We’ve all been there… Last month was slow and now we need to have a plan to increase traffic! What can we do that’s more time honored in automotive than have a SALE! To many dealers the word SALE means hanging price tags, balloons, radio statio

F&I managers have a very complex role to play. From selling F&I products to negotiating with lenders, to leading salespeople, to managing compliance; F&I managers can singlehandedly influence the bottom line by millions of dollars. So it�

When I started in the car business 18 years ago, my CRM was a sharpie marker, and a big binder of handwritten guest sheets. We had a couple of excel documents that we printed out and we color coded appointment shows, no shows, sales and dead deals. A

The government statistics forecasting automotive and truck technician current and future needs is impressive.  But, tech school enrollment is down, as well as the number of schools (particularly high schools) where a student can get a valuable dose

How do you spot potential leaders in your organization? Is it the person that keeps asking for the promotion, for more responsibility, and has the drive to push their way into a leadership position? Probably not. To paraphrase Oswald Sanders, “The

My recent conversations with dealers reveal three common concerns about their used vehicle performance. I thought I’d use this article to address them and offer recommended cures. Softer sales: Despite a relatively strong used vehicle market, I’m

Last week I had a call from a young man whom I have come to respect due to his commitment, courage and tenacity as a new salesperson in the automotive field.  He is a rule follower, develops solid relationships with his customers, assists his team m

The greatest challenge in the automotive industry today is finding leaders who will lead, managers who will manage, and directors who will provide direction. The centerpiece of effective leadership, management, and direction is accountability: Person

“If you have always done it that way, it is probably wrong.” – Charles Kettering “Innovator,” “disruptor,” “game changer” all phrases describing today’s most successful companies. How do you develop a creative culture in your