Mike Boguth of Hamilton Chevrolet in Warren, MI, knew what he wanted: A system that could give Internet shoppers dealership inventory information in real-time. Boguth, Hamilton's vice president and general manager, figured dealership websites...
The quality of feedback is important if you use a measurement to provide feedback for evaluating operational effectiveness of the parts department. Yet there is only one place this measurement really matters, in the service department. The success...
August is one of the best sales months of the year. It's the month manufacturers push hard with incentives and advertising. August, due to incoming next model-year inventory, is when dealers are self-pressured and willing to maximize their...
When Ford Motor Co. announced last year it was overhauling its aftermarket parts delivery system, certain dealers saw the new system as encroaching on their business. The cause for concern: 19 high-volume parts distribution centers that Ford is...
The World Wide Web is my virtual wizard. Everyday I connect to limitless data; never out of touch with everything from the weather in Baghdad to my bank balance. In fact, these days none of us are ever more than a few clicks from more information...
A parts department is not just a place with bins to house parts. It's a significant component in supplying adequate space for parts storage, meeting today's needs while responsive to future demands. Obviously, the more inventory that can fit in a...
Walking through the various dealerships I visit each month, I'm amazed that so many of their organizational structures have not really changed much over the years. For example, at each dealership there is usually at least one fairly high-level...
After completing a major expansion and renovation of its Mercedes-Benz dealership in Bethesda, MD, EuroMotorcars plans to open a second full-service Mercedes-Benz dealership nearby in Maryland's Germantown. EuroMotorcars Germantown will cover four...
NCM Associates calculates and produces dealership benchmarks based on the average of the top 50% of our clients by category. It reflects what's happening in the real world. It's not a destination, but a real-time comparison tool. We'd prefer to...
Let's talk about dealer satisfaction. It's grounded in inventory control and availability much like customer satisfaction is about serving up the right vehicle quickly and effortlessly. It's right up there with working for nothing. Worse, it's...