*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Jody Huff

The Super Bowl is the most watched television event of the year. Of course, OEMs are spending millions of dollars in television advertising dollars during commercial breaks. In fact, 25% of commercials during the Super Bowl are automotive. 1

Thanks to this huge investment, calls to dealerships the day after the Super Bowl have seen an average increase of 513%. 2

A complete phone system fully equipped to take on this increase in traffic can help you make the most of the increased opportunities you receive in a few ways:

1. Instant customer information. Before you even pick up the phone, you should know name, address, phone number, vehicle information, and appointment, service, and deal history – just to name a few. The more background information you have on a customer, the smoother the conversation will go and the faster you can meet the customer’s needs.

Here’s another example: marketing activity. Especially after the Super Bowl, customers will be browsing your website for inventory and prices. Your phone system should tie to your website so dealership personnel are aware of the customer’s interactions. If the customer was looking at VIN 3C6UR5DJ1KG579495 ten minutes ago, the employee answering the phone will know right away.

1. One click away functionality. Customers calling your dealership after the Super Bowl are likely calling about a specific vehicle and wanting to make an appointment. Your phone system should be able to schedule appointments (in both sales and service) and have the customer’s profile transfer automatically to the appointment in your CRM or DMS. You should never have to rekey information. Not only is this wasted time, but you could be transferring information inaccurately. You wouldn’t want a customer to show up for an appointment you weren’t ready for…

1. Status availability. Most dealership calls run through a receptionist, who is largely responsible for directing call traffic. Your receptionist should have a view of other employees currently logged in, on another call, or away from their desk. Perhaps the receptionist transferred to the wrong salesperson, but realized her mistake seconds after selecting the wrong one. She should have the option to retrieve the call instead of waiting for it to come back around in the queue. Small things like this help speed up processes and improve the customer’s experience.

1. Call forwarding. How often are your salespeople actually at their desks? Your phone system should enable call forwarding to mobile devices so salespeople never miss a call. The more unanswered calls in your dealership, the more likely it is customers are going to call someone else. Call forwarding helps keep customers where you want them – doing business with your store.

Bonus point: Consider implementing a BDC. Not only will a BDC help you manage calls during high traffic seasons, but it will help you year round. Salespeople can focus on the customer in front of them or the task at hand while BDC personnel can manage appointments and follow-up.

If your phone system crosses these t’s and dots these i’s, you won’t need to worry about bribing your staff with snacks, drinks, or prizes the morning after the Super Bowl when calls are expected to be heavy. Their job will be easy and seamless from the get-go. That’s what it’s all about – creating an effortless experience the moment the phone rings.

1 Marketing Charts

2 Auto Remarketing

About the Author

Jody Huff is the Vice President of Sales Development at Reynolds and Reynolds. Over his 24-year career with Reynolds, he has achieved Sales Club status over 20 times. Jody’s alma mater is Texas A&M University where he earned a BBA in Marketing.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Cory Coler

Your customers are comparing their dealership experiences to those with Amazon and every other simplified, digital purchasing experience they have. That’s the reality as we approach the end of 2019.

Dealerships are starting to understand the consequences of failing to meet rising customer expectations. Digitization and personalization throughout the car-buying process are trends on the rise, but there’s one area that I still see as a sticking point on the road to a seamless customer experience: the service estimate process.

Too often, customers calling in for an estimate deal with long waits, multiple transfers, and estimates that don’t end up matching the price on the invoice. Compare this with the one-click checkout of Amazon, the ease of using Apple pay, or the estimate process at the local Midas, and you can see why this crucial part of the service process impacts CSI.

Granted, you don’t need to offer a better experience than Amazon – your customer probably won’t ever need a quote for a new set of headphones.  At the end of the day, you need to be the best option among your direct competitors – like Jiffy Lube, Pep Boys, Midas, independent shops, and other dealerships. When customers call for estimates, they often call multiple businesses. That means if you can’t provide an exceptionally simple, accurate, and quick experience, you’re likely to lose their business.

So how do you get there? Use the CARE method to evaluate and improve your current process:

1. Complete a competitive analysis

How can you beat the competition if you don’t know what they’re doing? One of the best ways to perform this analysis is through mystery-shopping. Call up a competitor as a customer looking to get your car serviced. Time the process, take notes on how many times you have to repeat information, and count the number of times you get transferred. Call back again and speak with a different service advisor. See if you’re given the same estimate each time.

