Hyundai Motor Group
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THE CLIENT: The Hyundai Motor Group:

According to the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles, it was the world’s third-largest vehicle manufacturer by production volume in 2016, behind Japanese Toyota and German Volkswagen Group.[2]

The group was formed through the purchase of 51% of South Korea’s second largest car company, Kia Motors, by Hyundai Motor Company in 1998. As of December 31, 2013, Hyundai owns 33.88%[3] of Kia Motors. By 2016, the group sold over 8 million automobiles

THE CLIENT’S OBJECTIVES: Each year Hyundai holds an annual conference to celebrate the success of their top dealers. This event was held in Southern California where senior executives were also present. The objective of their chosen keynote speaker must have experience in the auto industry – or at least a background of how the retail dealerships operate. It was a bonus that Ross Shafer was considered as the keynote because his father and uncles were all top salesmen in Ford and Chevrolet dealerships when Ross was growing up.

— James Woo
VP Sales - Hyundai Motors

“I can’t express enough the positive impact Ross had on the group today. His presentation was outstanding! His unique ability to deliver such a dynamic message in that casual manner it truly unbelievable. Our CEO commented to me that it was the right message for the times we’re in.”

ROSS’S DELIVERABLES: Besides growing up in the “car business,” Ross Shafer was selected as the keynote speaker because of his humorous style and his research-heavy books that deal with relevance and innovation in evolving economies. The content had to be relevant re: partnerships, teamwork, and innovation. In his 60-minute keynote Ross gave tactics for finding opportunities your competitors miss (be a meeting crasher). He emphasized how ‘Urgency’ is the #1 way to delight your customers – and Ross also talked about how loyalty is most judged by the customer’s associative memory in the final moment of the transaction. (Primacy vs Recency) Afterward, Ross happily went to a professional photography area to take pictures with those who wanted a selfie of the event.