Auto Retail News

Business has picked up for most manufacturers and dealers this year and there is much optimism that we will enjoy a steady economic rebound. But this isn’t the time for chest bumps and high fives. We may have emerged from the pit, but we’re not o

How would you respond if one of your best friends during a social gathering came up to you and said something like this: “Wow, you really have to try that new restaurant on the corner of Elm and Main. We had such an average meal there. The food qua

The time has come. Your dealership’s DMS contract with a large, expensive legacy provider is ending. Your search for a new DMS partner is beginning. Which DMS is best? The answer is: it depends what your needs are. One thing that’s certain is whe

By now, most dealers are aware of the FTC’s Red Flags Rule and the potential liability they face if they do not adopt and implement an Identity Theft Prevention Program required by the Rule. Countless mailings, webinars and other communications fro

I recently moderated a roundtable of Internet and BDC managers at the 8th Digital Dealer Conference in Orlando, Florida and one of the objectives of the attendees was to find a good ILM, DRM, ERP and CRM software. For many of us “old timers” out

Since the fourth quarter of 2009, we have begun hearing about the next wave of dealership consolidation. The public companies continue to report their interest in acquisitions, though they are admitted “bottom fishers.” Similarly, many private de

As the tools needed to compete for Internet sales proliferate, it’s become more difficult for dealers to assess their digital marketing efforts, ensuring that they are best equipped to outsmart the competition. New tools and features are regularly

Are you completely buttoned down in your sales processes to manage the 12 key steps in Internet sales? At my company, for the past three years we have closely studied the Internet sales process. By observing our dealer customers across the country, w

Traditionally obsolescence has been defined as parts that have not had a sale in anywhere from six months onward, the time frame dependent on the source defining the term. Over the last few years the manufacturers and importer/distributors have reduc