Apple CEO Steve Jobs once said: “Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity – not a threat.” Innovation was definitely the name of the game at this year’s annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that I …
In part 1 of this 2-part series, columnist Alan Bird interviews a remarketing industry insider to find out how digital technology is changing the auction and used car business. There is no argument that over the past five years, the …
You can avoid embracing the digital age. But I wouldn’t recommend it. As I prepared to write this column, my first for 2018, I read through my 2017 submissions, looking for some inspiration and reflecting back on some of the …
Providing a great customer experience is now just table stakes Customer experience is the buzzword of 2017 and from where I’m standing, it’s not going away. At pretty much every auto industry conference I’ve attended this year, there is, at …
As the world changes all around us, dealers must embrace new approaches In my last columnl, I discussed how we need to look to the U.S. auto industry and examine both the trends and potential pitfalls to set ourselves up …
Canadian dealers would be wise to learn the lessons from their U.S. counterparts A few years ago, I had the privilege of traveling to Cape Town, South Africa through an organization that supports Canadian athletes in their quest for Olympic …
Winning the game both on the field and in the showroom depends on the right mentality Early in 2016, I decided to go back to coaching and accepted the Head Coach role for a Midget AA Boys hockey team. For …
Blogging is a powerful way to boost SEO and raise your industry profile. In 1996, Bill Gates wrote an article about the new opportunity the Internet presented regarding the sharing of information. Though the article focused primarily on how companies …
Millennials will soon be your biggest group of customers. Are you ready to serve them? The first production Model T rolled off the assembly line in 1908. This is the car that everyone remembers because it was, and remains, a …
Reflecting on changing consumer expectations in the digital era Earlier this fall, I attended the 11th Annual Google ThinkAuto conference in Toronto. Held at Massey Hall, the event had all the makings of a really cool concert, including a last …
I’ve always said the vast majority of dealer principals are some of the greatest entrepreneurs we have in Canada. They are street savvy and understand all aspects of the traditional buying cycle. They sell, buy and repair vehicles every day.
Having a solid lead process can be the difference between capturing a customer and having them walk out the door Well it’s official. The future is now — we just can’t underestimate the influence of “digital” on the customer journey …
