Thomas Ieracitano - Digital Car Guy Blog information selling cars trucks suvs auto dealer internet
DropBox Features
Dropbox Features
File Sync
Dropbox allows you to sync your files online and across your computers automatically.
- 2GB of online storage for free, with up to 100GB available to paying customers.
- Sync files of any size or type.
- Sync Windows, Mac and Linux computers.
- Automatically syncs when new files or changes are detected.
- Work on files in your Dropbox even if you're offline. Your changes sync once your computer has an Internet connection again.
- Dropbox transfers will correctly resume where they left off if the connection drops.
- Efficient sync - only the pieces of a file that changed (not the whole file) are synced. This saves you time.
- Doesn't hog your Internet connection. You can manually set bandwidth limits.
File Sharing
Sharing files is simple and can be done with only a few clicks.
- Shared folders allow several people to collaborate on a set of files.
- You can see other people's changes instantly.
- A "Public" folder that lets you link directly to files in your Dropbox.
- Control who is able to access shared folders (including ability to kick people out and remove the shared files from their computers).
- Automatically create shareable online photo galleries from folders of photos in your Dropbox.
Online Backup
Dropbox backs up your files online without you having to think about it.
- Automatic backup of your files.
- Undelete files and folders.
- Restore previous versions of your files.
- 30 days of undo history, with unlimited undo available as a paid option.
Web Access
A copy of your files are stored on Dropbox's secure servers. This lets you access them from any computer or mobile device.
- Manipulate files as you would on your desktop - add, edit, delete, rename etc.
- Search your entire Dropbox for files.
- A "Recent Events" feed that shows you a summary of activity in your Dropbox.
- Create shared folders and invite people to them.
- Recover previous versions of any file or undelete deleted files.
- View photo galleries created automatically from photos in your Dropbox.
Security & Privacy
Dropbox takes the security and privacy of your files very seriously.
- Shared folders are viewable only by people you invite.
- All transmission of file data and metadata occurs over an encrypted channel (SSL).
- All files stored on Dropbox servers are encrypted (AES-256) and are inaccessible without your account password.
- Dropbox website and client software have been hardened against attacks from hackers.
- Dropbox employees are not able to view any user's files.
- Online access to your files requires your username and password.
- Public files are only viewable by people who have a link to the file(s). Public folders are not browsable or searchable.
Mobile Device Access
The free Dropbox iPhone app lets you:
- Access your Dropbox on the go.
- View your files on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
- Download files for offline viewing.
- Take photos and videos and sync them to your Dropbox.
- Share links to files in your Dropbox.
- View interactive photo galleries.
- Sync downloaded files so they're up-to-date.
A mobile-optimized version of the website is available for owners of Blackberry phones and other Internet-capable mobile devices.
P.S. Are you 'Advertising' or 'Marketing' ?
Ask me the Difference?
DropBox Features
Dropbox Features
File Sync
Dropbox allows you to sync your files online and across your computers automatically.
- 2GB of online storage for free, with up to 100GB available to paying customers.
- Sync files of any size or type.
- Sync Windows, Mac and Linux computers.
- Automatically syncs when new files or changes are detected.
- Work on files in your Dropbox even if you're offline. Your changes sync once your computer has an Internet connection again.
- Dropbox transfers will correctly resume where they left off if the connection drops.
- Efficient sync - only the pieces of a file that changed (not the whole file) are synced. This saves you time.
- Doesn't hog your Internet connection. You can manually set bandwidth limits.
File Sharing
Sharing files is simple and can be done with only a few clicks.
- Shared folders allow several people to collaborate on a set of files.
- You can see other people's changes instantly.
- A "Public" folder that lets you link directly to files in your Dropbox.
- Control who is able to access shared folders (including ability to kick people out and remove the shared files from their computers).
- Automatically create shareable online photo galleries from folders of photos in your Dropbox.
Online Backup
Dropbox backs up your files online without you having to think about it.
- Automatic backup of your files.
- Undelete files and folders.
- Restore previous versions of your files.
- 30 days of undo history, with unlimited undo available as a paid option.
Web Access
A copy of your files are stored on Dropbox's secure servers. This lets you access them from any computer or mobile device.
- Manipulate files as you would on your desktop - add, edit, delete, rename etc.
- Search your entire Dropbox for files.
- A "Recent Events" feed that shows you a summary of activity in your Dropbox.
- Create shared folders and invite people to them.
- Recover previous versions of any file or undelete deleted files.
- View photo galleries created automatically from photos in your Dropbox.
Security & Privacy
Dropbox takes the security and privacy of your files very seriously.
- Shared folders are viewable only by people you invite.
- All transmission of file data and metadata occurs over an encrypted channel (SSL).
- All files stored on Dropbox servers are encrypted (AES-256) and are inaccessible without your account password.
- Dropbox website and client software have been hardened against attacks from hackers.
