Releasing a young driver onto the road can be a nerve-wracking time for parents. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America. When moms and dads come into your dealership during the back-to-school season, set their minds at ease with safety tech accessories for their kid's car. 

The year was 2009, and I'd just moved to the big city for my first job out of college. Sporting a pink razor flip phone, I was ready to take on my first sales territory. The problem was, I didn't know how to get there. So a co-worker loaned me his TomTom navigation system, gave me a crash course in how to use it, and I set out into the world. 

Fast forward a couple of decades, and we're projecting navigation onto our dash—after getting in a car that we started from inside. The kids are watching YouTube videos in the back seat, and we're holding a casual conversation with Alexa as we merge onto the freeway. Those are just the basics, of course. 

If your dealership only puts extra effort into the service and parts departments when sales are low, you need to get real. Fixed operations deserve the same love and attention as your variable operations departments! We have four proven methods to increase service customer leads, customer satisfaction, and increase revenue.

The computer-driven world we live in has reached an impasse with the global chip shortage. Some analysts predict the shortage will continue into 2023, causing a ripple effect in the automotive industry. Highly coveted new vehicles with advanced technology are in low supply. Dealerships collectively are struggling to recover from pandemic sales while navigating the next obstacle. 

In times like this, we can fall back on certainties. Americans are driving, and their vehicles will have to be serviced to last. See our methods to get more people into your service lanes than ever before. Be more than a place people go to buy vehicles!

You can’t neglect fixed ops. Technically, you could, and you’d probably end up crying in the parking lot while they turn your dealership into a Costco. Fixed ops departments are carrying the store these days, so they deserve the same ongoing training and attention that the sales department receives. They probably deserve more attention than the front of the house—and donuts.

Fixed Operations is an industry term for the parts and service departments; and it’s the hidden powerhouse of a dealership. According to CrossCheck, fixed operations made up at least 49% of a dealer’s gross profit in years past, and probably more than that in 2021. If it wasn’t for fixed operations, plenty of dealerships would struggle to keep the doors open; cementing that the back of the house is a foundation on which dealerships are built.

Full-on summer vibes are here, no matter where you are in the country. This season, more than ever, Americans are flocking to the beach, the lake, the hills, the pasture, or anywhere that isn’t home. That’s great news for the automotive industry because more time in the car translates into a greater need for accessories. Check out these hot summer accessories that will work for any vehicle on your lot. 

Release the people!

Back in the summer of '69, man, we were killin' time. We were young and restless. We needed to unwind. I guess nothing can last forever because here we are….celebrating summer by wearing masks on a test drive. 

Selling cars is a highly stressful job.