Your service shop’s online scheduling tool is invaluable for streamlining the booking process for both your customers and your advisors. However, like most things in the automotive industry, “set it and forget it” doesn’t quite cut it. Not to worry: ensuring you’re getting the most from your scheduler should be easy. We’ll discuss the biggest scheduling bottleneck of all –…

According to NADA the average salesperson’s productivity is slightly less than 10 units per month. The Rikess Group works with two of the largest volume dealerships in the country, and they need to have a minimum of 80 salespeople on staff to hit their volume targets. With customers physically shopping less than two dealerships, it would make sense that productivity per salesperson should be rising; but it isn’t! Why? It’s because of a vicious circle anchored by high turnover and low…

According to NADA the average salesperson’s productivity is slightly less than 10 units per month. The Rikess Group works with two of the largest volume dealerships in the country, and they need to have a minimum of 80 salespeople on staff to hit their volume targets. With customers physically shopping less than two dealerships, it would make sense that productivity per salesperson should be rising; but it isn’t! Why? It’s because of a vicious circle anchored by high turnover and low…

This week, Jeff continues with his series on how to hire and develop great service advisors. After you've properly posted the advertisement for job opening and interviewed, the period between transition can be crucial. We all know the first day sets the tone- so you have to make sure new hires are prepared and excited! Stay tuned to hear Jeff's tips on how to incorporate training prior to the first day on the job. Copyright 2018 Wm Jeff Cowan

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Stress could be produced by pretty much anything and everything these days. Simply one of the most stressful things in not having plenty time to do everything we prefer to do. And yet there are only twenty-four hours in everyone’s daylight. So how come is it that some people appear to find time for everything when we don’t?

Time management is one of the most significant lessons of managing stress that anybody could learn and everybody should. And learning it means that you can…

Creating a Service Drive Experience to Maximize Retention

Bringing a car to the service drive for maintenance and repairs is necessary, but few customers look forward to the task. Even the smallest repair can take time out of the day and create an inconvenience. Yet, for a dealership, service revenue is huge to the bottom line. And the best way to keep service revenue growing is to ensure your customers…

One of the things I like to do when I visit a dealership is to grab a manager and ask him/her to come with me and find their best salesperson. I then ask the manager to role play the dreaded question with his/her salesperson: “What’s your best price?”

I don’t have to tell you what kind of reply I usually hear. It strikes me as odd that most…

Below is a script I’ve come up with over the years to better help me get more appointments. Unfortunately, so many salespeople and BDC agents (even managers) seem to fumble this necessary skill. The good news is this script, when used properly, can be a great tool to add to your toolbox and help you get more commitments over the phone and email. It’s written…

Need more leads? Whenever sales are slow, one of the first reactions from salespeople, and sometimes their managers, is to proclaim they need more leads or better leads.

In response, they might run a lead generation campaign which results in a temporary lift in lead volume. The problem is, when the campaign ends, the lead volume drops back to less than…

If teachers were to ask students if they would rather watch a film or read a book, most, unfortunately, would probably respond, “Watch a film.” For literature instructors trying to teach students classic works of literature, engaging students who often see few connections in these books to their personal lives is a difficult and frustrating endeavor.

Using popular films to teach students about literary concepts is an effective way to help students make connections between books whose…

Information From 

Milan AP: Reports

Sergio Marchionne, a charismatic and demanding CEO who engineered two long-shot corporate turnarounds to save both Fiat and Chrysler from near-certain failure, died Wednesday. He was 66.

Users Voted on What They Believe are the Most Comfortable Vehicles for Glamorous Camping

Swapalease.com, the nation’s largest car lease marketplace, today announced their selections on the “best trucks and SUVs for glamping.” Swapalease collected data from users in top travel markets on which vehicles they believe are most comfortable for luxurious camping. New model leased vehicles provide top technology features and extra comfort.  Swapalease users want to…

Welcome to this week's edition of Black Book Market Insights, with in-depth analysis of used car and truck valuation trends and insights straight from the auction lanes. Click here to download the full…

This week, Jeff starts a two-part podcast on how to make a good impression! This is one of the most important interactions in any sale, whether it's over the phone or in person. You only have one chance to make a first impression, so follow these 8 steps to make sure it's your absolute best! Copyright 2018 Wm Jeff Cowan

Website: TheJeffCowan.com

Click here to watch!…

The automotive industry is changing with self-driving cars, companies such as Uber entering the field and the decline of oil-dependent vehicles.  

To that point, I am sure many of you are familiar with the shocking stories and downfalls of three highly successful companies: Blockbuster, Kodak and Xerox.

So, what lessons can be learned from…

Dealerships today need to be as competitive as possible and use as many options as they can to bring communication with their customers to another level. Besides face-to-face consultations, it is sometimes essential that conversations continue outside the dealership. For example, if your mechanic is doing the repair and needs…

Music is an element of life that courses through our entire planet. Every species, from insects to birds to humans, communicate with their unique version of music. Even our universe emits a sound that resembles a melody. In our modern age, music has become extremely accessible with our portable devices and countless music streaming services. Movies like Footloose and Step Up are proof that music has the power to heal and bring groups of people together that otherwise…

According to Black Book® data, the average price of a used vehicle for model years 2013-2017 decreased in value -1.2% during June, with cars changing -1.6% and trucks -1.0%. All vehicles are averaging a 12-month change of -13.9%, which is a lower average depreciation than typical pattern of -16% to -18% annually.

Two segments each saw positive changes in their average values during June: Sporty Cars at +0.5%, and Compact Vans at +0.3%. Vehicles in the Sporty Car segment include the…

• 49% of dealers expect customer traffic to increase over the next quarter.
• Dealers are encouraged to get more creative with preapprovals and credit checks as they remain a critical component of the automotive shopping process.
• Equifax found in a recent study that 52% of prospective purchasers have undergone a credit check, while just 15% have the intention of getting pre-approval on their desired vehicle. Even more interesting, nearly a third (32%) said they do not…