Dealers: Page 106
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Courtesy of WardsAuto
Car Dealers Strive for 100% Service Absorption
“Parts and service are critical to dealer success,” says Stephen Wade, vice chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Assn. “Those are your constants.”
By Steve Finlay • Dec. 6, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Pentagon’s Accusation Stings National Automobile Dealers Assn.
Auto dealers can point to their exemplary record of supporting the U.S. military. So they felt wounded when the Pentagon took aim at them, claiming dealerships have victimized service people who bought cars near military bases. Frankly, we were stunned, says Stephen Wade, vice chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Assn., recalling the hub-bub. We've supported the troops. Thousands of us have
By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2010 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Kia Corporation
TrendlineArtificial Intelligence
Automakers and dealers alike are increasingly seeing the use case for AI within their operations. Explore some use cases in this trendline.
By WardsAuto staff -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
FTC Hoists Red Flags Rules
After several deadline extensions, enforcement of the Federal Trade Commission's Red Flags Rule finally is slated to take effect January 1, and non-complying dealers had better look out. That's because FTC enforcers plan to target dealers and others who have delayed taking formal action in adhering to the new safeguards intended to fight identity theft. Failure to comply carries assorted penalties,
By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Damage Control in the Finance and Insurance Offices
LAS VEGAS In business, some wounds are self-inflicted, others sustained from random gunfire. So says Peter Briscardi, president of National Auto Care, a vehicle-service contract firm. Shame on us if wounds are self-inflicted. If they are from something out of control, we need to get through it. He offers solace to victims of the latter: There have been 13 recessions in this country, and 13 recoveries.
By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Dealers Dealt New Hand
A lot of automotive conferences have been held in the last few months, with excellent attendance. I take that as a sign of the economy recovering. From some of the discussions at conferences in Las Vegas, there seems to be a renewed interest in leasing on the part of the and even some independent banks. All the talk in the automotive digital world centers on new mobile applications, Search Engine
By David Ruggles • Dec. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Beware of Runaway Egos
Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and Tiger Woods all have something in common with each other, and perhaps in common with some dealers. All of them were (or are) self-motivated, talented, and extremely bright. The level of their success, if not unprecedented, was extraordinary. What does that have to do with you as a dealer? Perhaps nothing at all. Maybe a lot. At the height of their careers, each of
By William G. Leslie • Dec. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Read All About It
Would-be newspaper owner becomes successful dealer.
By Steve Finlay • Dec. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Dealers Use Hard Lessons Learned to Boost Profits
Dealers streamlined their operations, cut costs and reduced inventory levels. By continuing to do those things and more, they resolutely enter the new year with prosperous hopes.
By Steve Finlay • Nov. 22, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Damage Control in Dealership F&I Office
Conference attendees talk about how tough times have changed auto consumers, making many of them reluctant buyers, frugal shoppers or people with lower credit scores.
By Steve Finlay • Nov. 18, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
FTC Set to Enforce New Anti-ID Theft Rules
Regulators will send in “mystery shoppers” to test if a dealership is complying.
By Steve Finlay • Nov. 16, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Greg Miller: Ultimate Second-Generation Dealer
Hold on, I want to show you something, says Greg Miller. He arises from the desk of his top 10th-floor office overlooking the Wasatch Mountains and the vast South Towne Auto Mall he helped develop on a former alfalfa field in this Salt Lake City suburb. He retrieves something from a wall cabinet in an adjoining conference room separated by wood and stained-glass doors of a Frank Lloyd Wright
By Steve Finlay • Nov. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Rattner’s Book Is a Must Read
Steve Rattner's new book is must reading for anyone interested in the previously unknown details on how the auto industry bailout actually took place. I approached the book with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism due to my personal feelings about certain imperfections in the auto industry bailout, in particular the dealer terminations. Rattner helped oversee those as head of the federal government's
By David Ruggles • Nov. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
NADA ‘Stunned’ by Pentagon Accusation
Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.Auto dealers can point to their exemplary record of supporting the U.S. military. So they felt wounded when the Pentagon took aim at them, c...
By Steve Finlay 2 • Oct. 27, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Who Should Dealers Call On to Make Calls?
Many dealers rely on business-development calls to get customers into the showroom or service department. But who should make those calls is debatable.
