Blog

Auto Accessories: Bringing Departments Together

Posted by Insignia Group on Nov 15, 2022 12:23:19 PM

Dealership management does a lot of gymnastics to keep things running smoothly. 

Managing personalities and meshing departments is a big part of daily life in a car dealership. 

There’s the “every man for himself” culture in car dealerships, which is a pervasive problem. And, it’s always there, just below more pressing issues like a pandemic or a chip shortage. When will it all bubble up over the brim?

These issues are understandable and some stores have a better handle on it than others. Mostly, it comes down to a lack of communication. At times it can be easier to deflect when you have an angry customer standing in front of you. 

In a climate like the one we have today, departments are tempted to compete for profit rather than focusing on the dealership as a whole. Whether it’s a miscommunication, undelivered promises, or grappling for a piece of the pie, internal disunity is bad for business. 

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Topics: Dealership, Accessories sales, accessory sales

4 Tips to Raise Sales in the Parts Department

Posted by Insignia Group on Nov 14, 2022 11:52:34 AM

Insignia Group has been working closely with dealerships since we were fortifying our bunkers for Y2K.

Since then we’ve seen the industry crisis of 2008, the Presidential bailout of the Big Three, the pandemic, and a chip crisis to name a few. 

Things have changed a lot over the past twenty years. The industry has evolved, challenges have come and gone, while others morphed. The best dealerships are flexible, adaptable, and poised to overcome adversity.

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Topics: Increase Profits, Accessories sales, parts department, service department

Talking Dealership Customers Through Parts Backorders

Posted by Insignia Group on Oct 10, 2022 2:05:27 PM

Today, even the most seasoned parts managers are in danger of burnout.

Dealership parts backorders, a symptom of the ongoing inventory shortage, are creating more than profit loss. Interdepartmental tension, frustrated customers, and a stressed-out parts staff have only increased since 2020.

Some parts departments aren’t even getting an ETA for the parts and accessories they need. More loyal customers might be understanding, while most blame the dealership. 

For parts managers, an already difficult job has been exacerbated. Nobody wants to be sitting on their hands waiting on parts, yet that’s the very situation we find ourselves in today. 

What can management do to take hold of the dealership inventory problem and be a positive force?

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Topics: Accessories sales, parts manager, parts department

Using Car Pre-Sales to Increase Profits

Posted by Insignia Group on Sep 20, 2022 3:54:45 PM

According to industry experts, the inventory shortage will continue into 2024. 

Though predictions are what they are, dealerships across the country can agree that mass influxes of inventory are not on the horizon. 

E-commerce swallowed up traditional car buying out of necessity that later morphed into convenience. And today's buyers love convenience. So much so, in fact, that customer satisfaction with the buying experience reached an all-time high. 

Most dealerships got a handle on online sales just in time to face a new problem with inventory shortage. Today that issue is top of mind. 

Still, we’re an industry that adapts to changing needs and overcomes them! Dealers can meet the demand for online sales while combating shortages with car pre-sales. 

Not only that, pre-sales are a versatile tool that will also help salespeople learn how to sell cars when it’s slow. 

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Topics: Dealership, tips

Increasing Fixed-Ops ROI at Auto Dealerships

Posted by Insignia Group on Sep 13, 2022 12:27:52 PM

Parts managers and Service managers face the biggest challenges in increasing profit for services and monitoring the ROI of third-party resources. 

Today, fixed operations are faced with an even more urgent need to increase revenue, while inventory shortages result in unmet needs and plenty of backorders. 

How can a dealership create a successful parts department and a thriving service lane under the current conditions? The answer is simple yet complex.

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Topics: Accessories System, profit, parts department

How to Use Insignia Group with Your Digital Retailer

Posted by Whitney Williams on Aug 22, 2022 3:22:11 PM

Despite the pandemic, a chip shortage, and inflation, the car business didn't shut down…completely. Instead, customers took to the internet to buy their cars, and dealerships adapted to meet that need. 

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Topics: Dealership, success

Why You Need to Know Most Popular Parts by Sales

Posted by Whitney Williams on Aug 18, 2022 1:31:14 PM

Accessory catalogs are a dime a dozen. Complex accessory selling systems with reporting to prove R&I, incentive employees, and strategically boost sales are not. 

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Topics: Accessories System, Educate, Insignia Group

Why Monitor Parts Views vs Vehicle Views for Auto Accessory Sales

Posted by Whitney Williams on Aug 12, 2022 3:31:45 PM

When your bottom line is a significant department focus, it's vital to have tools that give you a well-rounded picture of what you're selling. Insignia Group is that tool for selling accessories at a dealership. In addition, we have many different reports available that managers can use to monitor their teams and move products faster than ever before—including the report for parts and vehicle views.

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Topics: Accessories System, Insignia Group

Are Accessories Being Presented in Your Insignia Group System?

Posted by Insignia Group on Aug 8, 2022 2:02:18 PM

 

You have the Insignia Group system, and you’re pretty sure you’re selling accessories to customers, so now what do you do?

Find out if it’s true! Our system is great for presenting accessories, tracking orders, creating new product bundles, adjusting pricing across the board, and making fixed operation jobs more effective. All those things are wonderful—until you discover that only half the teams that are supposed to be using it are actually using it.

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Topics: Accessories System

Becoming a Successful Dealer Principal

Posted by Insignia Group on Jul 20, 2022 11:38:52 AM

Today, the automotive industry is in critical need of strong leadership. The nature of car buying continues to bend and reshape itself amid the ongoing challenges initiated in 2020. 

Though the term “Dealer Principal” can sometimes be used interchangeably with “General Manager,” this article is geared toward dealership owners. 

Exceptional customer service and high-integrity business practices start at the top of any owner’s priorities! To become a successful Dealer Principal, you’ve got to start with perfecting your own skillset as a leader, customer service manager, salesperson, parts expert, and service strategist. 

Here are three tips for setting yourself apart:

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Topics: Dealership, tips, dealer principal, general manager