Automotive Information Network Inc. and
www.automotivedigest.com are pleased to provide a platform for automotive industry experts, gurus, and consultants to publish instructional and educational articles, guidelines, and documentation on how various processes, activities, and tasks can or may be accomplished.
This HOW TO module is intended to post substantive directives and counsel for the edification of the automotive industry management audience. The premises, solutions, and general information provided by the authors are their own and not to be construed as an endorsement, concurrence, or sponsorship by the editorial team at Automotive Information Network Inc.
Papers and documents of significance will be posted from time to time for extended periods of time. You are encouraged to contact and interact with the authors and to submit any commentary or feedback to either AIN or directly to the author.
Submissions will be accepted for review, acceptance, and posting at any time from individuals and companies with established credentials. [See posted material below for the preferred format, layout, and length (500 words max].
Send papers as a Word or PDF file to Chuck Parker, Publisher,
chuck@automotivedigest.com.
Feast or Famine? Not If You Know How to Prospect! (6/16/2010 12:00:00 AM)
In the automotive business, a good salesperson knows how to ride economic waves. They know exactly how to take a group of "ups" and build them into a loyal base of prospects and clientele who return time and again for vehicles, parts, service and accessories; who bring in referrals; and who increase the potential to close a deal by as much as 500%. But good salespeople typically do not share their secrets!
Reducing Personnel Expenses to Increase Dealership Profitability (5/17/2010 12:00:00 AM)
One of the key contributors to successful expense reduction is the use of a performance management solution that enables dealers to organize, analyze, and drill down into their expenses. Targeted goals can be derived from a variety of sources: Crowe Navigator, the National Automobile Dealers Association, 20 Groups, and Auto Team America.
Process for a Seamless Sales Transaction (5/17/2010 12:00:00 AM)
Just as there are sequential steps taken in the production of an automobile so should consistent steps be taken in the sales process. From the sales person to the finance office every step should be taken to allowthetransaction to flow quickly and easily. When shortcuts are taken it tends to slow down the process in the efforts to hang the deal, the delivery, product sales in the F&I department,funding, and CSI. Infact there are no short cuts that improve the process. Any short cut taken during the process will have to be done somewhere down the line only to make the experience choppy and awkward. Sometimes factors are missing in the equationthat may prevent adelivery from happening on the same day you sell a car. If the customer has committed to buying from you but it's necessary toschedule the delivery for another day, get all the information needed to have the deal approved in advance of their delivery. This way all the terms are predetermined and the guess work is eliminated. Buy rates are not alw
Why Do A Walk-Around Write Up? (5/1/2010 12:00:00 AM)
Today, more than ever, building relationships with our customers so that we retain them is paramount to our existence! The "walk-around write up" begins the process of establishing a relationship with the customer during the service visit. It shows the customer that we care about them and their vehicle. We have the chance to show them that we are not "selling" but advising them of what they may need---by checking the lighting operation, tire tread depth, wiper condition, and battery condition---the simple items that, in many cases, the customer takes for granted.
Find Overlooked Profits in Your Parts Department (4/8/2010 12:00:00 AM)
New regulations, demanding customers, scrutinizing insurance adjusters: dealerships are surrounded by hard to manage circumstances. Fortunately, profit can be recaptured in an overlooked area - small maintenance parts. Tracking shop supply expenses is crucial to strong profits, especially these days. Every area of the Fixed Ops Department is pushed; repairs must be made quickly and with the least amount of inconvenience to the customer. When your store is selling fewer new cars, customer satisfaction and choice to return for repairs must offset fewer new car purchases. Click here or click on the image for some cost-saving tips in your parts department system that will add significantly to your bottom line!
High-Touch Customer Contact Results in More Effective, More Profitable Outreach (3/31/2010 12:00:00 AM)
Traditional contact centers have focused heavily on automation and self-service as ways of reducing inbound calls and handle times. This has led to extremely positive benefits for consumers, lowering their wait times to get an account balance, make a payment or even make a purchase. This information – and much more – is now readily available through both Voice Response Units (VRUs) and online channels.
With the many choices available to access information, contact centers must now focus on providing an experience that not only gives the customer the information they need but also makes them want to call when they need to speak with someone. Unfortunately, many customers reach out to contact centers as a last resort when they are unable to find the information they need on their own. By the time they decide to call, they may alr
How to Keep Your Employees Engaged in 2010 (3/8/2010 12:00:00 AM)
With the current economy, where "doing more with less" is the mantra of many, now is a crucial time to focus in on your personnel. Follow these helpful hints to ensure a more productive and loyal workforce.
