Anyone in sales can probably agree that leaving dozens of voicemails a day that are never returned is the most frustrating part of automotive phone sales. The average voicemail return rate is 4.8 % and sales reps spend about 15% of their…

In one of my latest blogs, I talked about the opportunity that out-of-work or furloughed individuals had to educate themselves to increase their job skills regardless of whether the skills are in their current field or in another simply to open up more job opportunities in the future. We don’t know what’s going to happen when (or if) society returns to…

The retail car business in North America can be incredibly taxing on its employees. From 12-hour days to uncertain paychecks – salespeople can go from hero to zero quickly. As we all deal with this COVID-19 virus, many dealerships have experienced incredibly severe consequences. Some have had to close completely while under lockdown which, in some instances,…

OR how about dominating digital marketing? OR using social media to fill your…

We’ve spent the last few months closely watching the career of Carlos Huerta begin. Keep an eye on him, friends. You’ll hear more about him in the future - I’m sure of that!  We’ve heard all about the wins so far, and the challenges he’s faced along the way. Through his…

Up to 95 percent of today’s shoppers go online to research vehicles. But they still want a personal connection. According to the Local Search Association, 61 percent of new and used vehicle shoppers call a dealership once they’ve completed their online research. This number is likely to grow due to the prevalence of smart phones and click-to-call…

Today's customers expect and demand a fantastic experience. From initial research to the showroom visit, delivering a great experience at every touchpoint will give you a distinct advantage over your competition and help you win deals.

My last blog, 7…

Daphne, AL — September 23, 2019 — The Mar-Kee Group relaunches markeegroup.com with a completely new design to make sales training resources easier to navigate and faster to access for automotive dealerships, boat dealerships, and recreational vehicle…

More than ever before, customers are turning to the internet to research and shop for vehicles. This shift in behavior makes phone calls even more critical. Instead of visiting the dealership to ask vehicle questions, shoppers are turning to their phones. 

In my last blog, “…

While much has been written about how the “bots” are coming and will threaten to automate everyone’s job, the reality is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is about automating mundane tasks to improve the customer experience and better scale human interactions for solving the complex and unique issues.

Machine Learning (ML) is all about feeding…

When you consider the most valuable player at your dealership, who comes to mind? The dealer? The GM? The top-performing salesperson? What if I told you it's your receptionist. Yep, the person who is probably at the low-end of your pay scale. They are potentially working part-time, and maybe even new to the job, and you might even have a hard time remembering…

You know to protect your dealership computer system from hackers, but what about your phone system? Phone hacking is common and often overlooked until you get hit with fraudulent charges. According to the Communications Fraud Control Association, phone fraud costs companies over $4 billion each year. The majority of that cost is due to toll fraud;…

I often meet with auto dealers of all sizes across the U.S., and what I’ve seen is that very few realize how many opportunities they are missing due to unhealthy phone systems. Various research has shown that calls outpace internet leads by as much as 4:1 due to mobile devices and click-to-call buttons, but many of those calls go…

Dealerships lose hundreds of sales opportunities every year because of missed or mishandled phone calls. On average, a dealership fails to connect with 33% of incoming calls. For every 100 calls, that means you’re missing out on 33 potential deals! Phone calls are three times more likely to convert than other types of leads. It’s crucial to fix your phone…

There are three huge ways to transform the Social Media at your Dealership

Tell Your Story

Telling your Digital Story is a huge step in the right direction. In the most recent quarterly conference call, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicated that stories were the next big thing, and he’s a guy that knows the next big…

Daphne, AL — March 7, 2019 — The Mar-Kee Group announced the release of a brand new RV-Specific Service Advisor “Sales” Training program — “RV Professional Service Advisor…

In this modern age of transparency, dealers can get somewhat confused on the subject of pricing. Should they provide upfront pricing on their website, or ask customers to engage with their site first before receiving the dealership’s best price?

The industry is pretty divided on this topic, with consultants, trainers and others on both sides…

Do you have a few showroom guests that object to a write-up, even after they’ve…

Dealers are constantly inundated by trainers vying for their business. These trainers promise exponential success in sales and profits when they do. Many, however, are one-shot wonders in the sense that they come in, perform their training, get your staff pumped up and leave. What happens then? Chances are the lessons or knowledge that they may have learned…

The T.O. strategy has been around for quite some time, yet at some dealerships it’s not an “all the time” thing.  Some salespeople view it as a friction point with management.  Some handle it very well.   They are grateful for the opportunity to get additional support as a final effort to close a sale.

It is highly recommended…