Our latest News and Blogs

There is little doubt that the effects of digitalization, economic difficulties, and industry pressures are being felt. You might be as surprised by the findings of the poll of over 10,000 car buyers as our research team was.   Not all the news is negative… To win and keep an auto shopper’s business in the […]

Auto dealers need to learn how to sell the car they may or may not have on their lot more than ever because of ongoing inventory shortages, rising loan rates, and a persistent consumer demand. How can they accomplish that effectively? By putting an emphasis on improving their experiences and brand.   Changing consumer purchasing […]

In the past year, new car pre-ordering has become more common at dealerships, regardless of whether you’re just starting to learn how to properly and successfully sell it or you’ve been doing it rather successfully for a while.   As we all know, new car pre-order is now a reality and a way of doing […]

Everyone in the auto industry is aware that the previous year provided auto dealers with a series of obstacles to overcome. Inventory was low, consumer habits and our sector were still undergoing fast change, and the global macroeconomic environment still faced some pretty significant difficulties.   Today’s successful dealers have discovered that it’s time to […]

It’s not easy to start an auto dealership. Fortunately, there are online resources like SimpSocial.com that can help you learn how to start your own company. When creating the budget for your company, there are a few hidden expenses you need to be aware of. For that reason, I’ve compiled this list of business expenses […]

As we all know, manufacturers have been pressuring dealers to renovate for years. Dealers are spending millions to “Keep up with the Joneses” whether it be a full rebuild, a redesign, or even just a makeover. The majority of dealers consider these remodels to be major events, spending thousands on temporary structures and off-site storage […]

I want to open this post with a joke about “Captain Obvious,” but I’m not sure as I’ve discussed this topic with several dealers recently.   Whatever your short-term objectives (better inventory management, increased lead conversion, lower operational costs, etc.), the ultimate objective is to increase the amount of money you have left over at […]

On the marketing budget for 2022, all of the i’s and t’s have been crossed. You’re coming to the end of another successful sales summer. Although you’d always like to sell more, you’re happy with the way your store is going. The money you’ve set aside for marketing is wisely allocated and well-understood. What more […]

Consumers of today expect and deserve a quick and contemporary (digital) car-buying experience. Although our industry has made enormous steps in that direction, there is still a long way to go. Particularly in terms of F&I.     The F&I procedure takes forever. While purchasing a car probably won’t ever be as quick as buying […]

Although the subject of floor layout is not new, it has recently become much more engaging. According to a recent article by Auto News, floorplans increased from an average expense of $96 per vehicle in  2022 to a gain of $140 per vehicle in 2021. Gains are attributed to cheap interest rates, small vehicle inventories, […]

Do you find yourself questioning whether online retailing is really worth the hassle? To be honest, do you secretly hope it’s a trend that passes after the pandemic ends?   If you answered yes to those questions, you might be disappointed to learn that digital retailing probably isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, about […]

You recently paid another hefty DMS fee, your 20 Group told you about a wonderful new system, or you want improved support. Dealers may change DMS providers for a variety of reasons. Whatever the motivation, it’s a significant choice because your DMS affects every facet of your company.   I understand. I worked as a […]

The A-Team was fantastic. They were the coolest, in my opinion—even the van was fantastic! They collaborated better as a team, which was ultimately what made them great. It is simple to apply the “better together” principle to a separate A-Team, the “Accounting Team.” Simply put, gathering your team and switching to centralized accounting makes […]

According to an eye-opening story in Auto Dealer Today, dealers can earn up to $12,000 more in gross profit each month from retail reimbursement for warranty parts.   Given that the majority of manufacturers spend, on average, 40% more than cost, this makes sense. A dealer will effectively quadruple warranty gross profit without raising volume […]

Right now, the independent merchants I’ve spoken to are dominating. Before the chip problem, which continues to make purchasing high-quality used cars difficult, they bought up inventory. The price of used cars rose by a record 10 percent in April due to consumer demand, the largest monthly gain in more than a decade. How long […]

An excellent Forbes article describes the surge in used automobile values as well as their anticipated decline. It’s interesting that the headline of the piece used the words “crash” and “brace for impact.” Without a doubt, the used automobile market might explode as the real estate bubble did not so long ago. Customers are turning […]

“Blind Spots” is a fact-based manual for automobile retailers that offers tried-and-true, simple strategies for lowering their marketing expenses per sale and repair order (RO), growing their market share, enhancing their profitability, and outpacing the competition.   ATHENS –  Auto dealers have followed the same strategy for many years, but they’ve been hoping for different […]

You desperately need inventory if you’re reading this. We are all. I’ve never seen anything like it—there aren’t any new cars on the road.   When OEMs and dealerships closed during the pandemic, chipmakers turned their attention to electronics like PCs, as CNBC reported. They are finding it difficult to keep up with the increased […]

Autonomous technology is being developed by numerous car suppliers and manufacturers and is being included in the newest automobiles. The necessity of testing this technology is the crucial element here. Additionally, real-world driving scenarios with all of their potential variations were investigated. A typical motorist might run into other passenger vehicles, people walking or biking, […]

The Donner Party became stuck in the Sierra Nevada mountains during the winter of 1846–1847. Of course, they didn’t have the cutting-edge technology we do today, so things quickly got worse. You already know how the story ends if you are familiar with it. The zombie apocalypse wasn’t quite here, but it was near. What […]

