Don’t let it happen
It’s one of the hottest days Toronto (and much of the rest of the country) has ever measured. Still, I can’t get a skiing image out of my head. All thanks to Best Buy. If we were starting down a …
Category: Publisher’s letter
The next chapter begins…
New faces in different places on our team In September 2004, in a hotel room outside Detroit, Mich., Canadian auto dealer magazine was born. In that room, CADA’s President & CEO Rick Gauthier and I presented the concept for the …
New model launch for Canadian auto dealer!
If you are reading this, then you have navigated your way to the just launched new website for Canadian auto dealer magazine. We blew up the old site, and built an entirely new one on a more robust platform that …
Those are fighting words…
Unfortunately, they are not an isolated opinion I had an interesting conversation last week with someone who is very familiar with the automotive service business in Canada. He has a long history of covering dealer fixed operations and the aftermarket. …
Tip of the iceberg
It’s a slippery slope that leads away from your store. Last issue I discussed the partnership Ford has put in place with Best Buy Canada and Future Shop. With this arrangement, the role of advising consumers on matching their electronic …
It’s the little things…
A bit of extra time and effort can help set you apart Like many people, I keep my car clean. Don’t even think about bringing fast food into my car, and sorry kids, no peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on …
A new beginning for us in 2011
But most of the players remain the same By the time this magazine lands in your hands, the smell of paint in our new offices will be gone. For now, as I type this out, it is still very much …
Who are you really competing against?
The local independent may go away, but you won’t necessarily benefit. It is often suggested that the increased technological complexity of modern vehicles will drive the service business back to the dealer, away from an aftermarket that can’t keep up …
CADEX is cancelled
As you likely know by now, I decided to cancel the CADEX event. As a final point of closure, I thought I would use this column to share some of the feedback I’ve received since making that decision. For those …
Sharing information in a time of change
A national conference with a direct dealer focus Since CADA’s National Conference in Vancouver a few years ago, we at Canadian auto dealer get asked on a regular basis whether we know the timing of the next event. Our answer …
This is a very slippery slope
And a dangerous precedent for dealers I just heard that Ford, Best Buy Canada and Future Shop are teaming up to help consumers link their Bluetooth phones and other devices with Ford’s SYNC system. Wow! I’m a little shocked by …
The danger of anecdotal experience
Resist simple explanations that fit too easily We’re taking a video crew to the Canadian Automotive Institute at Georgian College to record the launch of Dennis DesRosiers’ new book, Best of Observations. This book is a collection of Dennis’ favourite …
