Thinking of Making a Change in Your DMS Source?
 
Saving money, improving efficiency, interfacing with this decade’s customer communications methods are just a few the items dealers state that they are looking for in their “Next DMS”. In this quest, an effective demonstration will often help the dealership discover, and uncover the pros and cons of each Dealer Management System they are considering. Here are some tips on maximizing your demonstration experience:
 
• The Executive Demo
The first step after organizing a selection committee. is to involve them in a one hour web-based executive demo presented by the different DMS companies being considered. This will quickly eliminate the ones that do not meet your dealerships needs, and allow your team to focus on realistic candidates for replacing your existing system.
 
• Be Prepared
When preparing for the on-site demo, organization delivers the best results. Obtain a specific agenda from the DMS facilitator to determine the time each department needs to attend. Have one person, often the controller, plan on sitting in on as much of the demonstration as possible. This will help them understand the department-to-department continuity a potential vendor provides.
 
To maximize the experience, have your managers make notes of important tasks they do regularly so they can see how different DMS’ accomplish similar job functions. Have a list of tasks, and rank the results. This will make comparisons easier down the road.
 
• On-Site Demo – Get the Team involved
Have a kick-off meeting at the start of the day for a quick overview and to review the day’s agenda. Get all those who will be impacted by the eventual change involved -- the sales department, the General Sales Manager, New & Used Car Managers, the F&I Manager, and so on throughout the dealership. Realistically, as time is limited, it may be necessary to schedule a specialty follow- up webinar to cover a specific skill set such as warranty, dispatch, and some areas of accounting.
 
• Summary - How to get it “done”
Prune potential vendors’ early, plan and be organized for the on-site demo, and finally, involve those affected by the change. Using these three steps will help you maximize the experience, and improve your dealership’s understanding of what your “Next DMS” will be providing.
 
Tom Edwards is the National Sales Manager for Automotive Computer Services and can be reached at Tom@emailacs.com or 866-382-3024.

NADA Used Car Guide: Despite Month-over-Month Softness, Overall Strength in Used Prices Continue
Despite some softness in the market month-over-month, used-vehicle pricing is still "healthy." NADA says luxury models and 4-5-year-old vehicles suffered the most decline.
AutoRemarketing, July 12, 2010

Auto Recalls Climbing Under Federal Pressure
Due to a greater level of federal mandate, we're seeing more recalls year by year as automakers respond to even borderline safety risks in order to comply. Automakers recalled 10.2 million vehicles in the first six months of 2010.
Detroit News, July 12, 2010

Toyota, Tesla Said to Prepare RAV4, RX Prototypes
Toyota Motors, largest seller of hybrid autos, and Tesla Motors, already advanced in electric vehicles, will team to develop battery-powered test versions of the RAV4 and Lexus RX. Toyota says partnership with Tesla was formed to develop advanced auto technologies.
Bloomberg.com, Just 12, 2010

Ford Pays $3.8 Billion in Cash to Retiree Health Fund
Ford has said its debt load now puts it at a disadvantage against GM and Chrysler, which had their obligations cut in bankruptcy.  Ford is paying in excess of minimums to UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust and others with cash instead of stock signaling financial strength and confidence in its brand profitability.

Edmunds.com Highlights Significant Used-Vehicle Price Hikes
On average, a three-year-old used car is 11.1 percent higher than it was last year, and General Motors has some of the most dramatic examples of this trend, according to Edmunds.com. All types of used cars are up 5.5 percent. The normal trend is usually just 3.5 percent.

BMW May Invest $1B in Mexico for Auto Parts
BMW may invest more than $1 billion in Mexico-based suppliers to keep parts shipping to its U.S. assembly plants. The German automaker is going outside its home country more for parts in an effort to lower costs and reduce the impact of foreign currency swings.

Patented Software Program Unifies Auto Lending Process

AppOne offers new "one-stop shop" method for dealers, lenders and service providers for handling vehicle sales by unifying the transactions, mitigating risk, and decreasing complexity and costs associated with indirect auto lending. AppOne’s method offers dealers full-spectrum lending options and helps financial institutions increase loan portfolio performance while ensuring compliance. For more information contact www.appone.net.

Fiserv Enhances Automotive LOS for Ease & Productivity

Fiserv, Inc, the leading global provider of financial services technology solutions, announces enhancements to the Automotive Loan Origination System (LOS) to provide lenders with improved functionality and help them better serve their customers. Simple, easy-access format, provides real-time access to key data throughout the entire funding process. For more information visit www.fiserv.com.

