Is your dealership blocking access to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media sites? If this is the case, are you frustrated with your Dealer Principal's decision to block access?
I recently came across a situation where a dealership group was divided on how…
As most everyone knows, ignorance of the law is no excuse. Yet, it’s clear that some dealers really have no idea if their staff is knowledgeable enough to follow the maze of rules and regulations that govern their organizations. Indeed, there sometimes seems to be a tendency for folks to bury their heads in the sand and hope for the best. If…
VinAuditIntroduces Vehicle History Reports with Real-Time Data for a Fraction of the Price of a CARFAX® Report & AutoCheck
The National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) is administered by the U.S. Justice Department and, under federal law, all insurance companies, salvage and junkyards, salvage auctions and towing companies are required to report to NMVTIS. The System is intended to ensure key vehicle history information is available accessible,…
@NewVisionSales : I have been in the car business for 34 years. I have been a Dealer for 19 of those years. Glynn is the closest I have seen to matching the style and training philosophy that I prefer and that this business desperately needs. A real professional! Keep up the good work. #DD12
Finding, Connecting and Building Win-Win Relationships
Networking is the cultivating of positive, give-take relationships between two or more people that are beneficial to one another. In the past you had to set aside specific time with which you could network with a group of people,…
Every day in Buy Here Pay Here, New and Pre-owned operations there are universal problems which all dealer’s face. Mainly vehicles breakdown and customers don't have the money for repairs. Which equals upset customers and repossessed vehicles. So, you better have a plan. The options which I see most dealers choose include:
Buying a third party warranty or service contract to sell the customer? This has its own problems. Laying out that upfront cash, for a BHPH dealer, can…
An interesting report from comScore and I think some premonitions for retail automotive.
Could FREE shipping break open real eCommerce for automotive? I think it is certainly a big hurdle right now logistically and monetarily. Taking away the monetary factor may go a long way toward opening this up. Of course there are still some logistics involved and there is the tactile factor. The need to touch and feel the vehicle is diminishing slowly and…
Auto sales are recovering because of the superior value offered by manufacturers -- not because of the economy. What else explains why auto sales recovered in 2011 while so many other economic indicators remain poor? Do increased sales volumes in 2011 mean that the US economy is recovering or is it indicative of the automobile's value proposition to the consumer?
While most agree that the economy is slowly improving, unemployment is still north of 8.3%, the real number is 11% when you…
Rolling through the desert at 8pm, we see the first lights. More appear in the distance, and soon the entire landscape is coated in the glow of hotel and casino lights.
“It looks like a bar of gold,” my co-pilot on this trip marveled. “Just a ridiculous amount of life surrounded by the desert.”
We were heading into Las Vegas for the NADA Convention, and this was an awesome welcome to the city for us. Much like those lights, the convention energized me…
The deadline to post OSHA 300 logs was February 1, 2012. If you haven’t posted yet, don’t panic. You might be exempt. This short video walks you through the record keeping requirements and many exemptions. The video focuses on federal OSHA guidelines; some state agencies may have different requirements. Check…
American Express and Twitter announced a new pilot program starting in March for 10,000 Amex small business owners. Car dealers looking for new tools in their Automotive Advertising strategy, should take note of this limited trial.
On the heels of Data Wars, I thought this was a pertinent article to share from the Washington Post. While it does not specifically pertain to the discussion at hand it continues to point out how vulnerable data can be at various points and what it can be used for.
Little-known firms tracking data used in credit scores - The Washington Post …
There are two types of people in this world; those who tend to over think or those who tend to under think. Many people mistakenly apologize for over thinking situations. The act of over thinking is not bad, but when you over think could be-particularly in sales. Over thinking should be done in the preparation and practice stages of your sales career not…
After attending a very detailed week long training event, a group of new salespeople were starting their first day on the sales floor. They were full of energy, enthusiasm and excitement. The product is new, the environment is new and they’re filled with possibilities. Enthusiasm paired with a growing understanding of their product makes for…
How many times has your owner or manager announced "Changes are going to be made in regards to ....".
What do the faces of your team look like? Scared? Resigned? Amused?
Instituting change in your company is not an easy thing. It takes time, strategy and a commitment from all involved. It especially takes discipline from the top leaders to keep everyone…
Why does GM think they have to be so involved? They are like that friends parents in high school that are WAY too involved. Just get out of our way and let us sell some cars. I can't help but think that a majority of dealers have to be smarter than they let on to be. With GM buying Google ad words, and making us compete against ourselves, forcing us to have a Cobalt site, and now taking over our Yelp, Google…
KPA is in the process of creating a dealer recognition program. This program is designed to acknowledge the efforts of dealer management and employees in creating a safe and environmentally friendly workplace. This page will provide regular updates on our progress.
“I don’t need another book on farmin’, when I ain’t farmin’ as good as I know how right now!”
I remember that statement like it was yesterday. That’s what a dealer told me over the phone back in 1987, in the the early days of my consulting career. It was right after I explained the services I could offer him. He made it very clear to me that he wasn’t interested in anything new and different. He knew that “magic bullets and shiny objects” wouldn’t provide the solutions he…
While at NADA, I heard quite a bit of buzz about mobile websites. Does my dealership need one? If I already have one, do I need to actually optimize it? Is mobile traffic really growing as rapidly as everyone says it is? Should I be making my car dealership’s mobile website a priority to sell more cars?
The answer to all four of those questions is absolutely, unequivocally--YES.
With a nod to Valentine’s Day, here’s a little fun for readers who love compliance. The rule of the game is that all the answers start with either the letter V or D.
Please post your answers to comments on this blog page @…