IBIS Turkey: Solutions for Success

The sixth edition of IBIS Turkey yet again raised the bar on Wednesday, with more delegates than ever drawn to Istanbul’s Wyndham Grand Levent hotel by a top-class line-up of speakers and quality content delivered under the theme ‘Solutions for Success’.

IBIS Turkey has long-established itself as the annual event in the region’s collision repair industry where key decision makers and influencers in the market come together to network, exchange ideas and knowhow, debate the hot topics of the day and leave energised and enthused to succeed in the year ahead.

More than 130 delegates joined event partners Axalta, Audatex, Homer, CesviMap and Automechanika to hear how they can combat the many challenges facing the Turkish automotive aftermarket.

The all-day conference got under way with moderator Robert Snook, of MG Cannon fame, outlining changes from the 2018 event that were based on delegate feedback, among them requests for more speakers in both Turkish and English, paint and insurance content, and quality information about industry best practices.

IBIS Turkey 2019 delivered with 12 speakers over 11 sessions in a enthralling day that was interspersed with networking coffee breaks and a lunch. Also new this year was a conference smartphone app, on which delegates could ask questions of the speakers and take part in interactive polls, as well as messaging fellow delegates and arranging meetings.

In a packed morning agenda, Anna Özdelen, principal consultant Consul people, kicked things off by highlighting the four major automotive trends of the day – connectivity, autonomous technology, shared mobility and electrification – while stating that “adapting capacities and capabilities to these four trends is the only way for bodyshops to succeed over the coming three, five or 10 years”.

Bosch regional sales and channel marketing manager – automotive aftermarket, Engin Büyükbalbak, followed with a warning for the Turkish collisions repair industry, saying: “Bodyshops that don’t invest in technology and training will be left behind by those that do invest.”

It was a view echoed by the next two speakers – Aykut Pektekin from OYDER, Turkey’s Authorized Automotive Dealers Association, who presented an OEM’s viewpoint on the Current and Short-term Future Trends in Repairs; andAlfredo Muñoz, CEO MAPFRE Turkey, who discussed Effective Solutions for Improving the End-to-End Vehicle Repair Process.

Before the conference broke for lunch, Snook conducted a one-on-one interview with Kobi Bendelak, CEO InsurTech Israel, who’s presentation on How Technology is Changing Insurance Claims Forever had the audience gripped with his “open your mind and adopt technology” philosophy.

Post-lunch, delegates heard about Image recognition: A Game-Changer for the Collision Industry from Marcos Malzone, VP-product EMEA, Solera; Raising Standards of Products and Services Purchased with Car Insurance from Ekrem Çankırlı, director of operations OSEM; Building a Sustainable Future: Our Story from David Sargeant, managing director Gemini ARC from the UK; Bodyshop Efficiency and Digital Management from Arda Sucu, business development manager Axalta and Ilkin Kokal, product marketing and strategy leader Axalta; Repair Networks – A Solution for Both Bodyshops and Insurance Companies from Haluk Yeşilbayraktar, owner Homer Auto Service Group; and How to Leverage your Process for a Better Tomorrow from Ali Seherler, country manager Mirka.

While it was true that the speakers covered a wide range of topics, the overriding theme that came across for delegates to take away – whatever their sector within collision repair – was that they “must embrace technology if they hope to remain relevant” in our fast-changing industry.

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