I’ve had the pleasure to travel to or live in other cultures, mostly because of my dad’s career in the Air Force. I’ve lived in Okinawa and Germany, South Carolina and Texas, California and Illinois. Each of these areas or countries has differi

Many dealerships perform bodywork and mechanical repairs on vehicles which have been in accidents. Generally these repairs are paid for by insurance companies who are doing their best to repair a consumer’s vehicle for the lowest possible cost. One

As an automotive professional, you always want to stay informed on the latest trends in the industry. Economic forecasts, social behaviors, stock market fluctuation, and shifting political winds are all contributing factors in helping you “know wha

Today’s progressive auto dealer faces three difficult challenges: limited scale, broad span and significant marketplace shift. How he responds to these three challenges will determine how successful his dealership will be. First there’s the issue

So, you’ve been assigned the responsibility to write the vehicle comments on behalf of your store. While this may be Internet Sales 101, it is more than apparent that dealers can use a refresher course now and again. As I research dealership after

Jim Flint, Director of Interactive Sales & Marketing for the John Eagle Group, in Texas, talks about how the group on track to sell 9,000 vehicles out of the Internet department this year, up from 7,000 in 2009. Tell us about the history of the J

Prior to becoming a dealer, Mike Reichenbach was a factory guy working at Ford Motor Co. After deciding automotive retail was the place to be and going to work for Tim Stewart Ford, Ford called on him three different times to act as interim general m

In my last column I wailed about free or dirt cheap oil changes, no appointments, and ridiculous commitments impossible to meet, which are too often creating the “perfect service storm.” Only this week I witnessed customer after customer

Of course I am speaking of the all important, yet fleeting Flat Rate Hours here.  These are the family jewels of service and without their fabrication; both service and parts would wilt like the Celtics in the fourth quarter of a game seven champion