Imagine two candidates for a sales position. One has a great attitude and great people skills, but doesn't have the greatest sales record. The other candidate could sell snow to an Eskimo, but has a prima donna attitude and an obnoxious personality. Who would you hire?

Hopefully you would hire candidate number one. Herb Kelleher, former CEO of Southwest Airlines, once said, "You don't hire for skills, you hire for attitude. You can always teach skills.” It's possible and even fairly easy to teach sales skills and a sales process. It's nearly impossible to change someone's personality.

Now imagine that you have a top-producing salesperson who sells an average of 20 to 30 cars every month. He sure can produce, but he's also difficult to work with. He expects everyone else in the dealership to be working to support him and his goals, because he's the top producer. He knows it all.

As a result, the turnover in your sales department (except for him) is incredibly high. Nobody wants to work with him, and nobody feels they have a chance to succeed while he is Top Dog. Would you fire this person?

Unfortunately many dealers would not. What I would argue is that if you let this person go, your sales department will produce the same, if not better results. Customers are coming in the door whether or not that person is on staff, and when you let that person go, morale among the rest of your sales team will improve. More than likely, you'll have one or two other salespeople instantly step up to produce the same sales volume. It's hard for flowers to bloom when they're kept in the shade.

How to Hire for Attitude

To find and hire people with a great attitude, the first step is to define your dealership culture. Is it fast paced or leisurely? Family oriented or urban hip? Formal or casual?

Take a look at your all time best employees; those who performed well AND had great attitudes. Did they possess common personality traits? Common values? If so write them down, and then create interview questions designed to find out if job candidates possess these same traits and values. For instance, if your dealership is focused on providing the best customer service, you probably want to hire people who are other centered. Ask candidates if they have ever volunteered for an organization or if they participate in community events for good causes. If a candidate has not, they're probably not going to be a good culture fit, no matter how great they seem to be in the interview.

I highly recommend testing for personality and skills. A poor sales record doesn't necessarily reflect poor sales skills. The situation in the candidate's previous dealership may have been counter-productive, or the person never received adequate training, or they may have been dealing with other challenges.

In order to succeed at sales, a person needs good people skills, good communications skills and they must know how to manage their time. Also, decades of research now point to emotional intelligence as a critical factor that sets star performers apart.

Low cost assessment tests can be used to identify personality traits and necessary skills. These specialized tests are surprisingly accurate screening tools that can and should be used by every company. Examples include:

• CRI Achiever Assessment (Personality)  - www.criw.com
• DiSC - (Personality) -  www.discprofile.com
• Myers Briggs Type Indicator -  (Personality) -  http://www.myersbriggs.org
• Brainbench (Skills) - www.brainbench.com
• eSkill (Skills) - www.eskill.com
• Book: Emotional Intelligence 2.0 (includes do-it-yourself EQ tests)

What is your experience in hiring for attitude versus hiring for experience? Do you agree it's easier to teach skills than to change an obnoxious personality?

Albany, N.Y. – September 12th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems today announced the integration of its dealership management system (DMS) with Traffic Control's customer relationship management (CRM), Internet lead management (ILM) and employee activity management (EAM) systems. Dealers using both Auto/Mate and Traffic Control solutions will benefit from the enhanced sales, lead and productivity management capabilities available due to real-time data exchanges. 

"Traffic Control's employee activity management system takes CRM and ILM functionality to another level, because it gives dealership employees both a destination and directions on how to get there," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate Dealership Systems. "Employees are assigned specific tasks so their productivity has a purpose, instead of just doing busywork that doesn't get results."

"Auto/Mate's integration process is very affordable which is great because we don't have to pass high integration and certification costs through to our dealer customers," said Brendan Hurley, Traffic Control's founder. "We share Auto/Mate's roots: we are car people," said Hurley, himself a dealer since 1983. "The familiarity and ease that dealers experience using Auto/Mate is shared by Traffic Control users."

Traffic Control's CRM and ILM systems offer every feature that most dealers expect, and more. EAM allows dealers to assign activities to employees based on pre-set criteria. At the start of every day every employee has a task list, a personal calendar and appointment book, and a constantly updated list of their current opportunities. Additionally, specific phone scripts or call tracks pop up on their screen, while Tell-U-Phone™ confirms all inbound and outbound calls. 