By Steve Finlay • Oct. 8, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Autobytel Buys Two Internet Firms
Autobytel Inc., a provider of automotive online consumer purchase requests and marketing resources, has acquired privately held Cyber Ventures Inc. and Autotropolis Inc. The two Tampa, FL, entities generate and sell high-volume in-market consumer vehicle-purchase requests through proprietary content and search-marketing capabilities. This transaction extends our core growth and margin-enhancement
Oct. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Mostly Thumbs Up for Dealers
A growing number of car buyers are using website consumer reviews to decide which auto dealerships to visit. Car buyers want to know how a store stacks up, says Kathy Kimmel, director-training for Cars.com. Nearly one in three used-car Internet shoppers read online dealer reviews. Ninety percent of shoppers using reviews say they are helpful. After reading reviews, 21% of Internet users changed their
By Steve Finlay • Oct. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
OnStar Studying Marketing Opportunities for Data Collection
OnStar Inc. President Chris Preuss is directing a group to study business opportunities from which his company might reap additional revenues, in addition to its electronic concierge service, by marketing its considerable storehouse of vehicle and driver data. No decisions have been reached, Preuss tells Ward's at a press conference in New York. "I don't know yet what we can do with a lot of these
By Herb Shuldiner • Oct. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
8 Steps to Fixed-Ops Success
It's time to have fun again with fixed operations using eCommerce and at the same time lowering some costs and increasing profits. Sounds good, right? Then let me offer dealership service departments a simple and easy to remember eight-step FIXED-OPS strategy to move the needle in the right direction: Focus, Involve, eXplain, Educate, Develop, Observe, Perform and Sample. These are probably familiar
By Ray Fenster • Oct. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Social Media’s Effect: Auto Business Will Never Be Same
Eric Miltsch holds a college degree in communications, which suits him fine as the Internet director of Auction Direct USA, a 4-store chain of self-proclaimed super stores selling used cars. For three years now, he has used his communication skills to connect with people online, using social media in particular to create brand trust, enhance the customer experience and increase the number of consumers
By Steve Finlay • Oct. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
What Future CRM Systems Will Do for Dealerships
Mobile technologies will change how customer-relationship management systems work, especially in the collection of client information.
By Mark Dubis • Sept. 9, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Make More Money Off Parts
Auto makers' parts pricing uses the same dealer net-to-list percentages on the majority of parts. It may differ somewhat between product lines. But within the same line, the percentage generally is the same, regardless of the cost of the part. As an example, a water pump (cooling-system product line) that has a dealer net of say $100 would have the same dealer net to list-price percentage as a water-pump
By James Clausen • Sept. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Going, Going, Gone Online
Try it. You'll like it. That could be the advice given by wholesale auction companies, encouraging dealers to participate in the online end of the auction scene. Plenty of retailers are doing so already, using computers to buy and sell vehicles rather than sending employees to auctions. At least 21% of Manheim's business is now conducted online, and growing, says Joe George, group vice president of
By James M. Flammang • Sept. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
The Saving of Saab
MONTICELLO, NY One couldn't blame inventory-starved dealer Len Schrader if he wipes his eyes and thinks the new '11 Saab 9-5 is a moving mirage as it shows its stuff on a race course during a preview here. Schrader, the owner of a single-point Saab store, couldn't wait to start selling new vehicles again, beginning with the 9-5. Models began arriving at dealerships in August, ending a product famine.
By Steve Finlay • Sept. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Microsites Become Big Deals
Auto retailing, like every industry today, is being forced to measure and account for their marketing spending. In an economic climate where dealerships may be working hard just to sell enough cars to keep their business afloat, dealers especially must ensure any marketing initiatives deployed are effective and assist in growing the dealership's bottom line. Weighing the value of each dollar spent
By John Larkin • Sept. 1, 2010 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Dealers Send Preferred Credit Apps To Lenders They Like
Lenders who satisfy automotive dealers by meeting key performance expectations are more likely to capture a greater share of preferred loan applications, according to a J.D. Power and Associates study. The 2010 U.S. Dealer Financing Satisfaction Study finds that within the prime retail credit segment, lenders with a highly satisfied dealer network (scores of 901 or higher on a 1,000-point scale) successfully
Sept. 1, 2010
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