Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Douglas R Manley on January 2, 2011 at 6:06am

I will take a shot at this using numbers.  When I joined DealerElite the first question I asked myself was who these folks are?  So I went to the members profile to find out.  In my spare time I slowly began to look at member profiles and categorized the members as dealership personnel and non-dealership personnel.  After looking at 1,376 profiles I stopped looking and decided that 1,376 out of 4,564 members was a fair sample.  As unscientific as this sample is the results showed: 

 

751 of the members are non-dealership personnel and represented 55% of the total.

 

 

Vendor Partner	543
Trainer	100
Car Enthusiasts	69
Manufacturers	39
Total	751

 

625 members are dealership personnel and represented 45% of the total:

 

 

Internet	139
Sales	92
New Sales Manager	83
General Manager	72
Dealer	48
BDC	32
GSM	30
F & I	23
Administrative	18
e-Commerce	16
Service	14
Vice President	13
Used Car Manager	12
Marketing	11
Management	9
Parts	7
Social Media	3
CRM	2
Body Shop	1
Total	625

 

The original question was:   Has anyone noticed that not one dealer, owner, GM or GSM is participating in this discussion?  

 

The sample shows there are 48 dealers, 72 General Managers and 30 GSM’s and that means the decision making audience is 10.9% of the total.  If they ain’t there, they can’t participate.

 

And if one counts only the Dealer or the General Manager as the final decision maker,

the percentage shrinks to 8.7%

 

 

 

THE ANSWER:  THEY AIN’T THERE.

 

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Permalink Reply by MANNY LUNA on January 3, 2011 at 12:29am

Love your answer Tom!!

Tom Wilson said:

"Has anyone noticed that not one dealer owner, GM or GSM is participating in this discussion?"

 

John, I'll address this question.  As a Director for a dealer group, I've had many discussions with the owner about such things as web presence, social media and participating in auto related sites; specifically dealerELITE.  After several probing questions, I got the impression that he's happy communicating with his fellow 20 group members.  The store GM's and fellow Directors collectively roll our eyes when he disappears for a few days to a 20 group meeting.  We know that 20 group generated brilliant ideas will be headed our way just as soon as he gets back.  Then, after a few weeks, any changes he implemented will go limp and we'll be right back to where we started.

 

My impression is that many dealers are happiest when fellow 20 groupers are blowing sweet nothings in each others ears.  Sites like DE are filled with a depth of talent in a variety of disciplines and quite frankly, can be intimidating to a dealer who's happy with his status quo.  I'm not casting stones at every dealer as I know several who are very progressive and always looking to improve their operations, but a lot of dealers are quite comfy where they are and it'll take a real strong reason for them to change.

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Permalink Reply by MANNY LUNA on January 3, 2011 at 4:08am

John you need the right people to see your Product ?

Call Tom!

http://www.thomaskain.com/Endorsements.htm

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Permalink Reply by Bobby Compton on January 3, 2011 at 7:47am

There are clear trends to look at in this picture, and another point of view to consider!

Firstly, there is no question that the absolute best trainers, vendors, recruiters and cutting edge solutions are available all right here on dealerELITE.

Some of the most active participants are vendors, trainers, and recruiters. Take note, some of the creators of this site originate from the dealership setting! Simply put, a brilliant concept.

The trend: dealerELITE is the fastest growing Automotive website on the planet. Many partnerships, alliances and friendships have developed as a direct result of dealerELITE.

A different point of view: I know many outstanding Dealers, GM's and etc who are very involved in the day to day operations, leaving little time left for anything else! Not an excuse, simply facts...

The key is to keep things positive, informative, and everything that this site stands for, so that when Dealers, GM.s' GSM's and all others find this site, it's as inviting then as it is now!

The way I see it, dealerELITE has accomplished what many would consider impossible. Spread the word to more Dealers, GM's, GSM's and all involved in our wonderful industry.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on January 3, 2011 at 9:16am

...Wow Tom...that just couldn't be said any better! How can that be changed in your opinion?
Tom Wilson said:

"Has anyone noticed that not one dealer owner, GM or GSM is participating in this discussion?"

