After years of supply shortages, inflation, rising interest rates and rapid increases in vehicle prices, many Canadian consumers are entering dealerships with tighter budgets and greater caution. Affordability now shapes nearly every buying decision. A KPMG Canada survey released in …
Artificial intelligence is becoming embedded in automotive retail, shaping how dealers respond to leads, price inventory and market vehicles. But while adoption is accelerating, understanding remains uneven, with many dealers still experimenting without fully grasping how the technology could reshape …
Barry Hillier, CEO and co-founder of Auto Agentic AI, outlines a seven-stage framework for AI maturity in his book, From the Transactional Age to the Intelligence Age: The automotive playbook for rebuilding organizations around AI, which examines how dealerships move …
How thoughtful succession and exit planning are shaping dealership value and continuity Consolidation continues to reshape Canada’s dealership landscape, bringing long-term planning into sharper focus. According to Landon Robertson, director of operations and corporate strategy at Templeton Marsh, the current …
High turnover, skills shortages and generational shifts mean traditional hiring models no longer work. Experts weigh in on what does. As dealerships across Canada struggle to attract and retain employees, industry data suggests the challenge has less to do with …
Engagement beats reach in digital marketing’s next act Dealers will need to rethink how engagement is measured, and where customers are getting stuck. The automotive industry’s latest evolutionary phase may appear de-evolutionary on the surface: digital marketing is melting back …
Is your dealership safe from hackers and bad actors? There’s a well-known phrase among experts in the cybersecurity industry. Maybe you’ve heard it? It goes something like: Hackers don’t hack. They log in. The situation can be as simple as …
Dealer associations are stepping up efforts to help dealers fill tech shortages Technician shortages remain a reality and a looming threat to businesses in Canada, though efforts to fill these gaps have intensified since our last update in 2024. Back …
An Artificial Intelligence tsunami is on the way. The people that understand how to use the power behind it are going to have a new lease on their careers. The depth of value offered by artificial intelligence to a dealership’s …
Image factory programs evolve, but sticking points remain Auto makers are forever adjusting their factory image programs to address evolving trends, with the latest inspirations coming from electric vehicles, digital retailing, and the eternal quest for a better customer experience. Where …
Interrupting a good book of business is always concerning, but that’s when the opportunity for innovation presents itself There has been a lot of focus on modernizing the Finance & Insurance experience for consumers. But while dealers are using more …
What sales training needs and lacks For some dealers, today’s OEM sales training looks like a fast-forward of the past: technology is evolving quickly and training, whether in-person, online, or through videos, is coming in hot. According to one dealer, …
