A message to all in our automotive industry.

All of our businesses are hurting right now. No one is exempt. You are not alone.

Many don’t realize how important dealerships and the businesses that serve them are to our society. Between the countless people our industry employs, to the taxes and philanthropic involvement our communities receive, we are…

Do not use Google's new “Temporarily closed” GMB label if your dealership needs to temporarily close due to COVID-19.



The problem with using this new feature is that you’ll first have to contact GMB support. There isn’t currently an option for you to access this label on the…

If you want to maintain excellent performance of your car on roads, then you must take the vehicle to the garage for service at least once a year. The car experts available there will thoroughly inspect your car and find out the underlying or upcoming issues. They will fix the problems in the…

Many automotive lenders face challenges today associated with maintaining compliance in all facets of their business. Automotive loan compliance requires knowledge of federal regulations the govern applications, processes and practices. While it can be assumed lenders strive to remain compliant to the rules and regulations that govern them, remaining compliant can become a struggle if regulations are interpreted incorrectly.

There’s no question that automotive loan compliance is top…

F&I program provider, Protective Asset Protection, is making the following proactive measures to assist dealers and lenders currently during the COVID-19 outbreak and containment efforts. 

Dealers and lenders continue to face great challenges as the nation continues to try to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Here are several ways Protective is trying to help:…

Automotive Manufacturers Offer Aggressive Lease Deals on Many Vehicles Amidst Sales Slump in Response to COVID-19

Wantalease.com, the nation’s first online marketplace for new lease deals, reports the latest update on new lease offerings for the month of March.  Several brands offered significant discounts on mid-size cars and SUVs, likely a result of falling sales due to COVID-19. OEM’s are offering aggressive deals on lease payments to attract shoppers and…

If current events have you feeling like Jan from the Brady Bunch -- Corona, Corona, Corona! -- then you need a coffee break from the news and your typical social media feed.

Let's dive into some budgeting! Our CEO Dave Spannhake was the Marketing Director for a 33-store group in Raleigh, NC. While this episode of the KPI Cafe isn't about pandemic budgeting, it does offer relevant insights for efficiencies and allocation that can help your bottom line.…

Welcome back to our video series, “What’s the Story with Ali Reda?” Thank you for being here with us! We’ve spent time with Ali in the previous weeks hearing all about the business of his business, how he…

These are interesting times that have me thinking about 2008 when it seems our world would collapse. Negative thoughts amplified the facts causing most of us to question our future. My own personal situation at that time included a health issue that took away the use of my right hand from surgery and complications from it for…

There are many paid search vendors in automotive retail; however, that doesn't mean they're implementing best practices. Host Dane Saville offers perspective on what differentiates a company that'd simply be your dealership's vendor versus valuing a true partnership.

If…

During this challenging time, all dealers and automotive retailers are looking at their advertising expenses and trying to decide how much they can cut without it hurting their business any more than necessary.   While there is no magic formula, it is a fact that search volume is down in the auto industry by around 30%, which gives you a rough idea of how much (at least) you probably can cut your digital ad spend with little negative affect.  On the other hand, reaching out to your…

I put together a short list of 6 tips that progressive dealers can use to implement creative solutions to ensure the safety and health of their customers and employees.

If you think of other helpful tips, feel free to add on to this list. 

Here are mine:



1. Formalize, communicate and execute an action plan



Everyone’s inboxes are flooded with information from companies about their…

As the Novel Coronavirus continues to spread and reports of hand sanitizer and toilet paper shortages increases, our team wanted to do something to help support car dealerships that have recently shut down their showrooms.

After many discussions with clients & partners, the team created materials for dealerships that don't have the internal marketing staff or resources to update their website and enhance their customer communications.

Free…

As we work through the Corona-Virus together here are a few things to consider as you build-out Virtual Retailing.

Online Credit Applications Increase as Shoppers Seek Alternative Means of Vehicle Acquisition

Swapalease.com, the nation’s largest car lease marketplace, reports car lease credit applicants registered a 72.3% approval rate in February, an increase from the January rate of 70%. The desire to have more flexibility in a lease has continued to be a primary driver for more people to seek vehicle leases with shorter terms that they can afford on secondary markets such as…

There's a "public" in public health

Pandemics don’t care where you were born.

They don’t discriminate based on gender, sexual preference, or the color of your skin.

Pandemics don’t care who you voted for, nor whom you support in 2020.

They don’t pay attention to what cable news channels you watch, radio…