What ways could dealers be more transparent, IDEAS anyone?

[ruggles]

Ya know David, for the most part I follow what you post and I actually agree with the majority of it. I believe that you are very well versed in the industry, and basically know what you are talking about.

Not this time bro.

Why do I care about the overall view of our industry by consumers......because they are paying the bills! They are the reason that we are all in business, and without them we are all standing around talking about how fun the car business USED to be before we destroyed it.

If you stop caring about our customer's view of auto retail, you will soon no longer know how to make your customers "happier".

Your goal is to capitalize on differentiation? That's good, and I agree. What exactly do you think this entire thread is about? It is about differentiation through transparency. I don't believe that transparency is the answer, but some folks do. If they can round up customers that are looking for that, and that makes their customers "happier", than so be it.

The reason that you have "your own consumers" is because they trust you and they like the way that you do business. However, the way that we all do business changes. These changes come about for lots of reasons, one of which is certainly consumer perception.

Again, I am not of the belief that transparency is the answer, but if a customer comes through my door and wants to see a bookout sheet or a vehicle condition report......they are gonna get what they are asking for.

Its night likely I'm going to lose any sleep over my competitor's image with consumers unless its better than mine.

RE: "If you stop caring about our customer's view of auto retail, you will soon no longer know how to make your customers "happier"."

This is an arbitrary statement. As a dealer, its about getting the deal and making gross profit, not about saving the world, feeding all the hungry children, etc. The consumer has had its view of auto retail for as long as I've been watching it. You can either spend your time worrying about that or winning over the ones you can one at a time. You choose.

 

[Tallcool1]

Its night likely I'm going to lose any sleep over my competitor's image with consumers unless its better than mine.

RE: "If you stop caring about our customer's view of auto retail, you will soon no longer know how to make your customers "happier"."

This is an arbitrary statement. As a dealer, its about getting the deal and making gross profit, not about saving the world, feeding all the hungry children, etc. The consumer has had its view of auto retail for as long as I've been watching it. You can either spend your time worrying about that or winning over the ones you can one at a time. You choose.

That was kind of a smartass reply.

You just keep throwing in the undercoat and paint sealant, keep running those radio ads screaming about the deal of the century, buying those full page print ads, and dragging out that 50' tall purple gorilla. One at a time, you will win them over David.

Are you even in the car business? We all know that you WERE in the car business. Are you still in the car business? In case you haven't noticed David, this is a buyers market. It is no longer a seller's market. That was 40 years ago when you worked in your one price store.

 

[joe.pistell]

Clint,

Ruggles simply sees the world differently than we do.

DealerRefresh is a community full of Innovators and Early Adopters, Ruggles speaks for the laggards...




I think we need to be thankful for the Laggards, we eat their lunch every day and the Laggards think we all nuts.

 

[ruggles]

That was kind of a smartass reply.

You just keep throwing in the undercoat and paint sealant, keep running those radio ads screaming about the deal of the century, buying those full page print ads, and dragging out that 50' tall purple gorilla. One at a time, you will win them over David.

Are you even in the car business? We all know that you WERE in the car business. Are you still in the car business? In case you haven't noticed David, this is a buyers market. It is no longer a seller's market. That was 40 years ago when you worked in your one price store.

Is this where we compare credentials? I can tell you for a fact that with rare exception, auto retail has always been a buyers market. Exceptions would be when demand exceeds supply. How many of those do you recall? What's your point? State your case. You either want to charge everyone about the same, want to do One Price, or have something else in mind. But there is one thing you should get out of your mind. Consumers today have more information, but know less than in decades past. If you assume every consumer contacting you "knows" everything, you sound like every green pea who ever went to the desk with a deal. And if you think that's the basis for a sound retail strategy, I say, "Go for it." Your competitors will love you for it.

Why are there people in forums like this telling others how they should retail cars? What's in it for them? Why wouldn't people be working on finding their next buyer? Having vendors arguing about the advice they give to dealers is complete waste of time. Or is this a forum where the perceived winner of the competing views gets the bulk of the dealer business? I see evidence that there is a race going on to see who can be the most transparent. How in the world did that get to be the objective of auto retail. There's a simple answer to this inane question. Provide complete transparency, then come back an report in with your data. I suspect there are few here with the means to do that and would prefer the grand experiment be performed with OPM.

