Keeping yourself “Above the Line”
Winning the game both on the field and in the showroom depends on the right mentality Early in 2016, I decided to go back to coaching and accepted the Head Coach role for a Midget AA Boys hockey team. For …
Category: Columns
Reality is what you make it
Seeing is believing that virtual reality will play an important role in retail There was nothing external to distinguish the room from the hundreds of others deep inside Ford’s Dearborn engineering and design complex. Stepping inside, it didn’t seem unusual: …
The heady days of summer…fall, winter and spring
From within and without, technological, regulatory and social disruptors have got dealers thinking — a lot We are fortunate to be involved in a great industry. Each and every day is exciting, challenging and rewarding. Sometimes, though, it can be …
The leader of the battery pack
Government, property owners and employers all have a stake in the EV economy The rise of the electric vehicle (EV) over the past few years is changing the auto industry profoundly, with many major auto manufacturers focusing their attention on …
Ready, set…wait
Governmental initiatives to put more electric vehicles on the road is well-intentioned but economically, technologically and socially premature The Federal government recently announced it had established a Federal Advisory Committee to assist it in establishing a Zero Emission Vehicle strategy …
The customer experience: a healthy obsession
What customers feel may be more important than what they think — are dealers asking the right questions to engage them? A recent article in the Report on Business caught my attention. It was an interview with Joe Natale, the …
Data points
For customer information to positively impact your business, it must be “intelligent” Our major banks have been in the news recently for doing something with very negative connotations that we in the auto industry do all the time: “upselling”. Upselling …
Do-it-yourself parts
3D Printing could revolutionize the way auto parts are made While autonomous driving aids and connectivity are dominating the automotive product news these days, there’s another nascent technology that promises to be just as disruptive on the manufacturing side of …
Getting Inside Automotive
A new Canadian auto dealer video series offers different perspectives from industry insiders As winter turns into spring and people begin to breath in the fresh air and feel the warmth of the sun on their faces, auto dealers have …
Rules and regulations
Regulatory coherence between Canada and other countries can benefit the automotive industry Based on recent and surprising changes to trading conditions between the United States and Canada, one might believe the trading relationship between our two countries is anything but …
The right stuff
Hiring and training tips for dealers to find — and retain — sought after talent Without a doubt, employees are the most important and valuable assets of a company. From my years of experience, it’s the people that make a …
Park place
Dealers are eager for more showroom traffic, but are they making it easy for customers to find a place to park? All high-end hotels have it — a “jewel case” of premium parking spots at the entrance. The glimmering row …
