From showroom excitement to team culture, Saturdays remain the heartbeat of dealership operations I’ve always had a soft spot for Saturdays in the car business. Early in my career, they became embedded in my concept of the “work week.” Sure, …
Rising fuel costs are creating both risk and opportunity for dealers I recently went on a day trip with a friend, and we took his next-to-new GMC three-quarter-ton pickup. A majestic beast, loaded with every possible option, the truck must …
Don’t let your sales team blame the weather. Be proactive to keep sales going in the winter months I think we can all agree this has felt like a longer-than-usual Canadian winter. On LinkedIn, many people were sharing more photos …
In 2026, dealership general managers face growing complexity — from market volatility and OEM expectations to technology decisions and leading change on the front line. In our last issue, I explored the many different scopes of responsibility a General Manager can …
In this two-part series, our columnist looks at the difficult role of being a dealership’s general manager Ask most people in the automotive industry to define the core responsibilities of a sales manager, service advisor, technician, or even controller, and …
A personal look back at 20 years of change in Canada’s auto retail industry Upon discovering that Canadian auto dealer was turning twenty, I felt engaged to recall my own experience with automotive retail in Canada, as much of my …
High dealership turnover can put key customer data at risk In 2024, CADA Workforce Study measured overall dealership turnover rates at 31 per cent. The sales consultant and service advisor roles were the highest for turnover at 33 and 36 per cent, respectively. I …
Tighten up your digital processes to improve closing rates and customer experience In my July column, I related my recent experience of buying a new vehicle from start to finish, and the processes that got me down the sales funnel and …
After decades in auto retail, I was pleasantly surprised with a recent vehicle purchase experience. Part one of a two part series My partner and I recently decided it was time to think about replacing her four-year-old coupe with something …
If you want your team to sell EVs you need to embrace them too As someone who has lived it, I completely understand the roller coaster journey EVs have been for car dealerships. When customers wanted them, the manufacturers couldn’t get …
Dealers can’t control external forces but they can improve their internal processes and support their people In early March, I was having lunch with a good friend of mine, a senior leader at a Canadian subsidiary of a global car …
Selling more EVs starts with believing in the product As someone who has lived it, I completely understand the roller coaster journey EVs have been for car dealerships. When customers wanted them, the manufacturers couldn’t get enough product into showrooms, …
