Practical articles for dealership teams on the service drive, the sales floor and in the F&I office.
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Service Drive
Picture it now: the service manager, service advisors, and the rest of the front-end service team have just completed an intense training session. The difference is palpable. There’s a fire in their…
Ted Ings2 min read
Industry Leaders
He turned a loan from his father Into $26 Billion. He is known for his hands-on approach of visiting his current dealerships, checking in with the mechanics or having coffee with the parts…
CPI3 min read
F&I
It’s been more than three decades since Ted Ings was featured in DealerWorld Magazine. Under his guidance, Fette Ford in Clifton, New Jersey improved their Red Carpet leases from 20 per month to over…
CPI2 min read
People
Many companies and employees welcome the work-from-home guidelines that have been adopted since the start of the pandemic. However, the retail automotive business has been mostly exempt from…
Ted Ings1 min read
Service Drive
It’s no secret there’s an industry-wide shortage of automotive technicians. These 5 strategies will help your shop beat the drought by hiring the best in the business. Firestone Complete Auto Care has…
Ted Ings4 min read
Service Drive
Two departments that seem worlds apart are service and the F&I office. One deals with vehicle financing during the sale and the other only comes into play months later, right? As automotive…
Ted Ings2 min read
Leadership
Having formalized sales, finance and fixed operations processes for your business can save you time and money by increasing efficiency. Your team can get more done in less time by following set…
CPI2 min read
Customer Experience
It’s a thriving, growing industry, and it’s focused on earning money at every level. Let’s put it into perspective: Statista reports that the US motor vehicle and parts manufacturing annual output in…
Ted Ings2 min read
Service Drive
A friendly and efficient walk-around is undoubtedly a best practice in the service drive. The service advisor should greet the customer with a smile, welcome the customer by name, and be genuinely…
Ted Ings2 min read
Technology
At the most recent Fixed Ops Roundtable, we brought you the idea to host a technology clinic in your dealership. The intention is to help customers become more familiar with their vehicle and its…
Ted Ings1 min read
Customer Experience
When you love someone, you find ways to show your appreciation. A special note, a little gift, or an intimate dinner tells them that you care. Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to express that…
Ted Ings1 min read
Service Drive
Dealership service department door rates are averaging beyond $175 per hour - or more. A technician with 100% productivity generates $1,000 + of revenue per day in labor alone, and some technicians…
Ted Ings1 min read
Service Drive
When you visit a dealership, where do you find the service manager? Typically, hiding in the office, buried under a stack of papers and a load of emails. But it shouldn’t always be that way. To engage…
Ted Ings3 min read
Service Drive
Imagine you have a major appliance like a washing machine that’s stopped working. It’s been good to you and it’s an expensive appliance, but you head to the store to find its replacement. Now picture…
Ted Ings2 min read
Service Drive
Everyone is short on time, and the pinch is felt by everyone in the service industry. Fast food chains make their money on feeding people quickly. Speedy service centers promise an oil change in ten…
Ted Ings2 min read
Service Drive
Both the sales floor and the service drive emphasize a walk-around process. It takes the customer along for a journey that involves them with the vehicle. On the showroom floor, it’s to explain…
Ted Ings2 min read
People
In the retail automotive sector, there’s a workforce disparity. Look across all aspects of the industry, manufacturing, OEMs, and executive, retail dealerships, and independents. There are many more…
CPI2 min read
Technology
Connected navigation, Bluetooth phone and streaming audio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are just a few examples of tech features now commonly found in new cars. It’s no surprise some customers are…
Ted Ings1 min read
Service Drive
Every vehicle has them. Those black and round rubber rings are mounted on every rim that rolls out the dealership’s doors. And, in more than 87 percent of cases, it’s the last time the dealership will…
Ted Ings2 min read
Service Drive
A service walk-around is undoubtedly the best tool a service advisor can use to increase sales at write-up. The benefits carry throughout the service visit, opening the door to estimate sales and…
Ted Ings2 min read
Service Drive
Picture this: you sit down to a meal at your favorite restaurant. Of course, you have a tried-and-true selection on the menu, and you’ll probably choose that. Imagine if the waiter read the daily…
Ted Ings2 min read
Industry Leaders
As a young man, Fred Beans took a risk and bought a two-bay service station with a $5,500 loan co-signed by his mother and $120 in his pocket. He likes to tell the story that his dad wouldn’t co-sign…
Ted Ings4 min read
Industry Leaders
Bert Boeckmann never intended to be the largest Ford retailer. But he found that having well-run sales and fixed operations led to economies of scale, and pushed growth. Located in the heart of the…
CPI3 min read
Leadership
The following article was written and published by Seth Godin. It has been edited for the retail automotive business and deserves a look as it is a remarkable read: Every important idea starts out on…
CPI2 min read