Danny Zaslavsky

Leadership Skills in Automotive Dealerships So you think you have what it takes to steer the ship in the wild world of automotive dealerships? Buckle up, folks, because the road to successful leadership in this industry is not always a smooth ride. Here are some key skills you'll need to navigate those twists and turns like a pro: - Communication is key, folks! Whether you're chatting with customers, guiding your team, or negotiating with suppliers, clear and effective communication is essential. Remember, it's not just about what you say, but how you say it. Pro tip: a little charm never hurt anyone! - Adaptability is the name of the game in this fast-paced environment. Trends change, technologies evolve, and customer preferences shift faster than you can say new car smell. Stay agile, stay ahead, and most importantly, stay cool under pressure. It's all part of the thrill of the automotive industry rollercoaster! - Empathy might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of leading a dealership, but trust me, it's a game-changer. Understanding your team's needs, hearing out your customers' concerns, and putting yourself in their shoes can make all the difference. A little empathy goes a long way, my friends. - Innovation is the fuel that drives success in the automotive world. Don't be afraid to think outside the box, try new strategies, and embrace technology to stay ahead of the curve. Remember, it's not about reinventing the wheel, but giving it a shiny new coat of paint. - And last but not least, resilience is the secret sauce that separates the leaders from the followers. In the high-octane world of automotive dealerships, you'll face challenges, setbacks, and unexpected detours. But remember, it's not about the obstacles, it's about how you overcome them and keep moving forward! Ready to rev up your leadership skills and take your dealership to the next level? Check out my latest blog post for more tips and tricks: https://lnkd.in/gPym9ByJ

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According to a recent Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment study there are doubts and concerns ahead. The U.S. automobile dealer sentiment declined in the latest study primary due to rising costs and economic uncertainty. The Dealer Cost Index reached a record high, indicating that dealerships are facing increasing operational expenses, which dampens profitability. Agile Auto, Inc was built to help Dealers cut operational cost by constantly knowing the least profitable activities to avoid and to put the focus on each individual dealer's most profitable operational activities. Your dedicated experienced AAuto Performance Manager will help you every step of the way to maximize each month with disciplined adoption of your AAuto platform guidance to TAKE MARKET SHARE. Come see how we reveal the unseen to build the calculated courage to push the accelerator and grow in any market! Schedule your dealer demo here: https://lnkd.in/gntz57Ar JR Toothman Scott Simons Ben Hadley⚡Andrew Ryan Julie Kinloch Durran Cage Brady Burns Brian Kramer David Long Danny Zaslavsky Chris Hoke Frank Knox Peter Smith Larry Feldman Joe Jackson 🔥The Automotive Advisor Team Chelsee Pace W. Coy Gauthier CSC

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CDK Global reports on dealership activity. Not so doom and gloom after all for the car business and the in dealership experience. #Automotive #CDK #Dealerships #DealershipDesign CDK Global Article Link: https://lnkd.in/g2RWyACJ

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TEKION OFFERING SOME NO-CHARGE RELIEF TO DEALERSHIPS WITH THE CDK CRISIS .... Standing with the auto retail community Tekion Digital Processing access for affected CDK dealers. HERE'S THE LINK TO FIND OUT MORE ... https://lnkd.in/eG-nJG6P Dealers are showing incredible resilience in the face of the ongoing CDK outage, coming together to find alternative solutions to keep their businesses running and servicing their customers and communities. We salute their resourcefulness and stand by them to support in any meaningful way we can. Our team has been working on solutions to help dealers in this time of need and are offering free access to our Tax, Title, and License solution, Tekion Digital Processing (TDP), to all affected dealers.  This standalone tool will allow your team to accurately calculate tax, title and license for vehicle, heavy truck, trailer, RV, watercraft and powersports sales transactions in all U.S. States and the District of Columbia. You'll also receive access to a comprehensive library of state specific forms, which will be dynamically populated based on your deal. We are committed to helping dealers navigate this difficult time and hope that this support offers some relief. HERE'S THE LINK TO FIND OUT MORE ... https://lnkd.in/eG-nJG6P https://lnkd.in/eG-nJG6P

