A fourth voice for Canada’s auto sector—needed, but not without risk On April 15, a new Canadian automotive trade association was announced: the Pacific Manufacturing Association of Canada (PMAC). The two principal members are Honda and Toyota, and the new …
Why long-term relationships, not transactions, define success in automotive retail In automotive sales, many still operate as if the job ends when the customer drives off the lot. In reality, that moment is where the real sale begins. If you …
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 …
A new class of AI tools is moving from answering questions to actually doing dealership work There’s a new category of AI tool emerging that most business leaders haven’t fully grasped yet, and it’s moving quickly. It’s called AI cowork, …
A practical exercise for dealership leaders to identify wasted time, improve processes, and better support technicians “Gemba” is a Japanese term used in Lean processes. It means “go to where the action is.” In a vehicle manufacturing plant, a CEO …
In a volatile market, dealers return to fundamentals I am writing this article just after Canada’s overtime loss to the USA in the men’s Olympic hockey tournament gold medal game. From a hockey perspective, it was an incredibly entertaining and …
Canada’s new automotive strategy arrives at a pivotal moment for the country’s automotive sector. After several years of regulatory pressure, supply chain disruptions, shifting consumer preferences, and growing geopolitical competition, the federal government has recognized the need for a more …
Governments move toward a more practical, market-aware approach to EV adoption Every once in a while, policy shifts happen quietly, incrementally, over years. And then there are days when the direction changes almost all at once. Canada’s automotive sector recently …
What lower-cost imports could mean for Canadian dealers Recently, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government signed a significant trade deal with China that opens the Canadian market to lower-cost electric vehicles. The consensus is that companies like BYD, and others, will …
The most effective closers build a case, present evidence and close with logic At the end of a trial, a prosecutor stands before a jury and reviews all the evidence presented during the case. The goal is simple: convince the …
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 …
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is exposing how vulnerable fuel prices and global supply chains remain to geopolitical conflict People could be forgiven for not being familiar with the Strait of Hormuz until the beginning of March. For decades, the Strait …
