According to Black Book® data, the average price of a used vehicle for model years 2011-2015 increased in value by 0.4% in April. Cars overall saw an increase in value by 0.7% versus trucks, which saw a 0.3% increase. All vehicles are averaging a 12-month depreciation change of –16.9% entering May.

In April, Sporty Cars performed the strongest, increasing their value by 1.8%. Vehicles in the Sporty Car category include the Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, BMW…

The automotive industry is extremely competitive – not just locally, but also at the manufacturer level. Manufacturers spend truckloads of money on conquest marketing and brand loyalty – which you would think should be great for dealers – and, to some degree, it is.

But think for a just a second here, does your OEM really care whether your customer stays…

Ideas are only the iceberg for what's really important in your marketing campaign. On this week's #ThinkTankTuesday, Dan talks about a time that he had a great idea and it didn't end up like he had planned. Watch the video to learn how to protect your brand new ideas!

We’d love to hear what you have to say. Comment below and follow us on…

By Ryan Williams, President, Fidelis PPM

When a business fails, failure is rarely sudden. A post-mortem will usually uncover when and where the first rust of failure set in.

Take for example, the case of a failed mainline import store. Rust first crept in when uninspired management failed to update store…

If you're like most dealers when I say the term 'collaboration tool,' you may have no idea what I'm talking about. However, when I say the term 'Instant Messaging' you know what I'm talking about, but you may not like it. Remember a decade or so ago, when IM apps were all the rage in the workplace? Many…

Customer experience is increasingly important in business. Retail shops now compete for customer wallets with behemoths such as Amazon. As a result, stores now have to prove to customers they will receive a superior experience more valuable than the convenience of clicking a button to have their product show up at their door in 2…

When your service advisor team needs answers quickly and wants to avoid phone tag then texting is today’s solution. A text is responded to, on average, within 3 minutes – email and phone voice mail cannot complete.

The Advantage Tec texting solution is…

Book Values and Your Customer

How much money would you have if you got a dime every time you heard this phrase from a customer; “KBB says my vehicles is worth more than you are giving me.” How you respond next can make or break a sale…but if your dealership is beholden to book values, you are now in the unfavorable position of having to justify your price, against a price your customer trusts. (I’m going to go ahead and assume we are all clear on the problem of…

There are currently more than 63 million recalled vehicles still on US roads and highways, which is surprising when you consider that recall repairs are at no cost to the consumer. So, why are consumers so apprehensive about bringing you their recalled vehicles? Do consumers hate going to the dealership that much? 

A recent…

When it comes to sales management training for vehicle sales, I’m reminded of a quote I recently read by John Wooden, “The best leadership tool you have is to lead by example.” Every day I see people bending the rules to fit their desires. For example, in my neighborhood I see people intentionally run stop signs. What bothers me is that many of these people…

Book Values Matter, But…

I first want to start off by saying that I understand certain book values are a vital part of your business.  Depending on what part of the country you live in, getting a loan approved on a car is not possible without having an accurate NADA or KBB book-out within the finance packet sent to the bank for funding.

With that being said, dealers I’ve spoken with have become too beholden to their book value…

Who Has Time to Read Industry Magazine Articles Anymore?

None of us. But this is one you should read. Why? Because texting to support your service operations is a tool that you should deploy because your competitors are and a large number of your customers want the option to engage you by text.

Download your own personal copy of our article…

What do you do for a living? Whether it’s marketing or building a business, your business needs clients to survive.

If you’re wondering how to find new clients, this Think Tank Tuesday episode is for you. Click to see number 1 of my top 5 marketing tools that you’re probably not using. 

The best part is? This tool is nearly free. Watch now. …

How a dealership's custom-tailored Facebook Advertising strategy helps them move more metal

SARASOTA, FLORIDA, May 5, 2017 (Newswire.com) - Sarasota Ford, a Top 150 Ford Dealer, and Dealers United, a company that brings digital solutions to auto dealers, were recently published by Facebook Business highlighting the auto dealership's success with Facebook Advertising.



The case study showcases how the dealership triumphantly reached their local community and earned a…

Baltimore, MD, May 9th, 2017 – EY today announced that Erik Nachbahr, President and founder of Helion Automotive Technologies, is a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2017 Award in the Maryland region. The awards program, which is celebrating its 31st year, recognizes entrepreneurs who are excelling in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Nachbahr was selected as a finalist by a panel of independent…

Do you need a 300 page website which ranks on Google search for every product that you sell, and makes your phone ring off the hook?

Do you need to be able to edit, change, add products at will, easily?

Are you in a hurry, and not tech savvy, and have a…

While new cars are always attractive, there are times when used cars make perfect sense. From sustainability to a value hunting perspective, there are many reasons to buy used cars. Regardless of your reasons, spending the money for a used car on a Mercedes is almost…

Forget all those jokes you hear about the car salesperson. The automobile industry has come a long way and the car salesperson has evolved.

Gone are the days when car sales were solely conducted in garages and auto showrooms. Today, people…

ALBANY, N.Y. – May 8th, 2017 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems (http://www.automate.com) today announced its second national Customer User Summit, scheduled for October 11th - 13th in San Antonio, TX. The User Summit spans over three days and features breakout sessions and product experts giving in-depth training on the latest and greatest features of Auto/Mate's dealership management system (DMS).…

Discover 5 things the 2017 U.S. Women's Car Dealer Report will help you understand your female clientele better in this interview on CBT News with Joe Grubb.