2. Ask for the business

Frequently, I call in to service departments to get a quote on a repair; and I’m shocked that once they deliver a price, they let me hang up without asking to schedule my appointment to get the service done. If you’re not asking for the business, you won’t get it. If you offer a presumptive close for the appointment, you’ll increase your business immediately. (“When would you like to come in for that alternator, Mr. Smith?”)

3. Run live tests

One great way to check your own process is to call in and see for yourself what it looks like in action. Just like mystery-shopping a competitor, calling into your own dealership and going through the estimate process will give you a glimpse of what your customers are experiencing. Are your people professional? Is the estimate process quick? Are there any transfers? Did they ask for the sale? It’s important to know how your current process deviates from your ideal process so you can pinpoint areas to improve on.

4. Evaluate your tools

If during your tests, you find out there are multiple transfers, the customer is waiting more than a few moments to get a quote, or the estimated price doesn’t match the invoice, it’s time to look at the pricing tools you’re using. Can your tool compile parts, labor, fluids, hardware, taxes, and any other costs into the quote a customer receives to ensure the quote matches the invoice? Can it pull that information in seconds to get the customer a number quickly and eliminate transfers (like your competition)? If not, it’s time to move on to one that can.

That’s it. The CARE method. Four simple steps to ensure you’re offering customers quick, accurate quotes on services they will get performed at your dealership rather than timely, incomplete estimates. If you can make the quality of your process a switching cost for your customers, you’ll drive retention and boost CSI.

About the Author

Cory Coler is a member of the fixed operations product planning team at Reynolds and Reynolds. He began his career in the automotive industry in 2001 at a Toyota retailer, becoming an ASE Certified Advisor and Toyota Certified Assistant Service Manager. In 2005, he joined Reynolds’ Service Price Guides (SPG) department in Tampa, Florida and quickly became a subject matter expert for the product. In 2014, he transitioned to his current role in Product Planning where he is responsible for the enhancement and design of several fixed operations applications.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Jody Huff

The one that got away — we’ve all experienced it. Enthusiastically jumping in the air to just miss that fly ball soaring over the fence. Going all in at the poker table with a full house and losing to a four-of-a-kind. Waving goodbye to your middle-school sweetheart when they move away. Coming up short is practically a fact of life.

Dealership managers often feel the same way about leads slipping away. With fewer opportunities, every lead makes a difference, but tracking down leads lost to unanswered phones, dropped calls, or even bad customer service experiences can be a headache.

The good news is rescuing lost leads doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Here are some things you need to know about lost leads and how to save them.

Recovering From Bad Customer Service

Research firm Luntz Group revealed 40 percent of Americans dread the idea of buying a new car. Before they even pick up the phone, they’re already cringing. The first impression holds a heavy weight in whether or not a buyer feels comfortable doing business with you.

However, phone conversations don’t always go as planned. A new sales rep might not be fully trained yet, and a flubbed pitch could lead to a frustrated customer hanging up abruptly. That new salesperson will probably just move on to the next lead, and management will be none the wiser. What if you could be notified when these types of calls happen?

Consider deploying a service that listens to and reviews calls happening in your dealership. A team of highly trained professionals can spot mishandled calls and inform you when a caller needs extra attention and follow up, so you can correct the problem. With this approach, your potential customers aren’t left frustrated and telling their friends how unhappy they were with your dealership. Instead, they’ll be impressed you took time to make things right.

Returning Missed Calls

Sometimes customers slip through the cracks. In an ideal world, every call is answered. However, for various reasons, some calls just don’t get through. Since many callers don’t leave voicemails, how will you know who needs a call back?

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking a customer will try to call again if they don’t get through the first time, but that next call could be to a different dealership. If your employees aren’t answering calls, customers might think they’re not important to you. At that point, it’s not as simple as a call that slipped through the cracks — callers view lack of responsiveness as bad customer service.

Be sure you have a way to capture call information whether the caller leaves a message or not. Notifications of missed calls also help during a time-sensitive process. You might not know exactly what the customer was calling about, but following up on a missed call lets customers know you care and want their business.

Letting leads slip away is unacceptable in today’s competitive market. Make sure you’re not letting leads slip through the cracks.