RE: "Are you even in the car business?" I should ask you the same thing? Are you out to sell cars or enhance auto retail's image in the minds of consumers? I would suggest that either is a full time job.

 

[ruggles]

Clint,

Ruggles simply sees the world differently than we do.

DealerRefresh is a community full of Innovators and Early Adopters, Ruggles speaks for the laggards...


View attachment 2563

I think we need to be thankful for the Laggards, we eat their lunch every day and the Laggards think we all nuts.

That's quite the arbitrary statement. There are many descriptive terms for "Innovators and Early Adopters." They aren't characterized by high batting averages. Making up one's own definitions, ignoring the laws of math and economics, and grasping at straws because they are "new" is hardly innovation. Anyone can come up with in idea, claim a win, and take a victory lap. Show us real data, not self serving surveys designed to prove the premise that existed before the research.

Is this the time to post a list of Innovators and Early Adopters who crashed and burned because it was more important to them to claim early adopter status than to heed facts on the ground? But here's the real question: How many of this are willing to do this on an auto retail scale using YOUR OWN MONEY versus trying to sell someone else on it using THEIR money. IF we can find someone actually doing it with their own money, chances are they'll be too busy to be participating here. But if we do, we can calculate the ratio of real players to vendors.

 

[csabatka1]

Is this where we compare credentials? I can tell you for a fact that with rare exception, auto retail has always been a buyers market. Exceptions would be when demand exceeds supply. How many of those do you recall? What's your point? State your case. You either want to charge everyone about the same, want to do One Price, or have something else in mind. But there is one thing you should get out of your mind. Consumers today have more information, but know less than in decades past. If you assume every consumer contacting you "knows" everything, you sound like every green pea who ever went to the desk with a deal. And if you think that's the basis for a sound retail strategy, I say, "Go for it." Your competitors will love you for it.

Why are there people in forums like this telling others how they should retail cars? What's in it for them? Why wouldn't people be working on finding their next buyer? Having vendors arguing about the advice they give to dealers is complete waste of time. Or is this a forum where the perceived winner of the competing views gets the bulk of the dealer business? I see evidence that there is a race going on to see who can be the most transparent. How in the world did that get to be the objective of auto retail. There's a simple answer to this inane question. Provide complete transparency, then come back an report in with your data. I suspect there are few here with the means to do that and would prefer the grand experiment be performed with OPM.

RE: "Are you even in the car business?" I should ask you the same thing? Are you out to sell cars or enhance auto retail's image in the minds of consumers? I would suggest that either is a full time job.

There are people in forums telling others how they should retail cars because it's a social forum and a place where we can gather to share ideas to bring back to our dealerships. It's no different than attending an dealer's conference or 20 Group. You attend to gain knowledge, share your knowledge, and gain an advantage all from non-competing dealers.

Your arguments probably sound a lot like executives in the taxi industry where innovative companies like Uber and Lyft were introduced. They refused to change their way of thinking and doing business because 'that's always how it's been done' and 'why change for the market'. Now most major city taxi companies are sitting on a 65%-80% decline in business.

Do you want to be a Yellow Cab or an Uber?

 

[Tallcool1]

Is this where we compare credentials? I can tell you for a fact that with rare exception, auto retail has always been a buyers market. Exceptions would be when demand exceeds supply. How many of those do you recall? What's your point? State your case. You either want to charge everyone about the same, want to do One Price, or have something else in mind.

I am not nor do I wish to be a One Price Store. I have no idea what I have posted that gives you that indication.

But there is one thing you should get out of your mind. Consumers today have more information, but know less than in decades past. If you assume every consumer contacting you "knows" everything, you sound like every green pea who ever went to the desk with a deal. And if you think that's the basis for a sound retail strategy, I say, "Go for it." Your competitors will love you for it.

You believe that today's customers have no more knowledge than in decades past?

Why are there people in forums like this telling others how they should retail cars? What's in it for them? Why wouldn't people be working on finding their next buyer?

The purpose of this thread is to assist dealers in doing exactly what you suggest...finding their next buyer.

Having vendors arguing about the advice they give to dealers is complete waste of time. Or is this a forum where the perceived winner of the competing views gets the bulk of the dealer business?

I am not a vendor, so have no qualification to respond to this.

