CBT automotive newscast: December 24, 2021

Featured Show:

How this Wis. dealership is leveraging 8M+ views on TikTok to sell more cars
A dealership in Milwaukee is gaining popularity and quite a following on the social platform, TikTok. Audi Milwaukee, as they are also known on the platform, can be seen showing their inventory with many appearances from “The Boss” AJ Harb, General Manager of Audi Milwaukee. With the new year approaching and budgets at the top of mind for many of you, could TikTok be an opportunity for vehicle sales? On today’s show, we’re joined by AJ Harb, Audi Milwaukee’s General Manager and we’re also joined by Matt Abramczyk, Social Media Manager to tell us more about their dealership’s marketing videos on TikTok. Watch the complete segment here.

Headlines:

Wall Street analysts have given their thoughts on the EV market in a recent break down from CNBC, and there are a lot of mixed opinions. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives believes there will be a “unprecedented conversion to EVs in 2022.” In particular, Ives is focused on Rivian, which has a “very strong competitive position on the EV consumer luxury front.” However, JPMorgan’s Jose Asumendi to CNBC that Stellantis and Daimler are his front-running stocks. While UBS analyst Patrick Hummel says his team expects Tesla to remain the EV market’s undisputed leader.

Speaking of Tesla, as a gift to all drivers this holiday season, the company is offering free EV charging at select super-charger stations during off-peak hours. Through December 26th, drivers can charge their vehicle freely from 7pm – 10 am. However this offer will only be available at 75 out of 1,400 locations, The Verge reports. Travelers in eleven states including Florida, California, and Texas can take advantage of this free power, and possibly avoid long wait times at Tesla charging stations.

According to recently released metrics from Cox Automotive’s Xtime, service centers at franchised dealerships saw a slight increase in revenue from October to November 2021 and a decrease in volume of 4.6% for the same period. While the effects of the COVID pandemic have caused service metrics to fluctuate over the last two years, the current results are in line with pre-pandemic trends. The report shows that car owners are now more likely to delay service due to cost and fewer-than-normal miles driven.

News & Opinion:

The 4 soft phone skills that will matter in 2022
When going on a first date, you wouldn’t show up looking like you just rolled out of bed, would you? Of course not! You’d go the extra mile to make sure you were presenting the best version of yourself. You might even greet your date at the door with flowers. So why go to all this effort? You do it because it is memorable and meaningful! Now to be clear, this article is not about helping your dating life. However, using that same mindset when leveraging the phone will give your customers a great experience that is both memorable and meaningful. Soft phone skills are within your control and can always be improved on. Read more

New York dealers donate more than 2,000 winter coats in Operation Warm
‘Tis the season for giving. The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA) has raised over $60,000 that will be used to purchase more than 2,000 warm winter jackets for Operation Warm. Hosted at a local Mercedes-Benz dealership, the drive will help clothe children from families in need in warm outerwear. Helm Bros. Group in Queens is a major supporter of the clothing drive, and they’ve raised $12,000 for Operation Warm this year. Their contributions alone can purchase 600 coats for kids. Other dealers in the GNYADA added another $48,000 to the total. Read more