Automotive dealership staff can stream live video during a chat or SMS conversation, improving customer engagement and reducing decision-making time.

Las Vegas, Nevada– September 19, 2017 – Gubagoo Inc., the leading provider of dealer communications solutions, today announced that a powerful new sales tool has been integrated into its communication platform: Live Video Streaming. Debuted at the Digital Dealer Conference and Expo, Live Video Streaming underlines the company’s commitment to provide dealers with the ability to engage and communicate with their customers the way they want to, whether through chat, text, calls, social, or video.  This new functionality gives dealers the power to turn a chat or an SMS conversation into a live sales presentation through the Gubagoo mobile and desktop app (ResQ).

“Imagine turning a chat into a live video call…on the fly,” said Brad Title, CEO of Gubagoo. “Do a walk around and take a video of vehicles on the showroom floor.  It’s a powerful communication tool to have, especially given that today’s buyers lead busy lives and might not have time to visit the dealership in person.”   

With Live Video Streaming, dealership personnel have the option to stream a live one- or two-way video directly during a chat or SMS session, expediting the consumer research and decision-making phase by facilitating faster communication between customer and dealer. To see a demonstration of Live Video Streaming, visit Gubagoo at booth #505 at the Digital Dealer Conference (#DD23), September 18-20 at the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.   

About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Florida, Gubagoo is the leading provider of 24/7 auto dealer live chat, text, video, and call monitoring solutions. With a mission to provide a smarter, more cost-effective alternative to the old lead generation model, Gubagoo is the first dealership website solution that successfully makes anonymous traffic identifiable, and converts the 95% of dealer site traffic that traditionally defects.  More than 2,800 dealerships, including some of the nation’s largest dealer groups, as well as OEM-certified programs, are using Gubagoo’s omni-channel communication platform to take their customer experience to the next level.  For more information about Gubagoo, visit www.gubagoo.com, e-mail hello@gubagoo.com or call 855.359.2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Melanie Webber, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com

Dealership Buy/Sells Steady in the First Half; Increased Activity Likely in Q3 and Q4, according to The Blue Sky Report™ released by Kerrigan Advisors

Over 200 transactions expected for the year; dealers begin taking on equity partners, while reinsurance profits increasingly factor into buy/sells, and key manager retirements spur sales    

Irvine, CA – August 28, 2017 – Dealership buy/sell activity during the first half of 2017 reveals a notable willingness by auto dealers to take on minority and majority equity partners, according to analysis from the Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly. Released today, the report also shows that buy/sell activity through the first half of 2017 remained high. Kerrigan Advisors expects activity in the second half of the year to surpass the first half, resulting in the 4th year of over 200 buy/sells.

“2017 is on pace to be a record year for equity partner investment structures,” said Erin Kerrigan, Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “We think this shift in buy/sell activity is mostly due to the increasing size and complexity of the dealership groups coming to market. In addition, dealers are attracted to the opportunity to remain involved in the business post-transaction, while also taking some chips off the table.”

The Blue Sky Report, published by Kerrigan Advisors, is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership M&A activity, as well as franchise values. It includes analysis of the first half of 2017 - laying out the high, average and low blue sky multiples for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments for the quarter - and offers a detailed view of public and private company dealership acquisition activity.  

Key data and analysis from the first half of 2017 includes:

• 101 dealership buy/sell transactions completed in the first half of 2017, compared to 106 transactions during the first half of 2016.[1]
• Multi-dealership transactions represented 25% of completed transactions in the first half of 2017.  Those transactions saw a 23% rise in the number of franchises represented per transaction.
• Public retailers increased spending 61% in the first half of 2017, compared to the first half of 2016.
• Domestics’ share of the buy/sell market remained at 44%, while non-luxury imports saw their share of the buy/sell market increase to 39%.
• Toyota, Honda and Subaru dealerships enjoy high buyer interest, with consistently high profitability
• Amongst the publics, Lithia and Penske have acquired 21 US dealerships
• The private sector acquired 93% of the franchises sold
• Dealership real estate prices and rents rose slightly as compared to 2016

“We see resilience in the buy/sell market,” continued Kerrigan. “Even though SAAR is down, it remains within a historically high range. Auto sales in the first half of 2017 were actually 5% higher than the trailing five-year average, and dealerships remain highly profitable.”

The report identifies three key trends moving forward into Q3 and Q4 of 2017:

• Dealers take on majority and minority capital partners
• Reinsurance profits increasingly factor into buy/sells
• Retiring key operators prompt some dealers to sell

“One of the more interesting trends we see moving into Q3 and Q4 of 2017 is retirement-driven transactions, but not necessarily in the way you think,” said Ryan Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “When a key lieutenant retires, that’s prompting some older dealers to sell, versus finding a replacement. As a result, the retirement of key management, in combination with the aging of the dealer body, is increasingly prompting older dealers to sell.”  

