Blog

The Advisor Difference

Service advisors can make the difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in revenue to the dealership. They see your customers more than anyone else, yet receive little support from the dealership. Many dealerships consider advisor staffing a cost that must be limited, which is very shortsighted. They throw people into the position without […]
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Measuring Customer Pay Sales

There is an interesting statistic that is use when measuring customer pay sales called technician hours sold per repair order. This takes the average technician hour sold in the dealership and is used to see how good there advisors are performing. I admit to monitoring this result very closely looking for opportunities for improvement. I’ve […]
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It’s an Idea

All progress starts with an idea. Industry titans such as Henry Ford or Thomas Edison both started with an idea. The idea centers on an individual observing a need and thinking through a solution that would solve it. Although there is never guarantee in every idea being successful. It is essential to understand without processing […]
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Customer Focus

Today’s dealerships spend tens of thousands of dollars every month to reach new customers and get them inside the dealership doors. A large amount of these funds are spent on newspapers that end up as a floor mat the next day for a birdcage. I’ve seen thousands of dollars spent on service ads, that promote […]
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Speaking the Same Language

​​This morning at breakfast I noticed a group of three individuals at the table next to me were speaking French. I naturally wondered what brought them to the United States and the town I was staying in however, that didn’t matter. It did intrigue me however, after a little thought I couldn’t understand a word […]
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Do You Believe?

So many of us are focused on the numbers the team generates as a measurement of performance. We review them daily, weekly or monthly and likely let the team know in some form or fashion how we are doing. Many dealership managers feel it’s productive to beat the team member up that’s not performing well […]
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Selling Great Used Cars

I have visited new car dealerships throughout the United States and consider it a privilege to see the different ways that they operate. It is interesting to observe opportunities for improvement financially and with customer care. The most successful car dealerships understand the value of integrity in building their local brand. Other dealerships might look […]
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Warranty Parts Pricing

For as long as I can remember warranty parts prices were calculated by taking dealer cost and adding 40% markup. Now in many states laws exist that have forced the manufacturer to compensate dealerships at retail pricing. This new law almost doubles the gross profit from warranty parts sales. My experience with this new law […]
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Because I Said So

When I was a child growing up I used to challenge every order issued by Mom or Dad with a simple question why. I’m not certain I ever received a detailed description of why I should perform a task that they asked me to do, however the response was always the same. Because I said […]
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The Team Without A Coach

No professional sports team would consider going without a coach. There may be times where they terminate employment of a coach and have an interim position however, professional sports understand the need for good coaching. A good coach knows how to get the most out of individual players and inspire the team. When things go […]
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