Perfect Dealership

Remember travel agencies? They were a thriving business not so long ago. Then online services transformed the industry, and brick-and-mortar travel agencies died--and died quickly. Today, traditional car dealerships are facing much the same threat. Innovative and convenient digital startups and services threaten to disrupt the traditional car-sale process, egged on by consumers who aren't happy with the existing sales process. If car dealerships don't adapt, they too will face an industry-wide extinction. Perfect Dealership offers help and hope for dealerships struggling to adapt to this digital-based paradigm shift. Consultant Max Zanan applies fifteen years of automotive-industry experience to the future of the car dealership. Arguing that dealerships must make significant changes if they are to survive the coming storm, Zanan takes a close look at every department within the business, including human resources,business development centers,information technology,parts and service, andfinance and insurance.By improving the role of each department and transforming them from individual echelons into a cohesive whole, Zanan offers a road map for the creation of a perfect dealership--the only way to remain relevant and solvent in the digital age.

This book is the pocket guide I wish I had when I first became a general manager of a Mitsubishi dealership in New York. Honestly, I am not the brightest star in the sky and made every mistake anyone could've possibly made. Unfortunately, I see dealer principals/general managers/general sales managers making the same mistakes today. The only difference is the time and consequences of these mistakes. I got my first GM gig in 2004. That was in the beginning days of the Internet, before millennials joined the workforce, and way before any viable disrupters entered the market space. It was a lot easier to get away with mistakes then. I don't think you could get away with making the same mistakes now. The stakes are too high. Automotive retail profit margins are tiny. According to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), automotive net profit margin as of March 31, 2019 was merely 1.38 percent. As a result, every misstep makes it harder to stay in business.The car business desperately needs better leadership skills, understanding of social media, inventory management, fixed operations, and so much more. There is no educational barrier to the entry into car business, and there are only a handful of universities offering a major in car dealership general management, such as Liberty and Keiser. On top of that, only a tiny percentage of dealer principals and general managers attend the National Automobile Dealer Association University. That means that a vast majority of general managers receive training on the job, even if we took business-related classes in college. The auto business is a different animal. General information will only carry you so far. That is exactly why general managers make the same mistakes year after year. My goal is to break this vicious cycle and provide as much information as possible to ensure that automotive retail survives the disruptions we are witnessing today. We need to be ready for the next generation of car buyers, people who are more computer savvy and not afraid to search for better deals. According to surveys, 80 percent of millennials plan to buy a vehicle in the next five years. In fact, millennials worldwide will buy about 40 percent of all vehicles in the next decade. At the same time, they spend an average of 17 hours on line before going to a dealership.Are you ready for them?

This is my fourth book on the auto industry, and I have written it because this business is complicated, sophisticated, and ever-changing. Automotive retail is changing slowly, and one of the main reasons for that are the franchise laws. I want to urge you to operate as though franchise laws don't exist to protect you. Carvana is not going anywhere and neither is Amazon. At some point they will join forces. Also, OEM's such as Tesla, Rivian, and many more are going to go directly to the consumer, bypassing the dealer network altogether. At the end of the day, awesome customer service, whether in sales, service, or parts, will keep your customers coming back for more. Poor service and a cumbersome sales experience will drive them elsewhere-Carvana, CarMax, Tesla, Jiffy Lube, Firestone, Good Year, Valvoline, NAPA Parts, Pep Boys, etc.COVID-19 is already having a profound effect on consumer behavior and the way in which we buy and service cars. I predict that there will be two types of dealers after this pandemic abates-the first will change their business operations, adopting frictionless digital and showroom retail; the second will hope that things go back to normal and that nothing needs to change. Unfortunately, the second type of dealer will be out of business. It is ultimately your choice whether to accept change. Consumers will continue to purchase cars. The only question is: Will they will be buying from you?

One million. That's how many new ideas the Toyota organization receives from its employees every year. These ideas come from every level of the organization - from the factory floors to the corporate suites. And organizations all over the world want to learn how they do it. Now Matthew May, Senior Advisor to the University of Toyota, reveals how any company can create an environment of every day innovation and achieve the elegant solutions found only on the far side of complexity. A tactical guide for team-based innovation, THE ELEGANT SOLUTION delivers the formula to the three principles and ten practices that drive business creativity. Innovation isn't just about technology - it's about value, opportunity and impact. When a company embeds a real discipline around the pursuit of perfection, the sky is the limit. Dozens of case studies (from Toyota and other companies) illustrate the power and universality of these concepts; a unique 'clamshell strategy' prepares managers to ensure organizational success. At once a thought-shaper, a playmaker, and a taskmaster, THE ELEGANT SOLUTION is a practical field manual for everyone in corporate life.

Automotive retail is at crossroads--either it gets better or becomes extinct. Consumers are dissatisfied with the sales process in brick and mortar dealerships and that is the driving force behind the rise of Carvana and other industry disrupters. However, it is not too late to fix the way car dealerships operate and improve their reputation. Car Business 101 highlights irrational and counterproductive behavior that car dealers engage in on a daily basis. If you own or work in a car dealership it will be easy to recognize insanity that goes on in Sales, F&I, BDC, HR, and Parts & Service departments. This book offers a fresh perspective and plenty of practical solutions that should be implemented as soon as possible. It is informative and entertaining at the same time. It is a must read for dealer principals, dealership employees, and vendors that service car dealers.

“So What Are You Going to Do Now?” This question often leaves young adults feeling fearful and confused as they look towards life careers. Author Bob Bittner says finding work you love is not as intimidating as it seems. Your Perfect Job helps readers identify their passions, skills, and inclinations in terms of God’s calling on their lives. Readers will better understand why it’s important to do what they love, how to get started on a career path that is meaningful, how to make mid-course changes, and how to start a new job on the right foot. Drawing on interviews with dozens of young working professionals, Your Perfect Job introduces readers to a wide array of career opportunities and shows how real people went from less than perfect jobs into careers that perfectly matched their personality and passions. Designed for young adults, this book is a perfect selection for high school and college grads, or someone getting ready to make a career change.

A revised and expanded look at how to thrive and prosper in the financial advisory business A new and revised edition of the eye-opening, no-nonsense handbook on managing and growing a financial-advisory business, Practice Made (More) Perfect is packed with industry insight and practical ideas that every leader and manager within a financial advisory practice needs to know in order to get the most out of their business. Regardless of how little time is available or how seriously challenged a firm may be, this book contains the information that can help. The principles of sound management apply to firms of all types, and the tools provided in this book are guaranteed to be applicable under practically any circumstances. Written by industry expert Mark Tibergien, one of the "25 Most Influential" people in the financial services industry A new edition of a bestselling Bloomberg title Includes fresh insight on recent topics, including how advisors responded during the latest meltdown, the implications of the aging advisory profession, the challenges of attracting and keeping both clients and staff, the role of organizational design in a growing business, recent changes in compensation planning and implementation, and key information on leadership and management in today's financial world Many financial advisers run their businesses as if acquiring more clients will solve any and all problems, but without a strategic framework, more clients just lead to more demands and less time to meet them. The truly successful firm will build strategy, structure, and processes that will ultimately translate into increased profits, cash flow, and transferable value.