The following is a comment I shared on my social media in 2011. At the time, I had hoped it would start some conversations and perhaps inspire change. Unfortunately, 7 years later, we still need to have this conversation because most dealership sales department business models are outdated. "In a few years, auto dealerships will ONLY need Internet Sales Departments. The ground is shifting and it's time to get on the program." There are just too many options today for customers to …
Auto Retail Sales Operations
Why Dealership Processes Must Be Considered a Value Chain
After years of robust car sales, auto retail is now experiencing a softening market. It's difficult to predict what's coming next and while no one has a crystal ball, it’s clear that many showrooms are not as active as they were last year. Tightening up dealership processes could actually help dealers survive these choppy waters ahead but are they prepared to tighten their belts? When times are good, everybody's flush. It's human nature to hold off on belt tightening while things are going …
The Futility of Lead Generation Without an Effective Lead Process
All of us have heard the pitches: "Sign Up Now and Get MORE Leads!" or "Sell More Cars with Our [Awesome Product]" or "Increase Sales with Digital Lead Generation Now!" I mean, who doesn't want more leads, right? Well, perhaps you don't. Why? Because if you're not successfully converting leads to sales (with data to back it up) then piling more leads on top of a bad process, and spending even more money to do it, is an exercise in futility. All of these claims and more are heard at every …