Maximizing Solutions You Already Have to Drive Sales (1/28/2010 12:00:00 AM)
Dealers who are interested in turning leads into sales should be looking to the lead-management tools already in place in their dealership. This how-to provides some tips on how to do exactly that.
Best Practices of High Performance Sales Teams (8/11/2009 12:00:00 AM)
The Best Practices of High Performing Sales Teams - Top-Down Vision: The challenges of modern sales executives are daunting and formidable, and 'walking in their shoes' is the only way to truly understand the stress and difficulty of this role.
New Employment Challenges and the Top Accounting Tuneups (5/19/2009 12:00:00 AM)
This seminar will highlight key information and tips on how you can better protect, improve, and tune up your dealership through strategic and critical updates in the areas of employment law, internal control improvements, financial control improvements, and tax efficiency.
Buying Dealership Insurance: Taking the Mystery out of the Process (4/1/2008 12:00:00 AM)
Expert: Joe Coulter, Industry Consultant
Credentials of the Author: Industry expert on dealer insurance underwriting and consulting.
What We Do: Provides software package and consultants that enable dealership management to structure the most cost effective and comprehensive insurance packages and programs.
Why Timely: Dealers are renewing and reviewing insurance programs year round.
Increasing Automotive Sales Training ROI Effectiveness (2/27/2008 12:00:00 AM)
Area of Expertise: Sales training
Expert: Jerry Rosen, founder and principal of JRC Training Solutions
Credentials of the Author: Sales training consultant with over 20 years experience; the author of four books and numerous articles.
What JRC Training Solutions does: A training consulting firm that creates and implements custom training solutions to help organizations achieve key business goals.
Why Timely: ROI provides sales training accountability to dealership management.
Automotive Sales Training That Gets Results (2/1/2008 12:00:00 AM)
Expert: Jerry Rosen, founder and principal of JRC Training Solutions
Credentials of the Author: Sales training consultant with over 20 years experience; the author of four books and numerous articles.
What We Do: A training consulting firm that creates and implements custom training solutions to help organizations achieve key business goals.
Why Timely: Effective sales training can be key to improving the dealership's bottom line and increasing customer loyalty.
Increasing Automotive Sales Training ROI Effectiveness (2/1/2008 12:00:00 AM)
Area of Expertise: Sales training
Expert: Jerry Rosen, founder and principal of JRC Training Solutions
Credentials of the Author: Sales training consultant with over 20 years experience; the author of four books and numerous articles.
What We Do: A training consulting firm that creates and implements custom training solutions to help organizations achieve key business goals.
Why Timely: ROI provides sales training accountability to dealership management.
How to engage and retain clients and prospects all year long with your e-newsletter (1/1/2008 12:00:00 AM)
Area of Expertise: Showing dealers how to create loyalty with customers and capture new business using e-newsletters.
Expert: Brian Epro, Director of Automotive Services Group, IMN
Credentials of the Author: Thirteen years experience in the automotive space. Joined IMN in 2005 and launched the Automotive Services Group and its flagship product Loyalty Driver.
What We Do: Provides Loyalty Driver, a fully-managed e-newsletter service enabling auto dealerships to communicate to their customers with multi-media capable email and e-newsletters and drive measurable brand impact, product visibility, leads and sales for the dealership.
Why Timely: Consumers are inundated with marketing information that is irrelevant to them. An e- newsletter that uses a soft-sell approach with engaging lifestyle articles, timely and informative content is an effective way to build loyalty with your customers and engage prospects.
How to make your dealership a destination for female vehicle shoppers (12/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)
Area of Expertise: Connecting with women car shoppers.
Expert: Dan Osborne, Founder/CEO, CarTango
Credentials of the Author: An extensive background in business development, technological innovation, and business management with proven success in building companies from the ground up. He has leveraged his solid background in business and his thorough understanding of technology and Internet marketing trends into the creation of CarTango.
What We Do: CarTango is a female-focused matchmaking service for vehicle buyers and sellers, developed to help automotive dealerships connect and sell more vehicles to women online.
Why Timely: Women influence about 80% of all vehicle purchases, and account for about half of the vehicles sold in the U.S.
Service satisfaction is high, now it's time to make your website a service seller (11/1/2007 12:00:00 AM)
Area of Expertise: Driving service profits while keeping customers happy.
Expert: Gary Simmons, Founder and CEO, Management Consulting Services, Inc.
Credentials of the Author: An automotive background that spans almost 30 years, a dealership client list of over 800 dealerships in 37 states, and a proven track-record of helping dealerships over the long haul.
What We Do: Provide dealerships support services in the areas of: management, operations, service and sales.
Why Timely: Consumers have become more and more tech-savvy. Dealers need to make sure all areas of their dealership keep up the pace.