Variety Of New Courses Launched by AVI

Automotive Video Innovations, a division of Babcox Media, launched a variety of new technician education courses. From building better communication skills to improving technical expertise, the new courses will help technicians of all levels fine-tune their abilities and bring more business into the shop, AVI said.

The new video-based courses available from AVI include:

• Mysteries of GDI: Gasoline Direct Injection engines are starting to make their way into new vehicle models at a fast pace. Instructor Ron Bilyue predicts that in less than five years most new gasoline engines will be GDI, largely due to this engine’s fuel economy and performance potential. Learn how a GDI system works, how different manufacturers produce GDI, scan tool diagnostics, common troubleshooting and much more. This course comes with a supplemental manual, a post knowledge assessment and a certificate of course completion.

• Service Writing Made Simple: Service writing is the first-line of defense at any vehicle service business. This is where the customer communication starts and the transaction is completed. Presented by longtime training specialist Greg Marchand, in the course customer retention and loyalty is broken down into detail, with a close look at specific types of customers and how to handle them, how to increase service sales, the importance of the write-up process, internal relationships and other factors necessary to maximize customer satisfaction and increase profits.

• MACS Temperature Testing: Steven Schaeber from the Mobile Air Conditioning Society leads this brand new HVAC diagnostic class. Schaeber uses temperature testing probes to test the difference in temperatures between two points of an A/C component. Components like the condenser, evaporator and orifice tube can all serve as diagnostic guides for a precise diagnosis. Also covered are expansion valve A/C systems that require a different diagnostic approach. This class is available online with a digital manual and in DVD form with a printed manual.

• GM Performance: This course looks under the hood of just about every GM vehicle for the past 15 years. Presented by veteran instructor Wally Mouradian, this course goes into great detail about the best way to research, diagnose and solve almost every GM system issue. This course is more than three hours long and comes in DVD and online formats along with a study guide, knowledge assessment and a certificate of completion for online users.

For more information on these programs and the complete AVI course catalog, go to www.auto-video.com/tr.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has named Ryan Waldron as president of the company's Americas business unit, reporting to Chief Executive Officer and President Mark Stewart. He succeeds Steven R. McClellan, who retired on April 1.

"At Goodyear, our customers are at the center of everything we do, and in Ryan Waldron, we have a customer-centric, execution-focused business leader with a deep understanding of both the marketplace and all aspects of our business, as well as a proven track record of delivering results," Stewart said. "I am thrilled to announce him as president of Goodyear's Americas business and have enormous confidence that under his leadership, both the company and our customers will reach even greater levels of success."