Kerrigan Advisors is deeply involved in the Buy/Sell Market, having advised on the sale of 59 dealerships, including four of the Top 100 Dealership Groups in the US. Most recently, Kerrigan advised on the sale of Downtown LA Auto Group to Lithia Motors. Kerrigan Advisors’ extensive experience representing the largest dealership groups in the country provides the firm with a unique perspective on the trends shaping the industry and today’s franchise values. 

The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, is published four times a year and includes Kerrigan Advisor’s signature blue sky charts, multiples and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. The multiples are based on Kerrigan Advisors’ view of franchise values in the current buy/sell market and can be applied to adjusted pre-tax dealership earnings to estimate blue sky value. To download the report, click here: www.kerriganadvisors.com/the-blue-sky-report/. 

Kerrigan Advisors also releases a monthly index, The Kerrigan Index, composed of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market.  The KAR Index is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access the Kerrigan Index™, click here: www.kerriganadvisors.com/the-kerrigan-index/.

Erin Kerrigan (http://www.kerriganadvisors.com/meet-the-team/) is Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors, and is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells. A sought-after commentator on automotive retailing topics ranging from consumer auto buying trends to auto retail consolidation to private equity in auto retail, she has keynoted numerous automotive conferences and her analysis has appeared in publications such as Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal. For a recent video of Erin’s commentary on the market, click here.

Ryan Kerrigan (http://www.kerriganadvisors.com/meet-the-team/) is Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors and an expert on US auto retail buy-sell transaction work. Prior, Ryan served as Managing Director at Serent Capital, a $250MM private equity fund investing in middle market companies and served as General Manager of the family’s auto dealership. Mr. Kerrigan began his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he advised Fortune 500 companies on growth strategies, organizational issues, pricing and business valuation.

About Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors is a national dealership buy/sell advisory firm focused on providing a high level of client service for dealership sellers. Led by a team of veteran advisors who have represented transactions totaling over $3.0 billion dollars in automotive, private equity and investment banking, Kerrigan Advisors customizes each sale process to maximize the seller’s transaction proceeds. With the most comprehensive buyer database in the industry, Kerrigan Advisors has the industry context and expertise to match each seller with the right buyer.

In addition to the monthly Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, each quarter, Kerrigan Advisors publishes The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership buy/sell activity and franchise values. Kerrigan Advisors’ Managing Director Erin Kerrigan is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences, including NADA, JD Power Automotive Roundtable, AICPA, NADC and Driving Sales’ President’s Club. She has also been a keynote speaker for events hosted by American Honda Motor Company, Audi of America, US Trust, Ohio Automobile Dealer Association, and SunTrust Bank and has led webinars for NADA and Automotive News. Her expertise is also featured in a monthly column for Dealer Magazine.

Contacts

Kerrigan Advisors Media Contact:
mWEBB Communications
Melanie Webber, 949-307-1723
melanie@mwebbcom.com

Los Angeles-Based Downtown LA Auto Group is the Fourth Top 100 Dealership Group
sold by Kerrigan Advisors in the last 20 months

Irvine, CA, August 9, 2017 – Kerrigan Advisors, the leading sell-side advisory firm to auto dealers in the US, represented and advised Downtown LA Auto Group, #55 on Automotive News’ 2016 Top 150 Dealership Group list, in its sale to Lithia Motors. This sale marks the fourth Top 100 Dealership Group that Kerrigan Advisors has represented in the last 20 months, making the firm the leading advisor to the largest dealership groups in the US.  

Downtown LA Auto Group, founded in 1955 by Nickolas and Jeanette Shammas, was owned by Diane and Carole Shammas, their daughters.  Since 2003, Darryl Holter served as the group’s CEO and Elay Sung, who will continue to oversee dealership operations on behalf of Lithia as a Platform Vice President, was the COO.

“When we were deciding on our sell-side advisor, we were looking for a firm familiar with marketing a group of well-established, urban auto dealerships. We chose Kerrigan Advisors, because we felt Erin and Ryan Kerrigan would provide us with individualized attention and guidance while at the same time allow us to give our input in order to successfully sell our family’s dealerships,” said Diane Shammas.  “The team at Kerrigan Advisors did an exceptional job managing the sale of our group.  From the initial sales presentation through negotiations and the closing, Kerrigan Advisors was key to the success of this transaction,” said Carole Shammas.

