ASOTU | More Than Cars

The greatest marketing in the world will fall flat without store process built to success. The greatest store process in the world will fail to grow sales without marketing that works. Register for the webinar here: https://lnkd.in/eUEZzEFd Winning solutions look like store leadership that trains and empowers, while surrounding yourself with marketing partners that deliver the goods and are marching in the same direction. Join us on October 4th at 2PM for "Keep The Ship On Course by Aligning Marketing and Store Processes." Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier will be joined by Zach Billings, Co-Founder of Wikimotive to dive into how dealerships can ensure their internal processes are built for success, while surrounding themselves with marketing partners who drive real results. Discover how SEO can be the cornerstone of your marketing plan and learn strategies to design a profit-driven marketing approach that works hand-in-hand with your store’s operations. We'll also explore industry insights, including projections showing a 10% sales increase by 2025 — but with the 80/20 rule in full effect. The top 20% of dealers are set to capture 40% of that growth. Will you be among them? Key Takeaways: -The Critical Role of Alignment: Understand why synchronizing your marketing efforts and store processes is essential to driving long-term growth. -SEO as a Keystone: Learn how SEO can be the foundation of a successful marketing plan and a crucial tool for attracting more customers. -The Power of Strategic Partnerships: Discover how working with the right marketing partners can amplify your dealership’s results and ensure everyone is moving in the same direction. -Maximizing Market Opportunities: Gain insights into projected market growth for 2025, and strategies to position your dealership among the top 20% of dealers expected to capture a 40% sales increase. -Actionable Steps for Success: Equip yourself with actionable strategies to refine both your marketing and store processes for a competitive edge in the coming year. #automotiveindustry #marketing #seo #webinar

As we near the end of the week, there’s been some resolution to the port strike, but it looks like Helene will have lingering effects on the used car market. Meanwhile, Rivians are reportedly still functioning fine after floods and Ray-Bans are being used to scrape your personal information. https://lnkd.in/gtHJuMHV A crippling three-day strike by U.S. dock workers has ended with a tentative agreement, reopening ports on the East and Gulf Coasts. However, unresolved issues could spark future disruptions. -Union and port operators agreed to extend their contract until January 2025, with more negotiations expected. -Dock workers secured a tentative 62% wage hike over six years, raising wages from $39 to $63 an hour. -The strike halted 45 container ships and affected 36 ports, threatening shortages of goods like bananas and auto parts. https://lnkd.in/ewREfZ7w Hurricane Helene has left widespread destruction across the Southeast, and the storm’s aftermath is likely to push both new and used car prices up as consumers scramble to replace damaged vehicles. -Used car demand is expected to rise sharply, particularly for low-cost options under $10,000, which are already hard to find. -"This will jack up used car prices when everybody is already paying overprice," warns Cox Automotive’s Skyler Chadwick. https://lnkd.in/ewmMqxt7 A Rivian R1T submerged in Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic flood waters still functions, showcasing the robust engineering behind electric vehicles. -The Rivian was found 100 yards from where it was parked, fully covered in mud and floodwater. -Despite being engulfed by floodwaters, the R1T started up, with no apparent issues after being fast-charged. -Rivian credits the truck's water-sealed battery packs and advanced isolation monitoring for its survival. -EVs like Rivian’s are designed for water fording, but owners should still exercise caution when using flooded vehicles. https://lnkd.in/eEVg3_xr Two Harvard students demonstrated a troubling new way to misuse consumer tech, using Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses paired with facial recognition and AI to expose privacy risks. -The students used the glasses to capture images of strangers, then matched them with online facial recognition software. -They built a program, I-XRAY, that gathered personal data from the internet within minutes, including addresses and family details. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/e-DA5fTF Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eTr6WKb7

This morning, we connected with Richard Lupo at Apple Tree Honda in North Carolina to hear how communities and dealers are responding to the hurricane. With limited media coverage, there are so many communities that are completely devastated. Dealers are finding ways to support their employees and their communities. Richard Lupo shares how blessed they are to be a part of this thriving industry where we check in and help each other. Stay tuned for on going coverage and ways you can help these dealers support their local communities.

We’re up and at ‘em this Thursday morning as we report on dealer associations stepping up to help hurricane affected employees, plus we talk live with Richard Lupo of Apple Tree Honda and Acura about what it’s like on the ground right now. We’ll also cover how the port strike could have massive ripple effects on the supply chain and get a look inside Rove’s new EV charging station. https://lnkd.in/eh-9YFwb Automobile dealer associations across the U.S. Southeast have activated emergency relief funds in response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, connecting with members and providing much-needed assistance. -The NADA Foundation Emergency Relief Fund is coordinating with local dealer associations to assist affected employees with emergency grants up to $1,500, and NIADA has also activated its relief fund, with thousands of members impacted in Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. -"One of the challenges we're experiencing right now is, frankly, just getting in touch with dealers," said Lea Kirschner, President of the Georgia Automobile Dealers Association. -This all comes as FEMA is warning that while it can handle immediate disaster relief, it lacks the funds to sustain recovery efforts through the rest of hurricane season. -Richard Lupo is the Fixed Ops Director at Apple Tree Honda and Acura in Fletcher, NC, about 15 miles south of Asheville, and joins us live. https://lnkd.in/e4BwyRTD The East and Gulf Coast port strike is threatening to severely disrupt the auto industry’s supply chain, with delays expected to last well beyond the end of the strike. Each day of the walkout could create a weeklong backlog, impacting the industry for months. -"It's a multiplier effect," said Michelle Drew Rodriguez of Roland Berger, explaining how every day of lost shipping translates into significantly longer delays. -Even if the strike ends soon, clearing the backlog will be challenging as all industries will be vying for limited port capacity, said Michael Robinet of S&P Global Mobility. https://lnkd.in/eb3h6n3q Rove will soon open its first full-service EV charging station in Santa Ana, California, designed to offer more than just fast charging. The station includes 40 charging spots and a variety of services for drivers during their charging stops. -The station includes 28 Tesla Superchargers and 12 CCS chargers, plus two CHAdeMO options. -Amenities include a Gelson’s grocery store, lounge with Wi-Fi, car wash, and a small dog park. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/e-DA5fTF Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eTr6WKb7

