Leaning Into Leaner Times
Dealers who use T2L speed-to-sale methods to get cars sale ready in three to five days find that their efforts translate into a faster sale at higher margins with more inventory turns, whatever the market.
Inventory is a Waste
When fixed and variable operations can’t agree about where internal work fits into the dealership’s priorities, or when there’s delay in recommending and authorizing used car repairs, things grind to a halt. When there is no focus on reconditioning efficiency, there can be only one outcome: Cars can’t be sold.
How Are You Managing Your Speed to Sale?
This new standard is speed to sale, an all-embracing attitude geared to selling cars faster. Speed to sale starts with faster recon time to line (T2L).
Sell or Buy First?
Who knew that Aristotle, the philosopher from Greek antiquity, struggled with the same question used car managers do: Which comes first?
Speed to Sale Must Become the Primary Focus for Used Car Success
While this data is good news for franchise and independent used car dealers, the profit potential these sales numbers infer could be better, said a leading proponent of dealership speed-to-sale strategies.
T2L Motivates Used Car Profitability
While you may employ the best inventory management, selection and sourcing tools you can afford in your used car strategy, it is crucial to realize that their promises of profitability hinge first on the speed and efficiency of your reconditioning department.
Process Insanity Wrecks Used Car Profits
T2L disciplines should be the core metric by which you measure modern recon science. This metric will allow you to ask one simple but vital question: “Is my current system bolstering my used car profitability?”
Proactive Time-To-Line Makes Everyone’s Job Easier
The auto dealership reconditioning operation is, historically, a short-term reactive environment. Whether a phase of the work in progress is a tech performing repairs or a vendor detailing wheels — or any of the many recon tasks between — each is siloed from his or her teammates. They are focused on the vehicle in front of them.
How Does a T2L Profit Model Work?
Could the savings dealers are realizing year after year once they implement a time to line (T2L) profit model be too good to be true?
Gross is Hiding in Plain Sight
It is surprisingly easy for gross to be hiding in plain sight at any dealership, but a quick holding cost calculation can identify the magnitude of the profit not being realized compared to the direct benefits, which in turn makes a compelling case for proactive attention to your time to line.
