About Tom Kline
Tom Kline is a third generation “car guy” and former dealership owner with more than thirty years of experience. Kline is the Lead Consultant & Founder of Better Vantage Point, a specialty consulting firm focused on protecting and safeguarding dealers by employing targeted risk transference, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation techniques. Additionally, Kline works with both tech and start-up companies and routinely provides expert witness testimony to defend dealerships against lawsuits.
Kline’s writing and ideas have been featured in multiple prominent national publications, such as the Wall Street Journal and Automotive News. Kline works with both publicly-held and private dealerships, routinely speaks at national conferences and 20 Groups, and frequently presents webinars on current events. Tom has received various trade group endorsements and is a sought after podcast guest.
Articles by Tom
It's Time to Circle the Wagon
Back in the frontier days, circling the wagons meant getting ready for an attack. These days? Same idea – just swap the bandits for regulators,...
Always Get the Tacos Next to The Gas Station: A Lesson
Finding good food on a road trip can always be challenging. On a recent trip, I was driving just above the 60 MPH speed limit, while my wife was...
Knew or Should Have Known: Why Legal Claims Are Rooted in What Dealers Fail to Prevent
You knew. You absolutely did. And if you claim you didn’t know, then you should have known. That’s what they’ll claim and that will be the message...
Don't Be An Eager Beaver: The Changing Regulatory Landscape
You don’t want to be an eager beaver. When it comes to compliance, you definitely don’t want to be an eager beaver. “WHAT?” you say? I’m not...
Stuff In The Medicine Cabinet
When I was young, I used to marvel at the shear volume of stuff in my parents’ medicine cabinet. “Wow, what’s it all for?!” I used to think to...
So, Which Gum Goes with Cabernet
So, which gum goes with Cabernet? I have so many questions. I was recently at a restaurant and saw a middle-aged woman chewing gum while drinking red...
Run With Bad News, Walk With Good News
This is how I run my life as a business owner, a parent, a husband, a friend, a colleague, a consultant, a brother, a son… Well, you get the picture....
If You See Something, Say Something
Anyone travelled recently? I’ll bet you’ve heard “If you see something, say something,” blaring over the loudspeakers at the airport? Why? What are...
It's Embarrassing, Almost.
Manna, H2Go, Copco, Zojirushi… Any ideas what these have in common? Here’s a few more examples, which may give it away: Tervis, Hydro Flask, Thermos,...
Owl Chores
My wife and I have a neighborhood owl. Well, it’s not our owl. Every night, right after sunset when the trees are still and the orangy-pinky hues...
How Can Birds See When They Are Flying And It’s Raining?
Am I the only one who thinks of these things? Seriously. Ever wonder? Well, I did. According to www.ornithology.com “birds have a third eyelid, a...
Compliance in Motion: Lessons from Seismic Activity to Shampoo Bottles
There's a natural order to the universe. For example, we don't float off the earth because of gravity. There will always be the story of the birds...
Compliance as a Cultural Force
Do you stop at stop signs on private property? I don’t think you can get a ticket if you don’t…and no one is looking. So, do you stop? There...
Wire Fraud and Bad Pawn: A Dark Tale
Do you store your Tupperware lids actually sealed “on” the base container or are you one of “those people” who throw the lid in a pile somewhere near...
The Dealership Litigation Hold: Unpacked
These Are A Few Of My Unfavorite Things. (Sing with me here…) “Gossip and taxes and unpleasant divorces, Pulling of wisdom teeth, with...
TEXAS V VROOM: A Failed Brand Promise
90125. No, it’s not a zip code. And, it’s not a television show. It was an album released by the prog-rock band Yes in November, 1983....
Omne Trium Perfectum: 3 Dealership Policy Foundations
And today, a message in Latin about “threes.” Omne trium perfectum conveys “everything that comes in threes is perfect.” In other words,...
The Barf Bag - U.S. Patent 7,041,042: And Other Dark Dealership Tales
Recently, I was traveling on Something-or-other Airlines, (as I often do), and noticed the barf bag in my seat pocket was patented. It was...
Clean Sheet Day and the Three Fs
Raise your hand if you love clean sheet day! ✋🏻 Please allow me to state this clearly: I. Love. Clean. Sheets. Who doesn’t love sliding into buttery,...
PR Fail: A Story of Deception, Unfair Acts and Power Booking
Do you prefer single ply or double ply toilet paper? Unless you live in your RV or boat, is there any debate on this in your head? I...
Crime Scene Clean Up Tactics: Dealership Edition
This is going to start as grim. It gets better. Aftermath® (the name of an actual ServiceMaster company) pioneered the field of performing crime...