The sale of Downtown LA Auto Group, which is believed to be the largest multi-dealership group sold so far in 2017, includes Downtown LA Motors Mercedes, Porsche of Downtown LA, Audi of Downtown LA, Toyota of Downtown LA, Volkswagen of Downtown LA, Nissan of Downtown LA, and Carson Nissan.  Collectively, these dealerships, many of which are amongst the highest in new unit sales volume for their respective franchises, represent over $850 million in annual revenue.  The Downtown LA Auto Group sale did not include Felix Chevrolet, Nickolas Shammas’ first dealership, which the family has chosen to retain. 

Kerrigan Advisors, headed by Erin and Ryan Kerrigan, has now served as the exclusive sell-side advisor to four of the Top 100 Dealership Groups, with each engagement resulting in a successful sale.  Including this most recent closing, Kerrigan Advisors has advised on the sale of 59 dealership transactions since July 2015, representing over $1 billion in client proceeds.

“We were honored to represent the Shammas family on the successful sale of their iconic Los Angeles dealership group,” said Erin Kerrigan, Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors.  She added, “This large, complex transaction is a testament to the fact that Kerrigan Advisors does not take ‘listings’.  Rather, we work for a select number of engaged sell-side clients to achieve their specific financial and personal goals, keeping in mind what is best for their family and its legacy.”

“Kerrigan Advisors is pleased to have had the opportunity to lead such a significant transaction.  We know that Lithia’s commitment to its employees and the local community will enable the Shammas family’s auto retail legacy to continue in Los Angeles,” added Ryan Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors.

Ann Lawrence of DLA Piper LLP served as lead legal counsel to Downtown LA Auto Group and John Davis of Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP served as the accounting advisor.

Kerrigan Advisors actively monitors conditions in the buy/sell market and publishes an in-depth analysis each quarter in The Blue Sky Report®, which includes Kerrigan Advisors’ signature blue sky charts, multiples and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. To download the report, click here. The company also releases the monthly Kerrigan Index™ composed of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market.  The Kerrigan Index is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access The Kerrigan Index, click here.

Erin Kerrigan (http://www.kerriganadvisors.com/meet-the-team/) is Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors, and is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells. A sought-after commentator on automotive retailing topics ranging from consumer auto buying trends to auto retail consolidation to private equity in auto retail, she has keynoted numerous automotive conferences and her analysis has appeared in publications such as Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal.   For a recent video of Erin’s commentary on the market, click here(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPrMMtRF-IU&feature=youtu.be).

Ryan Kerrigan (http://www.kerriganadvisors.com/meet-the-team/) is Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors and an expert on US auto retail buy-sell transaction work.  Prior, Ryan served as Managing Director at Serent Capital, a $250mm private equity fund investing in middle market companies and served as General Manager of the family’s auto dealership. Mr. Kerrigan began his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he advised Fortune 500 companies on growth strategies, organizational issues, pricing and business valuation.

About Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors is a national dealership buy/sell advisory firm focused on providing a high level of client service for dealership sellers. Led by a team of veteran advisors who have represented transactions totaling over $3.0 billion dollars in automotive, private equity and investment banking, Kerrigan Advisors customizes each sale process to maximize the seller’s transaction proceeds. With the most comprehensive buyer database in the industry, Kerrigan Advisors has the industry context and expertise to match each seller with the right buyer.

In addition to the monthly Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, each quarter, Kerrigan Advisors publishes The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership buy/sell activity and franchise values.  Kerrigan Advisors’ Managing Director Erin Kerrigan is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences, including NADA, JD Power Automotive Roundtable, AICPA, NADC and Driving Sales’ President’s Club. She has also been a keynote speaker for events hosted by American Honda Motor Company, Audi of America, US Trust, Ohio Automobile Dealer Association, and SunTrust Bank and has led webinars for NADA and Automotive News.  Her expertise is also featured in a monthly column for Dealer Magazine. 

Kerrigan Advisors Media Contact:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340

Interactive, personalized website experiences ramp up dealer conversions; Canadian dealer sees 31% lead to sale conversion rate in just one month on PERQ’s platform

Indianapolis, IN - July 12, 2017 - PERQ, which offers a game changing web-engagement platform, now offers its services in Canada where early adopters are already reaping significant results.

The interactive tool, which has been adopted by hundreds of auto dealerships across the US, generates, on average, five times the lead data usually collected by dealerships and a 40% increase in lead-to-sale conversions. In Canada, the platform, while in the early stages of adoption, has generated a 31% conversion rate for a British Columbia dealership studied by the company.