About the Author

Jody Huff is the Vice President of Sales Development at Reynolds and Reynolds. Over his 24-year career with Reynolds, he has achieved Sales Club status over 20 times. Jody’s alma mater is Texas A&M University where he earned a BBA in Marketing.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Hayley Holmes

If you aren’t selling cars from your service lane, you aren’t selling enough cars. Your best customers are already in your dealership, specifically in for service, and there are a few things you need to remember about them:

1. They are buyers. They already own your product or are servicing their vehicle with you.

2. They like you. There are mechanics on nearly every corner. If they didn’t like you, they’d find someone else.

3. Their trade-in has been maintained. Most customers visiting service departments frequently keep their maintenance up-to-date, which is exactly what you’re looking for in your pre-owned inventory pool.

4. They have time. They have already allotted time to be at your store.

Combine these four factors and your service lane is a gold mine. How do you get these customers to buy while they’re in your store?

Data, data, data. Did I mention data?

One of the biggest objections you’ll hear from customers in for service about upgrading is disbelief. When approaching service customers, you need data to fall back on, or even better, jump start the conversation.

You’ve probably heard of Predictive Analytics. It’s being able to predict what a customer is likely to do next based on behavior and historical outcomes of other consumers in similar life circumstances. Predictive Analytics helps determine who to talk to about what vehicle.

A customer targeting tool fueled by Predictive Analytics goes beyond equity and analyzes the profiles of your entire customer database to identify customers likely to buy regardless of – or in spite of – their equity position. Customers you normally wouldn’t approach become a source of profit.

Real-time information.

Not every customer in for service is a scheduled appointment. You’ll often see last minute walk-ins wanting a typical oil change. These customers can be just as valuable, and it’s important they’re not overlooked as potential lead sources.

Predictive Analytics has the ability to analyze the data almost instantly to identify the quality of the lead. Within minutes, you will know the likelihood of the customer upgrading, and what specifically they’ll likely upgrade to.

Show that you recognize them and value their time.

The two most important words are not please or thank you, but instead are your customer’s first and last names. Personalize your approach and show your customer you value their business. If you don’t explain to a customer within the first fifteen seconds why you are talking to them, you are going to lose them.

“Hi Mike. I’m Kent, the used car manager here at Tolson Motors. I see that you’re driving a 2015 Honda Civic. I’d love to purchase your car today. Mr. Wilker, what would you say if I could get you into a new Honda Civic at a similar monthly payment?”

If you get a “no”, follow up consistently.

Hearing a “no” today does not mean you’ll hear a no tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. Make it clear to the customer you’re interested in them and their vehicle through automated marketing efforts. You can personalize the message and make it consistent to your original offer. This conveys your professionalism and loyalty to earning their business.

Selling cars in service can be easy with the right tools. Equity mining fueled by Predictive Analytics and automated follow up takes the stress and pain out of the process.

About the Author

Hayley Holmes is the product planning manager at Reynolds and Reynolds for XtreamService. She formerly served as a marketing specialist and team lead, providing XtreamService to dealerships, and assisting to build and develop the marketing services team.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Jeff Adams

We’ve heard it, we’ve seen it, and we are just getting started on this nationwide struggle. Right now, it’s harder than ever to find technicians. In fact, according to NADA, the industry will face a shortage of 37,000 techs each year.

With fixed operations nearly surpassing variable operations as a profit center for the dealership, it’s important every bay has qualified technicians to handle incoming work.  So how do dealerships combat this ongoing shortage of qualified talent?

1) Start With Trade Schools and Higher Education

With such a shortage of new talent, it’s important to have a head start wherever fresh talent is available. Your store needs to be the first place that pops into a new technician’s mind when they think of starting their career. Donate to local automotive technology programs, sponsor projects, and visit schools around graduation to encourage them to apply at your dealership. Many trade schools and colleges also have careers fairs you could attend to help bring some new faces into your dealership.

2) Set Clear Goals and Rewards

Its crucial current and future technicians see your dealership as a place to have a career, not just a job. Anyone can give them a paycheck, but you need to give them a place to grow and develop their skills. Make sure your technicians have clear milestones and expectations. For example, help them get new certifications, make sure they are recommending more work on vehicles, and have them complete certain training on the software you provide to make them faster and more proficient. Review in-depth reporting for each technician as well as for the overall department and let them know areas where they can improve or are improving.

Based on those reports, set realistic expectations and reward their achievements. Rewards can include things like lunch or gift cards, specialty tools, awards that highlight their achievements, and monetary incentives. One dealer group is paying the weekly insurance premiums for basic health insurance packages and gave away company stock if the employee stayed for a year and met specific benchmarks.

