#generalmanager

  1. Chris Vitale

    Ninjas Who Are We - no longer cuts it?

    We can do many things to stand out against the competition. Quality phone skills, streamlined processes, and even an up-to-date website. Yet many of us struggle to achieve any of the above tasks. Have we ever stepped back and asked ourselves why we cannot accomplish any (or all) of the above...
  2. Chris Vitale

    Ninjas Let the Good Times End?

    There's nothing sweeter than looking at a hot P&L statement. Sitting back in the chair throwing air hoops for a job well done. Or maybe you’re browsing online for another Rolex to add to your collection. All of this is well and good. In fact, it's fantastic. What's not so fantastic are the...
  3. Chris Vitale

    What I’ve learned as a vendor: About Dealer GM’s (Part Two)

    A dealer is only as good as its GM. A bad GM can wreak havoc on your dealership's success. In the last two years, it’s been a wild ride. And for some GM’s a wild joy ride of selling over sticker, forgoing training, and worse - falling back into bad habits. Habits like not following up with...
  4. Chris Vitale

    What I’ve Learned as a Vendor About Vendors

    Have you ever experienced a relationship with a vendor that went south because they failed to deliver on their word? Where they spend more time peddling excuses than making things right? I just recently went through a vendor break-up. Asking myself, why do we allow bad vendors to continuously...
  5. Chris Vitale

    Now that we're at sticker, why don't we stay here?

    I remember it like it was yesterday, the first time a car was discounted to make a deal. It was 1932, in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Big Red Ewing accepted $1,450 “out the door” for a brand new 1933 Studebaker Dictator that stickered for $1,466 Plus TTL. Now, whether or not that’s true, I...
  6. Chris Vitale

    Why Training in the Budget

    Every year we’re asked to create the same budget to then change it mid-month until about May and then stop paying attention to it altogether. About the only consistent items we accounted for were the rent factor, management fee if part of a group, the DMS, the CRM and maybe the utilities. You...
  7. Chris Vitale

    Why is Training Like a Gym Membership

    Ugh, the "gym membership…." Half the battle is making the conscious decision to get that gym membership. But make no mistake, just because we have a gym membership doesn't mean we use it. Well, the same can be said for training. While you do have training in place for your Managers, Consultants...
  8. Chris Vitale

    Letter to myself

    Looking back 15 years ago at my role as General Manager, I would approach everything differently. Some time ago, I thought that going into the dealership and restructuring everything from day one was the way to go. But as you learn invaluable lessons from experience, you realize that not...