- Dropbox employees are not able to view any user's files.
- Online access to your files requires your username and password.
- Public files are only viewable by people who have a link to the file(s). Public folders are not browsable or searchable.
Mobile Device Access
The free Dropbox iPhone app lets you:
- Access your Dropbox on the go.
- View your files on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
- Download files for offline viewing.
- Take photos and videos and sync them to your Dropbox.
- Share links to files in your Dropbox.
- View interactive photo galleries.
- Sync downloaded files so they're up-to-date.
A mobile-optimized version of the website is available for owners of Blackberry phones and other Internet-capable mobile devices.
P.S. Are you 'Advertising' or 'Marketing' ?
Ask me the Difference?
DropBox Features
Dropbox Features
File Sync
Dropbox allows you to sync your files online and across your computers automatically.
- 2GB of online storage for free, with up to 100GB available to paying customers.
- Sync files of any size or type.
- Sync Windows, Mac and Linux computers.
- Automatically syncs when new files or changes are detected.
- Work on files in your Dropbox even if you're offline. Your changes sync once your computer has an Internet connection again.
- Dropbox transfers will correctly resume where they left off if the connection drops.
- Efficient sync - only the pieces of a file that changed (not the whole file) are synced. This saves you time.
- Doesn't hog your Internet connection. You can manually set bandwidth limits.
File Sharing
Sharing files is simple and can be done with only a few clicks.
- Shared folders allow several people to collaborate on a set of files.
- You can see other people's changes instantly.
- A "Public" folder that lets you link directly to files in your Dropbox.
- Control who is able to access shared folders (including ability to kick people out and remove the shared files from their computers).
- Automatically create shareable online photo galleries from folders of photos in your Dropbox.
Online Backup
Dropbox backs up your files online without you having to think about it.
- Automatic backup of your files.
- Undelete files and folders.
- Restore previous versions of your files.
- 30 days of undo history, with unlimited undo available as a paid option.
Web Access
A copy of your files are stored on Dropbox's secure servers. This lets you access them from any computer or mobile device.
- Manipulate files as you would on your desktop - add, edit, delete, rename etc.
- Search your entire Dropbox for files.
- A "Recent Events" feed that shows you a summary of activity in your Dropbox.
- Create shared folders and invite people to them.
- Recover previous versions of any file or undelete deleted files.
- View photo galleries created automatically from photos in your Dropbox.
Security & Privacy
Dropbox takes the security and privacy of your files very seriously.
- Shared folders are viewable only by people you invite.
- All transmission of file data and metadata occurs over an encrypted channel (SSL).
- All files stored on Dropbox servers are encrypted (AES-256) and are inaccessible without your account password.
- Dropbox website and client software have been hardened against attacks from hackers.
- Dropbox employees are not able to view any user's files.
- Online access to your files requires your username and password.
- Public files are only viewable by people who have a link to the file(s). Public folders are not browsable or searchable.
Mobile Device Access
The free Dropbox iPhone app lets you:
- Access your Dropbox on the go.
- View your files on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
- Download files for offline viewing.
- Take photos and videos and sync them to your Dropbox.
- Share links to files in your Dropbox.
- View interactive photo galleries.
- Sync downloaded files so they're up-to-date.
A mobile-optimized version of the website is available for owners of Blackberry phones and other Internet-capable mobile devices.
P.S. Are you 'Advertising' or 'Marketing' ?
Ask me the Difference?
Departmentalize Your Service Department
Departmentalize Your Service Department
Your service department is one of the busiest departments in your dealership. Service deals with more customers than any other department on a daily, monthly and annual basis. The service department also sees more potential customers than any other department. These are potential customers who could purchase additional services and parts, detailing, accessories, body shop repairs, rental vehicles, and even a new or used vehicle.
Maximizing the service department’s profitability is very important for many reasons. New vehicle sales are in need of severe reconditioning, used vehicle prices are higher than ever with vehicles in short supply, subprime financing is in need of a new paint job, warranty labor and parts sales are gradually decreasing and customers are retaining ownership of their vehicles longer because of upside-down positions and the lack of financing. What a mess!
Not really! Now is the time to restructure your service department to maximize sales and profits. How do you do this? Well, you have to throw out what you are doing now. It will not work very well with where the auto repair industry is heading.
First, you need to get into your car with your service and parts manager and drive around town past all of your competition. Not just new car dealers, but all of those independent service facilities, tire stores, oil change shops, Wal-Marts, parts stores, brake, exhaust and transmission repair shops, air conditioning specialists, detailing shops, etc. Now, consider how long each of your competitors have been in business and how many employees they have. When you drive by, look at their doors or windows and write down the hours they are open for business. Count how many stalls they have. Look at how many of their stalls have vehicles in them.
Now go back to your dealership and go to work. No, I don’t mean go back to your normal jobs. You don’t have time for that. You had better sit down together and review how your competitors are eating your lunch and gradually and silently stealing your service and parts business.
