If your dealership is like most, the sales and service side of the house feel like two disconnected islands most of the time. The teams rarely come together unless handling reconditioning or aftermarket accessory installation. But…

Drivers participating in the nation's most extensive ridesharing services are all independent contractors and, as such, are responsible for keeping their own vehicles maintained. After all, if they want to make money as a contracted driver, it seems perfectly reasonable to expect them to oversee vehicle maintenance, performance, and…

With the auto industry facing a shortage of technicians, it’s important to do what we can to attract young technicians and keep them. After all, when the front end of the business slows down, it’s the back end that can keep your store afloat and profitable. But there are two main problems with getting young professionals into the automotive industry: image…

According to a recent article in Automotive News, consumers LOVE the idea of all of this new in-vehicle technology. The problem is that many of them don’t truly understand the intricate features and benefits. There is no way a salesperson can explain each and every technological…

As the old adage goes, no one plans to fail, they just fail to plan. This could not be more true when it comes to service marketing budgets in dealerships.

As new vehicle sales and gross margins decline, it's natural to look for ways to cut expenses. But I've never understood the logic behind cutting service marketing…

In today’s society, time is a precious commodity. So much so that consumers make their buying decisions based on how long it takes to complete the transaction. If you had the choice between a $20 oil change that would take 4 hours to complete, or a $30 oil change that would take 30 minutes, which would you choose?

For the automotive industry,…

Sales profit margins are getting smaller, and dealerships are looking to service as the profit-making aspect of their business. And there’s one area of service that’s particularly overlooked, especially for how much revenue it can generate:…

I have been studying Amazon and unknown to me, they seem to follow the same principle that I promote to dealers. I call it the Circle of Convenience and Trust.

Amazon obsesses about convenience. I am sure some of you suffer from the "brown box syndrome." A brown box arrives on your doorstep every day. Amazon makes it so easy that I…

All businesses need good leaders who know what it takes to be profitable, but also how to retain employees who are valuable to the business. Employee retention is key to profitability, as replacing someone takes a significant amount of time and effort. It can also result in lost revenue as the dealership sacrifices the opportunity to connect with and foster…

Automotive Recall Solutions Innovator Adds Industry and Technology Leader to its Executive Team

April 23, 2019, Laguna Hills, CA – Recall Masters, Inc., the leading provider of automotive recall news, data, training, and communications, today announced the appointment of…

Many dealers struggle with getting customers to bring their vehicles in to take care of recall issues. The fact that the average recall completion rate is around 75 percent, tells us that standard recall marketing campaigns aren't as effective as they could be.

Your customers either aren't getting the message, or they set it aside and forget…

Notifying customers when they are due for service is an obvious—yet crucial—part of any dealer’s marketing strategy. Unfortunately, not all notifications get the same results. Many well-intentioned efforts are too little, too late, and don’t have a solid strategy. And breaking through to…

Notifying customers when they are due for service is an obvious—yet crucial—part of any dealer’s marketing strategy. Unfortunately, not all notifications get the same results. Many well-intentioned efforts are too little, too late, and don’t have a solid strategy. And breaking through to…

One of the biggest obstacles many dealership service departments encounter is contacting and communicating with their customers. This is not only a problem with recall customers, but with all service customers in general. And failure to communicate can easily…

How long does it take to build customer loyalty? It might start with a great sales experience, but if a customer feels like they've been taken advantage of in the sales process, it will be hard convincing them to come back for service. True customer loyalty is built over a period of several years in the service drive.

But providing a great…

When you buy something online, checkout can take mere seconds. And chances are good that your credit card was saved from previous transactions, meaning you just have to click the checkout button and your order is submitted. At the grocery store, checkout takes maybe a few minutes—if you have to insert your card and wait for a receipt. So it comes as no…

Many businesses focus on improving customer convenience as a means to expand their reach and volume of commerce. It’s not just Internet companies such as Amazon, but some of the most substantial brick and mortar chains, including Wal-Mart, Costco, Best Buy, Office Depot and several major grocery store chains. Adding options that increase customer convenience…

Hidden profit opportunities exist throughout most dealerships. Whether those opportunities present themselves through service customers migrating to sales or sales customers that become service customers, all can lead to increased revenue and building relationships with your customers. Many dealers, however, don't incentivize those handoffs, so these episodes…

I realize that we’re all probably sick of hearing about the Takata airbag recalls. Take a deep breath because it’s not over yet! As faulty Takata airbags have caused one of the largest recalls in history, endangering millions of lives, most of us assumed that all the makes and models affected by the Takata recall had been identified and that their owners were…

Tesla has been dominating the electric vehicle market, but it’s now positioning itself as a top contender in the premium vehicle sector as well. In a recent press release, Tesla touted its Model 3 as the best-selling passenger…