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Raising the Internet Department of Behlmann Automotive

The Internet can be incredibly rewarding with proper nurturing and commitment, and Anthony Bartoli, Internet director and sales manager at Behlmann Pontiac Buick GMC, treats the Internet department like a child—a method that has proved successful at more than one dealership in St. Louis, Mo.

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Articlesby Scott NazJune 22, 2009

Practice Safe Shipping

Every person in the car industry, at one time or another, has had the need to transport a vehicle from point A to point B. The scary fact facing many dealers is that they have absolutely no idea if their so-called reputable transport provider is

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Revving Up Fixed Ops in A Down Economy

Economically speaking, Newton’s third Law of Motion – for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction – is certainly applicable today. Applied to the automotive industry, the action is decreased vehicle sales and the reaction is increased sales in service and maintenance. The question is: Are customers bringing their vehicles to you or your competitors for service? Now is the prime time to rev up fixed operations to gain more service and maintenance ...

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Articlesby Tom HudsonJune 19, 2009

The Bank Defrauded, So I get a Free Car

Thomas B. Hudson - The bailout mentality seems to be everywhere. Here’s an example. Customers borrow money from a bank to finance their car purchases. They default on their loans, and the bank undertakes court actions to recover the vehicles. The consumers discover that the loan officer they dealt with had pled guilty to defrauding the bank. The consumers decided that was reason enough to let them keep their cars ...

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Articlesby David Keller, CPA, CFEJune 19, 2009

Thoughts on the New and Used Vehicle Market

Dave Keller -Chrysler and GM have yet to prove how eliminating dealers is going to save them to a profit. They should let the economics of business weed out the dealers who are not profitable. Sooner or later, the non-profitable and under-capitalized dealers won’t be able to ...

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Articlesby Tom HeraldJune 19, 2009

Analyzing Inventory - Deja Vu 1980

Tom Herald - When it comes to the car business, 2009 is not much different than 1980. The details, circumstances and causes for the recession were different but the end effect on the car dealer was basically the same. Credit was very limited if not non-existent. Thirty years ago Chrysler, led by Lee Iacocca, was pleading in front of Congress for some sort of financial relief. Unemployment was ...

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Articlesby Ron SmithJune 18, 2009

Hangin up the Keys

Ron Smith - If, for whatever reason, you have decided that the time has come for you to exit the industry as a franchised new car dealer, the following is a very brief synopsis of things to consider. The following is a checklist I have given to some clients considering exiting...

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Articlesby Glynn RodeanJune 17, 2009

Outsource to In-House - Part Four

Glynn Rodean - Up to this point in the outsource-to-in-house-BDC transition, the bulk of the in-house preparation has been planning, along with some training. While the entire transition can take up to a ...

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Articlesby Kirk ManzoJune 15, 2009

F&I and Service Can Work Together

Kirk Manzo - In today’s unpredictable market, one thing is certain, vehicle service contracts (VSC) make for happier customers. Realizing that the economics of the current conditions are daunting for many consumers, the VSC is a true value not only at the time of ...

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Articlesby David Keller, CPA, CFEJune 12, 2009

Your Vendor Agreements

Dave Keller - ... dealers use many third-party vendors which have DMS access for downloading information to their software to furnish dealers with add-on products and/or reports. Maybe it is time to inventory all these programs to find out if you are still utilizing them and if ...

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