Auto/Mate's dealership management system, Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS), is a comprehensive solution offering robust functionality for any size dealership or auto group. AMPS is intuitive, easy to use and provides dealers with advanced reporting capabilities along with the best customer service in the industry.

For more information, visit http://www.automate.com or call 877-829-7020.

About Traffic Control

Traffic Control provides CRM, ILM, TC Mobile and employee activity management (EAM) solutions that allow dealers to closely monitor and control sales and lead opportunities. Traffic Control's mission is to consistently leverage technology to provide dealers with the very best tools in the industry to manage and control their dealerships.

Despite their use of cutting-edge technology, Traffic Control is able to provide services at the lowest possible price point, typically less than a third of the average price of their competitors!  They can accomplish this because they don't spend millions on acquisitions, trade shows, and expensive magazine glossies, which require passing costs on to the consumer. They spend their money on development and support, saving customers tens of thousands per year.

For more information visit http://www.trafficcontrolcrm.com and follow us on Twitter @TrafficCopCRM

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

Albany, N.Y. – August 22nd, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems today announced the integration of its dealership management system (DMS) with the award-winning Dominion Dealer Solutions’ Sales Center CRM. Dealers using both Auto/Mate and Dominion’s automotive solutions will benefit from enhanced customer insight expedited by real-time updates of customer, vehicle, service and deal information in both systems.

"In today's competitive and fast-moving environment, it's critically important for dealers to have accurate and actionable information when responding to customer inquiries and to leads," said Mike Esposito, president and CEO of Auto/Mate Dealership Systems. "That's why it's important for the DMS and CRM to be integrated with bi-directional updates, as opposed to one-way data extracts delivered via batch deliveries."

“We’re excited to partner with Auto/Mate DMS to provide our mutual dealers with a low-cost, highly efficient integration,” noted John Hardacre, product manager for Dominion Dealer Solutions’ Sales Center CRM.  "The integration process was fast and inexpensive, helping keep our CRM solutions affordable for our automotive dealer customers."

Since 1998, Dominion Sales Center has been used by thousands of automotive professionals.  Its speed, ease of use and accountability tools make it a quickly adopted CRM tool.  Leads of virtually every type (showroom, internet, phone, service, etc.), are funneled into a single CRM system to drive processes and results in both fixed and variable operations.  In addition, Sales Center features campaign management and services to facilitate targeted marketing needs.

Auto/Mate's dealership management system, Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS), is a comprehensive solution offering robust functionality for any size dealership or auto group. AMPS is intuitive, easy to use and provides dealers with advanced reporting capabilities along with the best customer service in the industry.

For more information, visit http://www.automate.com or call 877-829-7020.

About Dominion Dealer Solutions

Dominion Dealer Solutions helps car dealers attract, retain, and service customers for life. Dominion's Progressive Retail PlatformTM includes customer relationship (CRM) and dealer management systems (DMS) with actionable intelligence from the Microsoft Dynamics platform.  The Progressive Retail PlatformTM also contains lead management and equity mining technology, inventory management analytics, social media marketing and reputation management solutions.  Dealers nationwide purchase custom lead generation and digital marketing tools from Dominion including: responsive design websites, SEO, SEM, digital advertising, multi-channel marketing, specialized data aggregation, mobile apps and market reports. OEMs and auto dealers nationwide utilize Dominion Dealer Solutions' technologies to solve their marketing challenges. Dominion Dealer Solutions is redefining automotive retail by delivering first-class customer experiences for local car buyers. For more information, visit our website, like us on Facebook, Pinterest or YouTube, or follow us @dominiondealer.

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

Want to know the best way to increase customer retention? It's not rocket science. It all comes down to the relationships that your employees have with your customers. If your employees take good care of your customers, and your customers like your employees, chances are good those customers will come back again.

However, building successful customer relationships is easier said than done. Like any relationship, a little effort and patience is required. In fact, it's not so different than building a relationship with that wonderful and most important person in your life: your spouse (if you have one). 

When it comes to relationships, there are a few eternal truths that stand the test of time. And who better to give relationship advice than marriage therapists? I researched the most prized advice from marriage therapists, and strangely their words of wisdom sound similar to advice that many customer loyalty experts dispense. Read on and let me know what you think:

1) Communication is Key. Marriage therapists place a lot of emphasis on communication. They teach that words are very powerful. The words you choose have a much deeper impact than you can imagine. Kind words make your spouse/customers feel comfortable, while criticisms or judgments can make them feel angry or insecure. When your spouse/customers ask a question or make a statement you don't understand, repeat it or ask for clarification. Choose your responses thoughtfully.

