Blog

When your Q1 earnings rise, people listen. That’s the case with four publicly traded auto dealership groups. Asbury, AutoNation, Lithia, and Sonic all have initiatives in play. All four keys to ease of sale and a streamlined buying experience. Some have encountered setbacks. They all remain on track to transform the way consumers shop for cars, though

Fiat Chrysler will raise vehicle invoice prices, but not retail prices, it announced. It's a move that could crimp profits for U.S. dealerships.

In the past few years, dealers have found that leasing has become a more popular choice for car buyers. When a customer leases, there are many advantages to both the buyer and the seller. Consumers enjoy the benefit of low payments, the ability to get a new car every few years, and latest technology and safety systems.

Realizing that most car shopping begins online, well before contacting a sales professional the dealerships do everything possible to generate showroom traffic.  Once in the store the sales team does everything to make sure the prospect leaves as a new customer!

In order to promote products and services in the dealership, many dealers invest heavily in elaborate displays like a kiosk.  In theory, it's cool. It probably even looks good sitting in your showroom--but as a stand-alone display, it lacks the valuable influence of a trained salesperson.

A couple of years ago, Chicago was riddled with potholes through a long winter.  After seeing customer after customer come in with blown tires and bent wheels we saw an opportunity-- and not just for the parts and service department. We saw an opportunity to better serve our customers.

So, you think you are a good General Sales Manager?  Numbers are up, you have an excellent sales record and your sales team is great. What else can you do? You may be thinking " what more could your dealership ask for?" Consider what it takes to go from good to greatness in the way of profitable car sales. As a GSM or SM that wants to achieve greatness, you have to embrace new technology and tools that help you do your job better. Here are two examples of a GSM and SM who have done just that and, as a result, increased their ROI to the dealership. Want to do the same? Read further.

When presented with a prospect, one of your first questions will be: “What are you looking for in your new car?” From there you’ll narrow down the type of vehicle, make, model, and list of features. Features on a vehicle used to not carry much importance, but today they can be a major sales solution. Today’s “A la carte” culture has placed an extreme level of significance on options in a purchase deal. Another factor weighing heavily on the car deal is a customer’s budget.  So, what do you do when a customer’s taste in features doesn’t fit their budget?

You let them order “A la carte.”

In the Insignia blog, we've discussed the growing automotive accessories market and the 4 main advantages of offering accessories. Now, we'll take a closer look at each of these advantages. Today--the financing advantage. 

Last month, Insignia was asked to be a co-presenter at the Volkswagen National After Sales Meeting in Nashville, TN. The focus of the show was on fixed operations, with heavy emphasis on vehicle personalization and customer experience. VW goes an extra mile to provide life-style merchandise and accessories for it's buyers.