On today’s show we’re talking to Mark Rikess, Founder of Digital Air Strike and CEO of The Rikess Group, a training and consulting group focused on helping car dealers implement a one-price selling method about today’s key drivers for consumers.
Rikess begins the conversation by discussing the current state of the industry. This time last year, car dealers faced incredible uncertainty as the U.S. faced nationwide shutdowns. No one could have predicted the rest of the year would bring record-breaking sales and profits.
Last year also forced many car dealers to embrace the concept of digital retailing, or modern retailing. When considering what role online car-buying will play in the car dealership, Rikess encourages every dealer to examine their individual market and decide what method of selling best suits their customers. Some markets have an extremely high interest in conducting automotive purchases outside the car dealership, while others are more inclined to physically see, touch, and drive the vehicle before making a buying decision. The influence of digital retailing has also led to new opportunities in one-price selling.
“If I were a dealer today, I would look at potentially allowing people to work from home,” said Rikess. “Think about what that would do to the recruiting opportunities.”
Rikess believes allowing car dealership employees to work from home would open doors for specific types of people typically not seen in the industry, such as housewives and people with disabilities. He suggests that the remote team could come to the car dealership periodically for performance reviews, training, and goal setting.
Rikess concludes the conversation by discussing the current state of the one-price model. He says that one-price car shopping eliminates the headaches of negotiating for both the customer and the sales associate. The customer knows exactly which vehicles are within their budget, accelerating the process. The one-price selling model also opens new recruiting opportunities, as many younger salespeople are not experienced or equipped to understand the process of negotiating.
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