You may recall having a mentor while in school, or perhaps on the job. That person was undoubtedly an older individual, tasked with teaching you years of accumulated life lessons. But what if the…
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…
Many dealerships fear training employees who may ultimately leave. But what they need to be afraid of is untrained employees that stay. It seems like every time I visit the local dealership service…
It is no secret that women account for only a small part of the retail automotive industry. Posing the question in its simplest form, why? Why is there a shortage of women represented in the…
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…
There’s no denying the fact automotive technicians are at a premium throughout the United States. Even “borderline” techs are getting scooped out of trade school well before they graduate. How can you…
They say age is nothing but a number, but in society, that’s far from true. Ageism is rampant everywhere, especially in the workplace. Your dealership may be promoting this form of prejudice without…
The automotive retail industry was once a man’s world, but not anymore. Now, some of the most successful individuals in the trade are women. Need proof? Then check out these stories from 16 of the…
Mary Barra, Chairman and Chief Executive of GM is the first female CEO of a major global automaker, 34 years after she had started working at the company as an 18-year-old. Here she shares her life…
We’ve all had an experience interacting with someone who makes it obvious they don’t want to be where they are. They’re in it for the paycheck; simply a warm body to fill a role. As a complete mirror…
By Mia Bevacqua - Mia is an impressive automotive retail expert with ASE Master, L1, L2 and L3 Advanced Level Specialist certifications. Over 13 years of experience in the automotive industry and a…
The marked inequity between men and women in automotive has been a far-reaching topic. CPI scratched the surface in a previous article, Where Are All the Women in Automotive? With less than a quarter…
"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" These were the opening lines of the famous Shadow "detective story" radio program captivated listeners many years ago - are…
USA Today recently reported that 40 to 50 percent of marriages in the United States end in divorce. That’s a sobering statistic. That rate is nearly unchanged regardless of a couple’s faith…
If hiring were easy our industry would be able to retain its talent and we would all be on top of our game. However, the truth is that hiring is not easy in the auto industry, noting that our industry…
I recently wrote an article called Lexus Plus- Failure to launch? In this article, I questioned the program that Lexus launched two years ago yet has only had 13 dealerships sign up for and…
A customer’s favorite pick up line is…wait for it…"hello!" And if you can use their name in that same moment, you say hello you have their undivided attention! In a study I conducted, I surveyed…
By Mia Bevacqua - an impressive Automotive retail expert with ASE Master, L1, L2 and L3 Advanced Level Specialist certifications. Over 13 years of experience in the automotive industry and a…
Retailers and automakers are slowly making the switch to one price sales models with the goal to make the car shopping experience more comfortable, more streamlined, and efficient. But what does that…
According to CDK Global it is 5% easier to sell to existing customers rather than gain new customers, and it can cost 6-7 times more to attract a new customer than keep an existing one. It is your…
Gender defines the way a message is perceived; from sales and service interactions, marketing, and BDC scripting. All of these messages, moments, and service interactions sum up how your customers…
Women not only hold the veto vote in the majority of household purchases (including vehicles), they also hold the power to make or break a very lucrative referral and loyalty stream. I have mentioned…
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…
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…