Recently, I traveled to New Mexico to consult with a dealership about their marketing strategy.  The conversation went a bit like this:

DeliveryMaxx: “What are you currently doing with advertising today?”

Dealership: “We are doing print (newspaper), TV, Radio, and I have a billboard two exits down.”

DeliveryMaxx: “How is that working for you?”

Dealership: “I can’t really put an ROI on it, but I think it is branding…

It’s time for a continuation of the mini case study focused on the objectives established and challenges faced in building processes to develop, measure and manage OTDBs in the operating departments of an NCM client automotive dealership group. In our article titled OTDB Measurement and Management – Part Two, published on March 20, 2012, I discussed the structure of the vehicle sales department and the general expectations that we defined and communicated to the members of the sales…

Everyone has an opinion about how to use Google+ and posting reviews.  We see the extreme from hoping your customers post a good review to allowing the “real experts to post your reviews”.

Those of you, who finish reading this blog, will receive information many companies don’t want to tell you or just don’t know how to do.  Furthermore, your sales both repeat and referrals will increase, your branding will…

As each customer walks into a showroom, salesperson’s heads immediately go to the door. Their heads start spinning and kicking into “sales mode”. Maybe they have a pre-loaded script in their heads of what they say. Maybe they fly by the seat of their pants. The end goal is always the same; to sell the customer a car.

With all of the different ways to interact…

The walls are a physical barrier.  The walls also represent a conceptual barrier to many.  The walls, whether physical or conceptual, separate.   And, that is bad!   The           walls act like demarcation lines that shouldn’t be crossed lest you dare enter into foreign or perhaps even enemy territory.  The rules of engagement crossing into or between these walls may be an…

At last week’s semi-annual meeting of NCM’s divisional directors, 20 Group moderators, Retail Operations consultants, and NCM Institute faculty members a good discussion developed around the topic of Service Advisor Compensation. The common questions that several on our staff were seeking answers for were as follows:

1. Has there been any significant change in advisor compensation…

3 Reason Your Delivery Coordinator holds the Keys to Your CSI Scores

Your delivery coordinator is the resource who will help yourcustomers through the delivery process. This person will work hand in hand with customers to make sure…

I am again continuing the mini case study focused on the objectives established, and challenges faced, in building processes to measure and manage OTDBs in the operating departments of an NCM client dealership group. Today, my focus is on one of the greatest vehicle sales opportunities that most dealers enjoy, but fail to capitalize on.

At one point during this engagement, I had asked the dealer principal if he was satisfied with the strategies being employed to develop vehicle sales…

Today, more than ever, online reviews can make or break your month selling vehicles.  We can search for online reputation management companies and we will get hundreds if not thousands of opinions on how to manipulate the system of posting positive reviews.  Many of these companies state that they have a secret to help your dealership look like they are flawless.  This is done utilizing a lot of smoke and mirrors.

Studies by consumer behavior and search experts say that 7 out of 10…

I’ll admit it. I fear bringing my vehicle in for service as much as visiting the dentist. I recently brought my car in for service, and for some reason, it reminded me of a routine dental check-up. Bear with me on this analogy.

Just like you want your teeth to stay white and strong, you want your car to run in tip-top shape. However, when the time finally comes to go back in for a check-up, you curl up in the fetal position, and softly cry (That’s what I do, at least, you may…

It has already been established that the most exciting time during the sales process is the delivery.  A perfect delivery can erase a debauched meet and greet, poor finance service, and the arduous negotiation over a couple of hundred dollars.  After spending hours with your customer, how do you want them to remember your dealership?

Your customer will remember your dealership every month they have to make their payment.  They will think of your dealership each time they pay for an…

You have a 22 year old potential client ready to make the largest purchase of their life at this point.  They are one of the most technical savvy consumers you have ever faced.  These clients have friends all over the world, and talk with their network on a daily basis. They Tweet what they had for breakfast, they Yelp about their experiences, they RePin exciting pictures, and they have an average of 245 friends.

According to Pew Center’s Internet and American Life Project the average…

Would you go on vacation without planning your means of travel, travel route, booking a hotel, identifying points of interest or activities for you and the family, and the starting time as well as the ending date of your trip?  Unless you were free spirited with no cares in the world, and were part of the Brady Bunch Family, this was not you.  As a matter of fact, since you are reading this blog, you are a “Type A” personality that rarely will walk out of your office without a…

My first car which I purchased was a 1977 White 4-Speed Toyota Corolla.  It wasn’t the nicest looking vehicle anyone has ever seen.  As a matter of fact, it was what people today would call a “hoopty” or “jalopy”.  As soon as I made the purchase, I headed over to AutoZone to cover the steering column, replace the side mirrors, buy seat covers, and styled it up with the double windshield blades.  My taste in style has since changed.  It was ugly to say the least, but it was mine!

The…

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…

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…

So your automotive sales are down, and you lay awake at night praying that you make this month’s budget just so you do not have to put all of your possession in the provided cardboard box and take the walk of shame out of the dealership.  Does this sound familiar to you?

Anyone who has spent any time in automotive management has experienced this anxiety.  For that matter anyone in sales management has had this same gut wrenching stomach turning feeling at one time or another.  There…

DeliveryMaxx has been the industry leader in creating innovative solutions to help Automotive Dealerships converting the one-time customer into a life-time customer.  

However, never one to rest on their laurels, DeliveryMaxx has made it possible for dealerships to talk to the world utilizing the most up-to-date technology.  Just imagine, a dealership customer leaves finance and gives a review talking about how great the experience has been in purchasing a…

You have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to build or beautify your dealership.  Your advertising budget equals or exceeds that amount.  Your inventory has been posted online, and there are plenty of choices for potential customers to make a great selection.  CSI scores have never been higher at the dealership than they are right now!

So why are your salespeople standing around wondering why there are not any customers to sell a vehicle to?  Is there grumbling going on in the…

Part one of this topic was published here on January 19, 2012. In that article I discussed the four no-cost or low-costactivities that, when executed flawlessly, will increase a service department's customer R.O. count by at least 10%. Today I’ll address several other proven strategies to increase your customer-paid service…