He knows the struggle anytime the word "co-op" is in the conversation within the dealership. Co-op requirements and reimbursement are confusing but Mark Baruth shares that it doesn't have to be. There are plenty of ways to uncover soon-to-expire co-op funds as well as easier ways to complete the co-op reimbursement process. Mark Baruth from COOPABLE shares these secrets and more. #autoindustry #coop #marketing

The full extent of the damage done by Hurricane Helene is still being revealed. 💔 With more than a million still without power, and thousand of residents still unaccounted for, so how many of our friends in the Southeast are hurting. Find out more about how dealerships are jumping in to help their communities during this difficult time, and how you can join in here: https://lnkd.in/dWDy75rc Do you need resources, or assistance? We know our community is at the ready to help. Let us know below! 👇 . . . Source: AccuWeather #hurricanehelene #bythenumbers #infographic #morethancars

We saw how these former athletes took an unconventional leadership approach to turn raw talent into champions. Join the watch party for the next episode of More Than Cars on November 13th at 1PM EST! Owner Andrew Guelcher has built a remarkable team, with the help of Assistant GM Kaitlin Gattuso Duncan at the one and only Mohawk Chevrolet just outside Schenectady, NY. We hear firsthand the story behind Mohawk’s unique marketing efforts with Nathanael Greklek and learn about “The Dealership” mockumentary, and talk with its star Grace Kerber, chronicling her rise to TikTok stardom. There’s competition, trick shots and we take some time to visit the back of the house, learning from service advisor Alyssa Corbett and how they ensure transparency with technology. Thanks to our friends at UVeye for helping to make this episode possible. #automotiveindustry #dealership #mohawk #mohawkchevrolet

He knows that meeting the needs of your hispanic community means hiring Spanish speaking staff. But where do you find them? Daniel Govaer, Luis Delgado, and John Duran share these secrets and more on this recent episode of The Wheelhouse. 📺 Catch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/e4c2iTu6 #hispanicheritage #wheelhouse #asotu #autoindustry

We’re looking for the silver lining today as we talk about how US auto sales have slowed considerably through Q3. Plus, we give updates on how the port strike will affect the automotive supply chain, how Helene took out 672 Kias at one dealership, and Ford’s forward-thinking EV home charger program. https://lnkd.in/dRQAbWz8 As a major U.S. dockworkers strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports enters day 2 with no resolution, European automakers face the brunt of the disruption, threatening to cripple supply chains and disrupt vehicle production. -Affected ports handle 34% of U.S. motor vehicle and parts trade, worth $135.7B. -Professor Jason Miller posted a list of the most affected goods on LinkedIn and auto parts are #2, accounting for almost 3.3M tons a year. https://lnkd.in/gPxMMQU7 While dealerships are still tallying the effects of Hurricane Helene, Ken Ganley's Florida Kia dealership took a massive hit from Hurricane Helene, with nearly the entire inventory wiped out by floodwaters. -672 vehicles, including 12 customer cars, were totaled due to flooding. https://lnkd.in/dfETmmXQ As the third quarter ends, U.S. auto sales growth slowed to an estimated 3.88 million units, just 0.2% YOY, far below expectations, signaling caution in the market. -Inflation and higher costs are making consumers cautious, pushing demand toward smaller, budget-friendly vehicles like subcompact SUVs and compact pickups. -GM is expected to retain the top spot in sales, though it will see a 3% decline, while Toyota and Ford are close behind. -Interest rates for auto loans remain high, with rates nearing 9.61% for new vehicles and nearly 14% for used, keeping buyers on the sidelines. https://lnkd.in/d3aYXHkf Starting October 1st, Ford is offering free home chargers and installation to electric vehicle buyers through its new "Ford Power Promise" program, aiming to remove barriers for potential EV customers. -The Ford Power Promise includes free installation of the Ford Charge Station Pro, a Level 2 home charger. -Ford hopes the offer will ease concerns about charging infrastructure, boosting EV sales, especially for models like the Mustang Mach-E. -Buyers who opt out of the charger program can receive $2,000 toward their EV purchase or lease. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/e-DA5fTF Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eTr6WKb7

He shares why auto dealers are some of the most respected members of their communities. Matthew C. Haiken shares the impact of the TV Series 'More Than Cars' and how sharing these stories will push our industry forward, together. 📺 Watch the 'More Than Cars' series here: https://lnkd.in/gJC_bPQP #asotu #morethancars #autoindustry