The Walk Around

Latest Episodes:

S01E31 - Why Marketing Affects All Aspects of Your Dealership Aug 30, 2021

Show notes

Imagine an automotive retail future in which the external perception of our industry has shifted towards heightened interest in entry-level positions, seamless customer experiences, and long-term profitability for dealers.

That is a snapshot of a future that Kyle Mountsier, Founder of Contagious Auto and Host of The Contagious Podcast, is working towards. How? By helping dealers improve their operations processes, shift internal perceptions, and move our industry in the direction of longevity.

Kyle joins our very own Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell on The Walk Around, for an exclusive conversation about three of his passions: advancing automotive retail technology, shifts in people and dealer culture, and transformational marketing teams that impact all aspects of the business through their practices.

Among the topics discussed in this conversation:

How can dealerships change the industry through marketing?
What should dealers be considering, in terms of branding and technology?
How can an investment in internal marketing benefit the bottom line of a dealership?
What are some keys to a successful integration of new marketing technologies?

Kyle leaves us with a thoughtful takeaway: Creating brand loyalty is a multilayer process that requires intention, innovation, and investment on many levels. If dealers make the commitment to empowering their marketing teams with the tools and support they need, internal shifts will benefit the profitability of their businesses.

Kyle Montsier is a twelve-year veteran of retail automotive. His career includes leadership roles in almost all departments of dealerships, but his passion for the industry has been expressed most recently through marketing and communications. A visionary with a true passion for people, technology, and all things automotive, Kyle works with dealers and dealer groups to support operational efficiencies that move the needle for their businesses and the industry at large.

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S01E30 - Adapt Your Digital Marketing for Today’s Consumer Aug 16, 2021

Show notes

Denise Galiatsatos, President of PCG Digital, joins our very own Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell for an exclusive conversation about digital marketing, advertising, and branding on this episode of The Walk Around. As the consumer profile evolves towards a younger, more tech-savvy audience, marketing and advertising will also need to adapt. In this chat about meeting your customers online, Denise answers some of the industry’s most pressing questions:

How can dealers differentiate themselves in today’s digital space?
What impacts to brand voice have we seen in the past 18 months?
How can dealers balance price-driven messages and mission or culture-driven messages?
Where is retail automotive heading – and what can dealers do to move in the direction of long-term profits?

Denise leaves us with a valuable automotive retail digital marketing tip: Facebook and Instagram advertising deliver best bang for the buck. If dealers focus on helping the new wave of consumers understand why they would want to be customers, the results could be game-changing on these platforms.

As President of PCG Digital, a full-service agency that specializes in digital automotive advertising, Denise Galiatsatos is passionate about helping dealers find their brand voice and bringing their messages to shoppers. She and her team have helped dealers maximize their ad spend and ROI on Facebook and Instagram by using social media sales funnels. Denise has also demonstrated her expertise by serving the larger community as a public speaker and educator, with international experience and keynote addresses at conferences. A published author, Denise has taken readers on a journey to understand and fully utilize the digital landscape, in her book, “Can You See Me Now?”

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S01E29 - Consumer Data Trends to Watch with Tyson Jominy of J.D. Power Aug 02, 2021

Show notes

Even in an industry that relies heavily on interpersonal connection and intuition, retail automotive depends on data and analysis now more than ever before. When it comes to consumer knowledge, J.D. Power has set a high standard. On this episode of The Walk Around, Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell are joined by Tyson Jominy, Vice President of Data and Analytics at J.D. Power.

An automotive veteran, Tyson Jominy has been with J.D. Power since 2009 and the Ford Motor Company before that. Working with OEMs on pricing and incentives, Tyson’s impact on our industry has been felt both at J.D. Power and at dealerships across North America. He shares his thoughts on some of the most telling consumer insights from J.D. Power’s extensive research from the past year.

Besides the imbalance of vehicle supply and consumer demand, 2020’s impact has been felt on the sales floor in big ways. Baby Boomers have been replaced by millennials as the number one buying group, opening a door for new ways of sourcing and serving customers. Higher-end vehicle sales increased since last year, with sales above $80,000 doubling while sales below $20,000 dipped 30%.

Tyson breaks down even more insights from J.D. Power’s vault of consumer data and research, answering questions that include:

What are the current trends and how long will current trends last?
How have millennials impacted automotive retail?
Which direction do we see the EV trend moving towards?
How can dealers prepare for the inevitable shift in vehicle supply?
What does current data predict for the rest of 2021?

Tyson also reminds us that despite low inventory, profits are still high. Dealers should stay the course and invest profits in tools to meet the needs of a new wave of customers.

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S01E28 - Talent Development for Better Retention and Recruiting Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

With over a decade of hands-on experience in leadership development roles, Kevin Dean, Chief Development Officer for Joe Bullard Automotive, began his tenure with the dealership as a consultant. After a successful engagement, the dealership invited Kevin to join the team and further enhance the company’s talent development program and processes.

To gain experience and perspective, Kevin began his full-time tenure at Joe Bullard Automotive as a sales manager, then as a general manager for their Acura store. With a better understanding of the nuts and bolts of the business, Kevin set his sights on creating a talent development program that would stand the test of time.

