What ever happened to record players? How about Beta tape players? Anyone remember pagers? Here's a good one,typewriters.

One thing is for sure nothing is forever. No matter how useful or advanced, it too will one day be obsolete.

Now in my mid 30's, (o.k. late 30's) I remember thinking how hip and cool my generation was. I can only smile as my kids today refer to my generation as "old school".

Today I would classify most Auto Dealers as "old school". Within about 10% - 15%, most Dealers operate the same way they have for the last 20 years.

Here's the proof. Do you or any of your people use terms like:bouge, lot up, phone up, used car appraisal, 4 square, if I could would you, if it was that cheap why didn't you buy it?

Still running Ads like;

Push pull or drag... any trade welcome

Double your rebate/down payment

low interest rates

No reasonable offer refused

Liquidation Sale

Inventory reduction sale

Used Car blow out

Any of this sounding familiar? I see the same combination of ads I saw 18 years ago. The culture of the stores are the same, even the vocabulary is the same.

In any other industry, you did what you were doing last month, you could be out of business.

In the mid 90's when the internet started becoming popular. Dealer would get emails from 15 year old kids asking about their high priced sports car. They hated it. Now guess what? The 15 year old kids are now in their 30's. These adults are now part of your market.

A lot of Auto Dealers thought the internet was a "fad". "This is a people's business. You can't BUY a car on the internet".

Well Ebay sells a car every 60 seconds.

You want to know which new technology will affect your business tomorrow? Look at what kids are into today. Think for a moment. Who started the YouTube movement, Facebook and Twitter?

Kids today consider email to be for old folks. They "instant message" each other and prefer Social Media. Statistics show that instant messaging will replace email in less than five years and Social Sites continue to grow by the millions.

Are you connecting with your customers through iphones, videos, texting, share sites, blogs, surveys, rewards club, monthly contact, video follow up, pay per click, banner ads, referral marketing, instant messaging and web chat?

We live in the best times, in the best country ever given to man by God. Take advantage of all the resources available to you.

If your not everywhere online...your nowhere.

Become an expert in technology... or hire one.

Chris Justice is the General Sales Manager at Classic Suzuki Birmingham AL. He has almost two decades of experience in training, leadership and turning failing stores around. You can connect with him at these locations.

https://www.youtube.com/kingofcredit

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000390353776

http://chrisjusticeatl.blogspot.com/