Digital retailing isn’t going to replace you as a car salesperson. 

Digital retailing is the best tool you’ve had lately—it can make you more efficient, add more money to your pocket, and create a better work-life balance. 

Remember how you felt a few years ago when you realized you would have to sell cars online? There may be some unpleasant feelings of resistance there. 

Hey, that’s a normal reaction when people are forced into something. Today you can breathe easy because you’re in the driver’s seat again. Customers are walking in your dealership's doors as inventory fills the lot up again, and you have the internet at your fingertips. 

It’s the best of both worlds; what a great time to be a car salesperson. Here are four reasons why digital retailing makes you better at your job. 

If we asked your parts counter employees about you, what would they say?

Maybe “Oh, the parts manager? In need of a ten-day yoga retreat, preferably starting yesterday.”

Or would it be more like, “Stop being so darn happy all the time, Bruce!”

We get it. Working in the parts department was never a walk in the park, and the last several years upped the ante.

The industry is continually reinventing itself, and it can be a struggle to change the way things have always been. 

When Carvana came out in 2012, people scoffed at the idea of a vending machine approach to car buying. 

Today, buying anything online (sight unseen) is a viable and widely accepted option. 

“Consumers don’t just want personalization, they demand it.” -McKinsey & Company

Vehicle Personalization isn’t a difficult concept that will lay waste to the car sale. 

It’s statistics. The consumer’s need to personalize has been analyzed in depth. When dealerships understand the driving force behind the custom car accessories market, selling accessories will finally feel like the light work that it’s always been. 

A recent McKinsey report states that not only do consumers expect personalization, almost 80% get frustrated when they don’t get it. 

The world of auto accessories is as vast as the ocean. There are many ways to make a dollar using accessories, with both OE and aftermarket catalogs always growing, the possibilities are endless! 

Accessories are adaptable. They hold the power to push a hesitant customer to commit and put an extra incentive in a salesperson’s pocket. Auto accessories add profits in fixed ops, allow for better introductions to service, and transform dealerships into a one-stop shop for consumers. 

Dealers who sell accessories simply make more money. With the right strategy and sales process, your dealership sales are guaranteed to increase. 

An accessory catalog can change seasonally and by location. Still, some auto accessories have proven themselves as tried and true sellers regardless of the time or place. 

When you set out to become a Vehicle Personalization powerhouse, ensure you’re offering these five accessories at every opportunity.

Employee turnover has been cited as the #1 challenge for dealerships.

Recruiting, hiring, and retaining top talent has a price tag, and the revolving door of employee turnoverimpacts profitability. According to the 2022 NADA Dealership Workforce Study, "...employee turnover rate within the industry is currently at an average of 67 percent."

That’s a staggering number, considering that just one year before, Auto News reported turnover was the lowest it had been in a decade at only 34%. 

Dealers put money into hiring a new employee, only to lose them before their 90-day assessment. 

Employees that stick around longer end up irritated by the structured payment plans. And let’s face it, we’ve all experienced the pain of reduced margins which impact how sales consultants are compensated. 

So, what can dealers do about this age-old problem?

Economists differ on what’s coming next. One will argue that consumer spending is still strong, employment is still in an upward churn, and we’re just thawing out from the global freeze caused by the pandemic. Another will say an early 2023 recession is inevitable. 

Dealerships have to deal with future forecasts while simultaneously managing current challenges. Will high vehicle prices and low inventory give way to slowed demand?

Regardless of what awaits the automotive world in 2023, cars are an essential business and dealerships are notoriously resilient. 

The “due bill,” or We-Owe, originated from a need to protect both dealerships and customers from making false claims on a car sale.

Years ago the industry had a less-than-savory reputation for swindling people out of their hard-earned money. Sometimes, dealers would sell less than road-worthy cars for a premium price, only for the vehicle to break down on the new owner. 

A “he said/she said” scenario was born, with dealerships making promises and later backing out of them. With no proof of prior conversations, the customer found themselves with a lemon and no money.

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. 

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:

“Leadership is lifting a person's vision to high sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” - Peter Drucker

To lead a dealership or dealer group as the General Manager is to consistently raise the standard for every department. From the cleaning crew to the finance department, General Managers have the ability to command excellence that sets the store apart.