Will 2024 be a return to normal?
Is there even a new normal in the dealership world or is the business just in constant evolution? Often when I speak with folks from auto retail, I often get the question “when do you think things will be back …
Category: Aspects Of Operations
2024 is right around the corner
Now is the time to make your plans for next year, especially with so much uncertainty. In many ways I find that the beginning of fall is the perfect time to start planning for next year. By the time …
It’s a crazy world
Operating a dealership these days isn’t for the faint of heart. Are you still in the game? At this point in 2023, we find ourselves in a very crazy world. Dealers have many outside influences to consider as they attempt …
Stay alive until twenty twenty-five!
Words for the wise as dealers navigate the murky waters ahead. As I was driving to a meeting this morning and listening to Squawk Box on CNBC, they were discussing the current state of the economy and what could lie …
Light at the end of the tunnel
Optimists and pessimists have a lot to consider in the days ahead As we peek around the corner to get a glimpse of what could possibly lie ahead, I think of the saying “is that light at the end of …
Looking ahead is not easy
We may have to be prepared for some short-term pain before long-term gains To say that the past few years have been the catalyst to a ”new normal” would be an understatement. So many different world events since 2018, and …
Who do you talk to?
Getting out on the front lines now and again makes you a better boss and businessperson As dealers, we are decision makers. We are called upon daily to make split-second decisions. The management team we have built most often calls …
Storm or opportunity?
Dealers are making money but this isn’t the time for standing still Amidst all the chaos in the world today, quite surprisingly, the atmosphere at most Canadian car dealers is one of calm. Despite the prolonged and continuing supply …
How will inflation impact dealers and consumers?
After a long period of economic stability, uncertainty and volatility are here. Dealers have a lot to think about The older you get, the more cynical you become. Risk is best absorbed by the young and is supposed to be …
Added pressures but high confidence level for 2022
Things are rarely all good or all bad. Let’s take a look at how things are shaping up this year. As I write this article in early March, some influences in our world are improving, others hopefully will improve, and …
Fear of being left out
Let’s imagine two dealers talking about selling their businesses. What does that chat sound like? The world has changed over these past few years and it’s unclear whether it will revert to pre-pandemic norms. Many of us are positioning …
Everyone has an opportunity to win
The pandemic has opened eyes and disrupted the buy/sell game. Certainly 2020 and 2021 were very interesting times. The pandemic created an environment for significant consumer and business pressure. Some of this materialized in many industries as numerous small businesses …
