Happy Holidays everyone! How about a little break on Dealer Refresh, with an explanation of what each month means in the car-year. Have some fun with it!
That’s right, save your champagne and New Years songs for September.
September: First “oh shits” hit when sales start to slow. New model year arrives to help make more sales. Salespeople are still living large. Vendors are doing okay.
October: Second “oh shits” hit. More new models roll out to help. Salespeople start complaining about not having traffic. No more new vendors!
November: Executive management “oh shits” turning into – “somebody make changes”. New models selling for invoice. Salespeople stop using their drycleaners. Vendors keep a knockin’ but can’t come in!
December: That “somebody” starts figuring out which outside managers can be recruited and who can be replaced. New models have incentives from manufacturers. Salespeople start dipping into savings. Vendors fired!
January: Newly recruited managers start and old managers leave. New models being sold for under invoice. Salespeople start getting jobs in the real estate business. What’s a vendor?
February: New promises from management. Those new models are being traded in. It is time to start training salespeople again. Vendors are saying NADA FTW (For The Win)!
March: Management heads back to the golf course. KBB & Edmunds start buying cars again. Massive sales hiring begins. Dealers start calling vendors with a timid “hey – remember me….yeah, we fired you in December, but….”
April to August = no worries…keep bringing me new vendors!