During a customer-focused break-out session at a recent seminar for company owners, a buddy heard a story that struck a chord with everyone in the room. She told me about that incident.   One of the women I worked with had just bought the car of her dreams, and she adored it. She obviously adored […]

At many dealerships, electronic document storage is now more prevalent than not, and for good reason! The advantages are numerous, ranging from making audits simpler to getting rid of crowded filing cabinets.   As with every significant shift, there are obstacles. The main difficulty is the absence of a formal dealership scanning procedure.   Too […]

The state of the world economy has drastically changed since a few years ago. From massive corporations to small and medium-sized organizations, everyone is seeking ways to boost earnings, improve performances, and enjoy healthy competition. RFID personnel tracking systems are one option that many people are spending money on.   Through 2026, the market for […]

If you haven’t seen “The Matrix,” the main plot point is that robots have taken over the world and have given everyone a false sense of security while also exploiting people as energy sources (human batteries). Please bear with me as I explain; I’m not saying that’s what’s occurring or where we’re going.     […]

According to a Marchex and Root & Associates study from 2021, 91% of auto buyers claimed that choosing a dealership was influenced by how trustworthy the salesman and/or dealership were. That is more than the 85% of those who listed “absolutely lowest price” as a crucial consideration! It’s the people, as one of our great […]

Managers in the automobile sector have been telling their employees the real cost of a lead for years. A phone call or a walk-in consumer was thought to cost $200–300 when I started in 2003. It is much higher now. Take the overall marketing expenditure and divide it by the total number of leads to […]

Pedestrians have always had the right of way when crossing the roadway, as far back as I can recall. If the driver is inattentive or drunk, a car’s hundreds of pounds of weight and ability may kill a person (or several people) in a minute or less. Yes, crossing in front of oncoming vehicles is […]

Any object that is built needs a variety of tools for various operations. The prerequisite varies depending on the object. Therefore, it’s crucial to pick the appropriate instruments for each job.   Because they are power tools or are required for precise, delicate work, some instruments can be pricey to purchase. These gadgets can also […]

Many dealerships have “value proposition” videos, but the issue is that their approach is to have those videos noticed by “the right shopper.” Social media channels like Facebook, TikTok, and others are excellent for branding, high-funnel messages, and the occasional mid to low-funnel contact. The majority of the visitors to this website are mid- to […]

For many prospective automobile buyers, vehicle affordability is becoming a serious concern. The average cost of a new car has reached $48,000, according to Kelley Blue Book, and the average cost of a used car is above $28,000, per Cox Automotive. How are customers supposed to pay these astronomical prices? more so with cryptocurrencies. According […]

In order to inform viewers and improve the customer experience, video can be used to engage sales prospects. Car dealerships may exhibit their inventory, highlight the features and advantages of particular models, and even provide virtual test drives by producing interesting and educational movies. This can aid car dealerships in establishing themselves as a reliable […]

How can you use tailored video approaches across the sales cycle to connect with potential customers, convert opportunities, and close deals more quickly? We all know that video is a key engagement tool to cut through today’s noise.   1. Video Gets Past Inboxes   If it isn’t already, video content ought to be a […]

Money is beckoning when the phone rings. Even though it’s every dealership’s mission to pick up the phone and connect every caller with a helpful person, some calls will undoubtedly go unanswered. Voicemail messages left by clients offer a simple chance to follow up and win back their business. However, fewer individuals, particularly millennials, are […]

Managers, you are the key to fostering employee growth.   In fact, I’ll state that management is the secret to the success of every process implementation and operational endeavor.   Consult any vendor. Consult your OEM representative. Nothing happens without active participation and managerial buy-in. Your GM gets angry because they can’t gain buy-in,” and […]

Search Google   Google has been moving forward steadily with its Google Bard program over the last few years. This program’s goal is to compile all of human knowledge in a straightforward manner that answers your inquiries.   LaMDA stands for Language Model for Dialogue Applications.   An overly complicated subject can be rapidly simplified […]

One of your objectives when working in customer service for a dealership may be to schedule appointments for individuals to come in and test drive new vehicles. This may seem like a waste of time if you are new to the dealership, especially if individuals frequently drop by without an appointment to buy a car. […]

A car must do two things in order to be sold. Consumers must develop an emotional bond with both their business and the automobile they are purchasing. The traditional path to the sale has always included the step of “selling your dealership,” but the current inventory shortages have made this step superfluous. There are many […]

Goals for Service Absorption   The issue of their customers defecting and having their vehicles serviced at aftermarket facilities is one that dealerships and their service managers are always working to address. In comparison to OEM customers who continue to service through the dealership, OEMs reward dealerships based on the number of OEM customers registered […]

What does your sales floor have in common with Duke basketball? There was a ton of excellent stuff at the 2022 Executive Summit, which I just returned from. One of the keynote speakers provided the audience with a fresh perspective on your employee development approach. The Duke basketball team was one of the examples he […]

One of the questions that can be posed occasionally requires a little more explanation when breaking down the duties of a service adviser in terms of selling work. You might be wondering what that question is.   Here it is, then:   Is it better to sell a project to a customer in person or […]