Continuous process improvement, an efficiency discipline learned from manufacturing, should drive the modern auto dealership. A good first place to implement this culture is in the reconditioning department.

I don’t think I was in the car business one hour before I heard that catchy little phrase. Sure enough, over the course of my retail career, I suspect I was lied to over and over again by the best of them.

Dealerships with strong used-car operations share two things in common. They’ve reduced the cost of acquiring inventory cars and recondition them faster.