By using surveys and testing ideas, Kevin created Driven, a program that modernized and optimized talent, hiring, and recruitment. A family-owned business with three generations of history, Joe Bullard Automotive and its leader, Ty Bullard, already knew that evolution was the key to longevity in our industry. Kevin and the team implemented the new system, refining it over time so it suited the company’s culture and aligned with its long-term goals.

Kevin Dean joins The Walk Around’s Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell for a conversation about investing in existing talent and development as a means towards a better bottom line and a stronger company culture. Among the topics they discuss:

Beyond improvements in retention and recruitment, can a development program transformation impact dealership results?
What does a successful program for developing talent look like?
When using surveys, how can dealers create regularity and accuracy?
How can the lessons learned in training sessions become habits at a dealership?
How can dealerships get middle management more involved in talent development?

In an episode loaded with wisdom, Kevin Dean reminds us that “what got you here won’t get you there.” A willingness to adapt and invest in the tools, tactics, and time needed to evolve will help dealers optimize their existing development processes, improve retention rates, attract top talent, and boost their bottom line.

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S01E27 - What Digital Retail Really Means for Your Dealership Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

Born and raised in an automotive family, Joe St. John has a lifetime of industry experience and success. Currently serving Stone Eagle as SVP of BizDev, Joe started his retail automotive career early...selling his first car at age 5. From there, Joe grew into a role on the sales floor and became the General Manager of a dealership by age 30. He expanded his toolkit in Silicon Valley, taking on leadership roles and deepening his understanding of technology. His academic and career successes earned him a teaching role at Oklahoma State University, where he has been celebrated for his passion and innovative teaching style. A seasoned expert in technology, data, and retail automotive, Joe St. John’s mission at Stone Eagle is to help dealers maximize profitability.

As our industry reshapes in the wake of 2020’s global pandemic, Joe sees tremendous opportunity for dealers in the adoption of technologies and the embrace of consumer data. 2020’s lessons taught dealers the bottom-line value of adopting technologies that improve the customer experience and shorten the distance between a customer inquiry and a sale.

According to Joe, investments in automotive retail technology are investments in the consumer lifecycle. Technology increases efficiency, improves margins, and creates upsell opportunities for dealers of all sizes.

In this fun and fact-filled episode of The Walk Around, Joe St. John and JM&A Group’s very own Nick Funsch address these important questions:

Why is digital retail being embraced by some of the industry’s biggest players?
What are some of the trends in automotive retail technology for 2021?
At the dealer level, what is the “x-factor” in digital retail?
How are new vs used margins being impacted by the events of the past and present year?
What should dealers be preparing and planning for?

Joe leaves us with an insightful takeaway: Efficiency is the magic lever to pull for profitability. Technology plus a human can be better than either one or the other.

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S01E26 - How to Boost Fixed Ops Revenue with Google Jun 22, 2021

Show notes

Tony Carroll, Senior Automotive Strategist at Google, returns to The Walk Around to discuss how Google products like Search and Analytics can help dealers increase Fixed Ops market share. A 20-year veteran of the Automotive industry, Tony started his career in retail. With a decade of experience with an OEM before joining Google five years ago, Tony understands many of the challenges and opportunities dealers consider as they grow their businesses. He joins Nick Funsch, Director, ACE/F&I Specialist & Associate Development, for a candid chat about why dealers should be investing in Google Search and measuring their results closely.

Currently, there are over 280 million vehicles on the road (and all-time high) and the average age of those vehicles is now 11.9 years (another all-time high). As vehicles age, so does the demand for parts and service.

But how are consumers finding what they need to maintain their vehicles? Current metrics report that 43% of vehicle owners who purchased parts and service called directly from Google searches. Another important metric to consider is the amount of parts and service business being both captured and lost by dealers. In a $350 billion industry, only 30% of the business is being captured by dealers. The rest is being won by independents.

What can dealers do to increase market share and boost business in their service drives? Tony recommends the following:

Advertise on Google Search
Start with radius targeting around your store, keeping your business local
Measure spend vs results and other key metrics
Calculate ROI and allocate budget accordingly

Over time, dealers can also expand their radius, use Google’s machine learning to optimize bidding, and integrate video and YouTube into their advertising strategies.

Google’s goal is to help dealers drive profitability and service their communities. Tony leaves us with something to consider: If a competitor stood at the counter of your service drive and poached your customers, you would likely be upset. According to Tony, that is what is happening online in today’s marketplace. Therefore, he recommends that dealers take the necessary steps to win and retain Fixed Ops customers via search and other Google tools.

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S01E25 - How to Prepare Your Dealership for 2021 and Beyond Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

One of the most recognizable faces and reliable voices in Retail Automotive, Jim Fitzpatrick from CBT News has been immersed in our industry for over 25 years. Jim began his Retail Automotive career on the sales floor of Toyota dealerships in South Florida, rising to the role of Dealer Principal by age 40. During his storied career, Jim has also held executive positions at JM&A Group and AutoNation. In 2004, Jim founded Force Marketing, which quickly became one of the biggest digital marketing companies in the automotive industry.