PERQ works with website providers and dealerships in a completely new way — creating more intuitive, responsive online experiences for consumers, while enabling dealers to gather more information to more effectively communicate with online customers.  To do this, PERQ’s web engagement platform ‘virtually’ trains dealership websites to have real-time conversations with each visitor, such as helping them to receive an estimated trade appraisal, schedule a test drive, calculate payments and receive incentives, along with helping them narrow down vehicle models and determine whether to lease or buy. 

“Why shouldn’t auto dealerships in the US, and now Canada, have the opportunity to offer consumers a personalized, Amazon-like experience on their dealership websites?” asks Andy Medley, president and co-founder of PERQ. “We believe this is the standard to strive for. Our data consistently shows a large percentage of dealership website visitors are still in the early phase of their shopping process and that this kind of approach increases conversions up to 200%. We’re excited to bring this level of success to dealerships across Canada.” 

According to Medley, most dealership websites in both the US and Canada rely on static forms and irrelevant calls to action (CTAs) that clutter up websites. These CTAs require consumers to re-input the same data over and over again and generally lack the intuitive, one-to-one experience consumers have come to expect. PERQ’s web engagement platform solves this.

Krieger Ford in Columbus, Ohio, and Harris Mazda in Nanaimo in British Columbia, Canada, both use PERQ’s web engagement technology. The dealerships were grappling with the challenges of unresponsive websites, but now say this new interactive approach changes the dealership/consumer equation.

Chris Thomas at Krieger Ford in Columbus, Ohio, was able to dynamically offer up conversion buttons, banners and advertisements with PERQ’s technology to completely individualize the customer experience, creating a real-time conversation online, even with returning visitors. “Customers can continue their car-buying journey without starting from the very beginning — a happy surprise,” he says.

In just one month, Krieger posted these results: 110 leads, 92% form completion rate, 23% lead to showroom visit.

Meanwhile, Harris Mazda of Nanaimo in British Columbia, Canada had used other online tools over the years, but few actually delivered results, says owner Tony Harris, until the dealership implemented PERQ’s web engagement platform. “The quality of the leads is much better. The people are more qualified buyers and we’re having a higher success rate on converting leads to sales,” adds General Manager Doug Culham.

Harris was also pleased to experience no ‘cross border’ problems: “Usually, when we integrate with a vendor from another country, it doesn’t go well and there are issues with the conversion and integration. I’m happy to say with PERQ, we haven't had any issues.” 

In just one month, Harris Mazda posted these results: 29 unique leads, 31% lead to sale conversion; an almost 11% unique click to lead conversion.

“Data, and these case studies, prove that the PERQ approach to engagement on dealership websites is working and rivals what consumers expect - and should be experiencing - when shopping for a car,” Medley says. “We believe having a personalized website experience is a core improvement that must be offered by dealerships to keep pace with their customers.” 

All data and analysis was gathered from PERQ’s web engagement platform – and from dealerships using the platform. PERQ’s platform works in partnership with dealerships and existing website providers and can be implemented in less than 7 days.

To read PERQ case studies, click here.

About PERQ

PERQ (www.perq.com), a marketing technology provider, boosts website conversions by creating and delivering interactive experiences to the right consumers at the right time. Founded in 2001, PERQ solutions today are used by more than 1,000 businesses across the United States. PERQ’s brands have been named to the Inc. “500 Fastest Growing Companies in America” list on three separate occasions, and its Web Engagement platform is a 2017 Gold Stevie® Award winner for lead generation software.

PERQ Media Contacts

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 949-307-1723

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630

PERQ’s $25,000 FATWIN Sweepstakes Incentivizes Consumers and Helps Auto Dealer’s Digital Marketing Stand Out

Annual prize awarded to Sawgrass Ford customer and Plantation, FL, resident after submitting a vehicle trade-in appraisal request

Indianapolis, IN – June 14, 2017 – PERQ, experts in online consumer engagement and behavior, today announced the winner of their annual $25,000 FATWIN Sweepstakes. Jose M. Hervis Garcia, from Plantation, Florida, was selected from over 171,000 eligible FATWIN entries. Garcia, his wife, and two sons plan to put the money toward a house.

“This is one of the best parts of my job – watching dealership customers deploy interactive website experiences that consumers are engaged in and get value from. We devised the $25K sweepstakes to incentivize the consistent provision of quality data by consumers – which translates into higher conversions for our dealership customers,” said Muhammad Yasin, Director of Marketing at PERQ. “On behalf of the PERQ team, we’re pleased to congratulate the Garcia family and wish them well as they start a new adventure in a new home.”

The drawing illustrates the effectiveness of PERQ’s FATWIN Trade Appraisal Plus solution. Garcia, who had visited multiple dealership websites, landed on the Sawgrass Ford website and was able to quickly go through the interactive Trade Appraisal Plus experience, answer a few questions, and get an estimated trade value for his vehicle. As part of the process, he entered the sweepstakes – and the rest is history. Now Garcia and family are shopping for a new home, and the dealership has a very happy customer.

