All Blog Posts (12,628)

HOW TO IMPROVE SALES PERFORMANCE FOR YOUR DEALERSHIP

Let’s face it: every dollar you invest in your dealership needs to come with a return, and that goes double for the money you spend on boosting sales performance. As competition between dealerships is becoming ever fiercer, savvy owners and GMs are looking for new and innovative ways to increase profits with the most cost-effective strategies. 

There…

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 14, 2024 at 10:41am — No Comments

Behind the Scenes: Where Deals Die

You wouldn't believe the horror stories I hear from friends and family about car shopping. But guess what? They're not the only ones. As a lifelong retailer, I've seen firsthand the internal circus creating such a frustrating customer experience. Here's a dirty little secret: a lot of the blame falls on lazy managers who simply don't care. …

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 10, 2024 at 3:01pm — No Comments

7 RESULTS A PHONE MYSTERY SHOPPER CAN PRODUCE WITH YOUR TEAM

As showroom traffic slowly drops and customer habits change, your sales team’s phone skills are becoming more important than ever for maximizing revenue and hitting monthly sales goals. Customer service, in-person appointments, long-term loyalty, and higher sales and service engagement are all critical benefits you’re relying on your team’s phone skills to…

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 9, 2024 at 10:18am — No Comments

The Exhausting Reality of Car Shopping

When I recently set out to purchase a new car, I was starkly reminded of the vast chasm between the ease of digital browsing and the actual car-buying process. My career as a sales consultant had not prepared me for the frustrating reality faced by today's car buyers—a journey marred by outdated sales tactics, poor communication, and a startling lack of transparency. …

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 7, 2024 at 8:59am — No Comments

STRUGGLING DEALERSHIP SALES TEAM? YOU NEED A MYSTERY SHOPPER!

You’ve been going over your dealership sales team’s KPIs and it doesn’t look good. You’ve been spending on training, but nothing seems to work. What’s going on? 

It could be any number of things, but there are a few obvious places to start. In most cases, revenue opportunities are left on the table because of inefficient or dated sales practices that…

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 7, 2024 at 8:36am — No Comments

Unlocking the Truth: The Real Cost Behind 'Special' Online Pricing

Are we still pretending that "unlock the [dealer name] price" is a treasure trove hidden on a dealership website? It’s 2024, and the cat is well out of the bag: most often, the price you see online is the price you get. Yet, the charade continues. Customers click through hoops hoping to reveal a special sales price, only to find it layered with conditional discounts—OEM Loyalty Cash, Military Savings, or OEM Finance cash—that may not apply to them at all. And let's not forget about…

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 5, 2024 at 8:48pm — No Comments

WHAT IS MYSTERY SHOPPING FOR DEALERSHIP SALES TEAMS?

One major component of any automotive Owner’s or GM’s due diligence is a constant and ongoing evaluation of your sales team members’ skills, growth, consistency, and quality of delivery. If you don’t invest in training upkeep, their skills slowly become outdated and develop holes, and that means one thing for your dealership: lost revenue opportunities. …

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 3, 2024 at 12:01pm — No Comments

FULL PRICE FOR HALF THE EXPERIENCE: THE UNSUSTAINABLE PRACTICE OF SELLING OVER MSRP

The days of selling at or above MSRP are numbered. What once seemed like an industry standard is now as antiquated as dial-up internet. Dealerships banking on extracting top dollar while delivering subpar service are finding their approach increasingly untenable. 

 

Today's consumers aren't merely purchasing a…

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 3, 2024 at 8:24am — No Comments

The Illusion of Choice: Why Too Many Options Lead Nowhere in Auto Sales

Picture yourself excitedly browsing a car dealership’s website and clicking on your dream car's vehicle display page (VDP). You're greeted by glossy images, detailed specs, and an array of options beckoning you to take the next step. Call us, chat now, schedule a test drive, apply for financing, or simply inquire — each button promises a gateway to your new car. But here's the catch: despite these myriad options, most roads lead to a dead end. …

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Added by Chris Vitale on May 2, 2024 at 11:25am — No Comments

What is Your Leadership Ratio?

Which Leadership Ratio Matters Most?

 

debt to equity…………….?

 

price to earnings…………?

 

net to sales………………..?

 

 

NO!    It’s the proportion of praise to criticism.

 

 

HINT:              …

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Added by Richard Nimphie on May 1, 2024 at 3:50pm — No Comments

The Jury Is Out: How Many Dealers Are Utilizing AI?

Based on a recent industry survey of auto dealership executives located throughout the U.S., approximately 31% of respondents said they still rely only on gut instinct to manage their dealership’s vehicle inventory. This represents almost one third of dealer executives who fall into this bucket. It is no wonder that the same survey also showed that the majority (36.9%) said they continue to struggle with managing inventory for both new and used vehicles.

