Making informed buying decisions Admin In the Media (0) Buying vehicles to stock the dealership is a process that is paramount to the success of the business. Purchasing the right stock, at the right price, is a significant role. However, it is one that can be time-consuming and in some cases very difficult. Getting a constant supply of local stock is always challenging, but the opportunities to purchase what you get offered are way more convenient than having to place hundreds, or even thousands, of bids in the Japanese auction environment. Regardless of where you purchase your stock, it is essential to understand the best- and worst-performing vehicles for your business. Time under your belt buying vehicles, alongside gut instinct and intuition, certainly have merit, but this experience needs to be combined with some factual data. This is the only way to assess how vehicles really perform and can be all that is required to make those extra dollars and save you from costly losses. [More]
Customers - plan for success Admin In the Media (0) Every month dealerships have many customers that make contact, enquire on a vehicle, maybe even go for a test drive, but never end up purchasing. These are all opportunities that present themselves but are then lost. For some dealerships this may be 10 or 20 each month through to hundreds in larger dealer groups. Regardless of the number it is still lost sales. It’s frustrating when you’ve spent a significant amount of money to get that customer there and then nothing. This is about ensuring your dealership maximises the opportunity that has presented itself. Customer retention needs to begin right from that very first moment the customer made contact with your dealership. By operating with this mindset you naturally respect every opportunity that ultimately creates a customer, and one that you should retain for life. [More]
Working with out-of-town buyers Admin In the Media (0) There wouldn’t be many dealerships around that don’t appreciate extra sales they get every month from buyers out of their town or region. Before the internet, non-local customers were harder to come by, but they now form an important part of business models. However, despite how important these buyers are, in my experience dealers are still underutilising opportunities to increase sales in this area. A better job can be done by informing these customers of how easy it is to purchase vehicles from out of town and from the comfort of their homes. [More]
Now is the time to plan ahead Mark Greenfield In the Media (0) A new year is always a time for reflection on the past year and what lessons have been learnt along the way. Unfortunately, many of us – despite how much we want to improve on the previous year’s results – do nothing about it or make plans to be more successful. It’s like the old adage, “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got”. [More]
Extra revenue with auto service plans Mark Greenfield In the Media (0) Motorcentral teamed up with Pit Stop – New Zealand's largest franchised automotive repair group – a few months ago to provide used car dealers with an exclusive opportunity to sell peace-of-mind motoring to their customers by way of automotive servicing plans as an add-on. [More]