 “You always see these types of sweepstakes, but you never expect it’s going to be you or your customer that is going to be the beneficiary,” said Rob Baker, Internet Sales Director at Sawgrass Ford. “It’s a delight that you can put that type of happiness into someone’s life.” Baker said the entire team at the dealership presented the oversized $25,000 FATWIN check to Garcia and his 8-year-old son.

“The money helps a lot,” said Garcia. “The kids know that this money is going to improve their lives. We are all very happy. I want to thank PERQ and Sawgrass Ford for this opportunity to find a new home.”

About PERQ

PERQ (www.perq.com), a marketing technology provider, boosts website conversions by creating and delivering interactive experiences to the right consumers at the right time. Founded in 2001, PERQ solutions today are used by more than 1,000 businesses across the United States. PERQ’s brands have been named to the Inc. “500 Fastest Growing Companies in America” list on three separate occasions, and FATWIN Web Engagement is a 2017 Gold Stevie® Award winner for lead generation software.

PERQ Media Contacts

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 949-307-1723

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630

Rising Dealership Real Estate Prices and Private Sector Spending Offset Slight Decline in Blue Sky Values, according to The Blue Sky Report® released by Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors report for Q1 2017 reveals robust dealership buy/sell activity in 2017 with dealership valuations remaining high, even as auto sales slow; private buyers dominate buy/sell market as publics focus on non-US acquisitions

Irvine, CA, June 5, 2017 – Buy/Sell auto dealership activity remains robust for the first quarter of 2017, in spite of slowing auto sales and a slight dip in Blue Sky Values, all of which is offset by high dealership real estate prices, according to The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which today released its analysis for Q1 2017.  Outpaced by the privates in acquisition activity, publics are directing their focus to non-US acquisitions.  According to the report, macro-economic conditions, which offer opportunities for both optimism and pessimism, are contributing to a high level of activity in the buy/sell market, which is expected to continue throughout the year.

“2017’s buy/sell market is fueled by diverging viewpoints from conservative sellers and ambitious buyers – and is influenced by consistently high real estate valuations.  Those confident in the long-term health of auto retail continue to seek acquisitions and investments,” said Erin Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “By contrast, the pessimists, and those who are generationally ready to go out on a high note, are increasingly choosing to exit the market, selling their dealerships at today’s high prices and avoiding a potential downturn. All of which contributes to a very active and robust buy/sell market.”

The report from Kerrigan Advisors is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership mergers and acquisition activity and franchise values.  Laying out the high, average and low multiples for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments for the quarter, the report offers a detailed view of public and private company dealership acquisition activity.   Key findings from the Q1 2017 report include:

• Dealership real estate prices and rents rose considerably on a quarter over quarter basis. Real estate, for most dealers, is their highest value asset, far exceeding franchise value.
• Transaction activity increased slightly in the first quarter of 2017, exceeding 2015 and 2016’s high pace with 60 dealership buy/sell transactions completed in the quarter. *
• 2017 is tracking towards 240 transactions for the year.
• The number of multi-dealership transactions declined from 19 to 11.* Kerrigan Advisors expects the pace of multi-dealership transactions to increase considerably as the year progresses.
• Public retailers’ acquisition spending decreased 12%. Since January, The Kerrigan Index™, which includes the seven public auto retailers, is down 9.6% to 492, underperforming the S&P 500.
• The private sector acquired 93% of the franchises sold in the first quarter of 2017.
• Domestics continued to grow their share of the buy/sell market - a trend driven by the growing market share of trucks and SUVs.
• Import luxury franchises’ share of the buy/sell market decline by 45%

The report also identifies the following three market trends, which Kerrigan Advisors expects to affect the buy/sell market in 2017 and beyond.

   Dealership profit plateau shifts buyer’s focus to current earnings

   OEMs’ buy/sell approval processes differ significantly

   Multiple arbitrage for dealership business lines continues

“Overall, we continue to expect 2017 to be a very active year for buy/sells with private buyers, new entrants and certain public buyers eager to put their capital to work. An increasing number of sellers are coming to market motivated by current prices and a strong desire to capitalize on today’s buy/sell activity,” concluded Kerrigan.

The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, is published four times a year and includes Kerrigan Advisors’ signature blue sky charts, multiples and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. The multiples are based on Kerrigan Advisors’ view of franchise values in the current buy/sell market and can be applied to adjusted pre-tax dealership earnings to estimate blue sky value. To download the report, click here.

