Michael Risich

As auto sales get a little harder and margins a little smaller, paying attention to your lost leads is a proven way to recover incremental sales. Most dealers - if they are counting correctly - probably convert around 20% of all leads. So that's 80% that are lost (or not yet sold!!!). Knowing what happened to these 80% is vitial for incremental improvements. What did they buy? Who did they buy from? What was the reason? The salesperson? The product? The trade-in price? The lack of F&I options? etc Just remember the numbers - if you sell 100 vehicles per month, you probably had 500 leads (20% conversion). So there's 400 that are lost. That's a lot of leads in one month. If you don't have the data on your lost leads - you can't work out how to plug the gaps. Contact our team if you want to see how you can recover lost leads. #autodealers #lostsalesrecovery #salesrecoveryprogram

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The universal truth in automotive? Dealers who know their customers better, help them faster, and "wow" them everywhere are the ones who will win. Easier said than done, right? For decades, dealerships have been bogged down by disconnected software systems still relying on the ADF-XML technology I helped develop in the '80s (yes, really!). Fragmented data and siloed tech are holding businesses back. The more widgets, apps, and vendors you stack together, the harder it becomes to connect the dots across departments, platforms, and the overall customer journey, creating what I like to call "Mission Improbable". Valuable customer insights get lost, and the result? A cluttered, confusing experience for everyone. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Dealers CAN and SHOULD adopt solutions that meet the needs of today’s customers while simplifying their operations. It all comes down to two things: 1. Centralizing data 2. Consolidating technology That’s it. By understanding your customers better, you can deliver seamless, personalized experiences across every touchpoint. The future is clear: an all-in-one approach is the key to winning. Thank you Jessie Lizak, Adam Fitzgerald & the BDEX team for hosting me on the #DeconstructingData podcast! Full episode linked here: https://lnkd.in/eJMGQnQp #TeamVelocity #ApolloCXP #CDP #CustomerExperience

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I love that AISA™ can be 100% detailed or not, depending on a dealers preference. Schedule your demo with me today! www.zenzio.com Come learn what a real conversational AI solution is all about.

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At Opus IVS, we have four core values. Innovation, Customer focus, Results Driven, and Collaboration. We're committed to fostering a results-driven culture where we deliver innovations and improvements based on customer feedback. In this video, our team shares insights on how we get there. No matter how challenging the project, how long it takes, or what obstacles come our way, we are dedicated to reaching the finish lines. Our commitment to delivering value and creating exceptional customer experiences is at the heart of everything we do. We don't give up because we believe in the power of perseverance and partnership. Join us on this journey as we continue to push the boundaries and set new standards in the automotive technology industry. #ResultsDriven #OpusIVS #Innovation #Teamwork #CustomerFocus #AutomotiveTechnology

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One of the most common questions I am asked is how a dealer should strategically approach having 50+ or 100+ systems required to run their business. The reality is there are no DMSs that do everything, so you have to have 3P software. Most systems don't talk to each other, so data is rarely normalised, aggregated, and used for insights. Managing 100+ systems is a headache and financially painful for your IT team too. With the common approach a dealer owns nothing, and is reliant on vendors. Some say their technology adds value to their business. Wrong. If you intend on exiting, your technology is not interesting to the big groups. I heard it first hand that unless it's proprietary, it's actually worthless as they will bring their own. Some say their technology is important to their customers. Wrong. No customer cares what specific technology you deploy, they only care about their experience with your business. So, what should you do? Do something that drives tangible bottom line results that someone will pay 10X for. Use a new approach for system integration. Remove a large % of your vendors and use data to become more intelligent. DM me if your a large dealer group and I will walk you through what we're building at AutoFacets (A Gateway Group Company) to address this burning issue. You won't be disappointed if you want efficiency, and better margins.

