or returning board association can not, and will not, become an We believe that when one has a confronta- members. We have seven openings this agency for policing unprofessional or tional issue arise, and it is handled with year and should get an infusion of new unethical behavior of its members. honesty, integrity and open Board members to help us lead the UTA An officer or member of the communication, the results will into the future. UTA cannot place the associa- We earnestly be favorable and should not need tion in a position of liability if encourage everyone outside help to resolve. This could One item we noticed this year is that a one of them advises or consults to follow and commit be a topic to be discussed at our number of our members e-mail addresses are not current or have come back as not on behalf of the association. to the UTA Code of convention’s Round Table session, a valid address. We would like to We have been contacted by a Ethics our founders should you choose to further the discussion. encourage you to keep the UTA updated number of individuals express- established. with your current contact information so ing their concerns with certain The Membership Committee has that we can keep you posted on the members of the UTA. We have mailed to more than 300 used latest information on the UTA. We declined to get involved in their apparent truck dealers personal invitations to join the value each and every member of the problems. In some cases, our board members UTA. If you know a dealer who is not a UTA and want to make sure that each of have separated themselves from their elected member, give him a call to see if he received you has the opportunity to have a voice positions and have offered to help on a the letter from Ronny Jordan. If they have in the direction we are heading, and personal level to assist in working toward not, take the time to explain our benefits and keeping your contact information reconciliation or negotiation. Most of the encourage them to join. current will help us and you do this. time, they have been able to create a line of Check out the UTA website at www.uta.org communication between the two parties in Again, thank each one of you that is and look over the new advantages available to seeking a position on the Board. n order to move towards a solution. members. Ronny and his committee are In these cases, we have to remain neutral. determined to achieve their goals of having Even though we understand that everyone 1,000 members by the end of the year. has their own positions and good reasons to Our 7th Annual Convention is just weeks justify them, we simply cannot afford to take Rick Schmitgen away and we are looking forward to seeing Elections Committee sides. There are a number of solutions that our UTA family gathered again. If you haven’t one can seek. One is the Better Business Chair made your arrangements, do so quickly as we rick_schmitgen@ Bureau. Another is the Chamber of Com- are expecting more than 500 attendees. merce in one’s local geographical area. polk.com Even though we will leave the light on for Helping establish communication levels as we you, we would like for you to have a bed at did with the recent questions for GE Moody Gardens.