Kerrigan Advisors also releases a monthly index, The Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, composed of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market.  The Kerrigan Index™ is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access The Kerrigan Index™, click here.

Erin Kerrigan is Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors, and is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells. A sought-after commentator on automotive retailing topics ranging from consumer auto buying trends to auto retail consolidation to private equity in auto retail, she has keynoted numerous automotive conferences and her analysis has appeared in publications such as Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal. For a video reel of Erin’s commentary on the market, click here.

About Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors is a national dealership buy/sell advisory firm focused on providing a high level of client service for dealership sellers. Led by a team of veteran advisors who have represented transactions totaling over $2.5 billion in automotive, private equity and investment banking, Kerrigan Advisors customizes each sale process to maximize the seller’s transaction proceeds. With the most comprehensive buyer database in the industry, Kerrigan Advisors has the industry context and expertise to match each seller with the right buyer.

In addition to the monthly Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, each quarter, Kerrigan Advisors publishes The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership buy/sell activity and franchise values.  Kerrigan Advisors’ Managing Director Erin Kerrigan is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences, including NADA, JD Power Automotive Roundtable, AICPA, NADC and Driving Sales’ President’s Club. She has also been a keynote speaker for events hosted by American Honda Motor Company, Audi of America, US Trust, Ohio Automobile Dealer Association, and SunTrust Bank and has led webinars for NADA and Automotive News.  Her expertise is also featured in a monthly column for Dealer Magazine. 

Kerrigan Advisors Media Contact:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340

*The Banks Report/Kerrigan Advisors analysis

Addition of Kelley Blue Book’s trusted valuation data to FATWIN Web Engagement platform further increases engagement on trade-in tool

Indianapolis, IN – May 24, 2017 - PERQ, specialists in personalized, interactive web engagement technology, today announced that it has added Kelley Blue Book, one of the most trusted names in the auto industry, to its list of data providers. The addition has increased the number of trade-in leads generated by PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement platform for its dealer customers by as much as 300%.

The integration of Kelley Blue Book’s trusted data with FATWIN offers online visitors increased confidence in the valuations of their used vehicles and a better online experience, which translates into higher conversion. Today, there are more than 300 dealership websites utilizing PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement solution.

“We’re excited to work with PERQ and further extend our market-reflective Blue Book Values,” said Damon Bennett, senior director of syndication for Kelley Blue Book. “Given that determining whether pricing is fair is among the biggest pain points when transacting, Kelley Blue Book is providing consumers with the confidence of how much to expect for their car.”

While traditional trade-in tools can turn consumers off with static questions, FATWIN offers a trade-in experience that is more personalized and consumer-friendly, asking a few simple questions, including how they preferred to be contacted, the type of replacement vehicle they’re interested in and how soon they’re ready to buy, before giving shoppers an estimated trade-in value based on Kelley Blue Book data. Consumers then receive a low and high range estimate before being presented with a special offer that is designed to convert the online visitor into a showroom buyer.

Initial results have shown that combining Kelley Blue Book data with FATWIN’s trade appraisal is engaging more online visitors and dealerships are, on average, experiencing a 3x increase in trade-in leads, 5x the volume of trade-in sales and a 9.2% higher average gross profit per unit sold.

“The consumer experience is of paramount importance to engaging online visitors and converting leads into dealership sales, which is why we are so pleased to be able to offer data that consumers truly trust,” said Stephanie Ragozzino, EVP of Product at PERQ. “By combining Kelley Blue Book’s valuation data with PERQ’s uniquely intuitive interactive online experience, dealerships have an even more powerful opportunity to engage more visitors via our trade-in tool and turn more of those leads into car sales.”

Auto dealers can learn more about FATWIN’s use of Kelley Blue Book’s data, here.

About PERQ

PERQ (www.perq.com), a marketing technology provider, boosts website conversions by creating and delivering interactive experiences to the right consumers at the right time. Founded in 2001, PERQ solutions today are used by more than 1,000 businesses across the United States. PERQ’s brands have been named to the Inc. “500 Fastest Growing Companies in America” list on three separate occasions, and FATWIN Web Engagement is a 2017 Gold Stevie® Award winner for lead generation software.

PERQ Media Contacts

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 424-603-4340

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630

Sellers coming back into market, improved valuations, private buyer demand for large acquisitions, advantageous market fluctuations and ‘Trump Bump’ driving optimism in buy/sell market; Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda and Subaru top buyer targets

Irvine, CA, March 22, 2017 – Buy/Sell auto dealership activity is set to rebound to record levels in 2017, according to The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which today released its analysis for the full year 2016.  Although there was a slight decline (8%) in overall transaction activity in 2016, and rising real estate costs are set to present a challenge for buyers, an increase in serious sellers coming back into market; improved valuations; private buyer demand for large acquisitions; advantageous market fluctuations, and the Trump Bump are driving optimism for a robust 2017.

