So many trainers like to tell you when they started in the business, how great they were and how they single handedly saved a manufacturer from near ruin. Not my thing. I’m simply stating that I sold my first vehicle for a dealer in January of 1979 for the purpose of this article. What I’m sharing, I’ve participated in, witnessed or at least saw from a distance. In other words, I was there.

    As I got to be about 6 months into the sales end of the business, domestic dealers were…

We've all heard that expression, "The tail is wagging the dog." In retail, that usually means our sales staff is dictating management rather than the other way around. Usually, the fix occurs when new management or a new training process comes in and everyone gets to start on the same page. However, the decision to change process or change personnel is at the dealer level.

Lately, a much larger tail has been dominating the countryside and predicting the end times if we continue as we…

     As Director of Training, I am always paying attention to the needs of dealers to see if a simple suggestion or note would solve the problem, or if it’s a larger issue, a training program to change the current practice.  As it is with most things that involve change, I’m usually met with resistance.  “If it’s so important, why are you the first to tell us?”

     Sometimes, it’s because a new practice has emerged, but most of the time, I’ve discovered that I wasn’t the first…

https://youtu.be/uf-O19szFeA

If you look at the video and understand the potential, email me for times when you can stop by our suite and see an actual demo. You'll see cutting edge technology that is so powerful that 1,200 Ford dealers have already enrolled. This world class marketing system is now available to any dealer regardless of size.

If you are going to NADA and don't email me at jfuhrman@otiservices.com and set u an…

by John Fuhrman – Director of Training, OptionSoft Technology

     Recently, I was visiting with a dealer and the recent rash of articles concerning compliance came up.  As I shared what I knew on the subject and the current climate concerning fines and penalties, the dealer sat back, smiled and said, “I’m good.  We use a menu.”

     Since I was there to train the F&I managers (there were seven), I thought I’d…

     Imagine a customer walks into your showroom and all your people are tied up with other potential customers.  With all the technology available could you keep this unattended customer occupied until one of your staff freed up?  If so, what would you share with the customer?  Is there a specific message that might compel them to wait a bit longer?

     John Cash Penny stated that 50% of all advertising is wasted.  We just don’t know which 50%.  That’s all about to…

©2016 By John Fuhrman, Director of Training OptionSoft Technologies

     Everyone’s talking about the cost of health care these days.  What does that have to do with an article in a magazine for successful dealers?  Bear with me for a moment.  Most dealers are of an age where it would benefit them to get an annual checkup.  Suppose you wanted only the best and most accurate information and bypassed your regular doctor.

     You visited an…

The $4,000 Tap

By John Fuhrman – Director of Training, OptionSoft Technologies

     There’s an old story that goes something like this.

     A dealer was getting increasingly frustrated with all the technology in his dealership.  He purchased all the best money could buy.  But, when it came to training and support, it never seemed to be in the budget.  So, people came and went, and the…

As many of you know, I've been involved in this industry since cars took leaded gas.  There have been many changes.  Some good, some not so much.  One thing that has seemed to be a constant is selling extended service contracts in your service drive has been an abject failure.  

Dealers get excited about it.  Service Writers train for it.  Sometimes it even takes off selling.  But, usually within weeks, sales slow to a trickle and then become a forgotten practice followed by the ever…

DMDIRECT announces Michael Vahl as Director for Software Design and Technology

Machias Me, December 15, 2014 - Former software designer for ADP joins DMDIRECT.  Michael Vahl has signed on as the technology director for the data mining company.  He is responsible for the platform design as well as adding innovations to the data mining service.  He has assembled a team of…

http://youtu.be/8xbo_FkIx3U

As you can hear in the attached video, we're ready to prove what has improved in equity data mining technology. DMDIRECT is poised to take on the challenge of all the rooftops ignored thus far by other data mining companies.  We are also adding new technology that has never been available under one brand.

For example:

• Text Marketing to…

Data Mining has taken a gigantic leap forward this year as www.dmdirectglobal.com announces the latest in technology advances for data mining of previous customers.  DMDirect has engaged top level software designers from ADP and the designer of the site RAPIDLEGAL.com.  This means that in addition to having one of the auto industry's top sales expert coupled with the leaders in software design, they can now offer dealers more…

TECHNOLOGY HOLDING COMPANY TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY

August 5, 2014, California, Already working with a start-up that will change the consumer world as we know it. Imagine a battery that will keep your smart phone charged for 30'days. What would it be like to power your entire house(Or Dealership) off the grid for less than $200 a month, including heat? Now, think what it would be like doing this with absolutely no fossil…

What Were You Thinking?

       It has often been said that the questions are the answers when it comes to selling anything.  The better you become at asking questions, the more success you’ll enjoy.  The key is asking the right questions.  But, you can’t teach every question for every situation.  Otherwise your sales people will never leave the training room.

     There is one question that I believe fits any situation and it provides…

        It's no secret that those of us who train for The Dealer Resource Group, spend a ton of time on the road.  A lot of windshield time can make you listen to anything on the radio to just hear some noise and stay awake.  That happened as I was driving 11 hours to get to our last assignment.

           I'm hitting the seek button on my rental's radio for what seemed like hours when it finally found a station.  I heard that familiar twang of the guitar and knew this was a country…

There is an old expression, "You can't judge a book by its cover."  But, as the author of 10 books (#11 will be "Auto Sales for Dummies with Anthony Bartoli), I can tell you that statement is false.  My publishers spend almost as much on having a great cover design as they do on the entire layout process of the book.  Why?

 

They want to impress you into buying the book.  Now, some of my books have sold because they were recommended.  Others were sold because large organizations…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: dealerresourcegroup@gmail.com

WILMINGTON, NC - NOVEMBER 20, 2012 - After careful evaluation, New York publishers John Wiley & Son have selected two of Americas top trainers to be added to the family of books known as the "Dummies" franchise.  Trainers John Fuhrman and…

I am writing this from the airport in Manchester, NH as I head back to Wilmington, NC.  Hurricane Sandy has left her mark on the North Carolina Coast and is heading north for what forecasters think will be a huge event.  I'll be glad if I just make it home today.       Many of the homes up here are equipped with back up generators to handle loss of power issues.  Stores were selling out of extra water and batteries as folks prepared for the worst.  I think we can all agree this is just being…

We are proud to announce that once again, our founding partner and senior trainer, Anthony Bartoli, will be a featured speaker at the 13th annual Digital Dealer Conference.  Anthony will be speaking with Rich Lucy and discussing "How To Build An Internet Department From The Ground Up" (http://www.digitaldealerconference.com/s peakers/). 



In addition, dealers and vendors will be able to…

How many hours do your sales people spend at the dealership on a daily basis?  If you're like most dealers, there will be days when the staff works key to key.  Those 12 hour days can drag for some.  But, for those who have customers, it seems to speed by.

That said, how can dealers tolerate the speed merchants who call themselves…