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The internet sales department was thrust into the spotlight in 2020, becoming center stage overnight. 

The automotive industry is changed forever, and so has the role of the Internet sales manager. That fifteen minutes of fame as the coolest cat in the dealership morphed into a ton of pressure to keep up with demand. Once the sunglasses were a status symbol, now they're covering dark circles from losing sleep over digital retailing.

As car sales continually evolve, internet sales managers can focus on the basics to remain competitive: getting more leads and an excellent staff to pursue them. 

Here are five tips for running a successful internet sales department in 2023.

The future of automotive is only a click away. 

Automotive News reports many big-name dealer groups fully adopted digital retailing last year, selling over 5,000 cars online in Q1 alone. 

As more dealerships work with online customers, kinks in the process start to emerge. 

It’s common knowledge that Vehicle Personalization is a big business and an integral part of car buying. Dealerships can’t afford to leave accessory profit potential on the table just because the customer is shopping online. The problem is that digital retailers don’t allow dealers to set their own pricing and labor for accessories, and stores end up eating labor costs. 

It’s a huge frustration, and some GMs throw the baby out with the bathwater, abandoning accessories altogether. 

Only that won’t work, either. It’s not sustainable long term. Ninety percent of customers will personalize their vehicles—if your store doesn’t offer it, they’ll buy it from the aftermarket retailer down the street. 

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. 

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:

Dealership service advisors have the opportunity for upward mobility. With a high school diploma and some automotive education or experience, you can begin your career as a service advisor with a clear path for advancement. 

From there, becoming your dealership’s top service advisor will increase your salary and put you on the path to climbing the ladder. Whether your plan is to become the top service advisor—and maybe, eventually, a service manager, or even a general manager—it starts with excelling in your current role. 

In an ideal world, your dealership supports your advancement and offers continuing service advisor training to help you improve. If that’s not the case, there are things you can do to create your own success. 

Follow these dealership service department best practices to become the top service advisor in your store by 2023!

The growth of electric vehicles is only increasing, and this growth will touch every department in the dealership. 

Specifically, the service department. 

Electric vehicles have fewer mechanical parts, which means fewer after-sales service appointments. And while consumers will undoubtedly continue to have maintenance issues, electric vehicles will significantly lessen foot traffic in the service department.

Welcome to your new role as an integral part of dealership operations! 

Fixed operations are enhanced by the service manager working hand in hand with the parts department. The service lane can generate new revenue, boost CSI scores, and increase accessory sales when run properly. 

As the service manager, you’ll become the most indispensable aspect of a well-run store. You’ll wear many hats, and be required to change them often. Here are some tips to ensure your success!

The check engine light in a car is a warning sign of an underlying problem. Objections are no different. They’re a sign to point you to the actual problem.

Every day, car salesmen and women do mental gymnastics to get a car sold. At first, it can be strenuous and stressful—so practicing overcoming objections will make you more skilled. Before long, you'll be flipping over that balance beam with grace.

Selling accessories at the point of sale can also bring objections. Learning to bend without breaking in this arena offers enormous payoff. Within 90 days of purchase, 80% of your customers will accessorize their car. You can be sure that they’re going to buy accessories somewhere. 

Learn to overcome these common objections and get that cash back in your pocket.