CBT Automotive Network Podcast

On today’s show, we’re pleased to welcome Kevin Frye, eCommerce Director for Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, one of the top 50 dealer groups in the nation. In this segment, Jim and Kevin discuss major trends in digital retailing, what dealers need to know about video marketing, and the importance of building a strong dealership culture.

The challenge for service managers isn’t just finding warm bodies, it’s finding qualified and skilled technicians who are willing to step into open positions. However, some auto industry players are taking a different approach, and training newcomers from start to finish. One of these unique initiatives is Manheim’s nationwide Apprentice Program. To find out more, we recently caught up with Tony Markese, Vice President of Reconditioning at Manheim.

How Manheim's New Apprentice Program is Helping to Tackle the Technician Shortage | Rock-Solid Promotional Ideas to Help You See an End-of-Year Rise in Sales | 6 Tips to Make the Reconditioning Process Easier and More Efficient

Today on CBTNews.com - Wednesday, September 25th, 2019:

How Manheim's New Apprentice Program is Helping to Tackle the Technician Shortage - Tony Markese, VP of Reconditioning

The challenge for service managers isn’t just finding warm bodies, it’s finding qualified and skilled technicians who are willing to step into open positions. However, some auto industry players are taking a different approach, and training newcomers from start to finish. One of these unique initiatives is Manheim’s nationwide Apprentice Program. To find out more, we recently caught up with Tony Markese, Vice President of Reconditioning at Manheim.

Rock-Solid Promotional Ideas to Help You See an End-of-Year Rise in Sales

The end-of-year can be a mutually beneficial time for your dealership and your customers. Consumers are looking for deals, and many dealerships will be offering them. However, the tactics above can help you stand out from the pack and provide even more convenience and satisfaction to your customer base. Ultimately, incentives and promotions are an excellent way to say, “thank you,” or “trust us,” and the practices above can help you accomplish this.

6 Tips to Make the Reconditioning Process Easier and More Efficient

One of the fastest ways to increase used vehicle sales and profits is to streamline the reconditioning process. Buying great inventory at a great price is only half the battle. Great inventory buys can lose their effect fast if that inventory sits for too long and/or incurs too much expense during the reconditioning process. Let’s take a look at some ideas that will help you get your inventory front-line ready faster and lower your reconditioning costs.

How Ron Marhofer Auto Family Has Continued to Thrive for 100 Years - Chris Marhofer, COO | How to Turn Recalls Into Positive Customer Experiences | How Your Dealership Staff Can Improve Their Communication with Customers

Today on CBTNews.com - Monday, September 24th, 2019:

How Ron Marhofer Auto Family Has Continued to Thrive for 100 Years – Chris Marhofer, COO

After starting as an independent service garage in 1919 and adding its first Chevrolet franchise in the 1920s, Ron Marhofer Auto Family has built a century-long legacy and has no plans of stopping. To find out how this Akron, Ohio auto group has continued to thrive for 100 years, we recently spoke to Chris Marhofer, President and COO of Ron Marhofer Auto Family.

How to Turn Recalls Into Positive Customer Experiences

Recalls are never good news for customers. At best, it means the added inconvenience of scheduling an appointment, waiting for the repair, and/or leaving their vehicle with the dealership. At worst, unaddressed recalls can cause accidents, or induce fear of potential issues. In 2018, around 30 million vehicles in the U.S. were affected by recalls, according to NHTSA figures. Recalls are often viewed as negative events for customers and dealers alike. However, with the right approach, recalls can become a positive experience for both parties. Here are some strategies to consider when dealing with recalls in your service drive.

How Your Dealership Staff Can Improve Their Communication with Customers

Successful customer interactions are just as important today as they were when the first cars left factories at the turn of the century. That said, how dealership staff carry out these interactions has changed significantly. A vast bulk of initial and follow-up communication is not conducted in person, as car dealers were wont to do only a few decades ago. Instead, the majority of customer-dealership interplay is virtual, held over the phone or email.

After starting as an independent service garage in 1919 and adding its first Chevrolet franchise in the 1920s, Ron Marhofer Auto Family has built a century-long legacy and has no plans of stopping. To find out how this Akron, Ohio auto group has continued to thrive for 100 years, we recently spoke to Chris Marhofer, President and COO of Ron Marhofer Auto Family.

What Dealers Can Learn From Auto Retail Disruptors Like Carvana and Amazon – Zach Klempf | The 3 Financial Tools Every Dealership Needs | Traditional Advertising Is Dead. Or is it?

Today on CBTNews.com – Monday, September 23rd, 2019:

What Dealers Can Learn From Auto Retail Disruptors Like Carvana and Amazon – Zach Klempf, Selly Automotive

Thank you so much for joining us on another edition of CBT News. Today, we’re pleased to welcome back Zach Klempf, founder and CEO of Selly Automotive, to discuss the latest trends and disruptors in the auto retail industry.

