Trending Auto Retail News
Good Tidings of Great Joy: Fixed Ops Has a Bright Future!
‘Tis the season to be of good cheer, and fixed ops departments have much to celebrate. The future for dealership parts and service departments is very bright. In fact, there has never been a better time in history to be in fixed ops than right now—and I’ll prove it to...
What You Should Know About the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
The automotive retail industry is no stranger to oversight and regulations by both state and federal authorities. In addition, because dealerships are major producers of both financing and insurance products, state and federal insurance and lending, authorities also...
Why You’re Overspending in Search Campaigns
Paid search is an area where dealerships commonly overspend (in huge amounts), and at the same time, do not inspect their campaigns at a detailed level. There is perhaps no other purchase dealers make where they give an agency a blank check and simply hope for the...
It Might Be Time to Revisit Service and Body Team Production – Part 3
In the last two columns, we reviewed the service and body team production system’s history and many facets, which over decades evolved into a variety of successful and not successful offspring. When developed and installed correctly, it is by far the most effective...
Steak Knives, Really?
After having attended a remarkable Digital Dealer 25 Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, I was left with a few lasting notes that I thought I might share with you. The conference was action-packed, with dynamic and knowledgeable speakers, interesting and...
Reality Check: Is Your Team Too Dysfunctional?
“Dysfunctional” is defined as not operating normally or properly; having malfunctions. Following are signs of a healthy and functional team, as well as their dysfunctional counterparts. Consider which characteristic most resembles the team you spend most of your time...
Is Your Dealership’s Foundation Shaky, Shifting or Built on Solid Ground?
Architects and builders everywhere when asked, “What is the most important step in building a quality long-lasting structure, whether it be a home or skyscraper,” reply with the same answer. It is the foundation. Foundations matter! Yet, this unsung hero of quality...
Manage the Change: How to Get Leadership Buy-In for a Smooth DMS Switch
Congratulations, you’ve made the decision to switch DMS systems. You’ve identified that you need an updated technology strategy that includes intuitive and easy-to-integrate solutions that better fit your overall business objectives and will enable your team to fully...
Witt’s Wise Words: Do What Others Won’t Do
In this Witt's Wise Words, VP of Sales, CDK Global, Bill Wittenmyer explains how going the extra mile will ultimately lead to increased productivity.
Hard Facts: The Importance of Online Reviews – 5 Tools for Online Reputation Management
This week’s #HardFacts is live from Google HQ in #NYC. Samantha chats with Google team members about what it means to be a #Google Partner. She also gives some strategies
Ask Jim: A Service Focused Q&A
“Ask Jim” is an ongoing question-and-answer series with Jim Roche, Xtime’s vice president of marketing and managed services, on the pressing topics and issues within the fixed operations world. Question: How can dealerships sustain profits in 2019 as the marketplace...
What Kind of Content is Good Content?
A few months ago, Greg made a video about your content being stuck in 2005 and how dealers need to rethink their content strategy. Too often are there multiple pages with content like “get your *insert service* here in *insert city 20 miles away*” -- and all of them...
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