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Dealers, listen up. Your AdWords provider is killing your sales. If you want to stop wasting money, you need to hire someone outside the auto industry to audit your Google AdWords account. Most of these turnkey and OEM providers are just recycling the same outdated strategies they’ve been using for years. They’ll slap on the same cookie-cutter template they use for every other dealer, and call it a day. But Google isn’t what it was two years ago. The game has changed. The days of running 15 to 20 campaigns and targeting individual keywords are over. Your customers aren’t keywords—they’re people. People make decisions based on intent, not just search terms. Google knows this and has shifted its focus to intent-based targeting. But if your campaigns are still built around keywords, you’re missing the mark. Do yourself a favor—spend $500 to $1,000 to get someone outside the auto bubble to give your account a real, unbiased review. You’ll be shocked at what you’re missing.

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Selling parts online transforms dealership fixed ops by simplifying processes, increasing market reach, and tapping into new profitable revenue streams. Are you using parts eCommerce in your dealership?

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Can you imagine knowing exactly what step every car deal is at—and which department’s tasks are pending—in real time? From dealer owner to detail team, everyone on the same page, working from the same playbook. No confusion, no missed steps. Just real-time information at the click of a button. ✨ Bottlenecks? Eliminated. 👀 Visibility? Fully unlocked. ⏳ Staff burnout? Gone—so your team can focus on the work that matters. It’s not just automation—it’s transformation. Faster deliveries, happier customers, and profits that soar. 🚀 Let’s make it happen. Ready to explore what’s possible for your dealership? www.hoodo.ca

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6/19/24 Daily Use Case #11. Automotive Brands and Dealers. What is the Value of Traffic in Dealerships? Offer a Fun, Branded Game with Rewards that start out with a Free Car Wash or better yet an Oil Change at the nearest Dealer. You can figure the Value of their Trade In during the Oil Change. They might walk into the showroom and drive home in a New Car. Maybe 1 in a Million Games played someone Wins a New Car. Just a Link added to Ads can get them playing. Here is a BRANDS Game Demo Link: https://bit.ly/AUTO-BRANDS. And a MODELS Demo: https://bit.ly/AUTO-MODELS

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Sales failure is inevitable when hiring sales reps. I compare it to NFL teams drafting a quarterback. Teams draft a QB on skillset and think the have their QB of future, but most fail. Here's why... Because it is hard to asses the mindset of sales talent. You can have sales assessment tests to screen candidates, But in my experience hiring for mindset is the key. I can teach anyone the tactics and skills to be an expert seller. But if you don't come to the table with an intense drive you'll fail. No one can give you the will to succeed. My motto is, "You bring the mindset, I'll teach you the skill set." I learned this in the Marine Corps, because after 13 weeks of boot camp when you graduated and received your Eagle, Globe and Anchor, you were a trained warrior, ready to face any challenge. What do you look for first, skillset or mindset?

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Equipment manufacturing sales and marketing leaders: How are you doing with dealer adoption of your portal and other digital tools? Too many times it's low. REALLY LOW. Single digit %'s. If you even know - a lot of times there is no analytics. When you build something you think will help and no one uses it, it's like throwing money down the drain. Adding insult to injury is when the dealers call you all the time with basic questions......that they could answer themselves if they just went to the portal. So there's a massive disconnect that needs solving. Here's how we help equipment manufacturers get much higher adoption rates...

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Implementing a system like techWALL® can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of a dealership's service department, ultimately benefiting both the dealership and its customers. Here is one of those benefits… Real-Time Data Access: Provides up-to-date information on service orders, vehicle history, and inventory, allowing for better decision-making and quicker responses. https://lnkd.in/gN9YbpV

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Reasons why techwall® stands out as the quintessential fixed operations platform for automotive dealership fixed operations departments: Data-Driven Insights: techwall® provides robust analytics and reporting tools that deliver actionable insights into service performance, customer behavior, and parts inventory. By leveraging these insights, dealerships can make informed decisions to optimize operations, increase profitability, and better meet customer needs. These features collectively make techwall® an indispensable tool for optimizing fixed operations at your automotive dealership. https://lnkd.in/gN9YbpV

