In theory, direct marketing has always been future based. After all, it typically happens before any dealing in the showroom takes place. But today, intelligent direct marketing based on predictive analytics amounts to so much more than the “good old days” of sending out a bunch of mail and waiting...
We are in the fourth quarter of 2016 — is your dealership delivering the units you anticipated? Are your net profits in line with annual projections? Are all of your salespeople averaging 18+ units per month? How would you rate your client satisfaction? Your online reputation? Is your dealership flooded...
An expectation is something we think about but maybe unconsciously take for granted in establishing our dealership’s culture, or the way we conduct business on a daily basis. Do we really take the time to fully understand exactly what this word means? We should, because it is an important key...
In the fourth quarter, forecasting becomes tougher with seasonality and holidays. You never know when that blizzard or hurricane can hit, so it is always good idea to reserve a staffed event — either as an avenue to move old inventory, get that shot in the arm to make up...
The leaves are changing colors, it’s starting to become jacket weather (well, maybe not down here in Houston), and pumpkin spice everything is packing store shelves. These things all contribute to why October is a fantastic time of year, but there’s one more reason why I love it: Halloween. Scary...
Stop, for a moment, and consider the technology that you most likely have on you at this very moment. In addition to being your telephone, instant messenger, camera, music player, podcast catcher and occasional flashlight, that computer in your pocket can provide you with tools to help you connect with...
There appears to be good news and bad news on the horizon in used vehicles. The good news first: According to analysts, the healthy pace of used vehicle sales, particularly in near-new segments with good-credit buyers, that many dealers have enjoyed this year may continue this fall. If true, the...
Those who study my ideas about how to transform reconditioning know I promote speeding up time to market (TTM), reducing holding costs and centralizing recon operations. I’ll review those fundamentals shortly. First, though, an argument for the essential fabric. This is the one asset — perhaps more than any other...
“What’s with all these customer’s cars stacking up out back?” What advice does a risk manager give his clients regarding these ever-increasing recalls? Lately, I find myself fielding calls from clients around the country concerned about how to manage the potential risk they face in selling a vehicle to a...
What makes the Apple brand indestructible? There are a million valid answers to this question. Is Apple’s technology more advanced than Google’s? Not necessarily. Are their smartphones more intelligent than all other smartphones? Probably not. But no one can dispute the fact that they are the simplest devices to navigate...
