Dealerships invest substantial amounts of money to get people into the dealership and consider a new car purchase. Investments in advertisements and promotions are necessary however, the greatest asset for building value in the sales department is the service department.

The service department generates…

Dealerships have many reasons to work with staff and write the best repair orders possible. This helps the dealership in so many ways however to carry a special interest in today’s dealership environment. First, it is critical in maximizing submissions to receive retail pricing on warranty repairs. Second is that poorly written repair orders cost…

Congratulations! Kansas Senate Bill No.39 takes effect July 1, 2019, this legislation requires manufacturers to reimburse Retail on Warranty Parts and Labor. We assist dealerships across the country to receive retail on warranty. Margin Plus client’s…

GREAT NEWS! Michigan enacted legislation that requires manufacturer's to reimburse Retail on Warranty Parts and Labor. Margin Plus clients average $200K in increased revenue the first year!

Click the above video to find out more about our…

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned about life is that it isn’t easy. It seems after hearing thousands of sales pitches over the years someone always presents a new fantastic way to make something quick and easy. I’ve always been open to new ideas and products that improve quality of life. Computers and cell phones are an excellent example of…

Let me start off by saying we know there are two kinds of news that people hear about. The first is mostly negative news that might illustrate a criminal is caught breaking into a bank. The second is less popular that might include an accomplishment of some kind or overcoming an obstacle that might seem insurmountable.…

Let me start off by saying we know there are two kinds of news that people hear about. The first is mostly negative news that might illustrate a criminal is caught breaking into a bank. The second is less popular that might include an accomplishment of some kind or overcoming an obstacle that might seem insurmountable.…

It’s not a surprise that the words “OEM Procedures” cause a collision center manager to perk up these days. It’s been over a year since the epic Seebachan HONDA Fit lawsuit verdict and OEM Procedures are still at the tip of everyone’s tongue.

As an owner, fixed ops director, or department manager…

We have built Margin Plus from the ground up with only one purpose in mind. That purpose is to file Warranty Reimbursement Increases for new car dealerships! Start the year off right with more gross in your pocket!

New Year’s…

As the current year is winding down it’s a common practice for people to set goals for the upcoming Year. Everyone calls these goals New Year’s resolutions. It’s the time of year people evaluate what they desire to accomplish and write them down as a New Year’s resolution to tackle on January 1st. Although I love…

This has been an incredible year in many ways for our family. It has also been one of the most challenging as I nearly drowned in Lake Erie. I haven’t shared that experience with many folks however, today sharing some lessons learned might be valuable.

My first lesson was the importance of wearing a life…

Growing up it didn’t take long to understand life is going to be full of challenges. It’s interesting to note many of those challenges were brought on by myself, however, others just find their way into my life. No matter who you are or what you do I am confident you’ve had a similar experience with your life. What makes the difference is how you respond…

Growing up as a Cleveland sports fan has many challenges however, it also includes a valuable lesson for us all. Most of the time talented free agents want to end up on a competitive team with other talented players. This makes a poor team dependent on having excellent draft picks to bring talent to them. This obviously creates challenges for Cleveland…

Over the years I’ve had the privilege to meet some amazing individuals. Some that were worth hundreds of millions of dollars and others that financially was challenged. I find it interesting that individuals I find impressive have common characteristics and have nothing to do with money. I remember the day I met John Bowling who had a…

One of the largest concerns facing the automotive industry is the shortage of Technicians. Many qualified technicians have left in retirement or have moved on to other industries that also have needs such as fleets or oil fields. Adding to this concern is very few young technicians have chosen to enter into a market with so many challenges. A…

I consider surgeons to be the utmost professionals in our society. The title of surgeon carries with it an immediate respectability. When we’re talking about taking a surgical approach in our dealerships it only makes sense if we desire to reach the respectability of a surgeon.…

In dealerships throughout the United States, there is a dramatic shortage of technicians. Technicians are leaving the industry or not entering into it because of the many challenges in today’s dealership environment.…

Congratulations California on passing your new state law (eff. Oct 1, 2018)! Did you know your state just passed that requires your manufacturer to reimburse you at Retail for parts and labor? Let us help you lock up thousands of dollars from the manufacturer in 60 days! Margin Plus clients average $200K in increased…

Bart Barna has over 15 years of experience in the dealership world. After his Honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy, he started his career in Automotive Sales. Then Bart started working his way up through management becoming a Finance Manager, Sales Manager, General Sales Manager and then a General Manager. We asked Bart what his favorite thing about being a manager was-is and he…

Several years ago, I wrote a newsletter titled “defining moments” when I talked about how our response to certain events in our life, define who we are as individuals. This was written back in 2009 when car dealers didn’t know if they were even going to be a dealership. Could they order cars and sell to the…