Auto ventures capitalize on stock market strength to push through acquisitions...
Welcome to another edition of The Friday 5 with Steve Greenfield, Founder and CEO of Automotive Ventures, an auto technology advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs raise money and maximize the value of their companies. In this episode, Greenfield takes a…
Bernie Moreno returns to auto retail with new digital technology
While the COVID-19 pandemic has created many obstacles for auto dealers, some have found ways to create opportunities in the midst of adversity. After taking a step back from the auto industry, Bernie Moreno, president of Bernie Moreno Companies, and…
The role diversity plays in your dealership’s customer communications
Welcome back to Diversity in Automotive brought to you by TrueCar and CarNow. As you look across your customer base, there are several moving parts of communications that everyone has to get right. Externally, dealers have to represent the franchise…
How AutoNation is promoting diverse and inclusive hiring practices – Rock Anderson
Here at CBT News, we’ve had several discussions with prominent figures on diversity in the retail automotive industry. AutoNation, the largest retailer in the country, has had tremendous success in hiring and retaining African-Americans and other minorities. Today, we’re joined…
The Weekly Automotive Market Minute for September 16, 2020
Welcome to the Weekly Automotive Market Minute with Bridget Fitzpatrick: The retail SAAR of new car sales came out to 13.24 this week, a 4.1% dip from 13.81 in the previous year. Inventory stock levels among all new vehicles were…
GSM Frankie Florey discusses how Autosport Acura adapted to the COVID-19 crisis
In today's COVID-19 world, customers value transparency and safety during their car-buying journey now more than ever. No one knows this better than Frankie Florey, General Sales Manager at Autosport Acura of Denville in New Jersey and Automotive News 40…
4 strategies to make your sales department more effective – Victor Antonio
Sales managers often find themselves looking for ways to motivate their teams to take the next step in their development. Here to discuss four strategies that can take your sales department to the next level is Victor Antonio, renowned sales…
Conducting customer interviews online to discuss F&I options
It’s time to face a new reality. Offsite deliveries aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. COVID-19 has forever changed the way car dealers do business, quite possibly forever if not for the foreseeable future. In growing numbers, more dealers performing offsite…
Dealer Forward – Marketing Edition: Shifting Consumer Preferences
Welcome to a special marketing edition of Dealer Forward. For years, dealer and technology partners have been working to bridge the ‘online to-in-store' experiences. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-store experience changed significantly, and has forced the question: why…
Sonic Automotive’s EchoPark brand continues to grow despite industry setbacks – Jeff Dyke
Sonic Automotive opened its newest preowned EchoPark brand store in Houston, Texas on Sept. 8, 2020, making it the eleventh retail store for the brand since launching in 2014. On today’s show, we are talking to Jeff Dyke, President of…
Dr. Evelyn Cardenas says CFADA dealers are ‘very optimistic’ about auto industry
Just a few short months ago as the pandemic hit, we were all left to figure out what’s next for retail automotive businesses and jobs around the country. As we adjust to this ‘new normal’ we’re checking in on the…
SEC probing Nikola, shares fall again
Phoenix-based Nikola Corp. is the latest company to be in the SEC’s hot seat after short-seller Hindenburg Research accused it of being engaged in “intricate fraud” by over-exaggerating the capabilities of the electric trucks the company is building. The DOJ…
F&I
Conducting customer interviews online to discuss F&I options
It’s time to face a new reality. Offsite deliveries aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. COVID-19 has forever changed the way car dealers do business, quite possibly forever if not for the foreseeable future. In growing numbers, more dealers performing offsite…
SHOWS
SPECIAL FEATURES
Auto ventures capitalize on stock market strength to push through acquisitions and IPOs
Welcome to another edition of The Friday 5 with Steve Greenfield, Founder and CEO of Automotive Ventures, an auto technology advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs raise money and maximize the value of their companies. In this episode, Greenfield takes a…
Bernie Moreno returns to auto retail with new digital technology
While the COVID-19 pandemic has created many obstacles for auto dealers, some have found ways to create opportunities in the midst of adversity. After taking a step back from the auto industry, Bernie Moreno, president of Bernie Moreno Companies, and…
The role diversity plays in your dealership’s customer communications
Welcome back to Diversity in Automotive brought to you by TrueCar and CarNow. As you look across your customer base, there are several moving parts of communications that everyone has to get right. Externally, dealers have to represent the franchise…
How AutoNation is promoting diverse and inclusive hiring practices – Rock Anderson
Here at CBT News, we’ve had several discussions with prominent figures on diversity in the retail automotive industry. AutoNation, the largest retailer in the country, has had tremendous success in hiring and retaining African-Americans and other minorities. Today, we’re joined…
The Weekly Automotive Market Minute for September 16, 2020
Welcome to the Weekly Automotive Market Minute with Bridget Fitzpatrick: The retail SAAR of new car sales came out to 13.24 this week, a 4.1% dip from 13.81 in the previous year. Inventory stock levels among all new vehicles were…
GSM Frankie Florey discusses how Autosport Acura adapted to the COVID-19 crisis
In today's COVID-19 world, customers value transparency and safety during their car-buying journey now more than ever. No one knows this better than Frankie Florey, General Sales Manager at Autosport Acura of Denville in New Jersey and Automotive News 40…
SPONSORED CONTENT
Auto ventures capitalize on stock market strength to push through acquisitions...