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When it comes to leadership skills in automotive dealerships, it's crucial to understand the unique dynamics and challenges of this industry. Here are some key points to consider: - **Embrace Collaboration:** Effective leaders in dealership settings foster a culture of collaboration among team members to leverage everyone's strengths and expertise. - **Adaptability:** The automotive industry is constantly evolving, and leaders must be adaptable to navigate changes in technology, consumer preferences, and market demands. - **Communication:** Clear and open communication is essential for fostering teamwork, addressing issues promptly, and aligning everyone towards common goals. - **Empowerment:** Successful leaders empower their teams by delegating tasks, providing autonomy, and recognizing individual contributions. - **Customer Focus:** Leaders in automotive dealerships must prioritize customer satisfaction by instilling a customer-centric mindset across the organization. - **Continuous Learning:** A commitment to ongoing learning and professional development is essential for leaders to stay ahead in the fast-paced automotive industry. For further insights and tips on enhancing leadership skills in automotive dealerships, check out my latest blog post at https://lnkd.in/gkrbJ7wz

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Get a handle on how to engage your used car customers the RIGHT way. Better Car People's CEO Aaron Kleinhandler discusses the change in the Used Car Market and how to work with customers who are more knowledgable than ever.

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HOLD 'EM or FOLD 'EM. That is the question on many dealers' minds each and every day regarding used inventory management. The next two months will tell us a lot about how the year will finish but for now, the price of buying inventory is outpacing the retail price to sell that inventory. We can expect, if the historical pattern continues, we will see a shift in the retail price in the next few weeks giving us some relief. Until then, with margin compression, holding for gross will need to be on hold as we are back in the velocity market, for all geological colors. We review the trends and insights with some guidance below. Our team can help you play the best hand every time. Reach out for a discussion. The Automotive Advisor Team Agile Auto, Inc BEVERYTHING, EV Consulting Frank Knox Durran Cage Peter Smith Joe Jackson 🔥

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Does it feel overwhelming to find a vendor partner you can trust? We hear you. The Ted Ings' Fixed Ops Roundtable® Certified Advisor Board is here to help you navigate the automotive landscape so you can feel confident you’re partnering with companies that stand behind their deliverables. #automotivedealers #autodealer #fixedopsroundtable #certifiedpartner www.fixedopscertified.com

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If you had any doubt about the power of the test drive, a recent study by CDK Global should put it to rest. CDK surveyed over a thousand new car buyers on a number of topics but one that was crystal clear: just how important the test drive was to not only their purchase decision but to what dealer they purchased from. More than three-quarters of buyers (78%) said it was the test drive alone that ultimately sold them on the vehicle they finally purchased. And more than half (54%) said that the opportunity to take a test drive was the number one reason they chose to buy at a dealership rather than online. https://eb1x.co/jTjjjtO #automotiveindustry

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Important insight from Car Pros Automotive Group President Juan Alarcon on selling to your diverse customer base! Check out his latest article at WardsAuto for more.

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🚙Used Car Managers🔥 🔥General Managers🚗 🚘Dealer Principals🔥 🔥Automotive Professionals🚖 Are your competitors beating you to the punch? This Friday, May 3rd, starting at 9AM EST/ 6AM PST... Jasen Rice, Vasilios Lambos, John Ellis, Brian Miller, Brian Kramer, and more of automotive's top thought leaders share their best strategies to increase your speed to market, minimize costs, and maximize your profits on David Long’s All Things Used Cars. Jump in the conversation or be a 🪰on the wall like me! Either way, you'll walk away with profit-boosting insights and actionable strategies to grow your bottom line and grab more than your fair share. 💰💲💵💪🤑 Look in the comments for a link to RSVP. You'll be texted a reminder once the room opens up. #automotive #autodealers #automotivemarketing #automotiveindustry #carbusiness #automotivesales #newcarsales #usedcarsales #usedcardealer

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Great article from Car Dealership Guy that is based on a Cox Automotive Inc. study. There are troves of data that dealerships and groups are sitting on, and they are rarely acted upon, or, if so, done so too late or not with enough data behind the data (yes, that's a thing) to truly understand what the numbers mean. Cognition.io is solving this, providing real-time data, with all of the supporting data behind the initial, high level data point. Reach out to learn what we're doing and how we can assist. I know there's at least 66% of dealerships out there looking for a solution 👀 https://lnkd.in/eM-c5nZU

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Incentives drive behavior within the parameters of affordability. In a need-based demand market like this, affordability trumps incentives. The Automotive Advisor Team helps dealers build inventory plans based on market-driven insights as well as the dealer’s specific inventory around their local market’s demand by price and segment. It's important to be cautious of overgeneralizations using historical automotive KPI performance trends that no longer fit as they once did in our new post-COVID auto market. Frank Knox Brian Kramer David Long