No matter what, give your employees a reason to stay that they won’t find at other stores. Or, make transitioning not worth it financially.

3) Understand Generational Expectations

Most dealerships have a wide array of technician talent and ages. These various generations have different levels of experience, variations in training, and are used to working with different types of technology. To keep everyone on the same page, standardize processes, enable ongoing feedback, and provide easy to use software tools.

Looking Forward

No matter where your dealership currently stands with its technician supply, you need to prepare to fight for good technicians.  Technicians will easily go from dealership to dealership to get the benefits they want and the workplace they desire. You need to have a unique service drive that attracts the talent you need and technology that makes the technicians’ job easier at the end of the day.

Is your dealership ready?

About the Author

Jeff Adams is a Product Planning manager for Service applications at Reynolds and Reynolds.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Scott Worthington

A lot of dealers think “Employee theft won’t happen to me” or, “I trust my employees.” But the numbers around employee theft tell a different story.

There was an article in Automotive News about a dealer who lost nearly $2 million to embezzlement from his controller. How common is that?

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, 88% of businesses who experience theft or embezzlement don’t get all their money back. They never see that money again. As a matter of fact, 1 in 4 theft cases resulted in losses of $1 million or more. Furthermore, 51 percent of dealers have confirmed they experienced theft or know a dealer who has. What’s more disconcerting is the 49 percent who think there is no embezzlement at their dealership. But how can you know for sure?

When you leave your house in the morning, do you lock the door? Does that mean you don’t live in a safe neighborhood? No. It just means you’re being cautious and reducing the risk that someone will come into your house and rob you. We think of theft as a burglar in a black mask, breaking in from the outside, when more often than not a trusted employee you consider a friend, could be responsible for the biggest losses. With a quick internet search, you can find several stories of theft involving employees dealers trusted. In one, the dealer expressed how devastated he was about the situation, but what bothered him most was the mental and emotional drain knowing he trusted someone who took advantage of him.

You can’t be everywhere all the time. Hiring the “right” people isn’t enough either. There needs to be a better way to check for possible suspicious activity. You may be thinking, “That’s why I pay a CPA.” However, you might be surprised to learn CPAs don’t actively look for embezzlement. They ensure your dealership is using generally accepted accounting procedures. You could hire an auditor if you suspect something is going on but on average, dealership theft takes 18 months to find.  In total, it could be hundreds of thousands – maybe millions – before you find the theft.

To ensure your dealership is reducing your risk of theft, you need a dealership-wide monitoring solution that constantly analyzes system data for unethical business activities. This system should monitor your day-to-day operations and alert you when suspicious activity has been found.

How much will it take before you lock your dealership’s doors?

About the Author

With over 26 years of experience with Reynolds, Scott Worthington started as an ERA® trainer in 1991. His other roles included being an original member of the Reynolds Consulting Group, running the Service Readiness organization, Marketing Director, and ERA Solutions Executive. Currently Scott is Director of Product Planning responsible for the ERA-IGNITE and POWER platforms, Business Office applications, Data Archiving, Reporting and Analytic Solutions, and ReyPAY®.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Adam Kirdzik

Alexander Graham Bell first patented the phone in 1876. Since then, the phone has gained a clearer signal, lost its wires, and turned into a handheld device most people won’t leave a room without. If anyone wants to reach out to a friend, a relative, or a customer, they first reach for their phones.

However, in a service drive, getting to the phone takes time. Advisors already have a lot on their plate from getting recommendations from the techs, looking up labor times, balancing the customers already in the lobby, greeting customers coming in, and then they have to find time to sit down and get on the phone amidst this everyday chaos.

Meanwhile, your drop-off customer is out shopping, seeing a movie, or hanging out with their friends until their ride is ready. If they see a call from a number they don’t recognize, they will let it go to voicemail. In fact, according to a recent study, only 52% of calls are answered while the rest go to voicemail. Unanswered calls are only projected to increase with the number of robocalls rising (robocalls rose 46% from 2017 to 2018).

After the first voicemail from your advisors, the game of phone tag begins. At roughly 30 seconds to two minutes per phone call, depending on the length of voicemail, time spent on the phone can add up quickly. Multiply that by two calls per repair order, then by your number of drop offs, and the numbers don’t lie. Advisors are wasting time and money trying to call your customers.

What’s the easiest way to communicate with customers and keep advisors from playing phone tag? Texting.

