Every business wants to be the market leader and have success. Yet to do so, many have the mindset that it is necessary to spend more money. “Buy a Super Bowl ad,” they say. “Spend hundreds of thousands on TV and radio.” The trick to getting big isn’t always about trying to reach…

I’m sure that you’ve all heard the tale of the princess and the frog. In the beginning, the princess despises the frog and doesn’t want to interact with it – especially not to kiss it – but through personal interaction and a little time, the frog wins her over, gets that kiss and transforms into the prince he actually was all along.

In the past, big brands…

While the automotive industry has seen massive technology changes in the last 5 years, there is a continuing trend where some OEMs partner with specific vendors and then take away the freedom of choice for forward-thinking dealers. Mandates are enforced where franchised dealers must choose between 2-3 vendors for a particular solution.

This practice can be…

Convenience is one of the biggest factors that influences customers when choosing where to take their vehicles for service. For the younger generation it even trumps price. Independents know this and it is one of their key marketing messages, along with speed of service.

Dealers tend to fall behind in this type of messaging in general and have to fight…

While many companies have entered the retail automotive space trying to capitalize on the experience customers want but are not getting from dealers, the biggest threat is actually looming on the horizon: The Tesla Model 3.

Until now, Tesla has bucked the system while pushing its direct-to-consumer sales model. However, their past vehicles were limited in…

Some dealership personnel tend to do things that really boil down to just CYA stuff. A customer comes into the service drive and is made to wait while their vehicle is inspected for scratches, dents or dings, which can take a few minutes --- time a customer doesn’t have.

The most valuable currency on the planet is time. Everyone has too much to do with too little…

According to a recent article in AutoRemarketing, a study by J.D. Power found that customers are…

For the past 15 years or so, technology has existed which enables customers to schedule service appointments online. In the beginning, the systems were very basic – the customer filled out a form online and an e-mail was sent to someone at the dealership who may – or may not – confirm that appointment.



Fast forward to today and online service appointment…

One day, while bringing my vehicle into a large, very well-known dealership for service, a rather comical scene played out before my eyes. While the shuttle driver was leaving the dealership, his mini-van full with customers, all of a sudden a strong gust of wind came through. The shuttle van’s windows were open at the time and papers started flying out of the vehicle. He…

Customers generally get their vehicle serviced close to home or work. Dealers are lucky that customers feel they should bring their new cars back to the same store when there are warranty issues. They have that warranty period to develop the customer’s loyalty.…

Many dealers and managers outside of the service department don’t realize how incredibly busy a service advisor (SA) is throughout their day. Keep in mind that these are front-line employees dealing directly with your customers. They have an extremely important role in the dealership. In fact, it could be argued that a SA has more influence on a dealership’s livelihood when…