February 12 will soon be upon us and among those looking forward to the second annual CADA Summit in Toronto are the most recent Laureates, Al MacPhee, Joe Medina and Sean O’Regan.
Recognized as achieving top status in the industry, all three will join automotive consultant and facilities expert Glenn Mercer in a retail discussion panel which we touched on a little in last week’s e-newsletter.
Canadian auto dealer conducted exclusive interviews with each of the Laureates, asking them how it feels to be recognized by their peers, participate in an industry panel discussion and be part of one of the most anticipated events of the year.
“It feels great. I think it’s a wonderful time to be on a panel discussion,” says Al MacPhee, President of MacPhee Ford in Dartmouth, N.S. “The industry isn’t in crisis mode anymore and we have lots of room for development, I feel great about it.”
Sean O’Regan, President and CEO of O’Regan’s Automotive Group in Dartmouth and Halifax, N.S., says he is both honoured and humbled to be named a Laureate. He also says he feels proud to be following in the footsteps of his father, Paul, who was named the very first Laureate ambassador in 2006. “It’s something I certainly never would have expected,” he says “but it feels great.” As being part of the 2014 CADA Summit, O’Regan says he’s looking forward to the trip to Toronto “like none before.”
Joe Medina, dealer principal at Crosstown Auto Centre in Edmonton, Alta., says he was also quite surprised to be nominated as a Laureate and is rather humbled in receiving the award. “It puts you among some very esteemed company,” he says. “My partner at AutoCanada, Pat Priestner, was named a Laureate in 2009 so it feels incredible to be recognized like this.”
Al MacPhee
Although we’ll have to wait until the CADA Summit itself to get the full details on the retail panel discussion, one of the key topics it aims to focus on concerns automotive retailing in the future. Although it can be hard to predict where things are headed, based on their own observations, the Laureates say there are some key aspects that will need to be considered in the future, so that the business will continue to thrive.
Al MacPhee says that the industry needs to attract new blood and hasn’t been doing enough, especially on the fixed ops side. “Modern vehicles are so specialized,” he says “and we need qualified people to work on them. We haven’t been doing enough. We need to be placing more emphasis on training and trade schools. I just look at the plumbing and electrical business, they are doing well.”
MacPhee says that automotive technicians are just as qualified and yet the industry rates don’t tend to reflect that. We, as an industry and as dealers, are worth more than we’re getting at the door,” he says.
Joe Medina
Joe Medina says that among his observations, it will become increasingly important to treat customers well and to keep them coming back. “It’s often the little things that matter,” he says. Medina notes that simple gestures, such as providing quality beverages and food or amenities for children to play at the dealership while adults shop for a vehicle or bring one in for service, can make all the difference. “We’ve got Starbucks coffee in our store,” he says. “We’re the only one out of three similar dealers in town that offer it. It’s things like that will make you stand out.”
Sean O’Regan acknowledges that the Internet has changed the game when it comes to auto retailing, though at the end of the day, says that people will still want to physically touch the metal and take a test drive. As a result, it’s important for dealers to deliver the best experience they can in that regard. “In order to earn a customer’s business it’s very important to do a good job in providing them with an experience they simply can’t have at home,” he says.
Sean O’Regan
O’Regan notes that there really aren’t any bad cars today and that most shoppers look for that emotional connection — very few will buy based purely on practical reasons. “When somebody purchases a car it’s often because of how it makes them feel. I don’t see that changing,” he says.
O’Regan, whose group includes both new and used car operations, says another trend we will likely see, is more and more franchised dealers getting involved in the used car business, especially considering the potential profits and growth in the marketplace. “Franchised dealers tend to have the best trade-ins,” he says, “and we’re seeing more of them take back the business after giving it away for many years. I think we will likely see the pendulum swing more in favour of new car dealers.”
For more details visit: cadasummit.ca
