The word “innovation” gets thrown around a lot when we talk about dealers who manage to stay ahead of the curve year after year, even as the industry continues to change around them. But it gets repeated so often that I fear we might be losing sight of what innovation actually is and why it has value for the dealership in the first place. What innovation is not is simply … [Read more...] about Declined Service Work or Targeted Marketing Opportunity?
Loyalty and Retention
Everyone Wins With A Seamless (Online And In-Store) Experience
Think about the last time you experienced a retailer with a digital experience that seamlessly connected to the in-store experience. Maybe it was as simple as opting to pick up a purchase in-store, rather than having it shipped to your home. Or, it could be that you saw a product at one of the retailer’s locations but waited until you got home to research and make the purchase. … [Read more...] about Everyone Wins With A Seamless (Online And In-Store) Experience
Plan, People and Profitability: A Lesson in Chicken
When a cashier takes your money for your purchase and then sends you off with a deadpan, “have a good one,” how do you feel? On the other hand, Chick-fil-A restaurant’s signature send-off, “My pleasure,” is a big reason it is the most profitable fast-food business in the country. According to an article in Entrepreneur.com, Chick-fil-A “makes more per restaurant than … [Read more...] about Plan, People and Profitability: A Lesson in Chicken
Tracking Online Reputation: You’re Still Counting The Wrong Thing
There is no denying that generating new reviews, week in and week out, is a critical component to a dealer’s business process, but a common misconception is that review count then, should be an important number to monitor. Well, it is and it isn’t. Review count should be tracked, but only to measure one thing: does my review solicitation process work? However, the volume of … [Read more...] about Tracking Online Reputation: You’re Still Counting The Wrong Thing
3 Keys to Influencing Indecisive Customers
Regardless of your professional title, we are all in sales, and we all have heard the dreaded words: no, not right now, I’ll think about it, maybe another time; and the like. Sales, as Norman Hall had put it, is an “ocean of rejection.” Face it, every sale is a potential risk to the buyer, and every sale requires the buyer to sacrifice something. It is not hard to imagine … [Read more...] about 3 Keys to Influencing Indecisive Customers