How are they doing this? Very, very easily. They have structured their businesses to succeed based on providing simple, efficient and reasonably priced services to their customers. Compare that to your service and parts department. Yours is fairly outdated for the most part. Ask yourself how many stalls you have devoted to just tires, just oil changes, just brakes, just detailing, just transmissions, etc. Are you really focused on selling this type of repair?
You will need to separate your service department into departments to achieve success and higher sales and profits. You will need a new-vehicle area if you are a franchise dealer. You will need a reconditioning department to be able to repair used vehicles for a reasonable price. Next, you should have a detail department to clean and spit-shine those customer cars. Oh, don’t forget your tire, brake and alignment department.
You will have to also mystery shop your competition. This is how you find out all the things you are doing wrong in your service departmentâ€"like what kind of signage you will need, how to up-sell, how to price your maintenance work, how to advertise to draw new customers to your dealership and what hours you need to stay open to make it convenient for your customers to visit your store instead of the shop down the street. Get the hint?
Retraining yourself, service advisors, technicians, parts counter salespeople and the rest of your dealership will be the toughest thing to accomplish. People don’t like change. It will take three to four months of constant attention to your new structure before it is accepted and running smoothly. If your current personnel can’t adjust to the new structure, then stealâ€"I mean, hireâ€"the people you need from your competitors. That mystery shopping tour you took through town? Make good use of it and try to attract the best employees of each type of business to work for you. Your training costs will be less because they are already trained and have impressed you. They have a different mentality and are more focused because they have to be where they work now.
Oh, I forgot to mention that new position in your multi-department service and parts departmentâ€"sales. In the past you have expected your customers to just waltz in the door and provide the sales you need. Now, you have to rely on your staff to provide service sales. Put together a constant and complete advertising program similar to that of the competitor you are trying to run out of business. Monitor all their ads to make sure they don’t get the jump on you. Also, don’t just have this new salesperson sit in the store behind a counter waiting on customers who walk through the door. Market your new department as a shopping center for all a vehicle’s needs.
This new salesperson, preferably the best waitress or waiter you ever encountered in a restaurant, should go out into the community on a regular basis marketing your new departments and their services to all your non-competitor businesses in town. Why someone from the restaurant business? Why not? They normally work crummy hours compared to a car dealership. They can make more money working for you. You don’t have to train them in up-selling, customer service and follow-up. They already know how to do this, or they wouldn’t be the best where they are at now. They should have no trouble keeping busy just putting the word out in a focused method to everyone in town.
Provide a menu of items so potential customers know what you do and how competitive your store is. Offer a first-time visit coupon they can’t resist.. Visit all the businesses so the word is out you can take care of all of their needs in a one-stop shopping center and you have changed the way you do business. Keep visiting those businesses until they get the hint you can take care of them. It will shock them at first you are even there, outside of your comfort zone, which is behind the counter.
Your parts department will need to stock the appropriate type of parts to supply all your new departments. This means offering alternatives to your OEM parts for brakes, oil filters, oil, tires, etc., so you are competitive with everyone else in town and are able to offer different levels of service based on the customer’s needs and wants. Your internal department will praise you for this.
You will need to change and adapt or die a slow death as all that increasing maintenance work customers need disappears along with any warranty repair work. Remember, you may think you are already there, but you’re not if new shops are opening in town and existing shops are still doing great. If your service department sales haven’t grown each and every year, you are doing something wrong. Go back to class until you get it right.
Thank you,
Thomas Ieracitano
Thomas@Ieracitano.com
www.DigitalCarGuy.com
(229) 251-2462
P.S. Are you 'Advertising' or 'Marketing' ?
Ask me the Difference?
Your service department is one of the busiest departments in your dealership. Service deals with more customers than any other department on a daily, monthly and annual basis. The service department also sees more potential customers than any other department. These are potential customers who could purchase additional services and parts, detailing, accessories, body shop repairs, rental vehicles, and even a new or used vehicle.
Maximizing the service department’s profitability is very important for many reasons. New vehicle sales are in need of severe reconditioning, used vehicle prices are higher than ever with vehicles in short supply, subprime financing is in need of a new paint job, warranty labor and parts sales are gradually decreasing and customers are retaining ownership of their vehicles longer because of upside-down positions and the lack of financing. What a mess!
Not really! Now is the time to restructure your service department to maximize sales and profits. How do you do this? Well, you have to throw out what you are doing now. It will not work very well with where the auto repair industry is heading.
First, you need to get into your car with your service and parts manager and drive around town past all of your competition. Not just new car dealers, but all of those independent service facilities, tire stores, oil change shops, Wal-Marts, parts stores, brake, exhaust and transmission repair shops, air conditioning specialists, detailing shops, etc. Now, consider how long each of your competitors have been in business and how many employees they have. When you drive by, look at their doors or windows and write down the hours they are open for business. Count how many stalls they have. Look at how many of their stalls have vehicles in them.