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Implementing a system like techWALL® can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of a dealership's service department, ultimately benefiting both the dealership and its customers. Here is one of those benefits… Advanced Reporting and Analytics: Generates detailed reports on service department performance, customer trends, and operational metrics, aiding in strategic planning and performance improvement. https://lnkd.in/gN9YbpV

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Today... Dealers are forced to use too many pieces of software that just don't work together. It's a Frankenstein's Monster of a tech stack. 🧟‍♂️ It makes sales harder. 🙃 Space Auto makes sales EASY by unifying your entire sales funnel into one system. From website and digital retailing, to CRM and desking deals. It's all linked together by our advanced AI to make the buying (and selling) process delightful, smooth, and easy for all. The results? More Sales! (and less overhead) We exist to unify the software you need to sell more cars in a better way. 🚀 Find out more at https://space.auto/

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What do you need to scale a startup in automotive. Just two things. Pig-headed discipline and strategically important accounts. Here's why... There's a tendency to try new "sales enablement tech." You try it. It does not work. You try something new. Chet Holmes author of " "The Ultimate Sales Machine" says "It's not about doing 4,000 moves but doing a handful of moves 4,000 times. But despite knowing what to do people still fail. Why? They simply don't do it." To do a few moves 4,000 times requires pig-headed discipline. (That's why I think super smart people suck at sales, because its too monotonous for them, but that's another post.) It may take a new sales rep 100 calls to book one appointment. But the repetition is what makes you successful. The more you do it the better you get. Then it's 100 calls generate 2 appointments, then 3. But it takes pig-headed discipline to make those 100 calls for 6 months. The second attribute is targeting and closing strategically important accounts. These are the best accounts of your competitors. This builds instant credibility and trust. It also validates your solution to the market. Without strategically important accounts growth is slow. Your competition has the advantage. If you've been in sales longer than a day you know this isn't new. But like Chet Holmes says, "People simply do not to it." P.S. If you need someone to do it, let's talk.

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Sales superstar for hire. ------- AND IT WORKS!!!! AISA™ is the premier, fully-trained AI Sales Associate built to outperform human sales associates in a market with growing complexity and competition. Until now, your outcomes hinged entirely on your sales force. In today’s market with escalating costs and shrinking profits, our trained AI Sales Associate presents a game-changing solution to your crucial business objective: achieving more with less, faster than your competitors. AISA™ has sales goals: * Identify intent and motivations * Skillfully discuss features, availability, incentives, and pricing * Develop a vehicle of interest selection * Skillfully discuss payment options * Serves links to forms, pages, and videos, in context * Sets appointments for any sales function automatically, or with staff approval. * AISA can handle questions for the service department, and serve the appointment link *AISA™ is customized to your location, inventory, policies, and warranties. Reach out for a demo!!!

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Reasons why techwall® stands out as the quintessential fixed operations platform for automotive dealership fixed operations departments: Comprehensive Integration: techwall® seamlessly integrates with your dealership’s existing DMS, ensuring a unified approach to fixed operations. This integration helps streamline processes and improves overall efficiency. These features collectively make techwall® an indispensable tool for optimizing fixed operations at your automotive dealership. https://lnkd.in/gN9YbpV

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🚨👇🏻🚨 Number 2 is the problem AutoFi is solving for dealers all over the country! Digital Retail (DR) is only a part of the solution - it’s how many shoppers want to START their buying journey to understand the numbers and speed up time at the store…But the real magic, well that happens in the showroom! But wait, you can’t use online retail tools in the SHOWROOM, can you?? Why, yes. Yes you can…and the results our stores are seeing are almost too good to be true. Almost. Let me show you how to sell MORE cars FASTER, give away less gross, and drive up your CSI scores. And we have the data to back it up.

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