The 3 Financial Tools Every Dealership Needs

Operating a dealership is fraught with challenges and obstacles that are completely out of your control. Because of that, it’s important to control those areas that we can control – like how we create and use financial data within the dealership. Make no mistake, the financial reports tell you everything you need to know about the performance of your business. This is where the deeper questions begin. So, here’s three things to make sure you’re getting right about your accounting and financial reporting.

Traditional Advertising Is Dead. Or is it?

The internet is having a moment, which could lead dealerships to question whether the smart move would be to move the majority–or all–of their advertising online. As tempting as it would be to put things all on one platform, there’s a reason the expression “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” has endured for so long. Like any investment, when it comes to advertising, dealerships should seek to diversify. This means continuing to incorporate traditional marketing strategies such as print, television, billboards, and radio.

Thank you so much for joining us on another edition of CBT News. Today, we're pleased to welcome back Zach Klempf, founder and CEO of Selly Automotive, to discuss the latest trends and disruptors in the auto retail industry.

Week In Review: How to Incorporate Dynamic Video into Your Dealership’s Marketing Strategy | NADA: How to Keep Your Dealership Compliant When Selling Voluntary Protection Products | The Importance of Building Your Dealership's Website with the User Experience in Mind

CBT News Week In Review for Friday, September 20th, 2019:

How to Incorporate Dynamic Video into Your Dealership’s Marketing Strategy - Jeff Brown, Force Marketing

On today’s show, we welcome back Jeff Brown, Chief Revenue Officer at Force Marketing. Jeff discussed the big takeaways from Digital Dealer and how to incorporate dynamic video into your dealership’s marketing strategy.

How Toyota of Easley Built a Grassroots Video Marketing Strategy to Drive Sales - Ryan Norris

Every dealer knows that video is an essential part of any marketing strategy, and it’s a great way to create distinction in local markets. Our next guest, Ryan Norris, has capitalized on this idea with a grassroots digital marketing strategy that includes a weekly vlog called Ask Ryan. Filmed every week at Ryan’s dealership, Toyota of Easley, he answers customer questions and tackles topics like leadership, motivation, and culture.

The Importance of Building Your Dealership's Website with the User Experience in Mind - Bob George, Dealer.com

According to The Cox Automotive 2019 Car Buyer Journey Study, consumers spend an average of 14 hours researching vehicles online before making a purchase. However, the websites that car buyers visit most often are heavily dependent on the quality of user experience. Here to tell us how dealers can incorporate targeted consumer data into their website design is Bob George, Assistant Vice President of Products at Dealer.com.

How to Keep Your Dealership Compliant When Selling Voluntary Protection Products - Charlie Gilchrist & Paul Metrey, NADA

Recently, the National Automobile Dealers Association launched a new initiative called the Voluntary Protection Products Model Dealership Policy. This policy aims to proactively help NADA members maintain a process to sell voluntary protection products that is compliant with federal regulations. To find out more about the policy, we caught up with Charlie Gilchrist, NADA Chairman and Paul Metrey, NADA Legal and Regulatory Affairs Vice President.

How to Keep Your Dealership Compliant When Selling Voluntary Protection Products - Charlie Gilchrist & Paul Metrey, NADA | Five Ways Dealers Can Introduce Big Data Solutions to Their Dealerships

Today on CBTNews.com - Thursday, September 19th, 2019:

How to Keep Your Dealership Compliant When Selling Voluntary Protection Products - Charlie Gilchrist & Paul Metrey, NADA

Recently, the National Automobile Dealers Association launched a new initiative called the Voluntary Protection Products Model Dealership Policy. This policy aims to proactively help NADA members maintain a process to sell voluntary protection products that is compliant with federal regulations. To find out more about the policy, we caught up with Charlie Gilchrist, NADA Chairman and Paul Metrey, NADA Legal and Regulatory Affairs Vice President.

Five Ways Dealers Can Introduce Big Data Solutions to Their Dealerships

Every week, it seems as if there is a new buzzword related to technology and innovation regarding the automotive industry. It can be overwhelming to keep up with another concept that seems overwhelming and daunting to talk about, but "big data" is worth the conversation. At its core, big data is a large set of information that can be analyzed to reveal patterns and trends, both of which are critical to putting together strategies to win over your target audience.

Silence is Golden: During a Demonstration Drive, Let the Car Speak to the Customer

There are many things in the retail automotive business that have become central to the car buying experience. Probably nothing has stood the test of time more than the demonstration drive. It is one reason why over and over again customers still prefer buying from a dealership rather than just purchasing a vehicle online. They want to drive it, feel it and smell that new car smell.

Recently, the National Automobile Dealers Association launched a new initiative called the Voluntary Protection Products Model Dealership Policy. This policy aims to proactively help NADA members maintain a process to sell voluntary protection products that is compliant with federal regulations. To find out more about the policy, we caught up with Charlie Gilchrist, NADA Chairman and Paul Metrey, NADA Legal and Regulatory Affairs Vice President.