Perspectives: Are You Ready for More Business?

Motorists can extend maintenance intervals for only so long. Eventually, the service work needs to be performed so you should start to see an increase in service traffic because of this pent-up demand. Several questions must be asked:

• Do you have enough technicians? Are they trained?
• Have you been delaying equipment purchases?
• Do your techs have the specialty tools they need to be productive?
• Does the shop need a thorough cleaning or a fresh coat of paint?
• Is your service writer in the right frame of mind? Do you need to update your scheduling and management system?
• Is it time to have a website or update your current site?
• Have you planned a Be Car Care Aware check lane event? Do you have the repair information you need?
• Are you prepared to service all the import nameplate vehicles on the road today?
• Is your current parts supplier providing you with the service and support you need to be successful?
• Does your main supplier have the brands and coverage to satisfy the changing vehicle landscape in your area?

Jeff Stankard is publisher of Brake&FrontEnd and can be reached at jstankard@babcox.com.

GM Hopes New Cruze Controls Small Car Market
The Chevy Cruze rolls out this September, hoping to overcome small-car safety stigma and garner younger buyers worldwide. Quality and reliability will be key issues if GM wants to make the Cruze a key profitability player.
Detroit News, June 21, 2010

These Cars Will Cost You, if You Can Find One
New models from BMW and Audi are selling, but with production levels down it may be hard to locate them on dealer lots. New BMW 5 series will be out this month with a selling price of $49,600. Subaru Legacy, VW GTI also on the hard-to-get list.
MSNBC.msn.com, June 20, 2010

CNW Measures Social Media's Impact as Used Sales Channel
Social networking sites are exhibiting greater influence over used-car sales as more sellers use them to unload their used vehicles. Some 1.9 million offers in 2009 with 68.8 percent converted to sales, and 70 percent converted to sales so far in 2010.
AutoRemarketing, June 21, 2010

Chrysler Ads Aim To Rebuild Image
Chrysler has not spent money on trying to rebuild its image with consumers since coming out of bankruptcy in June 2009 because it had no new product to promote until now with the redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee hitting showrooms.

Garmin, TomTom See no Detours for GPS Navigation
Google Android and iPhone applications are bringing GPS navigation to smartphones and are likely to eventually overtake dedicated units from Garmin and TomTom.  For now, GPS devices have an edge over smartphones by loading maps quicker, having longer battery life and clearer audio for hands-free navigating.

Battle of the Batteries: Comparing Electric Car Range, Charge Times
Buyers will be studying available data to make their decisions about plug-in hybrid and pure electric cars.  Concerns will include driving range between charges, charging time, and how driving conditions and style will affect the outcome.

Dealers: Access Inventory & Leads Outside the Store

The Liquid Motors Mobile Portal Service will allow dealers to access their inventory and their leads and lead generating activities in real-time away from the dealership. making access and lead response times greatly improved from any Internet-enabled mobile device -- offering new-found freedom off the lot. at auction, etc. Contact Liquid Motors for more info.

Be Sure to Register for CARS "Plugging-In" Conference

Center for Automotive Research hosts 2010 Business of Plugging In conference, Oct 12-14, at Detroit Marriott at Renaissance Center. Hear up-to-date info on plug-ins, see display vehicles, try one out in "Ride and Drive." Click here to register. For sponsorship/exhibit opps visit www.bpiconference.com or email.

The Complete Guide to Telematics Now Available

ReportsandReports will carry "The Complete Guide to Telematics in Europe and the USA", an annual report in an interactive, presentation format. The 270-page guide will include all available telematics services, clear explanations and definitions, overview of system architectures and more.  Click here to browse the complete Report.

Make it Happen: Either Wait, or Create and Be Great
By Hans Van Order

Stop waiting and start creating!  Create strong relationships that last.  People are starving for human contact – give it to them.  Make the time investment and reap the rewards – or play the waiting game and… just wait.

I spend a lot of my time teaching salespeople how to follow up with their clients and prospects.  By far the largest problem I face, which is echoed by the managers I work with across the country, isn’t just how to do it, it’s doing it in the first place – and then following up.   

Not enough time to make phone calls?
When I present proper follow-up techniques to a group of salespeople, I inevitably will hear, “I just don’t have time to make all those phone calls.”  As soon as I hear it (and I always do) I immediately stop my presentation and start asking questions:  

1.  So, what you just told me is that you don’t have time to call your prospects or your clients. What are you doing with your time?
2.  How many clients have you sold over the past three years?  If they are good, this number is between 400 and 800.

Launch a campaign to reach clients right now
Launch a campaign to reach out to all of your clients “just to say hello”.  Remember that there is no better call to a customer than the call with no purpose.  If the only time you ever call is when there is something in it for you – shame on you for your selfishness – and your loyalty numbers will reflect it.

Make the math work for you
600 clients = 450 messages left and 150 conversations.  The 450 messages left is approximately 450 minutes and 150 conversations is approximately 450 minutes.  Total time: 900 minutes or 15 hours.  Approximately 40 minutes per working day over a month – I either talked personally to, or left a nice message for, every customer I sold a car to in the past three years.  

Is “waiting” a work habit in your dealership?
When I did an analysis on working habits within the auto industry, I found out the most popular activity is among sales representatives is “waiting.”  They are waiting for an “up” to walk in or the phone to ring.

Hans Van Order, President & CEO of UDC Momentum, can be reached at sales@udcnet.com or 888-284-5833.

Brake pad replacements are done every day at dealerships across the country. The big question is, are they being done right? Technicians must pay attention to proper and thorough cleaning as part of the preparation for replacements because today's brake systems are particularly sensitive to rust and corrosion. Click here or click on the image for a few quick tips to put your technicians on the path to customer satisfaction for a maintenance area known for bringing customers back when the job isn't done right.

Is There Still a Market for GPS Navigation Devices?
Garmin and TomTom aren't going away any time soon

Okay, so the market is being flooded with iPhones and smartphones and Sync's "My Ride" technology, and you wonder if it's worthwhile to push vehicles loaded with a GPS navigation system. The answer is an unequivocable "Yes"! Take a look at some of the neat items coming down the tube:

Garmin Nuvi 3790T GPS device is thinner than an iPhone, has a beautiful 5-inch LCD screen, can run traffic directions in 3-D, and easily slips into your pocket, making it perfect for use in the car or while walking.

Garmin's 3790T -- intended for the car — but not always. "It's for driving or walking," Garmin Chief Financial Officer Kevin Rauckman says, and will surely turn heads though it is a bit pricey.

TomTom is reaching for the cost-conscious consumer, bringing in a Darth Vader-like voice to help you "recalculate". Additional Stars Wars voices — including C-3PO and Han Solo — will be available later this summer. Senior Vice President Tom Murray says. "The audio quality you get from a navigation device is crisper and cleaner than what you can get on a smartphone."

Sales of individual GPS units are down somewhat this year, retail sales at $267 million from January to April, and the trend long-term may involve a phase-out or reincarnation of some sort. But the long-range prognosis for  consumers can also mean lower prices. Garmin and TomTom are not going away any time soon!

The Race to Plug In -- Field of Automakers Widens

Almost all major automakers have, or will soon, enter the electric vehicle market. The demand for better fuel efficiency is a leading factor, of course, but automakers are going to need help if they want to attract buyers. For one thing, the cost of batteries needs to come down. For another, buyers need to be assured that they can travel adequate distances and find plug-in stations when they need charging. Thus, the infrastructure for electric vehicles is the next major battle ground. Click here and then click on the image to read more about the challenges and the opportunities for EV technology.