Speaking with CBT News at the Automotive Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., John Fitzpatrick, CEO of Force Marketing, explained how stronger partnerships among a dealership’s marketing vendors can ultimately help rebuild trust with consumers.
"Marketing, if done well, is just communication. It's just you and I having an open, personalized dialogue that we trust, and we're trying to drive that through the industry as best as we can."– John Fitzpatrick
Key takeaways:
- Speaking with Fitzpatrick, he believes the FTC’s pricing guidelines are not new, but a lack of enforcement has allowed dealers to drift outside them over time. He compared it to unenforced speed limits, noting that without consequences, noncompliance becomes the norm. He alludes that the industry is now working collectively to bring more transparency to how dealers advertise vehicle pricing and conduct business in local markets.
- Vendor collaboration is central to solving the problem, Fitzpatrick said. He cited that a single dealership often works with more than 15 marketing partners, many of which operate in silos across lead generation, digital advertising and pricing. However, he believes those partners need to work together toward greater lifetime customer value rather than operating independently. Force Marketing, certified by 14 OEMs for co-op-eligible digital advertising, works with about 1,600 dealers nationwide on customer experience and retention, he said, citing data showing customers are far more likely to return for a second vehicle purchase if they stay loyal for service.
- For Fitzpatrick, who appeared on multiple panels at the summit, he encourages dealers who could not attend in person to watch CBT News’ coverage of the event, calling the content valuable enough to justify the time investment for any dealership team looking to improve its outcomes.
To check out more interviews and event coverage of the CBT News Automotive Leadership Summit, click here.