According to a study by DealerRater, both mass-market and luxury brand customers preferred a text to let them know their vehicle was ready far more than a phone call, a conversation, or any other form of communication. Yet, only three percent of dealerships are using text messaging in service.

Texting is an easy way to get ahead of this industry curve. One enhancement could make you part of a small percentage of dealership service drives that are beating the competition at bringing customers back. According to the 2017 JD Power Study, 67% of customers who are contacted by text message say they will definitely return to the dealership for service work.

Even recently we can see from the 2019 JD Power CSI Study satisfaction is 75 points higher for all-digital dealerships, with customers preferring to communicate with the dealer through text messages.

When looking for a texting service, dealers should be cautious of the legalities involved. Make sure the provider offers an opt-out option on every text and the text messages are stored securely. It’s also good to have text messages stored within the DMS for a few months at a time in case a legal matter arises. Previous texts should also be easily accessible if there is a discrepancy during the appointment.

With text messaging at their fingertips, why are your advisors still calling customers? Get ahead of the competition and exceed customer expectations with text messaging.

About the Author

Adam Kirdzik is a Product Planning manager for Parts and Service applications at Reynolds and Reynolds.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Hayley Holmes

What is predictive analytics? Simply put, it’s the use of data to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data.

I like to think of it as being proactive rather than reactive – being able to plan for something before it actually happens.

Predictive analytics leverages a customer’s profile, considering their transactional, behavioral, and demographic characteristics, to predict the likelihood of various scenarios. It analyzes age, gender, marital status, income, housing type, occupation, and so much more to qualify an ideal prospect and their likelihood of buying.

Why should you care? If you want to be one step ahead, predictive analytics is your number one ally when selling more vehicles. Predictive analytics allows you to identify a customer’s needs before the customer even recognizes that need.

Automotive retailing isn’t the only industry taking note of predictive analytics. Big-name companies across the board are using it to their benefit every day:

Target

Target assigns each customer a guest ID number so they can track information such as name, used credit cards, email address, purchase history, email advertisement activity, and online shopping habits. Based on buying patterns, Target can determine what is most relevant for a specific customer.

Case Example: Target analyzes buying patterns associated with baby registries. They are able to identify 25 products to help predict the likelihood of pregnancy and an associated due date. For example, vitamins such as calcium, magnesium, or zinc are associated with the first trimester and unscented lotion is associated with the second trimester. When cocoa butter lotion and a blue rug are purchased, she is likely having a boy.[1]

With this predictive data, Target sends coupons to mothers-to-be for products before she even knows she needs them, allowing Target to capture more value from customers by creating brand loyalty.

Spotify

Spotify, the largest on-demand music service in the world with more than 100 million users, is a data-driven company. As they continue to grow, Spotify acquires data points that help train their algorithms and machines to listen to music and conclude on insights that impact its business and listeners’ experiences.

Case Example: In its first year, the Discover Weekly playlist feature reached 40 million people. But it’s not your average playlist. Each user gets a personalized playlist every week from Spotify of music they have not heard before on the service, but is considered something the listener will enjoy. Spotify analyzes listening history and combines it with what’s hot and new to deliver a modern-day version of a personalized mix tape.[2]

It doesn’t stop there. Based on listening history, favorites, and location, Spotify sends concert ticket information to users’ email addresses. If it’s a beloved artist and in close proximity, this hand-delivered ticket information is tempting for users. And for Spotify… their brand loyalty just keeps growing.

Amazon

Amazon is a leader in data collection, storing, processing, and analyzing. With predictive analytics, they can determine how customers are spending their money to help increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Case Example: Amazon analyzes items you’ve purchased recently, items in your online shopping cart or wish list, items you’ve reviewed or rated, and items you search for the most. Based on this information, Amazon can recommend additional or similar products that other customers purchased when buying those same products.

For example, if you add a DVD to your online shopping cart, similar movies purchased by other customers are recommended to you. Amazon encourages you to buy on impulse to help further satisfy your shopping experience and spend more money. This method alone generates 35% of the company’s sales annually. [3]

Kroger

For a long time, Kroger, a large supermarket chain, lagged behind other retailers in the digital space. In recent years, they’ve made rapid strides. Using predictive analytics, Kroger segments shoppers and creates individualized experiences – including personalized promotions and tailored pricing – for its Plus Card members.

