BTC Think Tanks

The Business Technology Council (BTC) has five Think Tanks focused on specific topics that meet monthly to discuss issues, new ideas and potential new solutions. The sharing of ideas among members already has provided real value to participants. Think Tanks are a member benefit for all BTC members, and members are encouraged to involve others from their companies.

The 2024 Think Tank topics are below. For more information or to join, please contact Danielle Kaspar.

• AI Apps and Opportunities – Mark Seng
  Engage with other industry thought leaders as we begin to understand how to apply Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing and the new world of Generative AI to aftermarket challenges. Help us identify both the risks and opportunities of leveraging artificial intelligence to solve automotive aftermarket problems. Join us from the ground up on this new Think Tank team as we look to uncover the best applications and opportunities the industry could benefit from using this new technology. Meetings typically take place on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. ET.
   
• BI/Analytics to Drive Better Decision Making – Rini Palkamsetty
  Our organization's objectives and financial targets require a thoughtful examination of how we can improve the speed, intelligence, and efficiency of our daily operations. The need for efficiency gains is increasingly apparent with each passing day and is a clear indicator that our current mindset needs a significant shift, enabling every end-user to fully embrace the power of data and integrate it into our decision-making process. Engage & collaborate with industry thought leaders to develop a robust framework for a reliable single source of truth, ensuring access to accurate and consistent information. This Think Tank emphasizes the importance of data integrity, accessibility, and impactful visualization to facilitate clear comprehension, informed decision-making, and prompt actions to enhance customer experience. In 2024, the team is dedicated to advancing the next stages of Data Analytics and refining its definition. Meetings are held every other Thursday from 2:00- 3:00 p.m. ET.
   
• Cybersecurity in an AI World – Hemant Damani
  The Cybersecurity Think Tank concentrates on helping overcome typical security issues while considering the latest threats as technology and business scenarios evolve, an example would be impact of AI on how we manage Cybersecurity. Our objective is to develop and exchange ideas, regardless of the topic—compliance, phishing schemes, user awareness, or technical controls. We'll concentrate on the main dangers to our companies and how best to address them. Meetings typically take place on the 4th Thursday of each month from 2:00- 3:00 p.m. ET.
   
• Emerging Technologies – Jim Naso
  Engage with other industry thought leaders as we work together to identify emerging technologies – those recently introduced or which we know to be imminent – and analyze the likely impacts to the automotive industry, when they are likely to occur and offer insights how the industry should be prepared to respond.  For 2024 our primary focus is on the Hybrid vehicles while also looking at the impact to the parts suppliers and under car repair facilities. Meetings occur on the 3rd Thursday of each month from 10:00-11:00 a.m. ET.
   
• Global E-tailing – Dave Haun
  The e-Tailing Think Tank’s mission is to explore issues and creative solutions in eCommerce/E-Tailing as it relates to the Automotive Aftermarket. We’ll collectively mine experts and peers alike to discover best-in-class strategies to overcome both front-end and back-end hurdles for the benefit of the entire industry. Now in its fourth year, the e-Tailing team will explore the landscape of Automotive Aftermarket eCommerce in various parts of the world, including Europe, Central and South America including Mexico and Brazil, Australia/New Zealand/SE Asia/India, and finally China. Upcoming meetings/webinars will be held June 4, July 16, August 6, August 20, and August 27 (subject to change). 

Think Tanks compete against each other in presenting their findings and deliverables prior to the Technology Conference.

Previous Think Tank Winners

2024: Global e-Tailing
2023: Emerging Vehicle Technologies- Press Release
2022: Emerging Vehicle Technologies - Press Release 
2021: eCommerce Readiness - Press Release