Now go back to your dealership and go to work. No, I don’t mean go back to your normal jobs. You don’t have time for that. You had better sit down together and review how your competitors are eating your lunch and gradually and silently stealing your service and parts business.
How are they doing this? Very, very easily. They have structured their businesses to succeed based on providing simple, efficient and reasonably priced services to their customers. Compare that to your service and parts department. Yours is fairly outdated for the most part. Ask yourself how many stalls you have devoted to just tires, just oil changes, just brakes, just detailing, just transmissions, etc. Are you really focused on selling this type of repair?
You will need to separate your service department into departments to achieve success and higher sales and profits. You will need a new-vehicle area if you are a franchise dealer. You will need a reconditioning department to be able to repair used vehicles for a reasonable price. Next, you should have a detail department to clean and spit-shine those customer cars. Oh, don’t forget your tire, brake and alignment department.
You will have to also mystery shop your competition. This is how you find out all the things you are doing wrong in your service departmentâ€"like what kind of signage you will need, how to up-sell, how to price your maintenance work, how to advertise to draw new customers to your dealership and what hours you need to stay open to make it convenient for your customers to visit your store instead of the shop down the street. Get the hint?
Retraining yourself, service advisors, technicians, parts counter salespeople and the rest of your dealership will be the toughest thing to accomplish. People don’t like change. It will take three to four months of constant attention to your new structure before it is accepted and running smoothly. If your current personnel can’t adjust to the new structure, then stealâ€"I mean, hireâ€"the people you need from your competitors. That mystery shopping tour you took through town? Make good use of it and try to attract the best employees of each type of business to work for you. Your training costs will be less because they are already trained and have impressed you. They have a different mentality and are more focused because they have to be where they work now.
Oh, I forgot to mention that new position in your multi-department service and parts departmentâ€"sales. In the past you have expected your customers to just waltz in the door and provide the sales you need. Now, you have to rely on your staff to provide service sales. Put together a constant and complete advertising program similar to that of the competitor you are trying to run out of business. Monitor all their ads to make sure they don’t get the jump on you. Also, don’t just have this new salesperson sit in the store behind a counter waiting on customers who walk through the door. Market your new department as a shopping center for all a vehicle’s needs.
This new salesperson, preferably the best waitress or waiter you ever encountered in a restaurant, should go out into the community on a regular basis marketing your new departments and their services to all your non-competitor businesses in town. Why someone from the restaurant business? Why not? They normally work crummy hours compared to a car dealership. They can make more money working for you. You don’t have to train them in up-selling, customer service and follow-up. They already know how to do this, or they wouldn’t be the best where they are at now. They should have no trouble keeping busy just putting the word out in a focused method to everyone in town.
Provide a menu of items so potential customers know what you do and how competitive your store is. Offer a first-time visit coupon they can’t resist.. Visit all the businesses so the word is out you can take care of all of their needs in a one-stop shopping center and you have changed the way you do business. Keep visiting those businesses until they get the hint you can take care of them. It will shock them at first you are even there, outside of your comfort zone, which is behind the counter.
Your parts department will need to stock the appropriate type of parts to supply all your new departments. This means offering alternatives to your OEM parts for brakes, oil filters, oil, tires, etc., so you are competitive with everyone else in town and are able to offer different levels of service based on the customer’s needs and wants. Your internal department will praise you for this.
You will need to change and adapt or die a slow death as all that increasing maintenance work customers need disappears along with any warranty repair work. Remember, you may think you are already there, but you’re not if new shops are opening in town and existing shops are still doing great. If your service department sales haven’t grown each and every year, you are doing something wrong. Go back to class until you get it right.
Thank you,
Thomas Ieracitano
Thomas@Ieracitano.com
www.DigitalCarGuy.com
(229) 251-2462
P.S. Are you 'Advertising' or 'Marketing' ?
Ask me the Difference?
Departmentalize Your Service Department
Departmentalize Your Service Department
Your service department is one of the busiest departments in your dealership. Service deals with more customers than any other department on a daily, monthly and annual basis. The service department also sees more potential customers than any other department. These are potential customers who could purchase additional services and parts, detailing, accessories, body shop repairs, rental vehicles, and even a new or used vehicle.
Maximizing the service department’s profitability is very important for many reasons. New vehicle sales are in need of severe reconditioning, used vehicle prices are higher than ever with vehicles in short supply, subprime financing is in need of a new paint job, warranty labor and parts sales are gradually decreasing and customers are retaining ownership of their vehicles longer because of upside-down positions and the lack of financing. What a mess!
Not really! Now is the time to restructure your service department to maximize sales and profits. How do you do this? Well, you have to throw out what you are doing now. It will not work very well with where the auto repair industry is heading.
