A Little Fun: The Automotive Calendar Explained

[Alex Snyder]

Happy Holidays everyone!  How about a little break on Dealer Refresh, with an explanation of what each month means in the car-year.   Have some fun with it!

That's right, save your champagne and New Years songs for September.


September:  First “oh shits” hit when sales start to slow.  New model year arrives to help make more sales. Salespeople are still living large.  Vendors are doing okay.
October: Second “oh shits” hit.  More new models roll out to help.  Salespeople start complaining about not having traffic.  No more new vendors!

November: Executive management “oh shits” turning into – “somebody make changes”.  New models selling for invoice.  Salespeople stop using their drycleaners.  Vendors keep a knockin’ but can’t come in!

December: That "somebody" starts figuring out which outside managers can be recruited and who can be replaced.  New models have incentives from manufacturers.  Salespeople start dipping into savings.  Vendors fired!

January: Newly recruited managers start and old managers leave.  New models being sold for under invoice. Salespeople start getting jobs in the real estate business.  What’s a vendor?

February: New promises from management. Those new models are being traded in.  It is time to start training salespeople again.  Vendors are saying NADA FTW (For The Win)!

March: Management heads back to the golf course.  KBB & Edmunds start buying cars again.  Massive sales hiring begins.  Dealers start calling vendors with a timid “hey – remember me….yeah, we fired you in December, but….”

April to August = no worries…keep bringing me new vendors!

 

[[email protected]]

Bravo Alex! I LMAO at this one. You really hit it out of the park. They need to put this on dispaly at the Smithsonian to describe the dealership word or maybe even the Henry Ford museum!

 

[ben.anderson]

April to August: you forgot - SELL SELL SELL!!! And the cycle continues...

 

[Audrey Knoth]

Alex ... can you please include when "the end of the month" is for each of these months? Any clarification of that mystery would be welcome!

Audrey Knoth
Goldman & Associates Public Relations

 

[Dave Rudey]

TOO FUNNY!

You keep on knockin but u can't come in.... I'm watchin up in SMOKE tonight!

Jeff- congrats on the new addition.

And all, have a safe and blessed holiday!

All the best,
Dave

 

[Chuck]

That is hilarious Jeff! Kbb starts buying cars again!!!! Thanks for the laugh.

 

[Mitch]

I knew I was working in an industry of million-dollar lemonade stands when my first Sales Manager got fired in March because he wasn't rolling as many units as his predecessor was rolling in August (store's best month in past 12). And I remember thinking, don't these GMs look at a calendar?

 

[Jason (blog)]

> an industry of million-dollar lemonade stands

OMG!!!! TOOOO FUNNYYY!!!!!
you hit the nail right on the head!

 

[Yago Paramo]

As a current vendor that also sold cars for many years I find amusing that many dealers fail to understand this simple cycle.

 

[Joe Turner (blog)]

Very funny and right on the money.