Articles for Special Finance Dealer Operations
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Tom Herald - As the $200 Billion TALF (Term ABS Loan Facility) ether starts to wear off, it is going to be interesting to see what happens to non-prime automotive finance for the remainder of the year.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Brett Boatright - You know the sales rep who says, "When I’m a manager, I will never be like this jerk I work for." Although, the minute they get promoted, they become the same jerk. Why does this happen? The simple answer is: It's all they know!
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
This month celebrates my twentieth anniversary in special finance. Throughout the years, the economic landscape has changed several times, as have the names of the finance companies that have made special finance a fixture in most successful dealerships.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tom Herald - In order to gain a more clear vision of the future, we must first have a solid understanding of our past.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
There was a convention? In Dallas? Really?
Thursday, September 10, 2009
When we are as busy as we have been, I become anti-technology and pro-people. I know, some of you hard-core geeks out there are thinking, “Master your technology, have more time for people.”
Monday, June 08, 2009
Tom Herald - Full-spectrum financing is an absolute necessity for car dealers today. It affords them the ability to offer vehicle-purchasing options to every customer who visits the store, regardless of their credit and with less emphasis on down payment. It removes an important limiting factor from the typical sales process and, if done correctly, will help dealerships create ...
Friday, May 01, 2009
Tom Langas - Every company out there that does Web site design has their vision of what your site should be to be successful. They are not aware of your market's nuances, quirks and hot spots. It is up to you and others in your company to stick by your guns and make these talented designers see your vision.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Jacob Lawson - How many times have you bent over backwards to put a special finance deal together? How many times have you been able to get the same deal done when those customers come back ready to trade in their vehicle? I think you will find the answers to those questions to be at completely different ends of the spectrum ...
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Tom Langas - Our greatest opportunities in stocking clean, reliable used cars are through auctions that cater to new car dealers, lease companies and rental car corporations. I can only speak to inventory sourcing from my own perspective.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tom Herald - It didn’t take much talent or effort to sell a vehicle to these credit-challenged consumers ... From my perspective, it was like selling water to a man dying of thirst. The real challenge of the sell was getting ...
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Brett Boatwright - With today’s troubled economy negatively impacting almost every dealership across the country and the ink on monthly financial statements turning from black to blood-red, why do most owners and upper management teams advertise the same way they did five, 10 and even 25 years ago?
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Marla Belson - Clank—I could hear the heavy sound of the dead bolt locking the front door after the last customer of 2008 drove off. As the handful of us sat watching the taillights cross the curb, I thought the showroom windows would fog up from everyone letting out a collective sigh of relief.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Sean Bradley - As we know, video—specifically, video search—is powerful, but did you know it was this powerful? Recent statistics from comScore data...
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Tom Herald - In special finance, the customer's buying power needs to be determined effectively and discretely long before ever presenting a vehicle.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Marla Belson - Having absorbed all of this information, I now begin the task of building a new multi-franchise special finance department. This looms as an overwhelming project and a huge responsibility. In anticipation of this new project, I am drawing from the experience of and knowledge shared by my peers.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Sean Bradley - We hear the term ROI all the time. It’s one of those overused “buzzwords.” Every vendor selling any product promises dealers a great return on investment. To me, that means getting the most back from your efforts.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tom Herald - Since many of your competitors are miserable at creating fantastic customer experience, this creates a huge competitive opportunity for you. Here are five simple starting points to create the greatest customer experience ever ...
Friday, August 01, 2008
Marla Belson - We all get that overwhelmed feeling when thinking about the state of economic affairs in America today, and if you are there, you’re probably not going to like what I am about to tell you. In fact, not at all.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Kris Wright - Don’t Panic. The market is tougher than I have ever seen it. The old days are back—big fees, low advances, short terms and high interest rates. Thanks mortgage market for causing this overcorrection.