LEADERS%20ARE%20BORN.doc

Like ‘natural’ food labels, has the overuse of ‘certified’ lost its power in the used car market?

Once upon a time, a label of ‘natural’ on food products… or anything else, conjured up images of health and purity and assurances that the product was pesticide and chemical-free – but today, with all things natural in vogue and not a standard or regulation in place, the label has suffered from over-exposure and it has become a far less meaningful brand…

In the February 28, 2012, issue of Up to Speed, I discussed the changing role of used vehicle managementand the overwhelming number of responsibilities that have become part of that function today. Although dealership managers must be accountable for all of the 30 regular responsibilities mentioned in that…

Last evening, as I was thumbing through my April issue of National Oil and Lube News (NOLN), I began to reflect on why and how the folks in the independent automotive repair and maintenance business managed to take such a large chunk of service business away from the franchised dealers. Well, in truth they didn’t take it away…we gave it away…years ago…based on our focus on warranty work, our prices, and our indifference to the service…

Hi All,

I collaborated on the following Edmunds’ article. I think the DealerELITE membership may find it very interesting and helpful. A dynamic has developed into search queries on Edmunds, and the broader web, where customers who are holding on to cars much longer than in years past, are increasingly searching for service advice on their aging vehicles, many…

Does your car dealership sell have more than one location?  If so, big news from Google Places.  In the past, it was difficult and cumbersome to create and manage more than one Places account.  To help their users, Google Places has created a new Bulk Listing Management Tool.

This new tool allows your dealership to edit one or more listing, search your listings (filtering by specific info or by listing with errors), and upload new listings from a data file or…

VinSolutions, an industry-leading developer of automotive Internet- based Customer Relations Management (CRM) and Internet Lead Management (ILM) software, announced that Sean Stapleton, Chief Sales Officer and Kendall Billman, Vice President of Interactive Marketing, will be the next featured presenters in the CARFAX PowerUp webinar to be held on Friday, May…

Ultra-progressive dealer helped lead Suzuki of Wichita to #1 retailer in nation; joins DrivingSales to help other dealers achieve success

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – May 22, 2012 – DrivingSales today announced that one of the top performing dealers in the country, Tom White, Jr., has joined the rapidly growing company to head its Dealer Services division, helping…

DMEautomotive’s mobile shopping and vehicle ownership app allows Lithia dealerships to target younger service/sales customers and keep current customers ‘close-at-hand’

Daytona Beach, FL –May 22, 2012 – DMEautomotive (DMEa) today announced the roll-out of its breakthrough mobile app, Driver…

General Motors has long been a staple of the American automotive industry.  Facebook is the latest billion dollar IPO.  Why is GM pulling ten million dollars a year in advertising from Facebook?

On the surface, this looks like GM is retreating saving advertising dollars.  When you dive into the issue, many wonder if the government run company is staying away from investing in the publically traded company for other reasons.  GM states that the risk to advertise is not worth the reward…

Today could have been a rocky day.....Turns out it was a little. But in the end, because of proper protocol, following a chain of command and doing the right thing the right way, today might actually turn out to be a good day for everyone involved. The customer might wind up happy, the dealership might sell a car and the friction is disippated. What that mean is, if you have a problem, follow the steps in place at your company to properly resolve them. In the end, everyone wins. Have a great…

In fixed ops we constantly worry whether or not we are getting a return on every one of our ad dollars. Every manufacturer tracks it. Every ad vendor tracks it. And when we spend the money and don't get an immediate return, we start to fret.

Here is the rub.

Customers don't make a connection with an ad. Customers don't make a connection with an offering or a…

Check out this great blog by Jenn Mayer of Potratz, as she explores the importance of using Facebook in your dealerships Advertising.

Facebook is the second most used website in the entire world, after Google (…

KPA expands popular webinar programs with the launch of DealerWebinars.com, the leading educational resource for Internet Marketing, HR Management, and Environment & Safety.

Lafayette, CO (May 21, 2012) — KPA announced today the launch of DealerWebinars.com as the leading provider of educational webinars on Internet Marketing, HR Management, and Environment & Safety for automotive and equipment dealerships and service…

The warm smell of fresh donuts rose through the air of the ActivEngage office breakroom.  A ping-pong table lined the far wall of the room, and a sign requiring employees to moonwalk out of the office hung over the exit. Soft beanbag chairs and oblong ottomans furnished in green and orange – a…

Hi All,

I collaborated on an Edmunds’ article, Turning Service into Sales, that I think the DealerELITE membership may find very interesting, and more importantly, helpful. It is a particular dynamic that has developed into search queries on Edmunds, and the broader web, where customers who are holding on to cars much longer than in years past, are increasingly searching for service advice on their aging vehicles, many out of OEM warranty. Coming from a sales background myself, I may…

Seth Godin’s blog this past week uses the analogy of digital parking meters to explain that ‘the same but better’ isn’t always…

Today, while you read this, a 14-year old boy is lying on his bed in the cancer ward of a children’s hospital, struggling to breathe after vomiting for the umpteenth time this morning; his throat, mouth and lips burning with ulcers from the chemo.  Today he’ll be humbled a dozen times as his father and nurses change his clothes and bedding because he’s too weak to get up to…