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I see so many automotive connections looking for work, some for 6 months or longer. Here's the strategy I used and its easy to copy. Take your expertise, find great vendors and take your expertise to local dealers. If you do this, your not a freelance or but a consultant. Meaning you can find the clients, and let your vendor/partner do their thing, And you own the relationship with the local dealer. You receive a monthly commission from vendor/partner. And can invoice the dealer for your instore consulting service. Here's the deal, you are an expert at something, You can provide your services and be a W-2 employee with a single store, Or go 1099 and have 10 local stores as clients. When you lose your job your income goes to $0, If you lose a client your income drops 10%. For me getting clients has always been a helluva lot easier than getting a job.

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🚙Used Car Managers🔥 🔥General Managers🚗 🚘Dealer Principals🔥 🔥Automotive Professionals🚖 Want to grow and retain market share? Jason Graciano, from one of the fastest growing Honda dealerships in the nation, shares how. David Long’s All Things Used Cars... Every Friday morning at 9AM EST/6AM PST. Jump into the conversation or be a 🪰 on the wall like me! Either way, you’ll walk away with amazing insights and actionable tips that you can implement at your dealership TODAY to make you and your bottom line better. 💰🤑💵💲📈 👀 in the comments for a link to the full episode replay of Take Market Share. #automotive #autodealers #automotiveindustry #carbusiness #automotivesales #newcarsales #usedcarsales #usedcardealer #sales #cardealership

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[Compton's Take] Everywhere I look, it seems the sky is falling for automotive dealers. The statistic being spread is that profits have dropped 34% on average. I have a different outlook for dealers... First, that number is an AVERAGE. (We're talking about average? Average? Average?) Second, who wants to be average? World Class Operators are in the top 20% of our industry. Because the number of below-average dealers is so numerous it skews the average. There’s a different mindset between average and world-class: - Average competes; world-class innovates. - Average avoids risk; world-class takes calculated risks. - Average makes excuses; world-class makes it happen. - Average has a scarcity mindset while world-class embraces abundance. - Average is frustrated; world-class is grateful. - Average is problem-oriented; world-class is solution-oriented. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: If you got out of bed this morning and went to work because you wanted to, you're in control of your destiny. If you went to work because you had to, your job controls you. Ayn Rand said, “Wealth is the product of a man's capacity to think.” (Atlas Shrugged) Compton Says, "Destiny is a daily decision." 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽: Check your ego at the door. Ask yourself: Are my thoughts, words, and actions congruent with the vision I have for my destiny? H/T to Ed French, for teaching me about world-class performance in automotive. H/T to Brett Sutherlin for sharing his August records results for his stores, which inspired this post.

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The CDK crisis proves that a distributed dealership stack is superior in all ways. Putting all your key dealership applications into one bundled basket is reckless with a SINGLE POINT OF FAILURE.  At least our customers had a rock-solid inventory and appraisal platform to navigate their disaster with. When it comes to your big three components ( DMS, CRM, Inventory Management), why would you settle for anything less than selecting the three best providers? We have you covered with the absolute best Inventory Management system in the land … 19 years in the making: https://lnkd.in/ghTNceQ7

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The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index is one of the best measures for how auto dealers are feeling about the used-vehicle business. Higher values and higher conversion rates typically means dealers are feeling optimistic, and more willing to pursue more inventory. The November data was released today, showing values climbed compared to October on a seasonally adjusted measure. Here's the details: https://lnkd.in/gHwdKdvt

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Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke notes, “There is a lot of uncertainty in this market, leaving consumers and dealers alike unsure of the road ahead. On top of uncertainty about interest rates, we are heading into an election season, and this one is especially breeding more concern. In the auto business, uncertainty is the enemy – it negatively impacts sales, hurts consumer sentiment, and leaves auto dealers feeling troubled.”   In times of uncertainty, having partners you can trust is critical. The team at Cox Automotive Retail Solutions can help dealers make the most of the market we’re in. @/John Huetter at Automotive News provided a perspective on how changing markets weigh on dealers. To see how Cox Automotive’s best in class data shapes the industry, check out the full article: https://lnkd.in/eEApWgZ2 Read the full Q2 CADSI report on the Cox Automotive Newsroom. If you are not already a subscriber to our biweekly Industry Insights newsletter, sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eMj3D_FV https://lnkd.in/ecvakegH

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