Also, pay attention to non-verbal communication. Make sure your tone of voice and body language convey the same thing. If your spouse/customer is sending you mixed messages, do not assume they have bad intentions. Just ask them what they mean. To develop respect and trust, you must learn to communicate openly and honestly.

2) Respect is a Two-Way Street. In marriages, loss of respect can lead to contempt. Marriage therapists pretty much agree that when this happens, the relationship is doomed. It's the same with your customers. Dealership employees should always treat customers with respect, while trying to earn theirs in turn.

3) Trust is Fragile. Is your spouse reliable and dependable? Trust is about being able to count on someone, and it's no different with your customers.

If you want your spouse/customers to trust you, you must be reliable. If you say you will do something, do it. If you cannot do it, be up front and honest about why not. Never leave your spouse/customer questioning your intentions. To gain trust, you must be trustworthy. If you can place your spouse/customers' best interests ahead of your own, you will gain their lasting trust and loyalty. If your spouse/customers discover that you've lied to them, that bond of trust is broken and can be very difficult to repair.

4) Conflict Resolution is Important. Couples with poor conflict resolution skills typically engage in fight, flight or freeze behaviors. They fight and stay mad, sometimes holding grudges for years. They flight by sweeping issues under the rug. Or, they freeze emotionally and shut down. Someone who freezes may go through the motions on the outside, but they have stopped caring on the inside.

If a conflict arises with a customer, it's important to focus on taking care of the issue and not attack the person. They may be lashing out at you but remember that it's not really about you personally, it's about how they feel. Maybe they feel taken advantage of. Maybe they feel like you're not really listening to them. Maybe they have a lot of issues and something you said just happened to hit a nerve.

But if you let them stay in fight, flight or freeze mode, they will not be a repeat customer. Explain your position without getting defensive, and ask them what kind of resolution would make them happy. Then, if possible, try to make it happen. Once the matter is resolved, forgive and forget. Holding a grudge is unhealthy, both for yourself and for your relationship.

5) Don't Insist on Being (Always) Right. Anyone who has been married knows that you have to pick your battles. We all know that sometimes, the other person is just plain wrong. But if you insist on proving that you are right and they are wrong, it can escalate the situation. What good comes from that? You may prove a point but now your spouse is mad at you. Sometimes, it's better to just let them think they're right, or at least, agree to disagree.

It's the same with your customers. Remember the old saying, "The customer knows best?" As we all know, sometimes the customer doesn't know best. Customers can be misinformed or even plain ol' nasty. If you encounter someone like this, don't react in kind. You can set boundaries politely and firmly, and you can make your case with facts and drawing upon your experience. But try to avoid telling a customer they are wrong. What does it prove? It may make you feel better but chances are that customer won't be back.

Developing relationships of any kind can be hard work. But the efforts are rewarding and can make life a lot easier. If you have a good relationship with your spouse, you can go home to a happy household every evening. If you have great relationships with your customers, you will earn their loyalty, trust and repeat business.

What tips do you have for building successful relationships with your customers?

Albany, N.Y. – August 15th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems today announced the integration of its dealership management system (DMS) with Unotifi, a pioneer in mobile relationship marketing and customer retention for auto dealers.

Benefits to dealers using both Auto/Mate's DMS and Unotifi solutions include increased data gathering and intelligence about a dealership's customers, the ability to automatically text customers when their vehicle is ready or special parts order has arrived, the ability to set up a personal information page (PIP) for each customer, and more.

"Unotifi's solutions make it easy for dealers to communicate with their customers the way customers prefer to be communicated with, which these days is mostly by text and using mobile devices to access information online," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate Dealership Systems. "Integration with our DMS creates a seamless experience and provides greater visibility into customer history and probability of purchasing."

"Auto/Mate has been great to work with, providing a complete integration for a very low cost which helps to keep our prices competitive for auto dealer customers," said Fred van der Neut, founder and President of Unotifi. "Additionally, Auto/Mate provides world class customer support and their software is very intuitive and user friendly, making it even easier for our customers to implement and benefit from our solutions."

Auto/Mate's dealership management system, Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS), is a comprehensive solution offering robust functionality for any size dealership or auto group. AMPS provides dealers with advanced reporting capabilities along with the best customer service in the industry.