First, you need to get into your car with your service and parts manager and drive around town past all of your competition. Not just new car dealers, but all of those independent service facilities, tire stores, oil change shops, Wal-Marts, parts stores, brake, exhaust and transmission repair shops, air conditioning specialists, detailing shops, etc. Now, consider how long each of your competitors have been in business and how many employees they have. When you drive by, look at their doors or windows and write down the hours they are open for business. Count how many stalls they have. Look at how many of their stalls have vehicles in them.
Now go back to your dealership and go to work. No, I don’t mean go back to your normal jobs. You don’t have time for that. You had better sit down together and review how your competitors are eating your lunch and gradually and silently stealing your service and parts business.
How are they doing this? Very, very easily. They have structured their businesses to succeed based on providing simple, efficient and reasonably priced services to their customers. Compare that to your service and parts department. Yours is fairly outdated for the most part. Ask yourself how many stalls you have devoted to just tires, just oil changes, just brakes, just detailing, just transmissions, etc. Are you really focused on selling this type of repair?
You will need to separate your service department into departments to achieve success and higher sales and profits. You will need a new-vehicle area if you are a franchise dealer. You will need a reconditioning department to be able to repair used vehicles for a reasonable price. Next, you should have a detail department to clean and spit-shine those customer cars. Oh, don’t forget your tire, brake and alignment department.
You will have to also mystery shop your competition. This is how you find out all the things you are doing wrong in your service departmentâ€"like what kind of signage you will need, how to up-sell, how to price your maintenance work, how to advertise to draw new customers to your dealership and what hours you need to stay open to make it convenient for your customers to visit your store instead of the shop down the street. Get the hint?
Retraining yourself, service advisors, technicians, parts counter salespeople and the rest of your dealership will be the toughest thing to accomplish. People don’t like change. It will take three to four months of constant attention to your new structure before it is accepted and running smoothly. If your current personnel can’t adjust to the new structure, then stealâ€"I mean, hireâ€"the people you need from your competitors. That mystery shopping tour you took through town? Make good use of it and try to attract the best employees of each type of business to work for you. Your training costs will be less because they are already trained and have impressed you. They have a different mentality and are more focused because they have to be where they work now.
Oh, I forgot to mention that new position in your multi-department service and parts departmentâ€"sales. In the past you have expected your customers to just waltz in the door and provide the sales you need. Now, you have to rely on your staff to provide service sales. Put together a constant and complete advertising program similar to that of the competitor you are trying to run out of business. Monitor all their ads to make sure they don’t get the jump on you. Also, don’t just have this new salesperson sit in the store behind a counter waiting on customers who walk through the door. Market your new department as a shopping center for all a vehicle’s needs.
This new salesperson, preferably the best waitress or waiter you ever encountered in a restaurant, should go out into the community on a regular basis marketing your new departments and their services to all your non-competitor businesses in town. Why someone from the restaurant business? Why not? They normally work crummy hours compared to a car dealership. They can make more money working for you. You don’t have to train them in up-selling, customer service and follow-up. They already know how to do this, or they wouldn’t be the best where they are at now. They should have no trouble keeping busy just putting the word out in a focused method to everyone in town.
Provide a menu of items so potential customers know what you do and how competitive your store is. Offer a first-time visit coupon they can’t resist.. Visit all the businesses so the word is out you can take care of all of their needs in a one-stop shopping center and you have changed the way you do business. Keep visiting those businesses until they get the hint you can take care of them. It will shock them at first you are even there, outside of your comfort zone, which is behind the counter.
Your parts department will need to stock the appropriate type of parts to supply all your new departments. This means offering alternatives to your OEM parts for brakes, oil filters, oil, tires, etc., so you are competitive with everyone else in town and are able to offer different levels of service based on the customer’s needs and wants. Your internal department will praise you for this.
You will need to change and adapt or die a slow death as all that increasing maintenance work customers need disappears along with any warranty repair work. Remember, you may think you are already there, but you’re not if new shops are opening in town and existing shops are still doing great. If your service department sales haven’t grown each and every year, you are doing something wrong. Go back to class until you get it right.
Thank you,
Thomas Ieracitano
Thomas@Ieracitano.com
www.DigitalCarGuy.com
(229) 251-2462
P.S. Are you 'Advertising' or 'Marketing' ?
Ask me the Difference?
Your service department is one of the busiest departments in your dealership. Service deals with more customers than any other department on a daily, monthly and annual basis. The service department also sees more potential customers than any other department. These are potential customers who could purchase additional services and parts, detailing, accessories, body shop repairs, rental vehicles, and even a new or used vehicle.
Maximizing the service department’s profitability is very important for many reasons. New vehicle sales are in need of severe reconditioning, used vehicle prices are higher than ever with vehicles in short supply, subprime financing is in need of a new paint job, warranty labor and parts sales are gradually decreasing and customers are retaining ownership of their vehicles longer because of upside-down positions and the lack of financing. What a mess!
