In my former life as a Controller, I was always aiming for a fast and accurate month-end close. Our business office typically closed the books within five to seven days. Is that a realistic deadline? Not according to Christine LaFontaine, Owner & CFO of Matt LaFontaine Automotive, which owns three dealerships in Michigan. Christine, who is also a former…

“Inspect what you expect” is a well-known business phrase that I think is particularly applicable to our industry today. That’s because many dealership employees have a LOT of time on their hands right now. Why not re-direct that time towards everyday tasks that you expect are getting done, but often don’t have the time to…

It has been about 5 years since I worked as a controller in a dealership, and many things have changed in the auto industry since then. One thing I am surprised to see has not changed is the lack of designated compliance officers. We didn’t have one then, and most dealerships still don’t have one today.

Compliance officers can protect…

Are you running an internal BDC at your dealership without the tools necessary to measure if it’s profitable? Do you know how many calls agents are making per day, who they are contacting, if they are connecting, and what campaigns are making money?  You would be surprised how many dealerships don’t track this data.

Many have arbitrary goals,…

It’s NADA time again! While this year’s show may look different, it still is the best opportunity to discover and explore technology solutions to successfully run your business.

Every dealer’s “must learn more” list should include digital document management technology. The auto industry produces a lot of paper. All those documents take up valuable office space, and/or cost you money to store off-site. Digging through boxes to find a deal jacket or repair record…

Customer retention can be tough. Independent repair shops lure customers away in droves with coupons or offers that promise low routine maintenance pricing. However, winning consumers on price alone is a short-term victory compared to winning over their loyalty for the long haul with quality work, certified technicians, and impeccable service. Luring them…

PALO ALTO, CA, November 3, 2020 — The Next Rapid Recon, the time-to-line efficiency standard in dealership reconditioning software, has announced a robust new feature upgrade: Vendor Advantage.

Vendor Advantage is a no-charge enhancement to Rapid Recon time-to-line (T2L®) reconditioning workflow software for current and new Rapid Recon…

2020 has been an unexpectedly challenging year for dealers. The coronavirus continues to affect nearly every facet of our business.

But whatever the timeframe, at some point we will return to a sense of normalcy. Finishing the year strong is key to ensuring your dealership will be able to hit the ground running, no matter what 2021 brings.

 …

Digital uploads of vendor contracts and automated notifications of contract renewal or expirations ensure dealers are never caught off guard.

Indianapolis, IN – October 19, 2020 – One View, an auto industry-specific data solution specialist, today announced the release of its Vendor View contract storage and management platform. The web-based, user-friendly platform allows dealerships to upload copies of vendor contracts and…

Industry experts predict that manufacturers’ will continue to double-down on service warranty audits. After all, chargebacks are an additional source of revenue that is sorely needed now. 

Every service manager should take special note of this prediction. Here’s why:

• It is the…

As we know, consumers are constantly being barraged by marketing messages. Most of those messages are either via traditional (television or radio) ads. For most retail establishments, in-store retail displays are vital to not only attracting a customer’s attention but also assisting in purchasing decisions. The psychology behind this is that people buy what…

Safety technology – a necessity or a luxury? While safety technology is susceptible to flaws because of its recent introduction, it is certainly better to have new vehicles equipped with it than not. 

Blind spot-awareness, lane-departure warning systems, cameras, automatic emergency braking, and other in-vehicle safety features have helped…

Anyone not responsible for vehicle inventory management may think it an easy concept but it is a stressful and labor-intensive endeavor normally bestowed upon one person: The Used Car Manager. This individual has an encyclopedias worth of knowledge in their heads about profit/loss margins of every vehicle on the lot - a figure that can change at the…

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…

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…

Can you imagine if your best month was 167?

How about if you sold 1,582 units in one year?

At the end of 2017, we were all shocked by his numbers and in awe of Ali’s humble heart. He began every interview with thanks for all the people who shared in his victory, always insisting that he was no better than…

In my last blog, I discussed the many consequences that the COVID-19 virus will bring to the auto industry. That list was not all inclusive and there is a factor that I did not include that will affect sales and inventory: consumers.

What do I mean by that? We all know that consumers in the United States have received Stimulus checks. In…

Stop wasting your time. If somebody convinced you that the best way to work is to wait for the next up, we need to talk.

First of all, congratulations! It’s not going to be very hard at all to live up to the expectations our industry has for you. All you’re expected to do is close 20% and…

What are your marketing goals in 2020? One of the biggest pain points for dealers is deciding where to spend their marketing dollars to get the results they want. Many dealers feel like their marketing strategies don’t perform as well as they used to, which, when combined with declining sales profitability, puts extra pressure on marketers to up their…