CALGARY Alberta - PBS Systems, an industry-leading software provider
to North American franchise automotive retailers, hosted its annual Dealer Conference from September 13th to 15th, 2023. This customer-exclusive event took place at the Hyatt in downtown Calgary and attracted over 230 attendees representing 122 dealerships throughout Canada and the United States.
The PBS Dealer Conference is a longstanding tradition that alternates between various cities in North America, and this year was a long-awaited return to PBS’ birthplace and headquarters in Calgary. Since 1998, PBS has held their yearly customer conference to discuss automotive software and offer collaboration between developers, leadership, and industry colleagues.
Chock-full of advanced workshops, networking receptions, and collaboration sessions, all content is tailored to maximize the benefits of the PBS v10 DMS (Dealership Management System). Topping things off is an inside look at new features and updates of the software.
The newest addition to the 2023 Conference was keynote speaker Jon Cornish, renowned Canadian Football Hall of Famer and University of Calgary Chancellor. His insights focused on navigating the future of digital transformation, customer experience, and community investment.
Kevin Preston, Vice President of DMS Sales at PBS Systems, ensured that those who had not traditionally attended before had a seat at Conference.
“This year, we did something different and welcomed a select few potential clients to witness our work and see us in action. We were overwhelmed by [their positive comments] on how collaborative our staff and customers were. They felt that our customers were loyal supporters of PBS and that they had been missing out on the culture we have built all these years.”
Lynn McNeill, Senior Vice President of PBS Systems, echoed a similar observation.
"We have been hosting our annual Dealer Conference for over 20 years. The most recent Conference in the heart of the Rockies was by far our most engaging and successful one yet. We had record attendance, including prospects who wanted to gain a better understanding of the total PBS experience. All potential customers walked away convinced that PBS will be a good fit for them.
What I always enjoy most is the opportunity to catch up with customers new and old; the level of interchange and enthusiasm is a great motivator. The Conference provides PBS and our customers with a strong vision for the future, and we all believe we will be successful together."
McNeill also highlighted that within the last year alone, the company has installed 260 dealers, adding over 6,000 new dealership staff to the PBS family. The list of integrations with major OEMs also continues to grow, with new manufacturers BrightDrop and Ineos Grenadier on the horizon.
In his closing address, PBS Systems’ President, Dave Bradley, announced that the 2024 Dealer Conference will be hosted in Nashville, Tennessee, from September 18th to 20th. Widely considered ‘the new Vegas’, Nashville is a historic city that offers a rich blend of country music, southern hospitality, and fine food.