Featured MarketeerIan Godbold
Responsible for developing and executing an aggressive digital ROI focused business strategy for profitable growth and increase market share in the automotive dealer sector, whilst effectively integrating online with the core business
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DEC-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Return of Margin Compression? Yes, But Not Necessarily
I’ve been struck by how often the term “margin compression” has come up in recent conversations with dealers.
| Comments DEC-2022 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime GPS in Practice: A Big Difference Between Two Dealer Groups
I’ve been talking to a lot of dealers lately about how they’re doing in used vehicles. Often, I’m in these conversations because a dealer’s become convinced that vAuto’s new inventory management solution, ProfitTime GPS, is causing a performance problem.
NOV-2022 - dalepollak.com
Emerging Pressure Points on Used Vehicle Profitability
As dealers are getting ready to close out 2022, some are seeing two trendlines in their used vehicle performance that give them pause.
NOV-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Persistent, Two-Pronged Used Vehicle Pricing Problem
I’m seeing it day after day. At almost every dealership. It’s what can only be described as a problematic, two-pronged pricing problem.
NOV-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Parallel Between Baseball and ProfitTime GPS
‘Tis the season to be thinking about baseball. Here in Texas, a lot of people are hoping the Houston Astros live up to their potential as 2022 World Series favorites.
NOV-2022 - Ian Godbold
Wham
As we move into November it is that time of the year where we can play Automotive “Whamageddon”. No- not listening for the first play of Wham’s “Last Christmas”, but listening for those 3 little words that marketeers dread, from the first dealer that states “It’s gone quiet”.
NOV-2022 - Ian Godbold
3 very different conversations in a week
I bumped into an ex-colleague last week, an extremely talented and experienced GM who fedback that in his time working for his new employer (12 months) he had not heard from or seen anyone from the marketing department. The GM runs a substantial size franchise dealership. He went on to say that he had seen articles and posts on LinkedIn on how customer service initiatives are at the heart of everything they did - however he never had any overview and felt there was a disconnect between the marketing department and the dealerships.
OCT-2022 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime GPS in Practice: A Closer Look at a Bronze Car Problem
Across the country, the share of distressed vehicles in dealer inventories is rising.
OCT-2022 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime GPS in Practice: “Fishing Where the Fish Are”
A little more than 60 days ago, when Gettel Automotive in Bradenton, FL, began using ProfitTime GPS in earnest, Kurt Fisher, director of pre-owned operations for the 18-store group, knew he’d have work to do.
OCT-2022 - Ian Godbold
The importance of local search / Google My Business
We’ve recently conducted research on the impact of local search in the UK automotive dealer sector, and was surprised to find that many Google My Business (GMB), or the re-branded Google Business Profiles, have not been set up correctly or fully optimised.
SEP-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Pivotal Time for Dealers and Used Vehicles
It’s a pivotal time for dealers retailing used cars as they head into the final quarter of 2022.
SEP-2022 - dalepollak.com
Why It’s Time To Tighten Up and Be Ready in Used Vehicles
Two things occurred in the past week that prompt this call for dealers to be ready for a rougher run in used vehicles for the remainder of the year than many, including me, have expected.
AUG-2022 - dalepollak.com
“CPR” to Offset Declining CPO Profits, Sales for Dealers
I’m seeing more fault lines around certified pre-owned (CPO) sales that, over the years, have become the backbone of used vehicle departments for many franchise dealers.
AUG-2022 - dalepollak.com
ProfitTime GPS in Practice: From Skeptical to Sold
When Mike Cirona, general manager of Scott Robinson Honda in Torrance, CA, initially heard about ProfitTime GPS, he didn’t think his store’s used vehicle department would benefit from it.
AUG-2022 - Ian Godbold
Since setting up my consultancy business
Since setting up my consultancy business, the last 4 weeks have been a whirlwind: meetings with Heads of business, Industry commentators, High St Retailers, Marketing Directors, Call Centre Managers, and the guys at the coal face (the Operators); I am starting to see some trends emerging.
AUG-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Time to Rethink How You Manage Inventory Age
Three market conditions have converged to cause dealers and used vehicle managers to return to inventory age management policies that call for immediate wholesaling of vehicles that reach 45 or 60 days in inventory.
AUG-2022 - Ian Godbold
Pricing by Retail Rating - The new metric in velocity trading
During the last few months I have been researching the intro and exit price positions of stock on Autotrader, broken down by Retail Rating (formerly desirability).
JUL-2022 - dalepollak.com
Beware the Pitfalls of a “New Car Masquerade” in Used Vehicles
In the past few weeks, I’ve come to understand what I’d call a “new car masquerade” in used vehicle departments across the country.
JUL-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Primer on Used Vehicle Price Sensitivity
As the used vehicle market returns to more normal conditions, I feel compelled to reiterate a perspective on retail price sensitivity that seems to have been lost over the course of the past two years.
JUL-2022 - dalepollak.com
More Eyes on Dealers’ New Vehicle Mark-Ups
A couple months ago, an associate asked if I’d heard or seen any chatter among dealers about an apparently crowd-sourced site (www.markups.org) that listed new vehicle markups and the dealers who made them.
JUL-2022 - dalepollak.com
It’s a “Whole Truth” Tuesday!
I thought I’d put out a quick post to highlight that, after production and supply chain delays, my latest book, Whole Truth: A Fresh Money-Making Method to Wholesale, the Most Misunderstood Side of Your Business, is now officially available on Amazon and other retail outlets.
JUL-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Rosier View of A Recession, Plus a Moment of Used Vehicle Opportunity
If you follow the news and related commentary on social media, you may well be thinking that the United States is heading toward a recession, if we’re not already in the initial stages of one.
JUN-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Mid-Year Gut-Check on Used Vehicle Market Conditions
As we close in on the halfway point of 2022, I think most dealers would agree with the following statement: While used vehicle sales and profits remain solid, they are nothing like they were at this time last year.
JUN-2022 - dalepollak.com
A Memorable Honor from NIADA
I received a humbling and significant honor from NIADA (the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association) yesterday at the group’s convention in Las Vegas. They presented me with a Ring of Honor, an award they give to select leaders who advance the growth and professionalism of the automotive industry.
A Closer Look at an Uncertain, Unpredictable Used Vehicle Market
Are Car Dealerships the Safest Retail Experience?
Digital Marketing Strategy - A return to a traditional KPI
Desire, Commitment Drive Impressive Used Vehicle Turn-Around
A 2019 Priority: Managing Your Inventory Investment Value
Independent Dealer Realizes His Car Business Dream
4 Misunderstandings About Price In Today’s Auto Retail Market
3 Best Practices To Beat Used Vehicle Margin Compression
3 Takeaways to retail a larger share of vehicles in less than 30 days, and improving overall profitability and ROI in used vehicles.
Key Benchmarks Top Used Vehicle Dealers Achieve to Outpace Others In The US Market
Comment: 2924 Days Ago
3 Best Practices To Beat Used Vehicle Margin Compression
Old habits and expectations are hard to break. More profit made because the sale price increased. ..