Will the dealers get their share?
There have been plenty of airplane rides for me in the past few weeks. This time of year holds a number of important industry events, and the Canadian auto dealer team makes sure we cover off our fair share. I …
Category: Columns
The millennial opportunity
Catering to their needs by increasing the digital and personalized aspect of the sales process, while also optimizing for mobile, will benefit more than just the customer Since the introduction of the automobile more than a century ago, automakers and …
Dwellers on the threshold
Canada needs to actively plan despite uncertain climate In thinking about how to sum up a summer in the automotive industry as I have never seen in my more than 30 years working in it, Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison’s …
Car, or personal mobility device?
Dealers will need to stay abreast of evolving consumer needs as their demands begin to alter the vehicle ownership playing field We live in a complex world. On the one hand, we are increasingly able to personalize the products and …
Doubts raised on safety of driver assist systems
Inadequacies in current systems highlight challenges to achieving full autonomy We’re just two or three years away — maybe less — from having fully autonomous vehicles in our showrooms and on our roads, if you believe the most optimistic hype …
Succession planning is a sleeper issue
Shake off the summer slumber and let’s get back at it It’s been an absolutely beautiful summer for most parts of Canada. The effect of hot, sunny weather however must now be pushed aside as we enter the fall selling …
Boosting sales with slicker photos
An Ontario-based provider of high-resolution digital photos of new and used cars is helping dealers increase interest and sales The use of stock images for new and used online vehicle listings can negatively impact a dealership’s business, whereas custom quality …
Happy staff leads to happy customers
It’s people not just process that will help shape customer experiences. So much has been written about “the new consumer” and whether or not businesses are ready for the change that most business owners’ eyes glaze over when they hear …
Shifting sands in NAFTA negotiations
Auto industry braces for fallout of trade war and tariffs. Less than two months ago there was a line in the sand drawn on getting a NAFTA 2.0 Agreement put in place by the Trump administration. Mid-May came and went …
Will wireless charging spark EV breakthrough?
The development of wireless inductive charging could eliminate the major obstacles to EV acceptance. Widespread forecasts suggest that electric vehicle sales could account for 50 per cent or more of the market by 2040, if not before. But buyers are …
Digital experiences will transform auto retail
Consumer expectations are rising and technology will help dealers meet the demand. Technology and innovation are re-shaping the automotive sector and it should come as no surprise that the nature of retail automotive sales is changing at an equally rapid …
Digital technology impacts used car industry
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 …