Autobytel Launches AutoPilotSM Lending Tool
Autobytel Inc., a leader in marketing resources for dealers and manufacturers, launches AutoPilotSM, a new car buying service for consumers who receive financing from their local credit union or bank.   process for both consumers and car dealers, AutoPilot provides consumers with VIP dealer service and no-haggle pricing, and car dealers with pre-qualified buyers. AutolandDirect will be AutoPilot’s premier partner and will also help power the program with its call center technology. Visit AutoBytel for more information.

Don't Operate like a Cave Man                                    
By Bob Janet

I thought I had been around long enough to have seen every dumb thing done to lose a sale. I was  wrong. I was in Las Vegas and decided to see "Defending The Cave Man." As I was leaving the theater I decided to buy 2 dozen of the "Defending The Cave Man" shirts they were selling to use in my sales growth programs when talking about the techniques used thousands of years ago compared to the selling techniques we need to use today. But when the clerk asked for my ticket stub (I no longer had it), she refused to sell me the shirts without a ticket stub. I just walked away, saying out loud, "How dumb can they be?" This was, no doubt, Cave Man mentality -- which raises some interesting questions for dealers: 
 
Are you making it as easy as possible for your customers to buy from you?  
Are you available to them when they have the time to meet? I remember the days when retailers opened at 9am and closed at 5pm. Today you must be available when the customer wants to make a purchase or you lose the sale.

Are you accepting every form of payment?
Today's customers have choices of where to buy and how to pay for the products and services you sell. And for high ticket items a lot of buyers will walk if you do not offer long term payments. Today you must offer a customized payment schedule that fits the customers  schedule best.

Are you making it easy for them to understand the benefits you provide for them?
Do not assume the customer knows the benefits of your features.  When you mention a feature you must also mention the benefit. 

Are you making it easy for them to contact you?
This is an easy one.  With today's cell phones and texting there is no reason a customer cannot contact you when they need you to make a buying decision or service. To increase your sales and profits, don't operate like a Cave Man. Don't make it a hassle to do business with you.

Bob Janet, Sales Growth Now, can be reached at Bob@BobJanet.com or visit www.BobJanet.com.
   

Some predicted the low-VOC mandate (CARB Rules 1151 and 4612) would be the nail in the coffin for shops already struggling to remain open. Limiting the volatile organic compounds in paint, or the switch to waterborne finishes has also been likened to the Y2K frenzy. But, alas, the paint companies are coming along and some are preparing for a move to mandated low-VOC they anticipate will be rampant beginning in 2012. So click here for a great interview and learn more about the issues in "The Greening of America" right inside the service department. Then click on the image for additional information on VOC compliance.

Local Ads and News -- Coming to a GPS Near You!
It won't be long before OnStar and ConnectedDrive get wired

Drivers are already experiencing advertising plugs on their cell phone and smart phones, so perhaps they won't be offended when the GPS lights up with a plug for the local point of interest. ABI Research estimates there will be 232 million nav devices in use globally by the end of the year. It was a market just waiting to happen.

"We can pinpoint where consumers are and deliver ads and calls to action within a few feet of advertised points of purchase," says Chris Rothey, VP of Navteq Media Solutions. Drivers can click-to-map and click-to-navigate to the location.

AOL's MapQuest and Google are beginning to connect the dots and will soon add news and other local information to their portals. Geo-targeted ads and sponsorships already appear on the website and on MapQuest 4Mobile, with Best Western and Holiday Inn participating. The two companies also are working on mapping and navigation services for the upcoming Chevy Volt electric car.

Click here to read this article in its entirety. And you'll want to click here for a fabulous video by MapQuest and how they target local advertising!

Toyota Turns a Blight into Something "Green" and Beautiful

The Exide Battery Plant in Allentown, PA lay dark and dormant for more than 20 years. Today, it is in the process of re-opening as the new site of Bennett Toyota/Scion -- a 46,130-square-foot facility will be the only car dealership in the mid-Atlantic region certified as a green building by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.Rob Bennett, whose family has owned the dealership since 1969, is really big on Toyota, spending $1 million an hour on R & D and totally committed to its customers. Click here to read more. Click on the image to learn more about the LEEDS program.