 

John, I'll address this question.  As a Director for a dealer group, I've had many discussions with the owner about such things as web presence, social media and participating in auto related sites; specifically dealerELITE.  After several probing questions, I got the impression that he's happy communicating with his fellow 20 group members.  The store GM's and fellow Directors collectively roll our eyes when he disappears for a few days to a 20 group meeting.  We know that 20 group generated brilliant ideas will be headed our way just as soon as he gets back.  Then, after a few weeks, any changes he implemented will go limp and we'll be right back to where we started.

 

My impression is that many dealers are happiest when fellow 20 groupers are blowing sweet nothings in each others ears.  Sites like DE are filled with a depth of talent in a variety of disciplines and quite frankly, can be intimidating to a dealer who's happy with his status quo.  I'm not casting stones at every dealer as I know several who are very progressive and always looking to improve their operations, but a lot of dealers are quite comfy where they are and it'll take a real strong reason for them to change.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on January 3, 2011 at 9:06pm

...Thank you Tom and this discussion just keeps getting better and better..Typically what I do and I'm going to do it again after I put a period on this sentence is click on the share button and send this to AutoMax's face Book page,I feel strongly about what you said about Social Media and getting GOOD info out to dealers...and dE is full of great info,but there are only 4500 or however many people here,on FB 550 million...heck we have 3700 friends and 2800 fans....times the number of trainers,staff and partner alliances we have that number is over 30,000....soooo if more people here shared these types of discussions on other sites,Twitter,FB etc....volume works?
Tom Wilson said:

Good question, Craig.  Here's what I see from my street-level point of view.

1. dealerELITE is a quality site with vast amounts of talent and anyone from any level at any dealer can come in, join up and learn new things or make some valuable contacts that will help them in the long run.
2. Google dealerELITE and you'll find glowing reviews and lots of positive reports.
3. Bobby hit it smack on the head, "The key is to keep things positive, informative, and everything that this site stands for, so that when Dealers, GM.s' GSM's and all others find this site, it's as inviting then as it is now!"

As with any product or service, DE needs to be marketed to the dealer body.  How?  I don't have the answer except that the social media phenom isn't going away.  Many dealers subscribe to the theory that whatever 19 other people are doing is what I'm gonna' do too.  So, what inroads do any of you have into the 20 groups?  Starting at the grass roots in familiar territory for the hesitant, or doubtful, dealer might be a way to prod them to broaden their horizons. 

The collective "we" need to keep reminding dealers that the entire industry revolves around the customer in the showroom and that point of contact makes or breaks all of us.  With that being said, the dealer needs to see that the more progressive dealers who are participating in "out-of-the-box" thinking are getting more traffic and more points of contact in their showrooms.

Sooner or later the large percentage of dealers that belive that "we always did it this way and it always worked" will eventually be dragged out of the stone age and into the 21st century.  It won't happen overnight, but sooner or later (and maybe just out of curiosity) they'll come around.  It's an evolutionary process that is sometimes frustratingly slow.

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Permalink Reply by NANCY SIMMONS on January 3, 2011 at 9:19pm

Well, John, my initial reaction to this is...They are all too busy selling cars and doing what they do best to be here on this site!  However, we know that is not the case.  I just left retail after 33 years, 28 as a Comptroller.  I fear the true reason why many dealers and GM's don't engage on these social medial platforms designed for free networking is... they don't want to change!  Please tell me this isn't so.....

 

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Permalink Reply by Mark Dubis on January 6, 2011 at 10:24pm

John, 

Thanks for starting this great discussion based on my comment. I'd like to share the following quote for our participants.

“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”
— General Eric Shinseki, retired Chief of Staff, U. S. Army

Quite simply applying this to our industry, dealers who do not change their "status quo" ways will soon become irrelevant. Consumers have too many options and will choose to do business with dealers they trust and who offer a great buying experience. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Leonard Buchholz on January 7, 2011 at 9:51am

There is no greater opportunity than providing one in need with the power to change their circumstances. And unless you are the one in need, chances are you are not looking to change. And if you are not looking, you certainly won't find your way here.

I think dealerelite is exactly what it is...a meeting place...the corner coffee shop if you will...where people in the industry come to sit down and have a cup of coffee and visit with other people just like them.

There is an old saying that goes something like this..."you are most comfortable around those who are most like you" and there is no better example of that than what you have here.

 

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