As the automotive lead process is not a new thing. It has become obvious there is a collision between the dealership’s automated systems and human engagement. If you missed our previous post click here

Today, we will focus on the first two steps in the lead development process. The autoresponder…

I love to create experiments. I am a big nerd at heart.

Right now, we are conducting an experiment about sales lead follow up and effectiveness that I wanted to share it with you. We tested 100 dealerships and recorded exactly how they responded to an internet lead request.…

This is a real question you have to ask yourself if you want to survive the automotive industry. Are you willing to do what it takes to be successful each and every day to not just work a job, but to build a career? There are many people who started in the automotive industry as a crutch until they found a “better” job. Only a small percentage, however, end…

We live in a world where new technology swirls around us at a relentless and often dizzying pace, yet as we look closer inside the automotive industry and one particular area - the CRM - the winds are very calm, and the marketplace solutions aren’t keeping pace with innovation outside of the industry. In a nutshell we are operating in an innovation rut…

Sometimes you just need to get punched in the face to wake up. For too many days in a row, I went to work doing the same thing over and over like Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day.

There are two routes to achievement in your life. The first is conformity in which you follow the crowd down a conventional path and maintain the…

Dealerships are always struggling with the decision on whether they need a BDC or not. Some try and succeed, but others try and fail. Why does this happen? How is one dealership’s BDC succeeding when other BDCs are failing and returning to status quo after a significant investment? The following are four reasons BDCs fail and solutions for making your BDC a…

Leveraging Facebook Marketplace to help you sell more cars isn’t difficult if your dealership does it the right way. In part 1 of this series, I talked about the importance of choosing the right partner to maximize success. In …

In the first part of this series, I shared why Facebook Marketplace can help dealers sell more cars, the ways in which they can get started, and the questions they should be asking their vendors when getting this set…

Facebook Marketplace, while new on the scene, has quickly turned into a valuable sales channel for dealerships. Many dealers are finding great success in engagement as well as sales with consumers. Not just another third-party listing site, Facebook Marketplace has capabilities many other platforms don’t have. Chief among them is the ability for interested car buyers…

It hasn’t been that long ago that customers were only able to handle customer service issues in person or by phone. Now, of course, there are many options for customers including social media, chat or through reviews. What would you do if a customer were standing in front of you paying you a compliment? Hopefully, you would thank them for the compliment and their business.…

There are a plethora of training programs and trainers in the automotive industry many of which have different styles, advice, and opinions. Often, those opinions vary widely. While training is indeed something I advocate in dealerships both as an ongoing initiative and for new-to-the-industry employees (no matter which department), no business can function as a…

Since Facebook has exploded, businesses have all rushed to capture their audience’s attention and leverage the platform’s marketing potential. In the beginning, gaining business exposure on Facebook’s platform was relatively inexpensive. As Facebook continued to modify its algorithm to appease its users and better monetize the platform when it went public, Facebook…

At one point in time or another, we’ve all heard someone in our lives tell inform us that money doesn’t grow on trees. And they would be right. Technically.

The facts are, however, that the phrase started because sometimes there is money (revenue) that is simply waiting to be taken by businesses. There are a lot of revenue sources in dealerships and while those sources haven’t changed much in a century, the way in which dealerships can harvest…

Communication is vital to business, that’s a given. In retail, businesses must be responsive, provide a great customer experience and stand by their products or services. But what happens when businesses fail at that? They get complaints.

A customer ordered some copper from a business that promised it to be of the highest…

Henry Ford was once asked why he visited his executives rather than having them come to his office when problems arose or he needed questions answered. “I go to save them time,” said Ford. “I’ve found that I can leave the other fellow’s office a lot quicker than I can get him to leave mine.” Ford knew the necessity of gaining information.[1] He also knew…

Let me start by saying that I love to surf. Back in my younger days, I was able to qualify and had the opportunity to compete on the pro tour. At one point, I surfed Mavericks in Northern California which has waves in the 30 to 40-foot range. To illustrate, the waves are so big and heavy that you can’t just paddle out. I take this boat out and paddle to ride my first…

Somewhere in the North Pacific Ocean, there lives a whale that cannot communicate with other whales. You see, whales communicate via sub-sonic vocal sounds. Most whales communicate in the 15-25 hertz (Hz) range. Whales, for the…

Jenny.

Tommy Tutone said it in 1981 and many of you reading this know that number. It’s Jenny’s number. And we remember it. Why? Sure, it was a catchy song and has become a staple in early pop music, but it does hold a hidden gem that every car dealer would be thrilled to possess.

For dealerships, customer information is only the beginning of…

Late last year, a 2.5 million dollar lawsuit was won against Lithia Motors Inc. for sending unwanted text messages to customers without giving them the option to opt out of the text messages. According to AutoNews.com, Lithia was hit with a class-action lawsuit for broadcasting to 57,800 consumer cell phones text messages that failed to adequately allow the recipients to opt out of…

The perceived difference between the top car brands and their challengers is shrinking, according to the 2012…