Not really! Now is the time to restructure your service department to maximize sales and profits. How do you do this? Well, you have to throw out what you are doing now. It will not work very well with where the auto repair industry is heading.
First, you need to get into your car with your service and parts manager and drive around town past all of your competition. Not just new car dealers, but all of those independent service facilities, tire stores, oil change shops, Wal-Marts, parts stores, brake, exhaust and transmission repair shops, air conditioning specialists, detailing shops, etc. Now, consider how long each of your competitors have been in business and how many employees they have. When you drive by, look at their doors or windows and write down the hours they are open for business. Count how many stalls they have. Look at how many of their stalls have vehicles in them.
Now go back to your dealership and go to work. No, I don’t mean go back to your normal jobs. You don’t have time for that. You had better sit down together and review how your competitors are eating your lunch and gradually and silently stealing your service and parts business.
How are they doing this? Very, very easily. They have structured their businesses to succeed based on providing simple, efficient and reasonably priced services to their customers. Compare that to your service and parts department. Yours is fairly outdated for the most part. Ask yourself how many stalls you have devoted to just tires, just oil changes, just brakes, just detailing, just transmissions, etc. Are you really focused on selling this type of repair?
You will need to separate your service department into departments to achieve success and higher sales and profits. You will need a new-vehicle area if you are a franchise dealer. You will need a reconditioning department to be able to repair used vehicles for a reasonable price. Next, you should have a detail department to clean and spit-shine those customer cars. Oh, don’t forget your tire, brake and alignment department.
You will have to also mystery shop your competition. This is how you find out all the things you are doing wrong in your service departmentâ€"like what kind of signage you will need, how to up-sell, how to price your maintenance work, how to advertise to draw new customers to your dealership and what hours you need to stay open to make it convenient for your customers to visit your store instead of the shop down the street. Get the hint?
Retraining yourself, service advisors, technicians, parts counter salespeople and the rest of your dealership will be the toughest thing to accomplish. People don’t like change. It will take three to four months of constant attention to your new structure before it is accepted and running smoothly. If your current personnel can’t adjust to the new structure, then stealâ€"I mean, hireâ€"the people you need from your competitors. That mystery shopping tour you took through town? Make good use of it and try to attract the best employees of each type of business to work for you. Your training costs will be less because they are already trained and have impressed you. They have a different mentality and are more focused because they have to be where they work now.
Oh, I forgot to mention that new position in your multi-department service and parts departmentâ€"sales. In the past you have expected your customers to just waltz in the door and provide the sales you need. Now, you have to rely on your staff to provide service sales. Put together a constant and complete advertising program similar to that of the competitor you are trying to run out of business. Monitor all their ads to make sure they don’t get the jump on you. Also, don’t just have this new salesperson sit in the store behind a counter waiting on customers who walk through the door. Market your new department as a shopping center for all a vehicle’s needs.
This new salesperson, preferably the best waitress or waiter you ever encountered in a restaurant, should go out into the community on a regular basis marketing your new departments and their services to all your non-competitor businesses in town. Why someone from the restaurant business? Why not? They normally work crummy hours compared to a car dealership. They can make more money working for you. You don’t have to train them in up-selling, customer service and follow-up. They already know how to do this, or they wouldn’t be the best where they are at now. They should have no trouble keeping busy just putting the word out in a focused method to everyone in town.
Provide a menu of items so potential customers know what you do and how competitive your store is. Offer a first-time visit coupon they can’t resist.. Visit all the businesses so the word is out you can take care of all of their needs in a one-stop shopping center and you have changed the way you do business. Keep visiting those businesses until they get the hint you can take care of them. It will shock them at first you are even there, outside of your comfort zone, which is behind the counter.
Your parts department will need to stock the appropriate type of parts to supply all your new departments. This means offering alternatives to your OEM parts for brakes, oil filters, oil, tires, etc., so you are competitive with everyone else in town and are able to offer different levels of service based on the customer’s needs and wants. Your internal department will praise you for this.
You will need to change and adapt or die a slow death as all that increasing maintenance work customers need disappears along with any warranty repair work. Remember, you may think you are already there, but you’re not if new shops are opening in town and existing shops are still doing great. If your service department sales haven’t grown each and every year, you are doing something wrong. Go back to class until you get it right.
Thank you,
Thomas Ieracitano
Thomas@Ieracitano.com
www.DigitalCarGuy.com
(229) 251-2462
P.S. Are you 'Advertising' or 'Marketing' ?
Ask me the Difference?
Consumers Have Changed The Game.
Consumers Have Changed The Game
Popular social sites like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace
have allowed consumers to change the game in the automotive industry.
Popular social sites like Facebook, Twitter and Myspace
have allowed consumers to change the game in the automotive industry.