In 2012, with his wife and business partner, Bridget, Jim co-founded CBT News – the only news platform specifically for Retail Automotive, at that time. With over 300,000 unique monthly visitors and daily newsletters received by over 37,000 subscribers, CBT News serves our industry as a leading source for news, training, best practices, and marketing trends. Fun fact: more people view news segments on CBT News than any other automotive media platform.

With decades of hands-on experience and a following that includes franchise dealers, OEM executives, and vendors, Jim Fitzpatrick has more sight lines than most in our industry. He joins Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell on The Walk Around podcast for a conversation about how dealers can set themselves up for success as consumers and technologies evolve.

Among the burning questions we discuss in this episode:

Which industry topics should dealers be focused on in 2021?
What did 2020’s pandemic teach us about digital retail and the consumer shopping experience?
Is digital retail here to stay, worth investing in, or a fad that will eventually lose momentum?
How can dealers position themselves for growth, regardless of their current opinions about digital retail?
Will the EV surge continue, and what can dealers do about it?

Jim leaves us with important reminders for dealers to listen to their customers and peers, embrace some of the changes, and adapt their businesses to meet consumers where they are.

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S01E24 - How to Modernize Your Talent Processes for a New Generation May 24, 2021

Show notes

Did you know that, since the 1980’s, almost 2.6 million prime-age men in the US have chosen to opt out of the workforce? Or that COVID-19 has created a labor shortage in the United States? Kevin Hull knows. And he joined Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell for an episode of The Walk Around podcast ripe with tips and insights about dealer talent challenges and opportunities post-COVID.

Currently serving JM&A Group’s customers as our Dealer Talent Services Manager, Kevin Hull is no stranger to recruitment or talent. Once a recipient of the South Florida Business Journal’s prestigious 40 Under 40 Award, Kevin earned his reputation in the talent and recruitment industry at award-winning executive search firms. A self-described “human optimist” with a sincere passion for his work, Kevin also embodies his worldview through his involvement with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and his dedication to his family and local community.

On this episode of The Walk Around, Kevin shares with Nick and Danny what he has learned about talent, recruitment and retention, since the beginning of the pandemic. Among the topics covered:

The current state of talent and what top dealers are doing today to turn new challenges into opportunities
What steps employers can take to successfully match the right roles with the right applicants?
The differences between the customer journey and the applicant journey (hint: there shouldn’t be any)
Three steps dealers can take to modernize their talent, retention and recruitment strategies and processes

Kevin leaves us with a key takeaway: focus on people, but leverage gut and science in your process. Dealers who consider multiple data sources put themselves in the driver’s seat when it comes to finding, hiring and keeping top talent.

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S01E23 - The Right Way to Digitize the Sales Process at Your Dealership May 10, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of The Walk Around, Nick and Danny welcome Brian Kramer, General Manager at Germain Toyota in Naples, Florida.

Once a recipient of the prestigious 40 Under 40 Award from Automotive News, Brian has decades of experience piloting digital solutions for many dealerships in the United States. He has been leading Germain Toyota’s digital transformation initiative, refining processes and removing friction points in sales transactions. Currently, his team is paving even more of that path by implementing a paperless process at Germain Toyota.

He shares more about his hands-on experience and what he and his teams have learned along their journey of digital transformation.

Some key takeaways from this episode:

Look at the whole ecosystem, consider all the pieces and players in the sales process
Budget time and resources for error losses, along the way
Listen to customers and try to keep up with their needs and feedback

Brian Kramer reminds us that the biggest key to a successful digital transformation is to know your “why.” He shares that when we lead with clarity and assemble a team that aligns with that purpose, the results will be worth the investments.

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S01E22 - What Are Car Buyers Really Saying About Virtual F&I? Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

Jonathan Jordan, Virtual F&I & Sales Strategy Manager at JM&A Group, knew from a young age that his career would be in automotive. Fascinated by sales and service process, he started working in dealer stores as early as college. After many years of learning, honing and sharpening his skills, he focused his attention on F&I.

When the pandemic hit, Jonathan and his team at JM&A Group were already piloting and learning from a rollout of Virtual F&I. As dealers scrambled to integrate online shopping and buying experiences for their customers, Jonathan and his team were at the ready with expertise earned through real implementation and evaluation.

Jonathan Jordan’s team believes that Virtual F&I, as well as online shopping tools, is vital to the success of dealers – both online and in stores. With hands-on experience and research to back it up, he joins Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell of The Walk Around for a chat about the reality of Virtual F&I.

Jonathan shares his knowledge by posing some important questions:

When it comes to shopping and buying F&I products online, what do customers want?
How can dealers help their customers explore and understand the options available to them, via online tools?
What do dealers need, in order to make the buying process work as well as it already does in-store?

Jonathan Jordan also left us with a key to success for implementing any new technology to a dealer store: having good processes in place. Dealers who focus on refinement and improving what might not seem broken will have an easier time integrating Virtual F&I into their stores.

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