Adapt and thrive
For the Canadian auto dealer team, the first part of the year is always a frenzied blur of events, conferences and auto shows. This year it started with NADA in January, the CADA Summit and various auto shows in Toronto, …
Category: Editor’s note
Down the data rabbit hole
Just when I think I get a handle around the main the issues I think Canada’s car dealers are facing, another issue pops up that has me diving down yet another rabbit hole to try to figure it out. This …
Fixed ops: Advantage dealers
I have a 1994 Jaguar XJS that has been off the road for the past year and stored in my garage. I recently had it towed to a Canadian Tire store near my home (there’s no Jaguar dealership anywhere near …
Why millennials really matter
Much has been written in these pages, and in other industry journals, about the fears that the millennial generation are growing in numbers and importance, but that they lack the passion for vehicle ownership displayed by previous generations. This has …
A time to learn
When you are in the automotive media, it seems there’s always an event, conference or trade show worth attending. Our role as an industry magazine, after all, is to help discover and present the best ideas we come across that …
Kiwis reinventing automotive retail
In a move that seemed to arrive suddenly, but had actually been ten years in the planning, Toyota New Zealand has launched a truly disruptive approach to selling and retailing automobiles. The changes, which officially started April 2, could well …
Mind-blowing implications
Those that know me well sometimes accuse me of being more interested in the future than the present. It’s a fair observation, and when it comes to the auto industry, I do sometimes like to let my mind leap forward …
Time to end the gong show
On the heels of a recent survey that revealed that millennials don’t see dealerships as the types of places they want to look for careers, I visited a dealership with a giant gong that rang out every time a new …
Short (silent) and sweet
In a world filled with distractions, where more people consume their news in social media feeds, and take in info at a glance, advertisers — and not just car dealers — will have to find more innovative ways to interrupt …
Disruption and change
As you read through this issue of Canadian auto dealer, or any other for that matter, you’ll discover a consistent theme about the forces of change and disruption that are impacting Canada’s auto dealers. Our editorial team covers a lot …
Raising the bar
A funny thing happened to me today when I walked into a health clinic. Ok, that’s not the start of a joke, but it’s a true story. I was suffering from inflammation in my elbow, and those around me know …
Next generation talent
When you’ve been in this chair for a few years, there’s an annual ebb and flow to the rhythm of the year. You can almost set your calendar by these annual events. The Montreal and Toronto auto shows launch early …
