Trending Auto Retail News
6 Habits of Exceptionally Likable F&I Managers
As an F&I manager, you offer products and services that can literally change your customers' lives. Unfortunately, if your customers don’t like you, your products and services are irrelevant! We all have lived that scenario where a customer didn’t want to do...
Facebook Remains a Dominant Force in Digital Strategy and Consumer Behavior
Having a digital strategy is the best way to prepare your organization's infrastructure so that it will be positioned to compete in all facets of its market. According to a recent Sprout Social study, Facebook remains the dominant force in both marketing strategy and...
Internet Leads: They’re Not Dead. But They’re Also Not Everything
According to a recent study, 49 percent of car buyers make their first contact with dealerships by walking in. But just because it’s their first actual contact with you doesn’t mean they are at the start of their process. Quite the opposite: most of these walk-ins are...
5 Search Strategies for Selling New 2019 Vehicle Models
The automotive industry is ever-changing and dynamic. It is estimated that 75 new vehicle models will launch in 2018(1) - of which 45 percent will be SUV models(1). And, 3.09 million vehicles1 are expected to hit showrooms in 2019, bringing increased competition and...
Hiring/Retaining Talent & Laying Off Excuses
High employee turnover is affecting dealerships and dealer groups across the U.S. — and if you're a dealer principal or general manager reading this, then it's very likely that you're struggling with this too. Dealers average over 73 percent nationally across ALL...
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...
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