Dealers across the country are scrambling to set up social sites that potentially connect them to their customers.
I have begun to notice a trend that automotive dealers have placed their focus on selling and not connecting.
Dealers are traveling in the right direction, yet they are all on the long wrong to success.
Consumers actually like
the ideal that they have the ability to connect with their local car dealer on Facebook, yet dealers have failed to establish a real relationship with their buyers. We as dealers have a tradition of trying to recreate the wheel, social networking became popular long before the automotive industry decided to jump on the band wagon.
Pushing the needle to increase sales is the long road to success for dealers; we have failed to recognize the processes and procedures that these social sites have already implemented to reach their success today.
Consumers Have Changed The Rules, and local car dealers have not yet decided to play the buyers game. It appears that dealers and manufacturers have come up with their own game plan to change the face of Social networking, implementing annotated methods that in the past have made the auto industry successful.
Whenever there is a Paradigm Shift, everything changes...including the rules and dealer's have refused to operate under the new rules.
The way I see it, and keep in mind this is just one man's opinion "Dealers Who Don't Do It, Won't Get It
Consumers spend more time on social sites Right Now than they do anywhere else on the web, yet we are not speaking their language on these sites! In order to capture and maintain friends or fans, as they are called on Facebook, content, connections and links must be fresh and appeal to your fans. Most of these sites give you a breakdown of your visitors; the analytics of your pages along with demographics, what else would you need to manage the behavior of your fans? Automation and technology can be good, yet without the human element, it will be a longgggg time before Car Dealers will see a measurable ROI for any type of investment made through social media. Consumers are yearning for Online Negotiations, Online Trade Appraisals, and Online Real-Time Communications....these services are being offered across the board, yet we have only taken a small road to achieve this goal.
"One place to do all you need to do, before you buy".....
is what one guy told me in a recent online poll I launched.
We in the automotive industry operate a lot like Big Businesses in other industries, We Out Source!! We have learned to depend on outside services to speak to our guest, after we were the ones to establish the relationship, spent the two-three hours selling them a vehicle.
Think about this, would you allow someone else to come into your marriage, to help keep it together, after you have established the relationship? lol!! Well that is exactly what car dealers do, strangers talk to our customers, do the follow-up calls, email our friends and family.................
The Rules have Changed, why not us? There is a lot more to this Automotive Social Networking thing than we want to recognize!
Additional questions, comments
Thomas@Ieracitano.com
www.DigitalCarGuy.com
(229) 251-2462
Top 10 Customer Excuses Not To Buy Car; Crazy Salesman Responses
Posted: 29 Jan 2010 06:07 PM PST
I'm Just Looking:
This one has been used by Car Buyers for ages. Everyone is just looking when they come to a Car Lot. If you are new to Selling Cars remember, ALL customers are just looking. Your job is to assist them in the process of looking without being smart about it. Crazy Salesmen Response: "I'm just looking too." or "Looking is Free Today." Dont be smart about it, just realize everyone is just looking when they first arrive. I have even heard salesman ask in the greeting, "are you here to buy a car today."
Check with Spouse:
Check with Spouse is one of those excuses that is hard to overcome because if I were making a major purchase, i would have to check with my spouse too. Just give the customer all the information they need so the spouse will have all the answers to their questions. Crazy salesmen response, "I have to check with my spouse to sell it to ya." I have actually heard that one! And, don't assume that a female shopper has to have a spouse to buy a vehicle. Women buy the cars in the household or have the influence of what is bought! Remember this, Women may not like to negotiate, but they decide what is purchased!
Have Doctors Appointment:
I have never seen so many customers that have Doctors Appointments. This is a good excuse because it is hard to overcome or question. I don't know which customer started this one, but its a good one. Crazy salesmen response: "Can you get me some good meds too."
Go To Work:
This one does not work too well because how many people actually leave early enough to look at a car before going to work. The only time this might come into play is when a customer may be on a lunch break. Crazy Salesmen Response: "Are they hiring."
Have 5 Minutes:
All customers only have 5 minutes. This is because they do not like you in the first 30 seconds. They will give you 5 minutes before they go to another dealer. Crazy Salesmen Response: "That's not enough time, come see me later when you have more time."
Not Ready:
A customer is telling you they do not have enough information to make an informed decision. Do not take this as a customer wasting your time, give them more information. Crazy Salesmen Response: "Come see me when your ready." That is too funny, call the customer tomorrow and see what kind of vehicle they purchased!
Do You Have Other Color:
Have you ever seen a customer look around to see what you have to ask you for a color that you do not have? This is sometimes a defense mechanism to get away from you. You now say you can locate one, but they say they would have to look at it first. The customer is usually one step ahead of you. If you are new to car sales, realize the same excuses come up every time and have a response ready. Crazy Salesman Response: "You want a white one, that is the most popular color. Why would you want what everyone else has?"