“Most dealers understand that the opportunity has passed to obtain above- market blue sky prices and, instead, are satisfied knowing that today’s valuation levels are still very high, particularly on a historic basis,” said Erin Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors.  “Buyers are finding pricing more reasonable in part because today’s sellers are serious about a sale. The market testers who were seeking “crazy” blue sky values have primarily returned to operating their businesses, discovering those unrealistic values were not attainable.” 

The report from Kerrigan Advisors is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership mergers and acquisition activity and franchise values.  Laying out the high, average and low multiples for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments for the quarter, the report offers a detailed view of public and private company dealership acquisition activity.   Key findings from the report include:

• 221 dealership buy/sell transactions were completed last year, compared to 2015’s record of 241 transactions*.
• 57 multi-dealership transactions were completed last year, resulting in an 8% increase over 2015’s record*.
• Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda and Subaru are likely to be chief targets of acquisition activity.
• Domestic franchises saw their buy/sell market share increase by 42% in 2016*.
• With truck sales still on the rise, domestic buy/sells will continue to dominate the 2017 buy/sell market.
• Public auto retailers’ acquisition spending decreased 21% in 2016 compared to 2015, with Lithia and AutoNation the only publics to make acquisitions of US dealerships in 2016.
• Publics sold nearly as many dealerships as they acquired.
• The private sector acquired 89% of the franchises sold in 2016.
• The average dealership’s real estate value is estimated at $10.3 million while the average dealership’s blue sky (goodwill) value is estimated at $6.6 million.

The report also identifies the following four market trends, which Kerrigan Advisors expects to affect the buy/sell market in 2017 and beyond.

• Buyers’ return on investment parameters drive buy/sell activity
• Sellers’ pricing expectations rationalize with a plateauing market
• Buyers seek investments in higher margin auto retail business segment
• Dealers are increasingly open to equity and growth capital partners

“Overall, we expect 2017 to be a very active year for buy/sells with private and more public buyers eager to put their capital to work. We find an increasing number of sellers coming to market motivated by current prices and a strong desire to capitalize on today’s buy/sell activity,” continued Kerrigan. “As more dealers find their succession plans have run their course, we expect the number of sellers to rise given the generational shifts underway in auto retail and the ageing of the US dealer network.”

The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, is published four times a year and includes Kerrigan Advisors’ signature blue sky charts, multiples and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. The multiples are based on Kerrigan Advisors’ view of franchise values in the current buy/sell market and can be applied to adjusted pre-tax dealership earnings to estimate blue sky value. To download the report, click here.

Kerrigan Advisors also releases a monthly index, The Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, composed of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market.  The Kerrigan Index is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access the Kerrigan Index, click here.

Erin Kerrigan (www.kerriganadvisors.com/meet-the-team-2/) is Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors, and is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells. A sought after commentator on automotive retailing topics ranging from consumer auto buying trends to auto retail consolidation to private equity in auto retail, she has keynoted numerous automotive conferences and her analysis has appeared in publications such as Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal. For a video reel of Erin’s commentary on the market, click here: youtu.be/gPrMMtRF-IU.

About Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors is a national dealership buy/sell advisory firm focused on providing a high level of client service for dealership sellers. Led by a team of veteran advisors who have represented transactions totaling over $2.5 billion dollars in automotive, private equity and investment banking, Kerrigan Advisors customizes each sale process to maximize the seller’s transaction proceeds. With the most comprehensive buyer database in the industry, Kerrigan Advisors has the industry context and expertise to match each seller with the right buyer.

In addition to the monthly Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, each quarter, Kerrigan Advisors publishes The Blue Sky Report®, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership buy/sell activity and franchise values.  Kerrigan Advisors’ Managing Director Erin Kerrigan is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences, including NADA, JD Power Automotive Roundtable, AICPA, NADC and Driving Sales’ President’s Club. She has also been a keynote speaker for events hosted by American Honda Motor Company, Audi of America, US Trust, Ohio Automobile Dealer Association, and SunTrust Bank and has led webinars for NADA and Automotive News.  Her expertise is also featured in a monthly column for Dealer Magazine. 

Kerrigan Advisors Media Contact:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340

*The Banks Report/Kerrigan Advisors analysis

Gubagoo’s Call RESQ technology combines the best of TalkSmart’s 24/7 service with the industry-best RESQ innovation for monitoring and management.

