Jennifer Murphy - In an effort to alleviate some of the stress caused by trying to understand the compliance issues dealers must contend with, here are 19 laws, rules and regulations summarized (along with potential penalties for breaking them and helpful links to useful information).
Jennifer Murphy - One doesn’t have to be tech-savvy to understand the popularity of social media. Lisa Cryder, the owner/general manager at Lebanon Ford Lincoln Mercury realized social media could be a powerful business tool—one her Lebanon, Ohio, dealership stood to benefit from.
Jennifer Murphy - The economy has forced many consumers to forego the purchase of a new vehicle due to their own budgetary concerns or due to the lack of available financing. These customers are now considering certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles as a viable alternative to new.
Jennifer Murphy - Generally speaking, heated seats aren’t a popular option when purchasing a car in Florida. At Century Motors in Pompano Beach, Fla., Dealer Frank Fuzy said, “You can turn a heated seat on in South Florida … and it’s hard to tell if that heated seat gets warm.”
Jennifer Murphy - For a store that’s only two years old, Hyundai of St. Augustine in Florida has made some major headway in its market. General Manager Andrew DiFeo said, “I opened the dealership in May of 2008. Hyundai didn’t exist in the St. Augustine market before that.”
Jennifer Murphy - “My focus is really just the entire online experience … building our online brand, getting that footprint out through as many different channels as possible. Obviously, with the explosion of all the social channels, that makes it a lot easier, especially with all the other platforms we have,” said Miltsch.
Jennifer Murphy - For 2009, national Toyota sales were down more than 20 percent, while Jeff Wyler Toyota was up 28.6 percent. When the Toyota dealership originally opened 25 years ago, it was named Green Tree Toyota after a new, nearby mall, Green Tree Mall.
Jennifer Murphy - When fishing, a net will usually yield a better return than a fishing pole. At Rogers Auto Group in Chicago, Ill., David Ortiz understands and employs this concept to drive traffic to the dealership. Although he’s the BDC manager, he also manages the dealership Web site, which is where most dealership traffic is spawned.
Jennifer Murphy - Successful search engine optimization (SEO) is ever-changing, which is why many dealers enlist the help of third parties to properly optimize their Web sites. And choosing a reputable provider can be a challenge. If you’ve recently evaluated providers, you’ve likely learned a little about SEO, but your education on the subject was probably embedded in a sales pitch.
Jennifer Murphy - Proper inventory management is a fast-paced race, but it is one a dealer can come from behind and win. Case in point: Finish Line Ford in Peoria, Ill., is currently averaging 300 sales per month. When compared to the 70 per month it was averaging throughout most of 2008, it’s obvious the dealership came from about the middle of the pack and is now leading the way.