All dealers are suffering from the lack of used vehicle inventory. Consumers are being forced to gravitate to used vehicles for multiple reasons – They are less expensive plus the manufacturers aren’t pumping out nearly as many new vehicles as they are normally depleting available selection. To add insult to injury, even if the manufacturers WERE continuing…

Throughout history, humans have designed and created technology to make their lives easier. From the invention of the wheel itself to the eventual creation of the automobile, to today’s computer-integrated vehicles, we are more dependent on technology to improve our experiences than ever before.

But with that technology comes challenges. Most…

Automation has become a key element of digital transformation.  This shift could replace nearly 70% of manual, repetitive tasks, according to a Brookings Institute Report. Automation, in fact, has been slowly transforming the…

Are you searching for a new career opportunity, or do you know someone who is? One of the most challenging aspects of searching for a job is making yourself stand out in a crowd. When you apply for a job online, your resume could be one of hundreds for the same position. There’s no way to know whether the person screening all these resumes will forward your…

From sales to finance, and IT to marketing, workflow automation can liberate almost any departments from the burden of tedious manual processes. A workflow automation process begins with a clear objective and ends at process evaluation. I have already discussed the handful of ways in which dealers are already using automation so let’s take a look at how…

Customer experience can make or break a dealership. It is a term often used when making marketing strategy plans, but is it front of mind for every dealership employee; especially those who communicate with customers directly? If your sales and BDC staff are relying on old school phone and internet techniques, it’s not. The language salespeople use with…

Kevin Systrom, one of the co-founders of Instagram attributes the creation of the powerhouse Photo Application and social network to a particular yet simple life event. He had chosen to study in Italy his Junior year of college, and a professor had replaced the state-of-the-art modern camera he had around his neck with the iconic but ultra-simple Holga…

One of the most popular metaphors in business is how leaders are the pilots of their organizations: in the driver's seat, handling turbulence, and getting employees and customers to their destination. This is an easy metaphor to apply to automation, especially since aviation’s adoption of automation follows a similar path as it does with the automotive…

These days, more channels are open for consumers to buy vehicles without leaving their homes. Whether that occurs through dealerships, independents, or online services, it is of concern, from a safety standpoint, that consumers know that their chosen vehicle is safe.

No consumer wants to spend thousands of dollars on a “lemon,” nor a vehicle…

Last year, U.S. e-commerce sales generated about $365.2 billion in revenue. With the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in changing shopping habits as nonessential businesses endure mandated closures, there is more incentive than ever to invest in growing…

In my last blogI discussed how dealers have been using automation to manage internet lead processes. In this blog, I will take it one step further and explain how dealers are using an…

I know that there are way too many stories like this in the auto industry. That's why I made it.

While traveling through Asia, Alexander the Great fell ill. Everyone was afraid to treat him, as they feared that, if they failed, they would be blamed for the King’s death. However, one physician was willing. While Alexander waited for the physician to prepare the medicine, he received a letter informing him that this physician was not to be trusted and…

Due to the current pandemic, customers are increasingly doing more shopping online. The current transformation to a digital retailing manner of car buying saw dealers scrambling to adapt to their current state’s requirements. Some dealers were shut down completely, others were able to sell online and some didn’t close at all. Regardless, dealers were still at…

If your CRM helped you nurture customer relationships, could you transform more leads into loyal customers?

The short answer is “yes,” and here’s why:

• Today, a great customer experience drives loyalty, not product and/or price.
• Consumers expect personalized, relevant information to help them make the best purchasing decisions.
• Self-educated consumers want a consultative experience, not a hard sell.

 …

As the weather heats up, sales traditionally tend to cool down in the dealership. We’ve all been there. This year, though pent-up demand has caused sales to soar for some, economic uncertainty still looms over many car buyers, and it will be prudent to focus on multiple revenue streams.

So, how can your dealership weather the uncertainty and…

Before the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis, dealers have been struggling to adopt and perfect digital retailing and the need has accelerated at staggering speed. Data from McKinsey & Company show…

With Covid-19 creating a ripple effect across the socio-economic fabric of America, life as most of us know it has been disrupted, especially that of the retail customer journey which has migrated into the digital landscape. As a new normal materializes, even the more technophobic consumers have taken to digital retail platforms and applications to meet…

Some dealers miss opportunities to gain acceptance of service recommendations or upsells simply because consumers do not know why they are needed or important. Many advisors share the “canned” description. However, if the customer is not right in front of you it can be hard for them to understand what you are going on about and so they decline the…