For more information, visit http://www.automate.com or call 877-829-7020.

About Unotifi

A pioneer in Mobile Relationship Marketing, Unotifi is the most advanced customer retention and mobile relationship management service for the automotive industry. Founded in 2010 by Fred van der Neut, Unotifi is based in Houston, Texas and supports franchise dealers and aftermarket service centers throughout the U.S.

Unotifi introduced its fully integrated system in November 2011, and launched its industry standard-setting Communicator text messaging platform a few months later.  As a pioneer in Mobile Relationship Marketing and customer engagement, Unotifi continues to introduce CRM tools like Mobile Alerts and its Service Business Development Center program that deliver more sales and higher customer satisfaction levels.

By offering its customers state-of-the-art and value-based technology, Unotifi has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to increase customer satisfaction and retention, while improving dollars per Repair Order (RO) and frequency of customer visits.

For more information, visit www.automotivemarketingcrm.com

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

Company culture is a hot topic recently, and with good reason. Companies with a great workplace culture enjoy increased employee and customer retention rates, as well as higher profits.

But how do you know if your dealership's culture is helping or hurting your bottom line? Take a look at this list and see if any of these warning signs are pervasive at your dealership.

1) Low employee morale

If your employees are often in a bad mood, unmotivated or walk around with glum faces, you probably have a morale problem. If the majority of your employees are happy at their jobs, the general work atmosphere will be one of enthusiasm, joy and camaraderie.

2) Lack of work-life balance

It's fine to expect employees to go the extra mile on occasion. It's not okay to expect it all the time, at least not without proper compensation and/or appreciation. Besides, studies actually prove that the more hours employees work, the lower productivity goes.

Many employees don't feel like they can set boundaries to have a healthy work-life balance, so it's up to the dealership principals and managers to develop this initiative and culture. Encourage employees to attend important family events and to use their vacation time.

3) Many new hires are unqualified

Does nepotism rule at your dealership? In a rush to fill an empty seat, do your principals and managers hire the first warm body they interview, without regard to the person's qualifications? If so, a toxic culture can develop due to resentment from other employees who now have to pick up the slack for a favored employee.

It's okay to hire family and friends, as long as they are well qualified. In a healthy culture, family and friends will start at the bottom and work their way up like everyone else. In fact, they may have to work twice as hard to prove themselves, because they will be under close scrutiny from fellow employees who are looking for signs of favoritism.

4) It's the boss's way or the highway

In a healthy culture, principals and managers ask their employees, "How do you think we should proceed?" and "How should we solve this problem?" In a toxic culture, the boss makes all the decisions with little input and doesn't care about others' opinions or experience.

5) Secrets and gossip are pervasive

I've long advocated that it's important to share company news and be transparent with employees. If you don't tell employees what's going on with your business, they'll start making stuff up. I recommend holding "town hall" type meetings on a monthly basis where you share your company vision and goals, setbacks and successes, and challenges you're dealing with. Ask employees for input and suggestions. This will help to eliminate gossip and secrets, and your employees will feel valued.

6) Employees are walking on eggshells

Do your employees live in fear of getting yelled at or criticized by their managers or co-workers? If your employees don't perform well, are they put down or fired without trying to address the reasons? Does your culture ignore bullying, lying, smear campaigns and other demoralizing tactics? If your employees are walking around on eggshells, trust me, they'll be walking out the door--permanently--the first chance they get.

7) Employee turnover is high and nobody cares

I realize there are probably a few dealers and managers out there who have the attitude that employees are expendable, and one is as good as the next. But the vast majority of managers do not really believe this. A great employee is worth their weight in gold and turnover is very expensive. If your employee turnover is high, I recommend conducting exit interviews to find out what the real problem is.

8) Low customer loyalty and retention rates

Happy employees take better care of customers. Empowered employees take better care of customers. Your customers will never love your company unless your employees love your company. Period.

9) Employees who use questionable tactics to achieve goals are praised as long as they perform well

Have you ever received complaints about one of your top-performing salespeople, managers or service advisors? Have you ever dismissed these complaints because the employee is a top-performer? Or perhaps you reprimanded the person, gently, but could not seriously consider letting them go because you believe they're irreplaceable.

