Before writing this column, I read stories on the following: Automakers maintained sales momentum in November by offering big discounts, and the SAAR is still way below last November’s level; Ford hired the former head of Steelcase to rethink how cars connect with the outside world; Nissan is accelerating its plans for allowing all models, even older ones that didn’t come with connectivity, to be connected cars.
If that isn’t enough to tell you the way that cars will be sold in the future will be radically different, consider this earth-shaking news: Akio Toyoda will head up Toyota’s EV division!!! Wait a minute, isn’t Toyota the company that planted its flag on the hill of hybrid sales and the eventual dominance of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles?
For dealers, all these stories should point to one thing – dealerships need to be thinking about revolutions in auto retailing. Revolutions, not evolutions. Evolutions take too long.
Somewhat ironically given that tirade, one of this week’s stories is about how one dealer is staking her success on an old-fashioned strategy – maintaining good relationships. Christine Alicandro Karnolt places a lot of faith in being very involved with the communities where her dealerships operate, and with having happy employees to sell cars to customers in those communities and beyond. Read her profile in this issue.
A valuable aspect of being a niche publication is the ability to offer our readers in-depth information on specific aspects of the buy sell process, such as the settlement, or closing, statement. This week, Christopher Koenig at Bellavia Blatt & Crossett offers some time-and hassle-saving tips on preparing a closing statement. For example, use an Excel spreadsheet instead of a Word document. That way you won’t have to re-do the math each time a number changes.
We also have, naturally, Transaction News.
Enjoy!
