Empire Building

It never ceases to amaze me that we still have dealership staff clinging to old behaviors in a time where economic uncertainties run rampant, sales are down, and the business’ survival is either on, or close to, life support.
Let me be a bit more specific:
I will not identify a dealer specifically in this example; it [...]

What Just Happened?

The news is out…GM has filed bankruptcy, Chrysler has just sealed the deal with Fiat, and absolute carnage (in the form of dealer terminations) has ensued.
What just happened?
Many pundits are pointing the finger squarely at two industry giants, and the list of criminal indictments run the gamut:

An alleged culture of arrogance and greed became their [...]

Clogs to Clogs in Three Generations

A good friend introduced me to the above statement when we were discussing the concept of building a family fortune. For those not familiar, clogs (for this discussion) are traditional carved-wood shoes of northern Europe, and the phrase describes the following process:
• An individual (the first generation) with little to no money scrapes and claws his [...]

On Leadership

I just finished my fourth viewing of Paramount’s “We Were Soldiers Once…and Young”. Before I comment further, I want to make two points clear:
1. This blog is not a debate about who won, lost, or why.
2. For anyone confused about the subject matter, please refer to the blog title.
I am not one for war movies [...]

10 Tips for Service and Parts This Challenging Year

As I write this, news is being released regarding massive job cuts across industry around the world. More specifically for this audience, the automotive industry is going through twists and turns never before seen. Once-secure manufacturers are seeking government assistance, and generational dynasties of franchise holders are locking the doors and walking away. [...]

Dealer or Dinosaur – A Change In The Business As We Know It?

Did you see todays Automotive News? If not here is the Headline:
“Finance giant HSBC exits U.S. auto loan business
HSBC Finance Corp. will stop making new auto loans through U.S. dealerships and direct-to-consumer channels. The announcement came Monday, Aug. 4, in the bank’s report of second-quarter earnings.
HSBC had been shrinking its auto loan business since March. [...]

Measure Everything

Okay, so I can’t claim credit to this as an original concept; but I can put some “spin” on the idea to increase it’s relevancy to what we do every day.
We all know that tried and true adage “Don’t expect what you don’t inspect”. By and large, we (as industry professionals) view performance measurement (be [...]

A New Choice for Business Management in North America at Last!

ODS & ASE Launch Business Management Composite Services in North America.
Today Operational Development Specialists (ODS,LLC), announces their partnership with Automotive Services Europe (ASE), the UK’s largest supplier of Business Management Manufacturer Composite Services. ASE’s European customers include GM, BMW, Lexus, Honda, Mercedes, Porsche, Jaguar, Volvo, Chrysler, and many more.
ASE choose ODS, as their North American [...]

Determine your Months or Years Sales Forecast

To help prepare a Sales Forecast for the coming period, you should:

Examine last year’s sales numbers for the same periods
Look at the changes that have occurred within your business

your capacity to provide
new products or services that you offer
your existing customer base

Look at changes in the marketplace

more or less demand for what you are offering
number and [...]