All drivers would like to avoid purchasing a lemon, to begin with. If you find yourself with one, you need to learn how to avoid being taken advantage of by the automaker.

A vehicle may classify as a lemon if the manufacturing flaws interfere with the safety, use, or value of the vehicle while it’s under warranty.…

A recent article in Automotive News showcased how the overall market for DMS software is in flux with disrupters cracking the decades-old duopoly of CDK and Reynolds and Reynolds. NADA 2021 proved the point with as many as 20 companies exhibiting DMS software. If you’re one of the many dealerships who recently signed with a new provider, you’re going to need to buckle up.

 …

As the internet made way for a simpler car buying experience, many dealerships turned to a concept called a BDC, or Business Development Center, to handle the influx of phone calls from customers. These days, a BDC is practically a necessity in a thriving dealership. However, how do you tell if your BDC is functioning properly and ensuring the most customers…

How many times have you been told by a vendor that your current efforts aren't cutting it? If you don't sign up for their product, you're not going to get the same results. To then go with their product -- having been sold a bag of goods only to be left with a mess putting you in a worse position you were previously. Not to mention, don't you think some vendors have been conditioned to our tactics of saying, "well, what are other (your OEM) dealers doing"? To which they, in most cases,…

Dealers are increasingly adopting video in order to engage customers and win sales. Well, how about adopting this strategy in the F&I department as well?

As front-end margins decrease, many dealerships are placing more emphasis on F&I to make revenue. With digital retailing on the rise and customers shopping from home rather than in the…

One of the most valuable assets we possess can’t be measured, counted or displayed. It takes years to build and seconds to destroy, and we depend on it not only in business but in our marriages, friendships and all the other relationships in our lives. Our…

Cars.com Reports 57% of Americans Plan to Travel for Spring Break; 2 Out of 3 Travelers Say  COVID-19 Impacted Their Decision to Drive1

CHICAGO, March 25, 2021 — As the pandemic continues, Americans are…

When discussing recalls, I have always emphasized the importance of recall repair compliance. It makes the roads safer for vehicle owners, their passengers, and drivers sharing the road. NHTSA has stressed the importance of (and put a lot of effort into) notifying these vehicle owners of open safety recalls with the goal of reaching 100% safety recall…

HUNT VALLEY, MD, March 24, 2021 – Armatus Dealer Uplift, the industry leader in Retail Warranty Reimbursement, announced today that the Mississippi Automobile New Dealers Association (MADA) has named Armatus as the exclusive endorsed partner for Retail Warranty Reimbursement submission services for the MADA membership.

“HB-746 now makes Mississippi the 47^th state where dealers can be reimbursed at retail for warranty work and it also gives Mississippi a stronger warranty…

A new report from eLEND Solutions shows 80 percent of dealers surveyed fast-tracked adoption of digital retailing tools due to the pandemic. It’s no secret many dealers were…

Implementing a BDC at your dealership is a proven way to maintain control of leads and processes. However, too many BDC’s underperform or even break-down completely due to a fatal mistake: a poor BDC manager. Poor managerial skills lead to erosion of processes and employee morale, resulting in unanswered calls, long wait times, loss of business, and high employee turn-over.

 …

Personal URL Links and Conferencing Features are Designed to Boost Customer Response Rates and Close More Sales

Urbandale, IA—March 23, 2021—Two new features in Flick Fusion’s StreaMe live video calling application are designed to boost customer response rates, increase the number of customer conversations and make it easier for sales and service teams to close more sales.

 …

The phones are ringing off the hook. Your door is closed yet people keep pouring in. You have sales managers asking for their commissions, management wanting the final numbers for the month, a floorplan needing reconciled, and the statement still hasn’t been uploaded to the manufacturer.

I get it – I’ve been there. The dealership month-end…

While Many Lease Payments Hold Steady, Some Brands Decrease Monthly Rates While Others  

Test an Increase in Rates 

Wantalease.com, the nation’s first online car lease marketplace for new lease deals, reports the latest update on…

The 2020 Annual Blue Sky Report^® by Kerrigan Advisors reveals a red-hot market, with blue sky values up 20% and over 100 transactions in the fourth quarter alone; Toyota’s blue sky multiples increase

Incline Village, NV, - March 22, 2021–The auto dealership buy/sell market set new records in 2020, despite starting the year with pandemic closures and lockdowns, and swept past 2015’s previous high-water…

Consumer interest drops dramatically when showroom offers are just $50 different from what consumer was quoted online  

 Market Scan Information Systems, Inc., an industry-leading automotive SaaS / PaaS solutions and data provider, today announced results from a recent consumer survey it completed focused on consumer behavior associated with automotive digital retailing. The survey…

Phone and email are the titans of customer communications and most likely form the backbone of your business development. But they shouldn’t be the only way you communicate with customers. Relying on only one or two traditional forms of communication can be fatal to your dealership.

Customers today expect to be able to converse with you through multiple channels. Everything from texting to Live chat to Facebook messenger. And they want those communications to be seamless and…

We have all had that service call that starts with.… “My check engine light is on.… what’s wrong with my car? You can’t just tell me over the phone?” Sometimes the customer understands that a trained diagnostic technician is the best person to take a look and see what’s going on under the hood, and sometimes they just don’t. For the customers that get…

For decades, the unofficial motto of the auto industry seemed to be “we’re for anything but change.” Then the pandemic threw our “normal” sales process into a tail spin. Seemingly overnight, dealership floors turned into ghost towns and the sales process moved online.

While some dealerships are in states that are now open with decent…