New Orleans, LA– January 27, 2017 – Gubagoo, the leading provider of dealer communications solutions, today launched Call RESQ at the National Automobile Dealers Association conference in New Orleans. Call RESQ is an industry-first new phone management and monitoring technology designed to offer total service with flexible and targeted moderating capability.

“Imagine if you could notify the sales or service team of a hot up – right as it’s happening,” said Brad Title, CEO and Founder of Gubagoo. “Or better yet, see every call, and be able to pick and choose, to make real-time decisions that save leads and keep customers engaged. In our book, that’s what technology is for – to give your team the ability to make every sale possible.”

Call RESQ was built with that the sales objective in mind. It is a ground-breaking innovation because it combines two powerful components: TalkSmart and RESQ. TalkSmart keeps your phones open 24/7 and puts a trained rep on the call from start to finish, getting the fundamentals down like appointment setting, identifying vehicles of interest, and collecting data. Considering that 16% of all dealership calls go unanswered, that’s a significant opportunity, reclaimed for the sales team. RESQ takes it one step beyond by giving dealership sales teams the ability to see every call, and the opportunity to step in and “whisper” advice or take over.

“TalkSmart makes sure the dealership will never miss another call, and RESQ bridges the gap between dealership and customer,” said Title. “That allows the dealer to pick and choose their approach. It’s peace of mind, knowing that every call is answered, and every need is handled.”

About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Gubagoo is the leading provider of dealer live chat, text, and call solutions. Gubagoo offers seamless integrated web-based, SMS, and call monitoring technologies for automotive dealerships. Our passion for customer service and lead conversion, makes Gubagoo the best 24/7 car dealer chat, text, and overflow call provider in the automotive industry. Gubagoo’s U.S. based operators, receive the highest level of training and certification to make certain every customer that engages in a live chat, text, or call, receives the best possible customer experience. Gubagoo delivers the best quality of service to automotive dealership customers and strives to maximize the dealership’s lead conversion rate and long-term auto sales. For more information about Gubagoo products, visit www.gubagoo.com or contact 855-359-2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Crystal Hartwell, (949) 929-4637, crystal@mwebbcom.com

Gubagoo’s Web RESQ 2.0 is powerful new technology that enables advanced live or recorded video capability, as well as deeper Facebook integration for more traffic and better leads

New Orleans, LA -  January 26, 2017 – Gubagoo, the leading provider of dealer communications solutions today, at the National Automobile Dealers Association conference in New Orleans, announced the availability of Web RESQ 2.0, a new technology platform that enables advanced communication capabilities on two key customer channels: Video and Facebook.

Web RESQ Video: Comprehensive Ability to Stream and Share Video 

Web RESQ Video offers a richer sales experience that aligns with customer expectations: fully 53% of online car shoppers use video to make their purchase decision[1]. And today, whether it’s a sales walk-around, or a chance to show service needs in real-time, the video chat capability offered by Web RESQ gives dealerships a powerful way to communicate with customers.

 “This video capability adds a whole new level of engagement for dealerships,” said Brad Title, CEO and Founder of Gubagoo. “For example, if a salesperson ‘RESQ’d’ a conversation by stepping in and taking over the call, that same salesperson can quickly send the customer a video walk-around of the car they want to buy. And best of all, the salesperson can do the walk around as live stream – all through chat.”

Web RESQ Facebook Integration: Drive More Traffic and Convert More Leads 

Surveys show that people spend an average of 40 minutes every day on Facebook[2], which is why Web RESQ provides instant messaging, with a full solution that offers instant messages, inventory integration, offers and video. With Web RESQ, Facebook Messenger conversations are handled just like chat, and dealers who respond to customers in real-time get an “immediate response badge” from Facebook. This lets people know that you are open and doing immediate business on the channel. 

“Today, Facebook is no longer just one of many options for dealers…it’s an absolute requirement, because this is where people are at their most reachable,” said Title.

About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Gubagoo is the leading provider of dealer live chat, text, and call solutions. Gubagoo offers seamless integrated web-based, SMS, and call monitoring technologies for automotive dealerships. Our passion for customer service and lead conversion, makes Gubagoo the best 24/7 car dealer chat, text, and overflow call provider in the automotive industry. Gubagoo’s U.S. based operators, receive the highest level of training and certification to make certain every customer that engages in a live chat, text, or call, receives the best possible customer experience. Gubagoo delivers the best quality of service to automotive dealership customers and strives to maximize the dealership’s lead conversion rate and long-term auto sales. For more information about Gubagoo products, visit www.gubagoo.com or contact 855-359-2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Melanie Webber, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com

[1] https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/consumers-take-the-wheel-how-digital-is-changing-the-australian-auto-industry.html

[2] https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/how-much-time-do-people-spend-on-facebook-per-day-2016-4?client=safari