“The Phoenix Max is our flagship tool,” Light continued. “It’s what all our customers are most excited to put in their hands, simply because when you buy the top-of-the-line, you get the most amazing experience. You also get the bigger display area for using our oscilloscope, and a lot of shops really like that.”
Light reports that the Phoenix tools now support wireless screen casting, allowing technicians in the bay to cast the screen from the scan tool to their monitor on their cart.
“We talk about the Phoenix Lite 3 with some regularity, simply because it’s such an accessible price point. If a technician buys their own tool, or the shop wants to add additional coverage, they can get the Phoenix Lite 3 for under $1,000. That additional unit expands coverage in their shop by a considerable amount without a substantial financial commitment.”
Strategic training at automotive trade shows and conferences
Light’s travels have taken him to the top technical conferences and expos across the country. “The Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo in Kansas City is a big one. We reach a lot of people at that show. I did three or four classes at this year’s show. That was a pretty large number of end users and a large volume of people we were able to help.”
Light also cites the Automotive Training Expo in Seattle and the North American Council of Automotive Teachers conference and Expo in Detroit as impressive events where he has conducted training classes that reached wide audiences.
TOPDON works with private companies to conduct training classes as well. “We will teach at the Christian Brothers‘ Mastering the Difference’ conference this fall for the first time,” Light said. “We’re excited to be a part of that one. That’s an event exclusively for Christian Brothers franchise shops.”
Webinars and remote training: Scalable solutions for technician education
Haakan Light and TOPDON are always looking for additional opportunities to share knowledge and training with the professional workforce. Webinars are particularly effective as they reach a lot of people and cut down on travel costs.
“We’re trying to work with strategic partners who are interested in having us conduct webinars on topics that are good for the trade, spreading knowledge and awareness,” he said. “The shops and technicians who are going to training, they are the only ones who are going to repair new cars accurately, in my opinion. They’re also the only ones who are going to have sustained success going forward due to the steep technology curve that continues to accelerate.”
Haakan has plenty more miles to travel and classes to conduct before the year is through, but with each stop, the knowledge gaps shrink, and more technicians collect useful skills and positive energy to rejuvenate their careers.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help our customers be better at their tasks and use our tools more effectively every day. That gives them the greatest return on their investment and value out of what their purchase represents to them,” he said. “Training is absolutely an excellent avenue to accomplish that.”
To learn more about the tools mentioned above, visit www.topdon.us.