I see evidence that there is a race going on to see who can be the most transparent. How in the world did that get to be the objective of auto retail. There's a simple answer to this inane question. Provide complete transparency, then come back an report in with your data. I suspect there are few here with the means to do that and would prefer the grand experiment be performed with OPM.

That is just stupid. I have said repeatedly in this thread that I do not believe transparency is the answer.

RE: "Are you even in the car business?" I should ask you the same thing?

Are you in the car business? I am in the car business. This forum is where I come to learn how to find my next customer. Are you in the retail business? If you are, how do you find your next customers? If not, when was the last time you were in the RETAIL car business?

Are you out to sell cars or enhance auto retail's image in the minds of consumers? I would suggest that either is a full time job.

I am undoubtedly out to sell more cars. I enhance the image of MY RETAIL AUTO establishment each and every time that a customer comes to my store. The challenge for me is getting more of them here. If you have any suggestions on how I can up my floor traffic count, I am all ears. I will listen.

You posted a comment about "differentiation". Share how you succeed through differentiation. Teach me how to attract more showroom traffic through differentiation.

 

[ruggles]

There are people in forums telling others how they should retail cars because it's a social forum and a place where we can gather to share ideas to bring back to our dealerships. It's no different than attending an dealer's conference or 20 Group. You attend to gain knowledge, share your knowledge, and gain an advantage all from non-competing dealers.

Your arguments probably sound a lot like executives in the taxi industry where innovative companies like Uber and Lyft were introduced. They refused to change their way of thinking and doing business because 'that's always how it's been done' and 'why change for the market'. Now most major city taxi companies are sitting on a 65%-80% decline in business.

Do you want to be a Yellow Cab or an Uber?

Well, it does seem clear that the coffee clutch and water cooler conventions have moved online. Do we have dealers here in the discussion, just their employees, or vendors? There's huge difference between employees providing positive reinforcement for themselves versus the real risk takers comparing notes.

Why would you use Uber as an example instead of the tens of thousands of "innovative companies" that cratered? What exactly are you selling? I haven't heard anything here that is new? I've heard some feeble attempts to apply certain definitions. Why would anyone be worrying about how to be more transparent? The question doesn't make any sense because the answer is so obvious. Just go to complete transparency. What's the mystery. And when that works, get back to us. And ignore that disintermediation thing. We'll worry about that when the time comes, right? And real car dealers are going to engage in such a discussion, how to create an efficient market that eliminates them? Are you kidding?

Would you rather be a traditional dealer, evolving as things develop, or the forward thinking Ford Collection, Saturn, or Priceline? Or Greenlight, or CarsDirect, etc. etc etc.?

 

[Tallcool1]

Well, it does seem clear that the coffee clutch and water cooler conventions have moved online. Do we have dealers here in the discussion, just their employees, or vendors? There's huge difference between employees providing positive reinforcement for themselves versus the real risk takers comparing notes.

Why would you use Uber as an example instead of the tens of thousands of "innovative companies" that cratered? What exactly are you selling? I haven't heard anything here that is new? I've heard some feeble attempts to apply certain definitions. Why would anyone be worrying about how to be more transparent? The question doesn't make any sense because the answer is so obvious. Just go to complete transparency. What's the mystery. And when that works, get back to us. And ignore that disintermediation thing. We'll worry about that when the time comes, right? And real car dealers are going to engage in such a discussion, how to create an efficient market that eliminates them? Are you kidding?

Would you rather be a traditional dealer, evolving as things develop, or the forward thinking Ford Collection, Saturn, or Priceline? Or Greenlight, or CarsDirect, etc. etc etc.?

I am a dealer. It is my money.

I see your point about using Uber rather than the innovative companies that tanked. Perhaps Chad used Uber because they are the company that is about to take the traditional taxi companies down. Perhaps....

 

[ruggles]

I am a dealer. It is my money.

I see your point about using Uber rather than the innovative companies that tanked. Perhaps Chad used Uber because they are the company that is about to take the traditional taxi companies down. Perhaps....

I am glad to see at least one dealer here. I suspect Chad used Uber because he thought it proved a point. It did. Some innovations "work." It is clear Uber works. Most fail. Does Amazon "work?" It hasn't made any money in a couple of decades. Does Tesla "work?" HOw much money have dealers pissed away on the next big thing? Another question: What exactly is being "sold" in this particular discussion? "Transparency?" Is that innovation being discussed here?