The next era of software
I believe we’re coming to the end of what I’ll call the Digital Chaos Phase of the automotive industry. Please note that I don’t use the word chaos as a pejorative. It has been chaotic for a couple of …
News
Busting myths about artificial intelligence
Some people in your dealership might fear artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, but they are already widely in use whether you recognize them or not. In the last two columns in this space, we took a deep dive into …
F&I’s more-than-meets-the-eye provider
A Canadian F&I warranty provider aims to improve the vehicle ownership experience through the chemical products it blends and manufactures. Dealers may remember the story of an F&I warranty provider that, during the early stages of the pandemic, retooled its …
Dealers’ role is critical in technology acceptance
It will be even more important as consumers get behind the wheel of their first electric vehicle. An image of a VHS tape player with a digital clock flashing zeroes might not have much significance for many of today’s car …
Added pressures but high confidence level for 2022
Things are rarely all good or all bad. Let’s take a look at how things are shaping up this year. As I write this article in early March, some influences in our world are improving, others hopefully will improve, and …
Life is between the dash
Like many of our readers, I was saddened to learn of the passing of Sean O’Regan, 53, one of the kindest and most beloved car dealers I’ve had the pleasure to meet. I met Sean at a variety of events, …
Turn your dealership’s sales process upside down… literally
As vehicle inventories slowly return to a new normal over the course of this year, dealership competition will again intensify. The focus over the past two years of the pandemic has been the creation of e-lead/digital sales processes. Finance Pre-Approval …
The time value of money and the dealership
Use these simple formulas to help you assess which strategies will truly pay off. “The Time Value of Money” is a classic concept in financial management. It states that a sum of money is worth more today than the same …
Canada’s infrastructure deficit
More charging infrastructure is needed to meet EV sales targets, but Canada’s basic infrastructure needs an overhaul too. Given that a lot of my recent columns, which have focused on vehicle electrification and the challenges around reaching Canada’s (and Quebec’s …
Study highlights importance of online reviews
Digital Air Strike released its ninth Annual Automotive Customer Experience Trends study at the 2022 NADA Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, offering dealers, lenders, OEMs and providers information that they can use to improve the vehicle ownership experience. The company …
2022 NADA Show well received by industry
Traffic might have been down but suppliers were happy with the dealer engagement and leads generated. The 2022 NADA Show returned to its normal format this year with a physical event, following a year in which it had to go …
Diversity and inclusion fuels business growth
It’s not about headlines and catchphrases. It’s about business success Fostering a diverse and welcoming dealership environment not only ensures that the entire team feels seen and heard, but it can also offer many other benefits for the business that …
