We’ve been saying for some time that data security and privacy are at the top of the FTC’s priority list.  On June 14, 2012, the FTC entered its first consent decree with an auto dealer for violating the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the FTC Privacy a

Businesses that have a product line for sale have sales managers to manage their sales personnel. Motivated sales personnel who are persistent and have the “the right stuff” sooner or later somewhere will earn the title of sales manager. In my op

Note: This is the final part of a three part series on a subject that needs more that a single column to do it justice, because women are critical to your success. Understanding the buying process Understanding the differences in how men and women bu

Consumers are motivated by many factors that influence their automobile-buying decisions: price, prestige, creature comforts and resale value, just to name a few. Likewise, there are many reasons why vehicle owners purchase preventive maintenance ser

Dealers more frequently finding themselves on the receiving end of a surprise lawsuit In the past 18 months, there has been a clear trend of manufacturers going on the offensive against dealers. In a number of unrelated matters, manufacturers have br

A typical day for a dealership employee is guided by their job functions. An example of various job functions are answering the phones, cashiering customers, writing customer repair orders and selling vehicles to customers. Of course if an employee�

A decades-old belief system in business is that the deeper one goes in debt with lifestyle enhancements, toys—stuff, the more driven he or she will be to make money. This mentality can start at the top of a dealership and cascade through the ranks.

Ever heard this one? What’s the difference between a puppy and technician? At 12 weeks the puppy stops whining. Budda bing, budda boom. I am guessing that most reading this column have never functioned as a full-fledged master technician, plowing t

There is no question that the dealership insurance market is tightening up. Prices are going up along with deductibles including an ever-growing list of coverage limitations. Dealers’ physical damage or auto inventory insurance premiums and deducti