As the DEALER advocate magazine, DEALER
welcomes your letters, and after verification will run them signed or
unsigned. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.
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Fax (931) 388-4881 e-mail: mroscoe@dealeronline.com
phone wanting a five-minute interview. It is a busy world. I doubt any of this will play very well with the "powers" that be...it is too simple. I thoroughly enjoy DEALER magazine.
Jeff Hunter
Jeff Hunter Toyota/Chrysler
Waco, TX
Mr. Ziegler:
I look forward each month to your articles in DEALER magazine. Last month's
was the best yet. For three days now, I have broken into a smile each time
I think about the "little bugger." By now I am sure you have heard
about the Blue Oval Certification. With the aid of the Internet, I have communicated
with a number of select (small) Ford dealers. The consensus is pretty much
that this Blue Oval, as it stands, will finish off most of the smaller dealers.
Name withheld upon request
Jim,
Well, here we go again. HOT off the press, GM receives (not buys) 10% ownership
of Reynolds and Reynolds Computer Systems and states that R&R is now the
"preferred dealer management system provider" of computers and software.
Funny how GM got into bed with R&R so quickly; R&R announced a month
or so ago that they were developing hardware and software to help dealers
build their own standalone Web sites and e-business customer systems. Obviously,
GM couldn't stand the idea of their dealers conducting e-business without
them. In the letter to the dealers, GM states that they still need their dealers.
The next paragraph states that GM has to obtain regulatory and "other" approvals and definitive agreements. In other words, change franchise laws and get the dealers to sign agreements that allow R&R to release financial and other sensitive dealer info to GM via this new system. R&R is in probably 80% of the GM dealers, that's why GM needs them and is not recommending EDS as the DSP. Why does this scare the crap out of the dealers? Because everyone believes that GM wants to eventually sell cars directly to the public and have the dealers be nothing more than customer delivery points. Mark my word, if the franchise laws are changed, our dealerships will become worthless. We need a national dealer alliance that has the sole purpose of fighting issues such as these. GM doesn't
respect N.A.D.A. It's been 90 days since the convention when GM stood up and said they wanted to repair relations with their dealers...yet not one single act, just a bunch of sneaky hush-hush bullcrap.
One other quick note: GM Brand Focused Merchandising. They will be hitting up ALL dealers who sell more than 50 cars per year to purchase $15,000 worth of showroom display material. NOT optional...REQUIRED. Nice eh?
A Faithful Reader
Name withheld upon request
Mr. Roscoe,
I must tell you thank you for the great information you provide in your publication.
Right about seven months ago I read an article written by Fred Samuelson of
Management Resource Institute.
I inquired about the frozen capital program and it has turned out to be the most meaningful contact in all of my car life. Mr. Samuelson has put together a program that is comprehensible to all. Thawing frozen capital is one of the most important parts of the vitality of my business. This program is by far the best.
I firmly believe it helped me in becoming the dealer that I am today. I never felt more confident in my ability than when I was putting together my business plan for franchise approval. Thank you, Fred Samuelson, and to DEALER magazine for sharing the resources to be the best!
Joseph A. Alvarez, Dealer, Gainesville Ford, Mitsubishi
Gainesville, FL
Jim Ziegler,
Your comments about J.D. Powers hit the target. I have no use for them either.
Hire surgeons, you get a lot of surgery; hire lawyers and you get a bunch
of lawsuits. Let J.D. Powers canvass the world and they will give you more
information than you will ever need and more than you can ever analyze. We
hand our customers leaving our cashier a postage-paid card that says, "Did
our service please you?" Then we leave the rest of the card blank for
the customer to write in anything they desire. Amazingly simple. If you shut
up and let the customer "talk," it is amazing how much information
you can gather to fix specific problems. It is interesting that J.D. Powers
sends me a couple of bucks or an offer to send my favorite charity a small
contribution for filling in their survey regarding the manufacturers. Heaven
forbid if we dealers "bait" a customer who has bought a car or we
try to buy his/her "good" response to an "excellent."
You know "good" is not enough! The smoke and mirrors always seem
an easy item to sell the factory. I will say Chrysler's Five Star program
is an excellent program. It lends itself to the process of making the right
calls instead of measuring CSI and SSI. When a good five star process is in
place the CSI and SSI go up! J.D. Powers should ask three questions:
1. Are you happy with the quality of the manufactured vehicle?
2. Were you happy with the dealer selling you the car?
3. Would you recommend the vehicle and dealer to a friend?
Leave a few lines for a comment section and give the people a postage-paid envelope. Quit interrupting their dinner on the
