Business in a time of austerity
Moving beyond temporary stimulus A new year is upon us and with it has come the annual tendency to reflect on the past and look with optimism to the future. The days are finally getting longer and soon the consumer …
News
The lost art of conversation
Strip the technology away and it’s all about people Meet Ontario dealer Ernie Dean, of Ernie Dean Chevrolet Buick GMC in Alliston, who is mixing his social media efforts with his community service to raise awareness and money for a …
Welcome the New Year with optimism
And make sure you’ve got a ‘Plan B’ As you read through this magazine, you’ll no doubt recognize that its overriding theme is ‘the year ahead’. Nothing unusual about that. The New Year is a natural time to reflect 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 …
Opportunities in fixed ops
At a time when vehicle sales are less than robust, dealers with vision are looking beyond just their core operations to optimize opportunities in the wider area of fixed operations. Some elements, like the quick lube facility add directly to …
Get help with your hiring needs
When does it make sense to work with a recruiter? When is that the best strategy for hiring new staff? It all depends on the circumstances. While Steve Quinn (Quinn Automotive Group) has a firm policy of promoting from within, …
Financed sales on the increase
The proportion of used-vehicle buyers in Canada who financed their purchase via a dealer-implemented loan increased significantly in 2010, according to a report by the Power Information Network (PIN). The percentage of transactions in 2010 that included a loan obtained …
I am a thief, a crook and a con-man
Are you? Recently I filled out a form that asked for my occupation. I wrote: thief, crook and occasional con-man! It took some time before the person reading the form looked at me and said: “This is not really what …
Used prices continue to improve
Seasonally-adjusted price index on a five-month climb ADESA Canada’s Used Vehicle Price Index for continued to climb through September, increasing by approximately 0.5 points from August, seasonally adjusted. “As we closed out 3Q10, the number of units going through auction …
Sales gain slow momentum through Q3
Big winners and big losers pepper the results Is the glass half full – or is it half empty? Which perspective you choose, when viewing new-vehicle sales, probably depends on your brand affiliation. Looked at overall, sales in 2010 are …
AJAC awards benefit both consumers and dealers
Published test data are a treasure of useful information As I write this note, I’ve just returned from spending the better part of a week at the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s (AJAC) annual TestFest in Niagara on the Lake, …
Canadian Auto Dealer welcomes David Adams
With this issue, we welcome David Adams as a regular columnist in Canadian auto dealer. David C. Adams is a 23 year veteran of the automotive industry in Canada. Currently the President of the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of …
