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With AutoNation Ford’s service directors gathered around the table, a new venture of customizing vehicles with aftermarket accessories was introduced. Within weeks, Insignia Group created customization for AutoNation’s aftermarket focus, AutoGear. Employees were trained, pricing was determined, and a carefully laid process was ready for action. The dealer’s service and parts director, David Bartalis, was ready for anything--but not everyone was on board.

“The initial response was a mixed bag,” David remembers. “Some associates were excited, some were concerned. Many were programmed to believe if you work at a dealer, you should only put factory parts into the vehicle we service and sell. When we launched the program, some employees were worried about not using factory parts--but we knew from day one we were going to make this successful.”

February 8th, 2018 ROCK HILL, SC -- Insignia Group LC, the industry leader for accessory sales process consulting and configurator software, announced the winners of its annual Million Dollar Challenge Coin. Each year Insignia honors dealerships selling more than one million dollars in Vehicle Personalization (accessory sales) in their dealerships over the previous year (2017).

To qualify for Insignia Group’s distinction, the dealership must sell more than one million dollars in accessory parts through the dealership's showroom sales process. These sales exclude e-commerce sales made through the dealership's online efforts.

Watch Insignia’s David Stringer present Insignia Challenge Coins to Jonathan Murray and Jessica Thompson of Ken Garff Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

Any dealership can slap together an accessory program, hand out a brochure, and dangle a carrot in front of their sale staff. More than likely, you can sell a few things with this approach. There’s no doubt, after all, that people are buying accessories: simply offering the product will produce a few bucks.

Dealerships that are building million-dollar personalization profit centers in the showroom know that vehicle personalization is an art form and requires careful attention to detail. Success in selling accessories takes a carefully constructed process, which varies by things like brand and store size, to name a few. As more and more dealerships across the nation tap into the multi-billion-dollar industry of automotive accessories, the necessity of shepherding in the process climbs in demand.

What if Vehicle Personalization became the foundation of the sales process, rather than something tacked on to the end of a lengthy negotiation? That’s exactly what Insignia’s upper- Midwest expert, Kurt Daugherty, is suggesting. The dealers Kurt works with know he’s a proponent of starting with the trade, seamlessly weaving Vehicle Personalization into the conversation--and with good reason.

Even the small cars need a touch of pizzazz.

Compacts cut a metropolitan profile these days. In this market, it’s not enough to be fuel-efficient. Popular small cars such as the Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Civic, and Ford Focus sport sleek body lines. Those lines feature popping colors and racks to support all sorts of outdoor habits.

Which customization and accessories, dealer or aftermarket, will let you ride like a boss? Here’s a guide to a few.

Automotive innovation often charges ahead into advanced technology. The car sales game seems stuck in first gear in comparison.

Oh yes, they know what they're doing! Strategic. Smooth operator. Toyota, you've done it again. 

Rena hates her new car.

In some respects, it’s a shame that the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Marketing Association) annual Show is a “trade only” event each year. There are literally thousands of car geeks and gearheads that would die to attend the largest car/accessory/performance parts/hotrod/truck/off-road /auto racing/motorcycle/ education /media /party event/how the heck did you ever build that/happening in the world. It is truly an Automobilia-Techno-Maxima event that every auto lover should be able to experience.