Don't Miss Us at NADA 2020.

Fixed Ops Digital is excited to be exhibiting for our first time at this year's 2020 NADA SHOW in Las…

Most auto dealerships do some, if not all of their service marketing with their manufacturer owner retention programs (ORPs). The purpose of ORPs is stated in the name: to build customer loyalty. But how well do these programs deliver on that promise?

The results from ORPs are all over the board. Some dealerships effectively use ORPs to…

Repeat buyers account for an increasing share of new vehicle sales and now represent 31% of all new vehicles purchased at a dealership, compared to 29% a few years ago. This trend is good news for dealers due to the lower cost of retaining vs. acquiring customers.

Unfortunately, this trend is expected to decline due to a lack of improvement in…

Grapevine, Texas, January 7, 2019 -- DealerBuilt, an enterprise Dealer Management System (DMS) for automobile…

Cash buyers are an important but often overlooked segment of customers who pose a significant risk to auto dealers and manufacturers if left unmanaged. In the first half of 2019, customers who purchased vehicles with cash accounted for 24% of all new vehicle sales. For some luxury brands, cash buyers are even more important since they can represent close to…

In search of service revenue, dealerships turn to randomly scheduling service appointments regardless of shop capacity. Or they take everyone that drives up. This can easily overwhelm the service department. It leaves customers frustrated and causes a LOSS in service revenue from both new/drive-up customers and customers with appointments.

How…

Recall completion percentages have been increasing, but despite increased communication attempts, that increase is hitting a plateau.

A recent trend reveals that many vehicle owners are very interested in mobile services. Currently, the percentage of independent repair shops that offer mobile services dramatically outweighs franchised dealers.…

With the increasing demand for service repairs, dealers are scrambling to recruit more technicians. At the same time, the pool of experienced technicians is dwindling, as not enough new technicians are entering the workforce -- and demand will only increase.

Regardless of how much money your dealership may spend to expand your facilities to…

Your dealership has probably been using an owner retention program (ORPs) for years, but when was the last time you evaluated the effectiveness of each communication?

One thing is certain. Sending out the same communications with the same messages via the same channels, again and again, isn’t a winning strategy. The goal of an ORP is to…

When people think of recalls, at least in our industry, most think about vehicles. For many consumers, merely contemplating spending their time at a dealership waiting for a recall to be repaired or losing the use of their car for some time, seems draining and inconvenient. But most consumers probably don’t consider the potential risks recalls can pose to…

A recent Affinitiv survey of 1,000 automotive consumers reveals that dealerships are falling short when it comes to delivering personalized, online shopping experiences to customers. In the same study, we analyzed a sample of 100 dealer websites to better understand the current level of personalization that dealers are offering.

Why the focus…

Several manufacturers, including Tesla, have rolled out some “innovative” features that include self-driving technology. At first glance, consumers like this type of vehicle technology because it typically means that these vehicles are fuel-efficient, use advanced technologically and are, frankly, cool. However, there are hazards involved with this advanced…

When we think of using customer data, it’s often in the context of marketing. I’ve written previously on how…

"There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the difficulties; or you alter yourself to meet them," ~Writer, Phyllis Bottome.

For those of you that know me, or if you have followed my blogs for a while, you probably know that customer service is a passion of mine. I genuinely…

Lakeland, FL, September 3, 2019 - fusionZONE Automotive, LLC today announced the appointment of Adam Swanson as OEM Director. Swanson is a successful consulting executive with over ten years of experience at leading teams in enterprise-level automotive consulting strategy. He is also a specialist in…

Have you ever seen a fellow motorist texting while driving? What about eating while driving? Putting on makeup? Turning around to yell at their kids? Yes, all of these happen (and more) daily. Sometimes, all it takes for an unfortunate accident to occur is for a driver to spill that boiling hot Starbucks on their lap while commuting.

Teen…

A recent article from consulting giant Deloitte has added new importance to the role of retailer websites in the average consumer’s vehicle purchase journey. According to the results of its…

If you ask a dealership GM or controller “What’s your marketing per vehicle retail (PVR)?” not only will you get a precise answer, but likely a dissertation on the drivers, trends and plans to optimize. That’s because auto retailers understand that marketing efficiency and effectiveness is the lifeblood of their new and used vehicle…

Over the past few years, subscription services of all types have become increasingly popular with today’s consumers. Big names like Netflix and Amazon leverage them to offer optimized, often instantaneous access to their goods. Now, it’s the auto industry’s turn, with the rising popularity of vehicle subscriptions. These programs charge customers a monthly…

Community involvement has always shown a strong correlation with successful businesses. A study published in Strategic Management Journal found that philanthropy was associated with increased sales growth. A 2018 report by Nielsen Global…