Toxic employees can create toxic workplaces. They make their co-workers miserable, which lowers productivity, increases employee turnover, hurts customer loyalty and in the long run, reduces profitability. If an employee doesn't reflect your dealership's core values, they should be let go, regardless of how well they perform.

10) One or more managers do not set a good example

If your dealership management team promotes good communication, trust and teamwork, they must walk the talk. If your managers can't or won't live by your values, they shouldn't be in that position. If you have a manager with poor communications skills, a bad attitude, or who points the blame at employees for their own under-performance, it's time to look for a new manager.

Do you really, truly care about your business and employees? If so, you should do everything in your power to create a healthy, happy and productive workplace culture.

Turning a culture from toxic to terrific takes hard work and patience. If you're not sure where to begin, I outline a process in my eBook, "The Auto Dealer's 10-Step Guide to Creating Customer Loyalty."

Have you ever worked in a toxic culture? What are other warning signs of a toxic culture?

RELATED: Quick Tips for Improving Dealership Culture

Albany, N.Y. – June 20th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems today announced the full agenda of speakers and presentations for its National Customer User Summit to be held September 19-21, 2016 at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center. All sessions offer practical "how to" advice from vendors that integrate with Auto/Mate's dealership management system (DMS), and/or actionable strategies that attendees can take home to improve dealership operations, marketing and sales.

"This will be our biggest and best customer user summit yet, and we are thrilled to be sharing best practices and new ideas from respected industry thought leaders," said Mike Esposito, Auto/Mate's President and CEO.

The National Customer User Summit session speakers and presentations include:

• David Villa, IPD (Keynote): "How to Set the Stage for Change and Win the Buy-In."
• Michael Roppo, WithumSmith+Brown PC: "The Power of Aligning DMS Best Practices & CPI Management"
• Ken Hill, 700 Credit: "Perform & Track Your Compliance Processes with Auto/Mate"
• John Furhman, Optionsoft Technologies: "Are Your People Ready for 21st Century Selling?"
• Dan Didier, GreyCastle Security: "Legality of Incident Response."
• Richard Keith Latman, CRMSuite: "The Death of Customer Ownership."
• Bob Lettis, 700 Credit: "See How...Soft Pull Credit Data with Auto/Mate's CRM."
• Jon Lincoln, etfile: "The In's and Out's of Electronic Document Management."
• Patrick Longo, Upaya Partners: "The 'Just' Disease."
• Todd Mason, RouteOne: "Consumer Expectations & Buying Preferences."
• Erik Nachbahr, Helion Technologies: "5 Technology Musts to Drive Sales and Service Revenue."
• David Ortega, Traffic Control CRM: "Employee Activity Management (EAM) and Why It's Vital to Exceeding Dealer Goals."
• Aaron Schinke, DealerSocket: "According to Google, 95% of Car Buyers Browse a Dealership's Website."
• Mark Tewart, Tewart Enterprises: "Death of the Traditional Dealership Salesperson."
• Stuart Zalud, NADA: "The Importance of Maintaining Your Customer."
• Mike Esposito, Auto/Mate: "Improve Customer Loyalty with the Net Promoter Score®."
• Dave Druzynski, Auto/Mate: "Social Media in Hiring & Firing."

Auto/Mate's 2016 Customer User Summit (#AMUserSummit) is a two-day, educational and fun-filled event designed for dealership executives and managers who want to learn more about Auto/Mate's DMS features and capabilities. In addition to attending the industry speaker presentations, customers will have the opportunity to network with peers and Auto/Mate executives and staff.

Additional highlights of the event include DMS new feature announcements, Rockin' 101 with Ken Rock, tutorial breakout sessions, town hall and more. There is no charge for Auto/Mate customers to attend the event, which includes a hosted happy hour and dinner, as well as daily breakfasts and lunches.

The deadline for attendee, sponsor and exhibitor registration is Friday, July 15th.

Additionally, Auto/Mate would like to thank the current sponsors of the National Customer User Summit, including: 700 Credit, CRMSuite, DealerSocket, etfile, Great America Financial Services, Halo Branded Solutions, myKaarma, CarFax, RouteOne and ScanIt Parts.

For more information, visit http://www.automate.com/usersummit

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

Are employees in your dealership using mobile tablets in service, sales and/or F&I departments? Despite much interest and even hype surrounding usage of mobile tablets in the dealership, the reality is that fewer than 50% of dealerships currently use or plan to use them in the near future.