Astroturfing: Manipulating and Faking Reviews
Astroturfing is organized activity that is intended to create a false impression of a widespread, spontaneously arising, grassroots movement in...
Wash, Rinse, Repeat: What is Corporate Governance and Why Is It Important?
Governance consists of a compendium and series of policies and procedures which safeguards the business to protect the owners and shareholders,...
Tuck The Octopus
Managing, owning, and running a dealership can feel like trying to tuck an octopus into bed at night while the tentacles keep flopping out! My close...
26 Motivators and the GLBA
More than thirty (30) years ago, I made a list of what motivates people. (I’m not sure why I was motivated to make the motivation list though.) I...
Dealership Risk
If you are a dealer, when you get up and place your feet on the floor in the morning, you put your assets on the line, expecting a return or profit....
Why You Should Be Concerned About Regulatory Oversight: How Regulators Do What They Do
For this month, something new. I’ve written this article so you can copy it and have each employee at the dealership sign it. Having written employee...
Non-GMO Dealerships
I'll bet you one dollar ($1.00) you have this issue, too. When you're shopping at the market and see a food product that's "non-GMO," don't you stop...
The Best Parking Lot Strategy
I'll be in trouble with my wife if she finds out I told you this. Do you have a strategy for getting the best space in the parking deck? From my...
10 + 10 = Exposure
Any one of these issues could cost you a lot of money. Consider the “what if.” What if…this were to happen or that were to happen? How would...
Let The Government Be Your Customer Service Department!
Three super-large dealership groups are trying it! Here’s how it’s going for them so far… Carvana lost the ability to transact in Illinois...
Six (6) Perspectives On The New GLB Safeguard Regulations
The new Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA) regulations aren’t going away and become effective on December 9, 2022. You don’t have to agree, but you do...
Oops They Did It Again
Oops, they did it again. I just unpacked my new desktop computer, screens, camera, and enough cables for you, me, and every adult on the...
I Hope You'll Learn With Me!
An October, 2021 survey by Embroker stated that just 22% fully read through their insurance policy, 56% admit to not knowing the cost of their...
Emotional Intelligence: A Good Dealership Habit To Pick Up
You may have never thought of it this way, but problems at dealerships usually walk through your office door on two (2) legs: Either with customers...
How Dealers Should Handle COVID (Co-author Kristina Vaquera)
Another article about COVID-19? Ugh! Snap! And oh, my! Employers everywhere are tired with having to handle this additional burden to running their...
Do You Understand the Components of Your Garage Insurance Policy?
Try this flavor-filled description: “There’s a sense of cornmeal next to sawdust, oily vanilla, and a hint of fresh honey sweetness that entices your...
The Saga of the Hdx 27 Gallon Containers and Your Dealership
So, I sold my RV, (please hold your applause) and needed to buy HDX 27 gallon storage containers to keep “my stuff,” which had previously lived in...
Auto Dealers: What’s Your Total Cost of Risk (TCOR)?
Financial statements track how you are doing financially every month. Consider measuring and benchmarking TCOR as a part of your ongoing financial...
Risk Avoidance – Ignored
Are you too busy selling cars to pay attention to the myriad number of lurking problems and issues that you haven’t had time to address? You would...
Dealer Risk Mitigation: Expectations & The Fountain of Youth
My buddy, Tom, recently visited St. Augustine, Florida and he was kind enough to bring us souvenirs. No, my fiancé and I didn’t get t-shirts. We got...
Is Your F&I Compliance "Toast?
What does criminal conduct have to do with F&I and my new toaster? Here you go... I recently bought a toaster. (Please hold your applause until the...
Trust, Your Employees, and Lady Gaga
Positive relations with employees start with trust. If you break the trust, you have a long journey ahead. Once you identify which of these...
How To Handle A Customer Dispute Like a Pro: Part 2
In Part 1, you will recall that we had the goals of discovering the truth, building trust, and de-escalating the customer's anger (a.k.a. extracting...
How To Handle A Customer Dispute Like a Pro: Part 1
"The only difference between an ordeal and an adventure is your attitude," states the recent, popular internet meme I encountered, and I agree....
Harmful Dealership Advertising: The Lollipop 1 Model
Would you ever give a little child a lollipop and then take it back? Outrageous, right? This causes upset, hurt feelings, destroys trust, and creates...
Don't You Agree? Fundamental Questions Answered Regarding Dealership Compliance
"I don't have to agree, but I do have to comply," said an old employee and friend of mine named "Hank." He said it with a wry smile whenever he...