In my last few blogs, I’ve discussed how to handle recall customers and why dealers should embrace them rather than be afraid of them. We’ve also reviewed new and used car recalls, along with the applicable laws and consequences for any failure to comply. The one area I haven’t yet discussed is recalls in your service drive. Sure, you have customers who know they have a…

Words, both written and spoken, have been the primary form of communication for centuries. We use them to share news and stories, comfort loved ones and to connect with long distance friends.

Then along came social media, which almost instantly transformed society from one which was largely based on local interactions, to a more global community. The written…

The Online Perception

Perhaps Buzz is a bit naive... or... maybe Woody has had a bad experience in the past. (For those of you who don't have have kids, I am referencing the image above.) The bottom line is that you have 2 different characters, with 2 different reactions to the same activity: buying vehicles online.  I selected this image because I think it truly reflects the current state of online remarketing as we continue to transition…

Part II: Increase Employee Engagement

When dealerships are focused on social selling, they’ll be able to increase employee engagement, as well as boost their bottom lines.  Most businesses already know increasing employee engagement is important, because engaged employees are more dedicated, motivated, and committed to helping them succeed in their overall endeavors.  You’ve heard quite a bit about how social selling can boost your profits, but it also plays an…

We have all heard the saying, "referrals are the lifeblood of a salesperson's business." This statement is true, and it's true for many different reasons. When a trusted friend refers you, your opportunity to sell is amplified. Referrals must be earned before they are to be expected, yet salespeople often do not know how to build a referral network. When a salesperson asks…

   Mr. / Mrs. Dealer, remember when you were the green pea in this wonderful business? When I first started selling cars, my sales manager was a retired British officer. "Dot your I's and cross your bloody T's", Jack would bellow. He knew Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan dictator, when he was a Lieutenant (Pronounced Left-tenant). He told me the story of Gaddafi demanding air conditioning units installed in their barracks in the otherwise holes in the walls. So, the British Army…

Vast executives to share insights on how a shift in fundamental marketing strategies can lead to increased used vehicle sales for car dealers

Austin, Texas – June 22, 2016 – Vast announced today that two of its executives from its CarStory^® product team will be sharing insights into how dealerships can improve marketing strategies to make stronger…

I frequently talk about the current industry disrupters taking sales from dealers – the Beepis, Vrooms and Carvanas, amongst others. These companies snuck up on dealers and, with little warning, jumped into the spotlight and sucked investors into a future Nirvana of car buying bliss. They are currently blasting feel good messages to consumers portraying car dealerships as inconvenient -- pushing a message of an easy buying experiences which, unsurprisingly, consumers (and investors) have…

Part I: Social Selling and Your Bottom Line

There’s serious hype about social selling in every industry, but do you know what it means for your dealership?  Do you know how it can impact your sales, your employee engagement, and ultimately your bottom line?

If not, it’s time to take a look.  There are several ways social selling can dramatically impact your dealership, and in Part I of this 3-part series, you’ll gain insights that will help you…

Are you looking for fast and easy ways to speed up the success of your business? 

This week on Think Tank Tuesday, Paul will go into detail about techniques you need to use to brand your business and become successful in no time.  The first step? Ask yourself these questions.

Why are you unique?

What do you do as a business owner that is…

CallSource Sponsors “Personal Development” Track at Second Annual 2016 Women in Automotive Conference Company founder and director, Carey Fried, to lead “Mindful & Emotional Intelligence for Leaders” workshop Westlake Village, CA – June 21st, 2016 – CallSource today announced that company director and founder Carey Fried will present a workshop based on Google’s “Search Inside Yourself” curriculum at the upcoming Women in Automotive (WIA) conference taking place in Orlando, FL (June…

Welcome to this week's edition of Black Book Market Insights, with in-depth analysis of used car and truck valuation trends and insights straight from the auction lanes. Click here to download…

Swapalease.com, the nation’s largest car lease marketplace, reports car lease credit approvals registered a 61.1% approval rate for May, a significant drop from the approval ratings in April (69.9%).

As consumer confidence decreases it may be pulling credit approvals down with it. Consumer confidence weakened slightly in May, dropping 92.6, down from 94.7 in April according to The Conference Board. As the year continues,…

What Drives the Automotive Aftermarket’s Online Shoppers

E-commerce continues to be on a rapid path of growth in the automotive aftermarket industry, especially as the average age of automobiles climbs beyond its current record of 11.4 years. According to new research by …

Tips and Strategies on valuing a trade or buying vehicles outright!

Valuing vehicles is a skill and as with all skills they can be learnt. How do you learn? PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

If you are an experienced valuer this just may be a good refresher. If you are just starting to value vehicles hopefully you find this beneficial. If you get one or two tips out of this list it has been worth your while to read.

• Use an…

Albany, N.Y. – June 20th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems today announced the full agenda of speakers and presentations for its National Customer User Summit to be held September 19-21, 2016 at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center. All sessions offer practical "how to" advice from vendors that integrate with Auto/Mate's dealership management system (DMS), and/or actionable strategies that attendees can take home to…

Still need to feel more secure about a secure cloud?

Summer is officially here and like a good oil change, your document management could probably use one last tune-up for a smooth ride into the new quarter. Our solution is a great place to start in maximizing efficiency, but most importantly, keeping paperwork more secure.

Going paperless can be an exciting…

Can you guess what the most common complaint about sales people is, from both customers and sales managers alike?

It's this; sales people simply talk too much. And since many of us do indeed talk too much, what do you think the second most frequent complaint we hear about sales people would be? It's this; we don't listen. In light of the first, this second complaint…

This Week in Social Media

News for the Week of June 16

Snapchat Content Now More Discoverable

Snapchat is bringing updates to users and making its content more discoverable by revamping its Stories and Discover pages.  The Snapchat Discover page will now feature a grid-style format, much like Pinterest, as well as headline previews which will allow users to…

The intention of a loyalty program is to show your customers that they are appreciated and encourage them to choose your business over any competition. These programs can create value and generate lifetime relationships with customers -- as long as the experience remains consistently pleasant.

However, a trend currently rearing its head in the loyalty…