Welcome to another edition of The Friday 5 with Steve Greenfield, Founder and CEO of Automotive Ventures, an auto technology advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs raise money and maximize the value of their companies. In this episode, Greenfield takes a…
Bernie Moreno returns to auto retail with new digital technology
While the COVID-19 pandemic has created many obstacles for auto dealers, some have found ways to create opportunities in the midst of adversity. After taking a step back from the auto industry, Bernie Moreno, president of Bernie Moreno Companies, and…
Why automation is a crucial tool in today’s auto industry
In today’s fast-paced world, customers expect personalized communication that speaks to their specific needs and grabs their attention. This expectation increases the number of meaningful touches needed between a customer and a sales representative. With a smaller team, how can…
FIXED-OPS
Capitalizing on the rise in consumer demand for service – Jeff Cowan
If dealers are not having record-breaking months in their service departments at this moment in time, then they are doing something wrong. While industry endures the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are easier to sell to now than ever before. To explain…
Low-budget marketing tips for your service department
It’s widely accepted knowledge that only 45 percent of customers remain loyal to their dealership’s service department within the first two years of vehicle ownership. Like any relationship, work is required to keep things fresh, growing, and long-term. The often-attributed…
Three-tier approach to long-term service department growth
A successful long-term service growth strategy is really just about taking care of the customer. In order to grow, you need to retain the customers you do have, get them to spend more money with you, and attract new customers.…
Service Manager Christa Collins on Training New Fixed-Ops Hires from Scratch
What separates one service department from the next? Some may say the service technicians and the work they do. Today we’ll learn about a training program that Christa Collins, Service Manager of Planet Subaru, wrote for her technicians and other…
How Dealers Can Use Fixed Ops to Maximize Customer Lifetime Value
When most people think of a dealership's automotive sales, much of the emphasis is put on cars. Nevertheless, the service and parts departments and their impact on automotive dealership sales shouldn't be ignored. According to NADA, the service department now…
Why automation is a crucial tool in today’s auto industry
In today’s fast-paced world, customers expect personalized communication that speaks to their specific needs and grabs their attention. This expectation increases the number of meaningful touches needed between a customer and a sales representative. With a smaller team, how can…
Wholesale prices begin to normalize on usual inventory levels
Dealers may start to notice the wholesale prices at auction slip back into more familiar territory. According to Manheim’s Used Vehicle Value Index mid-month report for September, wholesale used vehicle prices have decreased by 0.9% in the first two weeks…
Ford set to begin production of the all-electric F-150
The concept of an all-electric Ford F-150 has been anticipated for a while, and the automaker is taking the first steps to move from a concept to production. In a press release, Ford confirmed plans to begin construction of the…
Mitsubishi connected car tech exemplifies a tool for customer retention
On Wednesday, Mitsubishi Motors announced that Eclipse Cross drivers will be equipped with connected car tools to accentuate the ownership experience through the My MITSUBISHI CONNECT app. In a press release, Mitsubishi Motors North America said that they’ve partnered with…
SEC probing Nikola, shares fall again
Phoenix-based Nikola Corp. is the latest company to be in the SEC’s hot seat after short-seller Hindenburg Research accused it of being engaged in “intricate fraud” by over-exaggerating the capabilities of the electric trucks the company is building. The DOJ…
Vaccines and digital payments pave the way for car buyers to return to normal
For commerce to return to normal, much is riding on the development of a vaccine and digital payments. The "How We Shop" report by PYMTS.com sheds light on what consumers are thinking about as they change their shopping routines. In…
