Five Ways to Pump Up CSI, Marketing and Sales in 2017
In all respects, 2016 has been a banner year for the auto industry. The SAAR has soared and we’re ending the year on a high note with a record seven years of sales gains. However, don’t pop the champagne just yet. Reports are also showing a plateau in sales is coming, which means it’s time
HOW TO LEAD YOUR HORSE TO WATER AND GET HIM TO DRINK
It’s been said that you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink; the same applies to getting employees to live up to their full potential. While I agree that there are those who won’t, the vast majority will — provided you do your job and do it to the best
FILL OPEN DEALERSHIP POSITIONS BY PROMOTING INTERNAL EMPLOYEES
Each year, the turnover rate for dealerships continues to increase. In 2013, the average dealership saw a 66 percent turnover rate among sales consultants, well above the national average for the private sector of 42 percent. As of 2015, that number has risen to 71 percent. Regardless of the cause, high turnover rates are both
FIVE TIPS TO HELP SPEED UP YOUR TIME TO MARKET IN USED VEHICLES
As dealers plan their used vehicle department performance goals for the coming year, I’d suggest focusing on reducing the amount of time it takes to get vehicles retail-ready and online. This suggestion follows recent studies that show it takes dealers an average of 10 days, from the time they acquire an auction vehicle and
Creating Value In The New World Order: Your Customers Are Changing. Are You?
What was your last really great retail experience? Did it involve technology? Did you feel valued as a customer? Perhaps a better question is, what was your last awful retail experience? What made it so bad? Just like you, your customers are measuring all of their retail experiences, including those at your dealership, against a
A Lesson In Accountability In Best Buy
If you’ve followed my columns about reconditioning best practices, you know my drumbeat is time-to-market (TTM) frontline readiness, workflow and accountability, all which describe nonnegotiable processes for turning recon operations into a profit center for the dealership. Dealers using reconditioning workflow software to reduce their TTM or cycle time to three to five days
These Scary Situations Can Damage Your Dealership Long After Halloween
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 costumes, big parties, teeth-rotting candy
Four Used Vehicle Fundamentals to Help Stay Strong as Fall Unfolds
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 used vehicle market may defy
Recalculate Your GPS for Success by utilizing BradleyOnDemand and Money Mind Mapp
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 with repeat business and referrals,
Staffed Events: A “Go Go” or a “No No”?
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 a deficiency in sales tracking