Practical articles for dealership teams on the service drive, the sales floor and in the F&I office.
327 articles
BDC and Marketing
The coronavirus pandemic has forever altered the retail landscape. Among the long-term changes, automotive retailers have invested in contactless ways for customers to shop and have their vehicles…
Ted Ings5 min read
BDC and Marketing
Vehicle software problems are on the rise, will you survive the digital age? Modern electronics and computer controls have made possible the reliable, efficient vehicles of today. But, as with any…
Ted Ings3 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
Sales
Often when we speak, we are unaware of the message that we are conveying. In the digital age, we are becoming more and more reliant on written communication but in the car sales industry, face-to-face…
Ted Ings5 min read
Service Drive
In our previous article, we began discussing the seven essentials District Parts and Service Managers must check during a dealership visit. Today, we continue to explore the topic. What to check…
Ted Ings5 min read
Leadership
You’re a District Parts and Service Manager who must visit area dealerships. But the trips can be a waste of time, unless you know exactly what to check. That’s why Ted Ings and the experts at CPI…
Ted Ings3 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
Leadership
Last time we discussed the importance of field team training, and how the best program is an interactive workshop, facilitated by Ted Ings at CPI. Ted recently performed his breakthrough training with…
CPI4 min read
Sales
Competition is fierce these days: companies spend millions on research, investment, and of course, training, to stay in the game. To remain relevant, you and your field team must continually work…
CPI4 min read
BDC and Marketing
Whether we love them or hate them, customer reviews are here to stay, which can make or break the dealer. More often than not, though, for those who do not capture the same volume of reviews as their…
Ted Ings6 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
Service Drive
A service walk-around should be performed on every vehicle in the service drive. The customer should be asked to participate, but how do you know when you’re doing it right? When the customer kneels…
Ted Ings2 min read
Technology
To reinvent your dealership in the age of Covid-19 you will need to make changes, and if you have any doubts about this, I would like you to consider the words of the great W. Edwards Deming: “It is…
Ted Ings5 min read
Wellness
Like most people, you’re probably stuck at home, sheltering in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And that leaves you with too much time on your hands. What’s worse, the fear surrounding the…
Ted Ings3 min read
Leadership
Harry Truman once said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” If you truly want to be a leader in your field, whatever that may be, it is essential to read. Whether you’re a…
CPI6 min read
Service Drive
While the conversation surrounding the Service Business Development Center (BDC) is often about whether or not your dealership needs one, this conversation is about how to manage, develop and execute…
Ted Ings3 min read
Service Drive
One aspect of the Service Business Development Center (BDC) that is often overlooked is the relationship between the Service Advisors and BDC Agents. If the two teams do not work together it makes it…
Ted Ings3 min read
Service Drive
Customer satisfaction and enhanced profitability are two reasons to incorporate a formalized service process at your dealership. So how do you get started? Your service process should begin exactly…
Ted Ings3 min read
Leadership
Left hand, right hand, that is something we all understand. You have a left hand and you have a right hand and one is more dominant than the other. It’s simple, it’s logical. But what about the left…
Ted Ings5 min read
Leadership
You may have seen Mike Vogel on the cover of Fixed Operations Magazine. Known affectionally as The Coach, his impressive career spans several decades. Get to know Mike Vogel Mike Vogel has spent his…
Ted Ings3 min read
F&I
Perception is reality. Picture this: you’re just ironing out the deal on your brand new car. Picking up a pen, you’re ready to sign the dotted line…when you see a few hundred dollars tacked onto the…
Ted Ings1 min read
Sales
When you make a sales presentation, you need to connect with your customer and help them conjure up a positive image of the sales process if you want them to purchase a vehicle from you. This is…
Ted Ings5 min read