What’s the most iconic noise of our time? I’d argue it’s the text message alert sound associated with the iPhone. No matter where you are – the grocery store, Home Depot, a wedding – if you play this sound, people around will freeze and make an instinctual grab for their iPhones.

We’ve all been trained to react to it. That’s why texting is…

A new report from eLEND Solutions shows 80 percent of dealers surveyed fast-tracked adoption of digital retailing tools due to the pandemic. It’s no secret many dealers were…

If you’ve been in the business for a long time like I have, you’ll remember when every dealership desk had a built-in ashtray. When I’m in a dealership and the desk manager pulls out a green Sharpie and a piece of paper to work a deal, I flash back to that time. We’re not smoking in dealerships anymore, so why are so many still using pen and paper instead of a digital desking tool?

I know what you’re thinking: “That’s the way we’ve…

If you’re like most independent dealers, you loaded up on used inventory  during the first few months of the pandemic. Inventory shortages and high demand pointed toward selling those cars all day long at higher-than-average prices. Now that the market is beginning to correct, book values are dropping. Are you concerned about moving that inventory?

A…

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.

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As profit margins continue to shrink on new vehicles, what’s your strategy to make up some of that lost profit? I’ve talked with dealers who are pushing more extras like extended warranties, buying more leads or hiring more staff. But we all know that in this type of market, trying to stay competitive can be a race to the bottom and additional expenses don’t always equal results. 

I believe a better strategy is to focus on increasing your volume and decreasing your trade…

When you see someone using their smartphone, what is your first impression? Do you assume that person is engaged in personal business or professional business? Logically there’s no way to know because people use their smartphones for both reasons.

On a…