Dealers: Page
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Courtesy of WardsAuto
Starting at 16 in Minnesota Car Lot, Paul Walser Now Leads NADA
Incoming NADA Chairman Paul Walser talks with Wards about handling COVID, improving dealer diversity, recasting incentives, NADA’s virtual Conference & Expo Feb. 9-11 and the auto industry’s need to view the world through consumers’ eyes.
By Tom Beaman • Feb. 10, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Car Dealers Called ‘Bulletproof Band of Brothers and Sisters’
“No playbook was ever written for 2020,” says Rhett Ricart, outgoing NADA chairman. “No one could have envisioned the strongest disrupter ever: COVID.”
By Steve Finlay • Feb. 9, 2021 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Toyota Motor North America
TrendlineTop 5 stories from WardsAuto
Automakers are evaluating their long-term strategies, revisiting their product mix, and approach to both retail and manufacturing approach along the way.
By WardsAuto staff -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
‘Thoughtfulness’ a Job Requirement for NADA Chairman
“You have to realize you are representing 17,000 dealers, and your view on a particular topic is not necessarily NADA’s,” says Wes Lutz, the trade group’s 2018 chairman.
By Steve Finlay • Feb. 9, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
2021 Presidents’ Day Predictions and the Pandemic
February is an opportune time for car dealerships because Presidents’ Day is the only shopping holiday between December and May, and five months is a long time to be without a holiday-inspired incentive.
By Todd Somerville • Feb. 9, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Survey: Car Dealership Callers Want Upfront Price Fast
“In the new normal, the initial call a consumer makes to a dealership is now the make-or-break point of a sale,” says Marchex’s Matt Muilenburg.
By Steve Finlay • Feb. 5, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Pandemic Drove 2020 Surge in Auto Parts E-Commerce
RevolutionParts’ annual Parts eCommerce Report says parts sales processed through the company's online platform grew 28% in 2020, from $328 million to $421 million.
By Jim Irwin • Feb. 3, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Some Car Dealers Cautious, Some Eye Growth in 2021
Ambitious auto dealers will attempt to grow their businesses this year, while conservative dealers will just take the money, says Scott Fink, a former Ford marketer who now runs the top Hyundai store in the U.S.
By Steve Finlay • Feb. 2, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Be on Top With Alpha Elite, Be Seen Where Online Shoppers Search
Relevance in search results is what shoppers want most in the early stages of their car buying journey. That’s why finding strategies that can put you at the top of search results is critical to success.
By AutoTrader • Feb. 1, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
J.D. Power Panelists: Online Car Selling Work in Progress
Online sales tools are still basically lead generators, which “club the consumer over the head” until they ultimately come to the dealership to complete the deal, says Miran Maric, Asbury Automotive Group’s chief marketing officer.
By Jim Henry • Jan. 29, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
AutoNation Exec Fixates on CX
“Don’t underestimate the customer experience,” says Marc Cannon, the car dealership chain’s chief customer experience officer.
By Steve Finlay • Jan. 29, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Auto Dealers Fight the Fight – and Stay Sane
Car dealers “found themselves in a world they never expected to be in,” Mark Schienberg, head of the Greater New York Auto Dealers Assn., says in a Wards Q&A.
By Steve Finlay • Jan. 28, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Used-car Retailer CARite Launches Rent-to-Own Plan
The “Pay As You Go” plan is designed to let anyone choose, subscribe to and drive the vehicle of their choice while allowing them to build equity for a no-obligation purchase.
By Jim Irwin • Jan. 27, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Pandemic Lessons Influencing Dealers’ Fixed Operations
Panelists say dealers are offering what’s now a familiar menu of pickup and delivery and sanitizing customer vehicles, as well as new approaches where dealers get more value from customer data.
By Jim Henry • Jan. 27, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Training Auto Techs Becomes Even More Challenging
“Dealers are always in need of technicians,” says Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Auto Dealers Assn.
By Steve Finlay • Jan. 26, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Survey Gauges What Pleases Auto Aftermarket Customers
“This research confirms that quality work done promptly, explained clearly, for a fair price, and delivered with excellent customer service is what leads to customer satisfaction among American drivers.” says Timothy Gravelle of SurveyMonkey, which conducted the study for J.D. Power.
By Jim Irwin • Jan. 26, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Car Market Shifting As More Work, Shop From Home
For those dealers not in the premium luxury end of the market, wouldn’t it make sense to investigate the marketing, technologies and new ways of securing business in the subprime, deep subprime and first-time buyer side of the business?
By John F. Possumato • Jan. 25, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
How to Set Up for Success in 2021
Just as important as the technology providing positive digital retailing experiences to reach and accommodate customers are employees who understand those technologies.
By Mandi Fang • Jan. 22, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Boosting Automotive Digital Retailing Tech in 2021
Expedited by COVID-19, the automotive retail ecosystem is undergoing its own shift toward a more consumer-friendly model that promises to mimic the convenience of online shopping found in many of today’s popular internet retail portals.
By Rusty West • Jan. 22, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
How Dealers Can Build Sustainable Growth for Long-Term Success
Making strategic hires, investing in customer experience and building community giving into your dealership’s DNA call for a vision and a commitment that takes more work on the front end but ultimately will lead to long-term success.
By Steve De Witt • Jan. 21, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
How California Dealers Can Meet COVID-19 Compliance in 2021
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 includes $285 billion to small businesses for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans, expands the employee retention credit intended to prevent layoffs and rolls over a variety of temporary tax breaks.
By Monica Baumann • Jan. 18, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
CarMax Rolls Out Presale Test Drives, Expands Guarantee
The used-car chain previously offered a seven-day return policy on used cars, but that’s getting to be less of a competitive advantage as more big chains ramp up their used-car operations.
By Jim Henry • Jan. 15, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Used-Vehicle Prices Ahead of Year-Ago, Cox Automotive Says
Analysts are on the lookout for signs of a correction if demand should fall or supplies increase substantially – but so far there’s no correction in sight, says Jonathan Smoke, chief economist for Cox Automotive.
By Jim Henry • Jan. 14, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Six Auto Trends to Track in 2021
Here’s what to expect this year, according to two economists and an auto analyst from Cox Automotive.
By Steve Finlay • Jan. 12, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Providing Customer Service With Cheer No Chore
How can you surprise and delight your customers? You can’t retain customers if they don’t enjoy the experience. Don't look at your customer as "high-maintenance."
By Justin B. Gasman • Jan. 12, 2021 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Online Auto Retailer to Fight ‘Poverty of the Carless’
A 2014 Urban Institute study concluded that private-vehicle access is “indispensable for families seeking safety and economic security,” DriveItAway says in announcing its support for the Drive for Freedom Foundation.
By Jim Irwin • Jan. 11, 2021
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