Why the disparity between usage and interest? Primary reasons why dealers haven't yet adopted mobile tablets include:

Cost. The hardware and software costs associated with implementing mobile tablets is not prohibitive, but the costs associated with expanding the network infrastructure (such as WiFi) so tablets can be used effectively may be a factor.

Change. Mobile tablet usage requires a change in some processes, and as we know, many people are resistant to change.

ROI is undefined. Historically dealers don't adopt new technologies until the return on investment is clear.

Despite the slow rates of mobile tablet adoption, dealers do recognize the potential benefits, including:

• Improves dealership efficiency/workflow/consistency in process
• Speeds up processes
• Makes dealership personnel jobs easier
• Increases transparency
• Increases customer satisfaction
• Reduces paperwork
• Increases revenue

Mobile Tablets in Service

In terms of revenue potential and increased customer satisfaction, the service department stands to benefit the most from mobile tablet adoption. With full DMS integration, mobile tablets can be used for the following processes:

• Greet the customer in the service lane
• Retrieve or create an appointment using the customer's name, phone number or other criteria.
• Instantly scan the VIN
• View entire vehicle history, warranty and/or factory recall information
• Convert appointment information into a electronic Repair Order (RO) with one click of a button
• Perform a multi-point inspection
• Call up an archived multi-point inspection from customer's last visit
• View recalls and recommended maintenances
• Send multi-point inspection form attached to an electronic RO to technicians, who can call it up on the electronic workbench to instantly follow up on items
• Parts inquiries
• Present findings to the customer on the tablet for customer approval, or e-mail the form to the customer for sign-off

Mobile Tablets in Sales

In the sales department, mobile tablets shine as a tool that can present visual information such as inventory videos, dealership videos, online reviews and other information that may be used in the decision-making process.

With full DMS integration, mobile tablets can be used for the following sales processes:

• Search for dealership inventory
• Search for competitors' inventory pricing
• Scan VINs
• Demonstrate features for customers/virtual test drives
• View and offer online specials and incentives
• Share dealership videos and online reviews
• Scan the customers' driver's license and update information immediately within CRM and/or DMS
• Perform video walk around for customers off the lot

Mobile Tablets in F&I

During the turn over from sales to F&I, customers often have to wait until the F&I manager is available. Handing customers a mobile tablet with a display of the F&I menu during this wait time will increase their engagement and help to shorten the sales process.

A mobile tablet presentation of F&I products is perceived by customers as imposing less pressure upon them to make a purchasing decision, compared with when they are sitting in front of the F&I manager. This makes the customer feel more empowered, which in turn builds trust and ultimately increases product sales.

With full DMS integration, mobile tablets can be used for the following F&I processes:

• Educate customers on the products that interest them
• Allow customers to drag and drop their own product selections into customized packages
• Menu presentations
• Present pricing and payment options
• Sign and e-delivery of documents

Clearly, mobile tablets can be used for a variety of dealership processes, and I believe it's just a matter of time before they become ubiquitous. The benefits are clear, even if the ROI is still difficult to define. For a free ebook with practical tips on how to adopt and use mobile tablets in your dealership, click on this link .

Where does your dealership stand on the usage of mobile tablets? If you have adopted them, what has your experience been? If you have not adopted them, what's the biggest reason for holding back?

Are you looking for ways to improve employee productivity and boost morale? Consider creating a culture of health in your dealership.

Many studies show the correlation between healthy employees and higher productivity. Research from the Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO), Brigham Young University and the Center for Health Research at Healthways shows:

• Employees who eat healthy are 25% more likely to have higher job performance
• Employees who eat 5 or more servings of fruit and vegetables at least four times a week are 20% more likely to be more productive
• Employees who exercise for at least 30 minutes, three times a week, are 15% more likely to have a higher job performance
• Absenteeism is 27% lower for workers who eat healthy and exercise regularly

In addition to increased employee productivity, companies that offer wellness programs are able to negotiate better rates with their insurance providers.

From a personal standpoint, the employees at Auto/Mate have fully embraced a culture of health and root for one another's goals and successes. I have seen first hand how this helps to strengthen our team atmosphere and attitudes of "anything is possible," which also spills over to job performance.

A culture of health doesn't just happen automatically. Management buy-in and involvement is a must to help organize (and sometimes fund) events.

