Ken Strong
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.…
Keeping Your Service Drive Packed in a World of Social Distancing
As our world gets back to work after the initial pandemic shutdown, we are noticing successful social distancing protocols implemented all around us. Grocery and other stores now monitor the number of people in the store, with markings on the…
How to Streamline the Claims Process for Service Contracts
No dealer wants a Vehicle Service Contract (VSC) Audit. It will most definitely result in chargebacks or penalties to the dealership. The best way to avoid issues and to save time on VSC repair approvals is to play things by…
Is There Value in Aftermarket Accessories and Performance Upgrades?
According to a recent study by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), young car enthusiasts ages 16 to 24 spend $7.2 billion each year customizing their vehicles. “More than 7.9 million young people customize, modify or upgrade their vehicles each…
How to Improve Close Rates on Service Quotes
Increasing revenue and improving profitability in your service drive does not necessarily mean more traffic. Efforts to drive more traffic into your drive can be expensive. Furthermore, money spent to attract more customers is wasted if you can’t close the…
Maintaining Level of Service Consistency Through Pandemic Recovery
Maintaining a consistent level of service at all times is extremely important to the long-term success of your service department. It only takes one bad experience to drive a customer away, even if previous experiences were positive. These are challenging…
How Service Kiosks Affect Fixed Ops
Self-service kiosks have started to pop up in more dealerships. What started out as a novelty, is quickly being hurled into the mainstream, partly with the help of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a world of ever-increasing automation and out of…
How Will the Internet of Things (IoT) Reshape Fixed Ops?
The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, all collecting data, sharing data, and using data to communicate and perform functions for us. This is…
Best Practices for Post-Pandemic Express Lane Service
In wake of a global pandemic, the safety of guests and employees is foremost on dealers’ minds. Safety is foremost on the minds of your customers too. While health and safety are important, it is also important not to lose…
What Are Dealers Doing to Stay Busy with Slower Service Departments?
With social distancing, and “shelter-in-place” orders issued in many states, automotive service and aftermarket shops continue to operate, but under a different set of rules and expectations. A survey conducted April 1-7 by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) of…
How dealerships can use geofencing strategies to target customers
As dealerships enter into their next quarter of the marketing plan, many think creating a new marketing campaign is not in the budget. Especially now. However, you can add something new by using geofencing to reduce your overall marketing cost…
Major auto industry players aim to be carbon neutral
Emphasizing the commitment to developing green transportation and processes, several carmakers are announcing plans to move toward a carbon neutral position in manufacturing. While it isn’t a new strategy to reduce emissions and greenhouse gases for some of the largest…
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…
As dealer sentiment improves, inventory woes deepen
On Sept. 8, Cox Automotive released the Q3 2020 Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index (CADSI). Information collected from dealers surveyed in late July through mid-August was used to determine how they view the conditions in the auto market – strong,…
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…
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…
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…
Auto investors make bold moves with this week’s tech company deals
Welcome to the first edition of The Friday 5 with Steve Greenfield, Founder and CEO of Automotive Ventures, an automotive technology advisory firm that helps entrepreneurs raise money and maximize the value of their companies. This weekly CBT News series…
How to integrate diversity into your HR practices and dealership culture
Welcome to the first episode of Diversity in Automotive brought to you by TrueCar and CarNow, a weekly CBT News series focused on bringing a unique perspective to the conversation around diversity and inclusion in automotive retail. Hosted by the…
