The AI trap
Why your search for the “easy button” is leading you into a dead end Every dealer principal is feeling both excitement and paralysis about Artificial Intelligence. You’re told you need to be “doing AI,” and you’re just looking for an …
Category: Columns
Improving F&I by focusing on the customer
Sym-Tech Dealer Services is betting that better-trained people and a better customer experience lead to stronger F&I outcomes In dealership F&I, performance is usually measured in results: revenue, product penetration, and consistency from one manager to the next. But Derek …
Rethinking how dealers price used inventory
New platform offers dealers an alternative to established used vehicle pricing tools Few areas of dealership operations are as entrenched as used vehicle pricing. For years, most Canadian dealers have relied on a small number of platforms — most notably vAuto — …
Start taking video testimonials of your customers
A simple delivery-day video strategy can help shape buyer perception, build trust, and extend the sales conversation well beyond the showroom. Pre-framing is an influence tool that allows you to shape someone’s thought process about an event or topic before …
A pivotal couple of weeks
Prime Minister Carney’s auto strategy announcements offered some clarity but left plenty of uncertainty The future of Canada’s automotive industry could well be wrapped up in two announcements made by the Prime Minister a little more than two weeks apart. …
Speed helps you win
How automotive retail execs can use AI to win the ops battle For the better part of two decades, the dealership growth playbook has been remarkably consistent: more spend, more traffic, more leads. And to be clear, those things still …
How uncertainty impacts car buyers
Current economic conditions and consumer buying habits make it a challenging year for Canada’s car dealers. Canadian buying habits are closely tied to the economic conditions of the day. When the economy is thriving and people are confidently employed, spending …
The auto show isn’t back — it never left
After years of disruption, record attendance and high-intent engagement show why auto shows continue to matter For a while, I’ll admit, I wondered what the future held for the traditional auto show. The Vancouver International Auto Show had been on …
Consumer behaviour is changing — and it’s not just the economy
Different demographics require a different approach In my last article we looked at automotive consumer sentiment going into 2026. Afterward, I received a lot of feedback from dealers asking some version of the same question: is this anxiety simply a …
Engagement Is the new control
Why modern automotive sales live or die on connection In today’s automotive marketplace, engagement has quietly become the new form of control. Not control in the old sense of pressure or persuasion, but control of relevance, attention, and emotional permission …
It’s that time of year again
Dealer principals should make an annual habit of reviewing wills, succession plans, and dealership agreements Every March, around tax time, I pull out my personal plans and documents and review them to ensure that they are still relevant and up …
The General Manager: A complex role, Part 2
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 …
