Articles & Videos

Think Like a Pilot for Stability & Sustainability

Dec 28, 2022
3 min

Think Like a Pilot for Stability & Sustainability

The Leadership Lessons theme for 2023 is how to build stable and sustainable dealerships that adapt to accelerating change. The...

21 views0 comments

Anticipating the Dealership of the Future

Daniel Surprenant

Oct 7, 2022
3 min

Leadership

Anticipating the Dealership of the Future

You’ve probably seen the movie trilogy Back to the Future (1985-1989-1991) starring Christopher Lloyd as Dr. Emmett Brown and Michael...

33 views0 comments

Bill Hoeg

Sep 14, 2022
3 min

Customer Centric Culture

Got Engagement?

I often see the lack or fear of delegation when working with dealers. Usually, it’s because the owner/leader is a “Doer” and feels it...

22 views0 comments

5 Service Department Communication Bottlenecks & How to Fix Them

Shane Waldemar

Aug 3, 2022
4 min

Leadership

5 Service Department Communication Bottlenecks & How to Fix Them

Note: Shane Waldemar, general manager at Dealer Information Systems (DIS) wrote this article in collaboration with MAC, based on their...

20 views0 comments

5 Key Questions to Help Assess Opportunities for Automation in Service

Shane Waldemar

Jun 3, 2022
4 min

Parts & Service

5 Key Questions to Help Assess Opportunities for Automation in Service

Note: Shane Waldemar, general manager at Dealer Information Systems (DIS) wrote this article in collaboration with MAC, based on their...

55 views0 comments

What’s the Distance From Your Boardroom to Your Breakroom?

Russ Green

Apr 11, 2022
3 min

Videos

What’s the Distance From Your Boardroom to Your Breakroom?

Remember when your dealership was a stand-alone operation? The distance from your boardroom to the breakroom was measured in feet. Now ...

56 views0 comments

Leo Johnson

Mar 28, 2022
3 min

A Time to Build Up, A Time to Tear Down

As the line goes from the ‘60’s song by the Byrds, “Turn! Turn! Turn!” - this may be the time for dealers to “Build Up”. We’re talking...

28 views0 comments

Execute & Innovate Part 2: Create an Innovation Council

Luke Sheppard

Mar 4, 2022
3 min

Execute & Innovate Part 2: Create an Innovation Council

Sell tractors, fix them, collect the money and innovate. Farm equipment dealerships are not considered the most innovative industry,...

22 views0 comments

Execute & Innovate Part 1: 5 Tips for Process Improvement

Luke Sheppard

Jan 30, 2022
3 min

Leadership

Execute & Innovate Part 1: 5 Tips for Process Improvement

“We sell tractors. We fix them. We collect the money.” This was the insight I received from a seasoned iron peddler upon my first visit...

9 views0 comments

Challenge for 2022: Build a 2nd Machine Age Dealership

George Russell

Dec 21, 2021
2 min

Leadership

Challenge for 2022: Build a 2nd Machine Age Dealership

Rapid changes create both risk and opportunity. Your dealership is impacted by big changes in technology, the workforce and higher...

22 views0 comments

Drive a Culture of T.E.A.M. Work to Stay Customer Centered as Generations Change

Russ Green

Oct 8, 2021
3 min

People & Organization

Drive a Culture of T.E.A.M. Work to Stay Customer Centered as Generations Change

How will your people take care of your customer? It’s T.E.A.M.-Work!” This was the title of last month’s Leadership Lesson that linked...

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How Will Your People Take Care of Your Customer? It’s T.E.A.M. (Work)

George Russell

Aug 27, 2021
3 min

Customer Centric Culture

How Will Your People Take Care of Your Customer? It’s T.E.A.M. (Work)

Here is the inescapable reality: your front-line employees are the direct link between your company and your customers. To achieve your...

5 views0 comments

The Customer-Centric Dealership of 2030?

Jim Henderson

Jul 6, 2021
3 min

Leadership

The Customer-Centric Dealership of 2030?

When you look at a dealership website today, what does a customer see? They see sections for equipment (new & used), parts, service,...

5 views0 comments

7 Step Customer Service Process — Creating the Right Culture & Attitudes

Daniel Surprenant

May 30, 2021
3 min

People & Organization

7 Step Customer Service Process — Creating the Right Culture & Attitudes

Successful businesses of the future will need to rely on solid customer service processes. In an industry where relationships still...

8 views0 comments

George Russell

Mar 26, 2021
3 min

Best Practices

Catch & Release or Catch & Keep

Can fishing help you appreciate the value of customer retention? If you’re “just fishin’,” catch and release is OK. But if you want to...

2 views0 comments

Focus on Satisfied Customers, Not Customer Satisfaction

Bill Mayes

Jan 28, 2021
5 min

Customer Centric Culture

Focus on Satisfied Customers, Not Customer Satisfaction

We begin the 12th year of writing this column and look forward to the theme of Creating a Customer Centric Culture. With almost 100...

1 view0 comments

Robust Marketing Process Drives Segment Sales

George Russell

Oct 11, 2020
2 min

Sales & Marketing

Robust Marketing Process Drives Segment Sales

The fifth spoke in the upper right completes the Good to Great Flywheel — “Building your dealership brand with all segments” by employing...

1 view0 comments

Good to Great Dealership Flywheel Spoke #4 - Build a Dealership that Sells Solutions and Earns Trust

George Russell

Aug 31, 2020
3 min

Good to Great Dealership Flywheel Spoke #4 - Build a Dealership that Sells Solutions and Earns Trust

How your entire dealership hears and serves the customer is at the core of the 4th spoke of the flywheel. Dealerships that are built with...

3 views0 comments

Leveraging Technology Assessing Technology as a Force Multiplier

George Russell

Jun 29, 2020
2 min

Leveraging Technology Assessing Technology as a Force Multiplier

Technology is a “Force Multiplier” for your dealership. The force multiplier concept comes from the military but to explain it simply,...

8 views0 comments

Build a Strong Culture & Leverage Vital Processes

George Russell

Mar 26, 2020
3 min

Build a Strong Culture & Leverage Vital Processes

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” — a quote attributed to management guru Peter Drucker defines the core idea of this spoke. The best...

3 views0 comments