The challenges posed by leading from the middle were framed well by John Maxwell who wrote, “One of the toughest things about being a leader in the middle of an organization is that you can’t be sure of where you stand. As a leader, you have some

If you don’t close the sale, no one wins! Whether it’s selling financing, selling vehicle service contracts, selling guaranteed asset protection, selling tire and wheel protection, selling a key replacement, selling pre-paid maintenance or sellin

Do not Confuse Activity with Accomplishment Mindless managerial duties and conformity are major traps for mediocre managers and the casualties are the dealership’s personnel. The time has come to shed the “old-school” bureaucratic m

One of my college professors was famous for a crazy stunt that he pulled every semester. On the first day of class, he would introduce himself, take off his shirt and jump out the window. A few minutes later he returned to the classroom, calmly put o

When Carvana comes out with an ad campaign such as, “That Didn’t Suck,” people should probably take note. Especially dealers and ad agencies. The ad touts that the car buying process doesn’t have to suck. It’s a branded message that is sure

Before going straight into the tips and tactics for fostering a strong culture within your company— it’s ultimately most important to explain why doing so is imperative to building a successful company. While providing a “safe and satisfactory�

The good news? To date, automotive sales have remained stronger than many analysts originally predicted, with customers of all ages continuing to buy both new and pre-owned vehicles. Considering some of the earlier ominous forecasts, it’s no wonder

Have you ever noticed how the market values dealerships versus how it values Software as a Service (SaaS) businesses that derive income from the same automotive revenue stream? SaaS businesses such as CDK trade at mid-20x P/E ratios while dealers tra

At its core, sales is a numbers game. It always has been and always will be. If you’re selling the same product that others are selling, you can only expect to close a percentage of customers that come into your store. In our industry, top performe