Price Too High:
This is another excuse for not enough information.. You may have to go over features of the vehicle again and make sure customer test drives the vehicle! Customers already know what you can sell a vehicle for because they have invoices just like you. They know you cannot take 5k off the price, believe me! Crazy Salesman Response: "I am trying to feed my kids."
Not Enough For Trade:
Its never enough for trade, but explain where this number comes from. Just like the price of the car, they know what the car is worth. Crazy Salesman Response: "You want more, its a Piece of sh%#!!!"
Have To Look At Other Make:
Customers always want to compare your vehicle to other vehicles. Just remember this, call them the next day to see they purchased the same vehicle from your competitor.. Once this happens a few times, you will quit listening to this. Crazy Salesman Response: "You want to look at that. Why? They are ugly!!!"
I have been in the car business for over 10 years so I have heard and seen it all. Customers have excuses for every situation, but i have found out why they come up with these excuses. They either do not feel comfortable with the salesman or in the situation they were put in. You have to give a customer all the information they ask for and let them make an informed decision. You don't have to be pushy, just informative.
This one has been used by Car Buyers for ages. Everyone is just looking when they come to a Car Lot. If you are new to Selling Cars remember, ALL customers are just looking. Your job is to assist them in the process of looking without being smart about it. Crazy Salesmen Response: "I'm just looking too." or "Looking is Free Today." Dont be smart about it, just realize everyone is just looking when they first arrive. I have even heard salesman ask in the greeting, "are you here to buy a car today."
Check with Spouse:
Check with Spouse is one of those excuses that is hard to overcome because if I were making a major purchase, i would have to check with my spouse too. Just give the customer all the information they need so the spouse will have all the answers to their questions. Crazy salesmen response, "I have to check with my spouse to sell it to ya." I have actually heard that one! And, don't assume that a female shopper has to have a spouse to buy a vehicle. Women buy the cars in the household or have the influence of what is bought! Remember this, Women may not like to negotiate, but they decide what is purchased!
Have Doctors Appointment:
I have never seen so many customers that have Doctors Appointments. This is a good excuse because it is hard to overcome or question. I don't know which customer started this one, but its a good one. Crazy salesmen response: "Can you get me some good meds too."
Go To Work:
This one does not work too well because how many people actually leave early enough to look at a car before going to work. The only time this might come into play is when a customer may be on a lunch break. Crazy Salesmen Response: "Are they hiring."
Have 5 Minutes:
All customers only have 5 minutes. This is because they do not like you in the first 30 seconds. They will give you 5 minutes before they go to another dealer. Crazy Salesmen Response: "That's not enough time, come see me later when you have more time."
Not Ready:
A customer is telling you they do not have enough information to make an informed decision. Do not take this as a customer wasting your time, give them more information. Crazy Salesmen Response: "Come see me when your ready." That is too funny, call the customer tomorrow and see what kind of vehicle they purchased!
Do You Have Other Color:
Have you ever seen a customer look around to see what you have to ask you for a color that you do not have? This is sometimes a defense mechanism to get away from you. You now say you can locate one, but they say they would have to look at it first. The customer is usually one step ahead of you. If you are new to car sales, realize the same excuses come up every time and have a response ready. Crazy Salesman Response: "You want a white one, that is the most popular color. Why would you want what everyone else has?"
Price Too High:
This is another excuse for not enough information.. You may have to go over features of the vehicle again and make sure customer test drives the vehicle! Customers already know what you can sell a vehicle for because they have invoices just like you. They know you cannot take 5k off the price, believe me! Crazy Salesman Response: "I am trying to feed my kids."
Not Enough For Trade:
Its never enough for trade, but explain where this number comes from. Just like the price of the car, they know what the car is worth. Crazy Salesman Response: "You want more, its a Piece of sh%#!!!"
Have To Look At Other Make:
Customers always want to compare your vehicle to other vehicles. Just remember this, call them the next day to see they purchased the same vehicle from your competitor.. Once this happens a few times, you will quit listening to this. Crazy Salesman Response: "You want to look at that. Why? They are ugly!!!"
I have been in the car business for over 10 years so I have heard and seen it all. Customers have excuses for every situation, but i have found out why they come up with these excuses. They either do not feel comfortable with the salesman or in the situation they were put in. You have to give a customer all the information they ask for and let them make an informed decision. You don't have to be pushy, just informative.
test post with distribution list = 1- my blogs
I just want to get it right!
Tech Tips of the week
Once in a while I will come across a few items to make our busy lives a little less heck-tic.
http://www.idrivelite.com - this is a Free Service to back your phone contacts on your BlackBerry, iPhone or iTouch wireless with just a touch of a button.
iDrive also can backup your computer files remotely and securely!
I am sure like me to do not have the occasion to send a fax but now and then it is the only method so........ how about a Free Service
That's all for now and be productive, be a good person, do the right thing!
