In conversation with Jason Best, incoming chair, Automotive Industries Association of Canada

Incoming AIA chair Jason Best, Spectra Premium senior vice-president aftermarket, was 2017’s AIA Young Leader of the year, and is maybe the youngest chair in AIA’s history. Jason recently told us about what he sees happening in the aftermarket today, and tomorrow.

Spectra Premium Industries, Inc. is certainly not the same company it was 20 years ago. In a lot of ways, its growth from a local Canadian single-line supplier to a global diversified aftermarket organization parallels much of what has happened in the aftermarket overall. 

JN: Would you agree that this is certainly “not your father’s aftermarket”?

JB: Absolutely. The aftermarket is now worlds apart in terms of technology and distribution methods, yet very similar in terms of customer service requirements. The customer experience and journey have changed in terms of data accessibility. However, what has remained a clear constant is the fact that all our end customers want a quality part, delivered on time, at the right price. Our job is to facilitate this experience of replacing an automotive part or component in the most efficient and cost-effective method possible, throughout the buying experience, at all levels of distribution.

JN: What’s the most important change?

 JB: Customers now require data accessibility and transparency of information. Those who adapt to those customer behaviours swiftly, and create an environment with an ever-changing mindset, will succeed in ensuring long-, medium- and short-term success.

JN: What do you believe to be the Top 3 near-term challenges for the aftermarket in Canada?

 JB: The first challenge is vehicle technological change, and how this affects components that need to be replaced. This leads directly to point two, which is the accessibility to vehicle repair data, and how to equip service providers with the same data accessibility of the car manufacturers themselves. Lastly, we need to engage the talent of the future within our industry, and retain that talent for the long term.

JN: What is the role of the AIA in addressing these as you see it?

JB: Obtaining greater knowledge about technology through research and communication is to best way to stay abreast of the upcoming technological changes. The AIA focused research in 2019 on access to vehicle data, vehicle technology trends, and impact on replacement trends. The organization is also continuing to promote www.autoconnex.ca, an important tool on the labour front. The result of two years of research, the scope of this website is to provide information on 15 occupations in the aftermarket, including salaries, demography, employment trends over the next five years, education, etc.

Through advocacy in government relations, we demand access to vehicle data for the aftermarket and assert the right-to-repair. We need direct access to the vehicle data. We are engaged with the federal government on this, we are engaged with our association partners here in Canada and abroad, and we continue to represent the aftermarket at the CASIS table as well.

Finally, the AIA focuses on engagement with our membership to provide the platform for our members to create, collaborate, and drive the messaging of our association and the impact it has on our industry. We just launched our ASAP program – Associate Program for Service Providers – as we become more inclusive and open the door to shops to join AIA.

JN: What does your experience with Spectra Premium help you bring to the table?

JB:Spectra Premium has a privileged position in the automotive industry due to its extensive vertical integration of operations, which ranges from OEM and aftermarket part design, engineering, tooling, and manufacturing all the way to distribution to different types of resellers. This depth, across vastly different product categories like heating and cooling, fuel delivery and engine management, provides a wealth of insight about the major stakeholders in the automotive and heavy-duty industries – even on the motorsports side of the business – as well as the intricacies of supply and logistics. After 25 years in the aftermarket, I’ve had the privilege to see these trends evolve over time firsthand, and I am glad to be in a position to share this experience with others.

JN: What can jobbers do to tackle the challenges?

JB: Engage, collaborate, and stay informed. As the market changes and adapts to newer trends, the key for jobbers will be to integrate key changes into their service model, and more now than ever, to look for more data-oriented solutions and platforms that focus in facilitating the customer journey into a more seamless transaction.

GETTING TO KNOW JASON BEST

My first car was a… 1991 Pontiac Grand AM turbo

My dream car is… Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

My favourite part of the job is… The fact that our industry evolves and changes constantly, and the need to adapt to these changes.

When I have a tough problem I’m trying to work through, I… Take the approach of Kerry Best and Denis Poirier, two of my most respected confidants in the industry, and think on how a problem affects the customer.

Aside from spending time with family, when I am not working what I like to do best is… Sports and anything about it, especially designing golf clubs. Coaching baseball also provides me insight, strategy, and statistical analysis that I thrive on.