Case Example: The mobile application is where Kroger truly excels in data. This is where they personalize promotions and deliver value and relevancy to shoppers on an individual basis. In the first quarter of 2018, they delivered more than 6 million unique offers![4]

They track buying history, pattern, and frequency to serve up the best promotions and products most relevant to each customer. Coupled with Best Customer Bonuses, these personalized promotions resonate with shoppers, helping Kroger not only retain its best shoppers, but keep them loyal and spending more in its stores.

Your Dealership

How can your dealership be proactive with customers and increase vehicle sales, customer retention, and brand loyalty? The answer lies in leveraging predictive analytics. These big name companies are proof it works.

[1] Digital Initiative

[2] Tech Crunch

[3] Investopedia

[4] Grocery Dive

About the Author

Hayley Holmes is the product planning manager at Reynolds and Reynolds for XtreamService. She formerly served as a marketing specialist and team lead, providing XtreamService to dealerships, and assisting to build and develop the marketing services team.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Scott Worthington

While it’s always important to implement processes that protect your dealership from fraud and theft, it’s just as critical to know the reasons why an employee might decide to steal from you. Let's dig deeper into employee theft and embezzlement to give you more insight to protect your dealership.

Key to understanding this is the Fraud Triangle, which breaks down the factors behind why employees steal thus:

Motivation: Does an employee have incentive to commit fraud? Is there pressure motivating them to embezzle? Often we hear stories about dealership employees who are struggling with something outside of work. It could be anything: pressure to pay off credit card debt, illness, a craving for a different lifestyle. In one case, a dealership employee stole millions of dollars so she could buy her family extravagant luxury items and take them on international trips. The reason? She wanted them to feel loved and she wanted to feel like a good mother.

Justification: Does the employee feel stealing is warranted? Maybe she was passed up for a promotion. Maybe she notices coworkers taking long vacations she can’t afford. Maybe you’ve been asking her to work a lot of overtime. To someone without the justification, it might seem far-fetched that these are reasons an employee would steal. But for the employee? These feel like valid reasons to commit fraud or embezzlement.

System Opportunity: Once an employee has the motivation and justification to steal, there is only one more step their brain must make before they start. Can they get away with it? Of the three sections in the Fraud Triangle, this is where you have the most control. Does your dealership have processes in place to deter theft? Processes not only make the dealership run more efficiently, they also show employees you’re keeping tabs on the dealership, even if you aren’t there. What about a system that monitors transactions across your dealership for suspicious activity? Even with processes in a place, an employee who has the motivation and justification might find a loophole. A dealership-wide monitoring system that informs employees its tracking transactions will take your security one step further.

Keep yourself informed of the ways employee theft happens in the dealership. The more informed you are, the better your chances are of preventing it.

*This article previously appeared in the Reynolds and Reynolds FUEL monthly newsletter*

By Kasi Edwards

If you’re a parent who’s sent a child to college, you know how intimidating the life change can be. You also know the new experiences and lessons they will receive are important for their future.

Now, think about yourself and what you do to better prepare your dealership for its future. Do you take advantage of opportunities to learn from other dealerships, retailers, technology providers, and industry influencers? Here are three ways to improve your business by leaving your dealership to experience lessons outside your comfort zone.

1. Spend the day at your vendor’s headquarters.

The best way to learn about vendors and products is to visit their headquarters. Not only will you grow your relationship with them and their support team, but you’ll understand their company culture and work environment. When you visit Reynolds’ Dayton or Tampa offices, your team will learn how solutions work in your dealership by experiencing them first hand from the people who built them.

2. Travel to conferences and road shows.

Attend conferences and road shows to interact with vendors in person while experiencing live product demonstrations. You’ll view presentations and participate in discussions from industry leaders to learn about problems, insights, and trends affecting the industry.

3. Visit another dealership, even a competitor.

Visit a dealership using a product you’re considering to learn how it works. You’ll experience how it works with customers, how employees like it, and positive or negative impacts it’s had on the business.

Moving Forward

When students leave the comfort of home to attend college, their current knowledge is tested and expanded to prepare them for life after graduation. It’s important you and your employees experience the same growth so you can prepare your business for the future. By utilizing the training and guidance available from Reynolds, you and your employees will gain insights that help continuously grow your business.

About the Author

Kasi Edwards is Vice President of Marketing at Reynolds and Reynolds. She leads the company’s marketing, advertising, communications, and Retail Management System messages to the market. During her over 21-year career with Reynolds, she’s built an accomplished background in sales, marketing, and product management.