Looking at the KPI data produced by ASE, the average sales exec sells 134 cars per year. Assuming a gross profit (including F&I) of approx £850 per unit, and working roughly 270 days in a...

It is pretty unanimous that 2009 is going to be a tough year. Any improvements in profit are highly unlikely to result from increased sales, and manufacturers will not be writing out huge bonus...

Britain’s replacement tyre market is worth approximately £1.2 billion annually, yet according to the 2008 Castrol Professional Car Service & Repair Trend Tracker, franchised...

By John Genge With depressed car sales, 2009 will bring an increased emphasis on aftersales and, in particular, service and workshop activity. But in many dealerships four barriers in particular often...

With depressed car sales, 2009 will bring an increased emphasis on aftersales and, in particular, service and workshop activity. But in many dealerships four barriers in particular often act as a...

by John Genge With depressed car sales, 2009 will bring an increased emphasis on aftersales and, in particular, service and workshop activity. But in many dealerships four barriers in particular often...

by John Genge ‘No vehicle leaves the premises until it is paid for!’ Most dealerships have this kind of policy, but as we all know there are often exceptions and that is when things...

By John Genge 2010 budget preparation will soon be upon us. In these challenging times it is harder than ever to predict what will happen next year and, consequently, your plans and forecasts need...

Auto retail profitability has never been so poor and the current financial climate is putting the very future of many franchised dealerships under pressure. In such circumstances it pays to take a...

This year will be tough for new car sales, but there still are opportunities for those who target and prospect specific market groups effectively. The first thing to decide is your target. • Who...

This government has made a great effort to demonstrate to all that the headline rates of corporation and other direct taxes have fallen. Certainly no present or future government of any persuasion...

There are literally dozens of performance and activity-related KPIs that help to identify who is – and who is not – performing satisfactorily. That in itself can be a problem if, as is...

Every December, dealerships lose money. They often appear to make a profit on paper, but that is because accountants over-accrue throughout the year, hold back bonus money and roll these reserves back...

The credit crunch, recession or whatever you call to choose it, has had a major impact on the motor and other industries as customers stay away and tighten their belts. However, there seems to be a...

Most dealerships measure average used car gross profit per unit. It is a standard measurement, easy to calculate and gives you a good idea of what you keep out of a used car. But arguably, it is too...

The recession will only be as bad for your business as you allow it be. The first thing to do is, forget what you read and what you hear. Millions of new and used cars will still be bought and sold...

Economists talk about ‘price elasticity of demand’. But what does it mean to our industry and what lessons can we learn? In simple terms, if a product is price elastic, any change in price...

Franchised dealerships have faced this challenge for years and, if one believes the gossip, aftersales retention has improved. Bt let’s not flatter ourselves, much of that improvement is the...

With predictions of a fall in new car volumes this year, motor retailers are looking more closely at additional used car opportunities. Many dealerships have extended their age/mileage profile to...

The principle of using a ‘hero car’ has been around for a while. Simply put, it means finding, say, a used car in a flat colour with above average miles in reasonable condition and...