Inside Automotive
How Bergstrom Automotive is adapting to post-COVID industry trends — Tim Bergstrom
While the industry collects itself in the aftermath of COVID, dealers are on the frontline tackling never-before-seen automotive trends. On this episode of Inside Automotive, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Tim Bergstrom, CEO and president of Bergstrom Automotive, to discuss how the car business has changed and what he foresees in the future. Watch full segment here.
Top Stories
Stellantis’s Jeep label has been named America’s most patriotic brand by consumers for the 22nd year in a row as it looks to serve the country’s military and celebrate the Fourth of July holiday. Marketing research firm Brand Keys awarded the title after surveying over 5,800 consumers who chose Jeep from a pool of 1,172 brands in the U.S. “It’s fantastic when a brand such as Jeep stands for something important and meaningful to consumers,” said the firm’s president, Robert Passikoff. “Patriotism is one of the most powerful values around, crossing political, social and ethnic lines.” Read More
Frank Fletcher Subaru of Joplin, Missouri, has donated more than 70 blankets to patients of the Freeman Cornell-Beshore Cancer Institute, marking eight years of participation in the “Subaru Loves to Care” program. The dealership dropped off the multi-functional fleece blankets, which can also be used as pillows, on Tuesday, June 27. Keeping warm is crucial for patients undergoing cancer treatment. “The environments are very cold…as [the patients] are on treatment, they become colder also,” stated Freeman Cancer Institute Dr. Pamela Landon. Read More
Polestar has joined other automakers in agreeing to integrate the Tesla-developed North American Charging Standard (NACS) onto its electric vehicle platform, greatly expanding its consumers’ access to charging stations in the U.S. The agreement will allow Polestar drivers in the U.S. and Canada to use Tesla’s 12,000-station-strong charging network, although it will take another year for the company to rollout access. Currently, the EV brand’s models feature Combined Charging System (CCS) outlets. Read More
For Dealers
How will digitalization affect employment in the auto industry?
The automotive industry has been contributing to the global economy for many years, and this is largely in part due to the employees working in it. From research and development to manufacturing and sales, workers in the industry have continued to make significant advances toward creating the safest, most comfortable, and most reliable cars we have ever had. However, similar to just about every other field, digitalization is impacting employment in the auto industry and may continue to do so in the following ways. Read More
4 vital ways you can further improve gross profit percentage
Of the KPIs your dealership must focus on, gross profit percentage should never be overlooked. To improve the gross profit percentage, your service department must do more than simply add more work to the repair order, although this can be part of the equation. While we will examine this option, we will look at a few more innovative ways you might not have thought about. Read More
