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In 2018, my dad is even talking about leasing a car. This is the same guy that is adamantly opposed to renting a house, and until lately would have never considered a lease. My dad always said you should never throw your money at something every month that you won’t eventually own.

But even Dad is raising his eyebrows at the opportunity to bring home a really nice vehicle at a fixed cost and turn it right back in when (Mom) is ready for a new one.  You won’t believe this, but my dad isn’t the only one that is on to something.

Turns out basically all of America got the same direct mailer because leasing is on the up and up, and still upping. If you’re not fully versed in the ease, joy, and beauty of accessorizing a leased vehicle, then get ready to be dazzled, my friend. Presenting personalization can’t be any easier than to your lease guy (or gal). *

Over the years, you may have talked to someone in Insignia’s customer care department 100 times, know their birthday, and even have an inside joke. You probably have an idea of who you think the voice on the other end of the phone is, or what they look like. Now you’ll know!  Let us introduce you to our Customer Care Experts (CCE) team dedicated to maintaining our level of ridiculous customer service.

Just a few years ago, you could resist the social media temptress. No, it wasn’t popular, but you could pull it off. Swim upstream a bit. Dabble, but resist diving right in. No more. The social media beast is hungry and it eats a full time salaried position at your dealership for breakfast.

Society as a whole has embraced  the culture of social media and the ease of access to search, shop, and even sell from an online platform. Your grandmother has been on Facebook for two years and is ready to move on to Instagram. Your customer is no exception--and you’ll lose business if you don’t believe it.

Your customer relies on you for many things: your expertise, flexibility, free coffee, and detective skills.

It’s not up to the person walking in the dealership to know all the personalization options available that make their car driving experience safer, more fun, more fancy, more attractive, or more social media post-worthy. As a sales person, changing your mindset from pitching another product to educating the customer on their options will make a world of difference.

Truly, you’ll do your customer a disservice by not presenting them with useful and exciting accessories for the second largest purchase OF THEIR LIFE. No pressure--but how might one know what to suggest?

Getting started with accessory sales can be overwhelming. You want to capitalize on the profits Vehicle Personalization offers, but you don’t know where to start.  We’ve got good news--there’s one simple technique that will tackle your major focuses and gain big results from all departments: the rule of three. Stocking accessories in threes reaps three major benefits. 

As a general manager or dealer principle, you’re all about increasing gross profit for your dealership while keeping laser focus on great CSI. Today’s customers are happy when they get what they want, and quickly. With Vehicle Personalization, your dealership can deliver on both demands with the rule of three.

*updated 3/15/2022

The Vehicle Personalization beast is growing—and it needs more room. Your showroom isn’t big enough to contain the accessory sales mammoth anymore. Vehicle customization is stretching its limbs into F&I sales, and your finance manager ought to receive Godzilla with open arms. While it’s a widely known fact that accessorizing vehicles at the point of sale benefits your bottom line and your customer, the benefit to all departments is less commonly agreed upon; especially when it comes to F&I benefits.

Imagine walking to the back of your lot and discovering a new vehicle from your inventory, literally picked up and put IN the dumpster. You stare in amazement trying to figure out how one of the most expensive cars on your lot is literally in the trash. Your blood pressure rockets as you realize that’s about $70,000 your dealership is about to write off to salvage...gone.

Now, apply that reaction to watching another sales person quit. According to recent studies, dealerships literally lose $70,000 to $100,000 per year on expenses related to sales staff turnover.

If you thought middle school gym class was nerve wracking, how about your first day in car sales?

Being the fresh face on the sales floor can be intense. There’s a lot to be learned and plenty of competition. While healthy dealerships foster a team atmosphere that builds each individual up, a desire to prove oneself is prevalent in the showroom.

With incentive checks, recognition, and promotions at stake, it’s no wonder that every good salesperson wants to be number one. When that need to achieve is nurtured in a good-natured environment, these highly motivated salespeople lay a sturdy foundation for profitable dealerships to build upon. But how do dealerships acculturate the new guy (or gal) to the competition without discouraging them?

Becoming a successful salesperson requires thorough training. While many pursue a sales career to complement natural people skills, even the best salesperson requires training specific to the dealership’s process. Think about your new employee training. What’s the length of the training, and what does it entail? How do you invest in your new sales staff to ensure a return on investment? Who supports new hires as they acclimate to the job? Most dealers can agree on a few key points when it comes to inducting staff, particularly on the sales floor. Proper training is essential, as well as support and follow-through from the employee’s manager.

No matter how you slice it, your sales team is paramount to your success as an automotive dealership. As the dealer, it’s your responsibility to create a favorable work environment where your floor team has an opportunity to make a living for themselves with the support of the management team. Qualifications to sell cars at your dealership should require more than willingness and a pulse. Too often a store succumbs to high turnover, and, in haste, hires Tommy Boy. Is there a way for dealership morale to thrive while front end gross increases?