Follow these recommendations to start building a culture of health in your dealership:

Organize Active Events

It's easy to find local active events that are linked to a cause, whether it's Walk for Alzheimer's, The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, or 5K runs. Teams from Auto/Mate participate in the Workforce Challenge, a local running event that benefits youth health programs, and the Tour de Cure, a cycling event that benefits diabetes. On National Walk@Lunch Day, we organized two groups of walkers for a brisk 30-minute walk at lunch.

Promote employee involvement in events by sending out emails and posting flyers in the break or lunch room. Set a company goal of how many employees you'd like to participate or how much money you'd like to raise for the event.

It also helps if your dealership's team has a T-shirt specially made for these events. The cost is small compared with the return in energy and goodwill that participating in these events generate among employees.

Start a Wellness Program

Once a month or once a quarter, bring in a local health professional to conduct a wellness workshop. At Auto/Mate, popular topics have been how to stop smoking and how to cope with and reduce stress.

Incent Employees to Reach Goals

If you have employees who are trying to stop smoking or lose weight, consider offering a small incentive when they reach their goal. This could be offering to pay for a gym membership for a year, a gift certificate to a grocery store or offering to pay their entry fee for a fun and active event.

Have Healthy Snacks Available

Do you have a vending machine filled with candy bars and chips? Consider replacing it with a vending machine that offers healthier choices, such as fresh fruit or granola bars. Or just make these types of snacks available in the employee break room.

Ditch the Birthday Cakes and Morning Donuts

Okay, I realize some employees may rebel at the thought of doing away with such time-honored traditions as donuts in the morning and birthday cakes on birthdays. But there are healthier choices available. How about once a month having a combined, "birthday lunch" for all employees with birthdays in that month? Have the lunch catered by a local food vendor that can accommodate requests for healthy fare.

Another idea is to contact a local food truck that offers healthy options. Have the truck park at your dealership on a weekend day. Both your employees and your customers will love it!

Health-Up Your Barbecues and Cook-Offs

Does your dealership occasionally host barbecues? Recruit several employees to make healthy salads and bring vegetarian or turkey burgers for these events. At Auto/Mate we host a chili cook-off competition among employees every year, and over the years the recipes have definitely trended towards healthy. Several employees now make vegetarian and turkey-based chilis that are delicious!

Install a Standing or Treadmill Desk

In dealerships, sitting at the desk all day isn't an issue for many employees in sales and service. But for those employees who do sit all day, consider installing a treadmill or standing desk they can take turns using for certain tasks (great for phone calls!) or while on breaks.

Get Managers Involved

With all of the above recommendations, it's highly recommended to have a principal and/or manager spearhead the events and set an example. First, it increases the participation rate of employees, and second, when managers don't participate, it's not exactly sending a "we're all in this together" message to the employees.

The bottom line: Healthy employees are happier, more productive and will take better care of your customers. What tips do you have for creating a culture of health?

Albany, N.Y. – April 25th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced today that it is releasing a free eBook for download, titled The Auto Dealer's 10-Step Guide to Using Mobile Tablets in Service, Sales and F&I. The eBook is designed to guide auto dealers through the process of selecting, implementing and using mobile tablets in dealerships.

"Many dealers don't realize all the steps involved and various considerations that accompany the transition to mobile tablets," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO. "We are frequently asked about how mobile tablets work with our DMS and which tablets are best. This guide is designed to answer every question that dealers have, including the ones they don't know yet, regarding the benefits and how-tos of using mobile tablets."

The eBook gives general guidelines and is dealership management system (DMS) agnostic, so it will be useful for every dealer regardless of which DMS they use.

The eBook gives a detailed step-by-step process of how to implement mobile tablets, from consideration to execution. Dealers will learn the advantages of using mobile tablets in sales, service and F&I; as well as which processes to use them for.

The Auto Dealer's 10-Step Guide to Using Mobile Tablets in Sales, Service and F&I Table of Contents includes:

1) Perform a Needs Analysis

2) Understand How Tablets Work With Your DMS

3) Choose a Mobile Tablet Platform

4) Upgrade Infrastructure

5) Adopt Mobile Tablets in the Service Department

6) Consider Design Updates to Your Service Lane

7) Adopt Mobile Tablets in Your Sales Department

8) Adopt Mobile Tablets in Your F&I Department

9) Training and Education

10) Maintain Your Mobile Tablets

The eBook is free to auto industry personnel, and can be downloaded at http://www.automate.com/resources/ebooks

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.