Well... It finally happened.  I have seen more than a couple of stores with more revenue in the shop than from sales of units.  Wow, huh!? 

I’ve spent a lot of time mouthing words into dealers’ ears that they don’t have enough technical capacity; that is, too few techs.  Not having enough techs can cause a whole raft of issues.  I regularly hear complaints from dealers who don’t want to invest more in technical capacity.  Who’d have thought that the point would be made by the lack of sales in the recent downturn? 

When Should You Fire a Customer? 

You all know me.  I like the basics.  Here's a fresh look on an old theme at the start of the Christmas Season.  It is my hope you will enjoy it as much as I did when you read it. 

This came to me from a long-time friend.  It was written by his pastor, Richard L. Fortier, Jr., from Oakwood Christian Church.  I seldom pass on "forwards."  It's his original work and many might miss it otherwise.  

I'm hoping you have a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe and joyous Christmas!  2010 holds much promise!

When the tide goes out, you discover who’s been swimming naked.  – Peter Drucker

Drucker should need no introduction.  He gave us the term “knowledge worker” and is widely accepted as the father of the science of management. 

His catchy saying exposes a lot of truth currently or soon to be visible in our industry. 

The tide of money that has hidden activities many dealers would like to have been hidden has gone slack

All this talk of the 40th anniversary of Woodstock must be giving me flashbacks. (You MUST know I’m kidding) Anyone remember Grace Slick belting out the words "feed your head” in White Rabbit? What are you feeding your head lately?

Last April I went out on a limb. Citing the conversations I'm having with dealers, I said we are headed out of the recession. What I'm now seeing in the paper and elsewhere confirms that. We're facing one of those "Now" moments. We've always been told to plan for the future but live in the present. NOW is that time.

Banks. Financing. Floorplan. Retail Paper. Topics which are top of mind at most dealerships today. I have a pretty good idea what the dealers are thinking. But where are the banks coming from? RVDA will focus on those topics in some detail this coming October. Be sure to sign up. What can the banks possibly be thinking to rationalize some of the decisions they are making? Are they out of their minds?

I understand dealers are currently negotiating the terms of Monaco Dealer Contracts. I’m hit with déjà vu.

Remember when Monaco was making noises about Franchise of the Future? Remember how it was going to set the standard for customer brand loyalty and for dealer/manufacturer relationships?
 

“So – what are you hearing?” It’s the most common question I’m asked. I’m hearing snippets and pieces on a consistent basis that things are looking up. People ask the other question – “How are YOU doing, Chuck?” I have been saying, “Business is slow but life is good.” Even my business lately has been picking up. Maybe I’m a bit more focused on the relationships and the marketing that I was. I’m sure it’s true. It’s likely true for you. I going to start saying it this way, "Business picking up and life is GOOD!

Here’s what I’m hearing…

Ask five economists a question and, it is said, you will receive six different answers. Unsurprisingly, Harry Truman, like every president, often had difficulty extracting useful information from his economic advisors. "All my economists say, 'on the one hand... and on the other hand...'" Truman once cried. "Someone give me a one-handed economist!"