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Is life at the dealership feeling a little heavy lately? Maybe you need something fluffy to lighten your load.

Our pets make the day a bit brighter, and we know they’ll have the same effect on you. Here’s an update on the main characters of Insignia Group, plus a few noteworthy new additions.

Accessory sales are one of the most underutilized profit centers in automotive retail. Yet many dealerships limit their opportunity by tying accessory presentation too closely to real-time inventory.

Do your dealership leaders think about success in terms of unit volume? More cars sold, more deals closed, more monthly punch.

That mindset leaves a massive amount of profit sitting untouched inside your store every single day. The truth is, you can make significantly more profit without selling one more car.

Many dealerships underutilize the various profit centers operating under one roof. Rather than one business, think of each of your major departments as money machines with the power to create new revenue streams.

In any dealership, complexity is the enemy of consistency. And nowhere is that more true than in accessory sales. When pricing is inaccurate or part information is incomplete, even the best sales process breaks down. Sales teams hesitate, customers lose confidence, and deals slow to a snail’s pace.

At Insignia Group, our pets are basically our co-workers. 

They pop up unannounced in video calls, steal our lunch, nap in our chairs, and undoubtedly make the workday a whole lot better! Whether it’s a dog snoring at our feet or a cat climbing across the keyboard again, pets have become a regular part of the work-from-home vibe. 

Introducing a few of our favorite supporting characters: the pets of Insignia Group.

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. 

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?

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.

“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.