Staying grounded
TV ANCHOR ROBIN GILL TRAVELS ALL OVER THE WORLD BUT FEELS GROUNDED IN HER BMW Robin Gill has reported on major events at home and abroad, including the 2011 Stanley Cup riots in Vancouver, the devastating aftermath of the tsunami …
Category: Columns
Stay connected
LOOKING AT WHAT THE CONNECTED CAR MEANS FOR CONSUMERS AND DEALERS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT There has been a lot of talk in the past year about “the connected car.” Most of the discussion revolves around cars that communicate …
Game on
THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS YOUR “MOMENT OF VALIDATION!” Rest assured, every dealer can provide the lowest price, highest trade in and even the lowest payment. What separates the best from the rest, however, is how they deliver the customer experience. …
Adult education
CONTINUING EDUCATION IS A LIFE-LONG PROCESS — AND YOU NEED IT TO STAY COMPETITIVE In Stephen Covey’s book “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” habit number seven is “Sharpen the Saw.” “Sharpening the Saw” is the analogy of keeping the …
Safety sells
SAFETY HAS BECOME A PRIORITY FOR AUTO MANUFACTURERS AND CONSUMERS, BUT HOW IS IT MEASURED? When Ford introduced the concept of safety as a selling point in 1956, it was a failed experiment. Customers simply didn’t want to hear or …
Education starts at the dealership
THE CORNERSTONE OF ANY CUSTOMER SATISFACTION STRATEGY IS TO EDUCATE YOUR CUSTOMERS FIRST When you’re marketing to customers, you’re trying to sell them your products or services. But when you’re educating customers, you’re helping them understand the benefits of your …
Living in a material world
MORE AND MORE AUTOMAKERS ARE TURNING TO ALUMINUM TO HELP MEET FUEL EFFICIENCY TARGETS While others will be exploring the impact of aluminum in vehicles in this issue, I thought I would also try and touch on the issue from …
Show me the money
DEALER CONSOLIDATION IS BECOMING MORE POPULAR IN CANADA, AND WE EXPLORE WHY THAT IS Most great athletes want to go out on a high and be remembered for their legacy. However, some are reluctant to give up the game they …
Make the shift
MOVING YOUR F&I PRODUCT INFORMATION ONLINE CAN HELP INFORM YOUR CUSTOMERS – AND LEAD TO MORE SALES No one likes looking at a cluttered website. An abundance of text and headings with multiple drop down menus are bound to give …
Roaming the outdoors
MEET SIMON WHITFIELD, CANADIAN TRIATHLON CHAMPION AND TWO-TIME OLYMPIC MEDALIST Celebrity: Simon Whitfield Profession: Two-time Olympic Medalist + 12-time Canadian Triathlon Champion Vehicle: 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport SUV Simon Whitfield captured Canadian hearts after winning gold in the men’s …
Engage your employees — delight your customers
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO MAKE YOUR DEALERSHIP STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD Recently a dealer said to me, “This would be a great business if it weren’t for customers and employees.” I found this a little shocking that a …
Avoid the BDC pitfalls
IT’S TIME TO CREATE YOUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DEALERSHIP — AND MAKE IT STICK When set up properly, Business Development Centres (BDCs) are a great way to grow your dealership’s sales and service business. The trouble is that many I have …
