Practical articles for dealership teams on the service drive, the sales floor and in the F&I office.
327 articles
Service Drive
Full synthetic engine oil is the best choice for almost any vehicle. When you offer customers a full synthetic oil change, do you get shot down like a barfly with a bad pickup line? If so, you’re not…
CPI4 min read
Service Drive
You won’t find this question on a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) survey. The results would probably tell a story very much in line with the overall CSI score. If the customer responded that the…
CPI2 min read
Technology
Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies have been headlines in the news. What might seem at first like a new-age, one-world currency pipe dream is a massive market valued at a half-trillion…
CPI2 min read
Service Drive
Vehicle owners often assume the check engine light is unimportant and ignore it. Educating customers can make you money. Plus, it can help protect them from additional repairs. On the Internet…
CPI4 min read
Service Drive
It’s hard to pin down an exact number from any source, but an estimated 30 percent of every dealer’s parts inventory is comprised of idle parts. Those are pieces in inventory that are obsolete…
CPI2 min read
BDC and Marketing
It used to be the only way to find the right car for your needs was to visit dealership after dealership. Hours spent in showrooms, a handful of test drives, and the best-price sales pitch was all…
CPI2 min read
Sales
Imagine this: a new customer walks into the dealership, shopping for a new vehicle. You’ve done the needs assessment, the product demonstration, and there haven’t been any issues so far. It’s lining…
CPI2 min read
Service Drive
Someone needs to introduce new car buyers to the service department. For sales professionals and financial service advisors alike, it seems like a job that’s not in their description. They’re in the…
CPI2 min read
Service Drive
It wasn't that long ago that the Automotive Industry underwent and survived a crisis. I believe we will be facing similar challenges if we don't re-wire the way we think and how we approach the…
CPI5 min read
BDC and Marketing
When you’re in the research portion of your buying journey, where do you start? Whether it’s for shoes, a 65-inch smart TV, a lawnmower, or car parts, it starts online for 95 percent of millennials…
CPI2 min read
Sales
“What if you don’t train them, and they stay?” Today’s customers are more informed and have more options available to them than at any other time in history. And the products and services you offer…
CPI1 min read
People
Although the auto Industry is slowly moving away from attracting and hiring the typical 'car guy', and towards more customer service-focused employees, including women, the change isn't happening fast…
CPI2 min read
Technology
Everyone has a junk drawer with a couple old cell phones kicking around. There’s a TV in the basement corner that’s still in an oak cabinet and hasn’t worked in a decade. Or you can look at the…
CPI2 min read
People
Creating a female-friendly atmosphere may seem like an obvious solution to making your female customer base feel comfortable in your dealership. However, it’s usually the most overlooked opportunity…
CPI2 min read
Service Drive
A record number of travelers are about to hit the road with their families as Memorial Day comes closer…and it happens without fail. As a long weekend approaches, the prices at the pumps creep higher…
CPI2 min read
Service Drive
The new car smell. A clean washed and waxed vehicle. Sun gleaming of freshly shone rims. Everyone loves a clean car. It makes the car owner more relaxed and feeling satisfied. It’s the perfect end to…
CPI2 min read
People
Let’s talk about the importance of building real relationships with your female consumers. Building trust with your female consumer base is essential when it comes to referrals and their desire to…
CPI2 min read
Service Drive
It’s a scenario that happens many times a day in every service department. The service advisor completes a walkaround with the customer, explains the maintenance requirements, asks for the sale…and…
CPI2 min read
People
It’s a new series from customer experience expert, Katie Mares. In this five-part series, Katie gives tips on how to tailor the in-dealership experience to the real decision-makers in automotive…
CPI3 min read
F&I
There’s a lot of information about the financial services advisor relating to the customer. It’s a part of the role that has an incredible impact on customer satisfaction, SSI survey scores, referral…
CPI2 min read
Service Drive
In 2017, more than 28 million recall notices went out to car owners. But that pales in comparison to 2016 where nearly 53 million recalls were issued. It’s something that instills fear into drivers…
CPI1 min read
People
Editor's note: This is the second in a series, entitled "The Decision Maker." Without a thorough understanding of the female consumer, you won't be able to personalize and tailor the experience you…
CPI2 min read
Technology
Autonomous car development is a monstrous emerging industry right now. More than a dozen car manufacturers and countless suppliers are working hard to make self-driving cars a mainstream reality. And…
CPI2 min read
Technology
Traditional car ownership isn’t going anywhere in the foreseeable future. According to respondents in Autotrader’s Generation Z Study, 92 percent of those asked said they still intend to purchase a…
CPI2 min read