With so much…

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Added by John Sternal on April 30, 2024 at 1:28pm — No Comments

“Proffesionalism” in Car “Sells:” Where Did it Go?

Imagine the anticipation of a customer eagerly awaiting a response after inquiring about their dream truck. The clock ticks, the excitement builds, and finally, an email notification pings. But disappointment sets in almost immediately—not only is the response late, but it's also laden with grammatical errors, spelling errors, punctuation errors, and glaring negligence. …

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Added by Chris Vitale on April 30, 2024 at 12:00pm — No Comments

5 Things Mystery Shopping Companies Can Do for Your Team's Skills

Evaluating your team’s performance is one of the most difficult and time-intensive jobs facing any management team. It takes effort and money to do the work yourself, and the data can be flawed for any number of reasons.



There are several training options available, but many of them can’t give you true insight into what your team can do to…

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Added by Chris Vitale on April 30, 2024 at 11:31am — No Comments

Car Pros Automotive Group Ranks 48th in the 2024 Automotive News List of Top 150 Dealer Groups

Marks the second consecutive year Car Pros is ranked in the top 50; the group, which represents Kia, Hyundai, Honda, BMW and MINI, is 4th in the nation in sales per rooftop

 

RENTON, WA – April 17, 2024 – Car Pros Automotive Group, a leading automotive sales and service group, announced today that it ranked 48th in the 2024…

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Added by Crystal Hartwell on April 17, 2024 at 12:54pm — No Comments

Auto Dealership Buy/Sell Market Achieves New Transaction Record in 2023, Surpassing 2021 Peak; Valuations Remain at All Time Highs for Top Franchises in High Growth Markets

Dealership buy/sell transactions increased 6% YoY according to the Annual 2023 Blue Sky Report by Kerrigan Advisors; 680 franchises sold in 2023, an increase of 5.4% compared to 2022, defying broader corporate M&A trends

 

Incline Village, NV – April 9, 2024 – The auto dealership buy/sell market experienced a record year of buy/sell activity with 397 completed dealership transactions, up 6% compared to 2022, according to the just-released…

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Added by Crystal Hartwell on April 9, 2024 at 12:43pm — No Comments

Car Pros Honda El Monte Honored with Honda Masters Circle Award for Second Consecutive Year

Dealership recognized as one of the nation’s top 50 Honda dealerships

 

El Monte, CA – April 3, 2024 – Car Pros Honda El Monte has received the 2023 Honda Masters Circle award from American Honda Motor Co., Inc., for the second year in a row, in recognition of being one of…

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Added by Crystal Hartwell on April 3, 2024 at 12:08pm — No Comments

CULA Selected by Citadel Credit Union for Indirect Vehicle Leasing

Credit Union Leasing of America further extends its reach in Pennsylvania, bringing the benefits of vehicle leasing to more consumers in the US

 

San Diego, CA & Exton, PA – April 2, 2024 – Credit Union Leasing of America (CULA) has been selected by Citadel Credit Union to bring the benefits of indirect vehicle leasing to its credit…

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Added by Crystal Hartwell on April 2, 2024 at 1:29pm — No Comments

Too Many Dealers Today Are Stuck In The Pandemic – Why Inventory Management Is Ripe For A Shakeup

In the years immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic, auto dealers experienced a paradigm shift in inventory management, pricing strategies, and overall business operational strategy. The unprecedented circumstances led to a period where inventory acquisition was viewed as a “get it however you can” mentality. However, as the market dynamics for supply chains have reverted back to a more pre-pandemic landscape, combined with a still-challenging economy, dealers find themselves facing new…

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Added by John Sternal on March 25, 2024 at 1:24pm — No Comments

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Lookup Service

A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) lookup service is a pivotal tool in the automotive industry, offering a window into a car's past that's as revealing as a personal biography. This 17-character code, unique to each vehicle, serves as a fingerprint, encoding vital details about the car's origin, specifications, and history. VIN lookup services transform these alphanumeric sequences into comprehensive reports, providing transparency and insight into a…

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Added by Terrel Watkins on March 22, 2024 at 11:30pm — No Comments

Car Pros’ Shirley Jones Recognized with “Women Paving the Way” Award

 

CDK Global Award recognizes Jones as an outstanding female leader in the automotive industry

 

RENTON, WA – March 19, 2024 – Car Pros Automotive Group today announced that CFO Shirley Jones has been recognized with a 2024 “Women Paving the Way” award from CDK…

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Added by Crystal Hartwell on March 19, 2024 at 11:06am — No Comments

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