vAuto Podcast

Latest Episodes:

How Dealers Are Going Digital in Service to Build Customer Loyalty and Value Sep 23, 2022

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In this vAuto podcast episode, Mike Boyd, founder of vAuto’s iRecon, and Jade Terreberry, Senior Director, Strategic Planning & Business Development (Autotrader, KBB, & Dealer.com) discuss the ever-growing importance of fixed ops in increasing customer lifetime value (CLV)—and how a consumer-focused, digitally driven strategy in service helps them achieve the goal. Hear how consumer expectations have shifted during the pandemic and how dealers must proactively engage their customers throughout their ownership experiences, providing greater convenience, relevance and transparency to capture their vehicle service business.

How an Independent Dealer Pivoted to Online Auctions for Inventory Sep 09, 2022

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In this vAuto podcast episode, Brian Neeley, president of the four-store independent dealer group, Drive N-Motion, shares how he and his team have shifted to acquiring nearly 90 percent of their inventory from online auctions. Neeley outlines how he uses technology and tools to minimize the time required to find and appraise available vehicles and expand his buying team’s ability to cover multiple lanes at multiple auctions across multiple states at the same time. Neeley details how he uses CR scores and market data to purchase inventory with greater confidence and trust, which drives profitable retail deals.

A Data-Driven View of Changing Used Vehicle Market Conditions Aug 05, 2022

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In this vAuto podcast episode, Mark Strand, senior director of economic and industry insights for Cox Automotive gives a data-driven perspective on how the used vehicle market will evolve in the final months of 2022. Strand shares how depreciation will continue to affect specific vehicle segments more than others, and how the relative stability of current retail prices creates near-term profit opportunities for dealers. Strand details why vehicle acquisition will remain more digitally driven in the future, and why dealers will have a tougher time sourcing near-new vehicles to feed their factory certified pre-owned sales programs and the local demand data dealers should mine to keep current with changing consumer preferences.

How Dealers Should Adapt to Less Favorable Market Conditions Jun 24, 2022

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In this vAuto podcast episode, Brian Benstock, vice president of Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura, Queens, NY, and vAuto founder Dale Pollak discuss how they believe dealers should respond to less-favorable market conditions in the months ahead—and get out of what Benstock dubs a “profit coma.” The pair also discuss why service lane acquisition will need to become an even higher priority for dealers to ensure they maintain retail sales volumes in light of ongoing inventory constraints. Benstock details the process he developed and refined over the past decade to make service lane acquisitions a primary source of used vehicle inventory. He also offers guidance to help dealers avoid friction with customers, and between their sales and service teams, as they make the service drive a larger part of their acquisition strategy.

How The Murgado Automotive Group Uses Technology To Thrive in an Evolving Industry Jun 12, 2022

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Ever think about what other profitable dealers are doing to stay ahead of the game? Mike Boyd, founder of vAuto’s iRecon sat down with Alex Andreus, COO of Murgado Automotive Group, to talk about the steps he takes to keep his business prospering. They discuss actionable points that’ll get you thinking about your own dealership, like: - The current market and its turning point - The best tools and insights to make data-driven decisions - What’s keeping dealers up at night - Why building a good brand reputation is crucial

A View of NADA’s LIFO Tax Relief Efforts May 19, 2022

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In this vAuto podcast episode, Paul Metrey, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, and David Regan, Executive Vice President for Legislative Affairs at NADA detail the association’s efforts on Capitol Hill to pass legislation that would provide relief from LIFO tax liabilities many dealers incurred this year. The conversation outlines why LIFO liability has become a problem for dealers, the reasons NADA’s lobbying efforts moved from the U.S. Treasury to Congress and where House and Senate bills currently stand in terms of bipartisan support. Metrey and Regan share steps dealers can take to encourage support for the tax relief legislation from their lawmakers.

Straight From the Source: Consumer Edition May 13, 2022

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In this vAuto podcast, Micah Tindor, Senior Director for Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer, discusses the importance of adjusting consumer acquisition processes to better align with consumers’ changing expectations. Tune in to learn how consumers are more aggressively price shopping, what they now expect/need, and how to position your dealership to win more vehicles.

To Champion Change, you Must First Learn to Coach May 06, 2022

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No two dealerships look the same but one thing that is constant is change is hard. Any good dealer knows that change is a necessity to keep growing and finding future successes. Join us as Mike Boyd, Founder of vAuto’s iRecon, and Sean Kelley, CEO of Car Motivators, discuss how to successfully bring change to your dealership. They’ll discuss the number one challenge dealers are facing in today’s environment (hint, it’s not what you think) and how to effectively coach to overcome this challenge. You’ll walk away with top tips on implementing change, how to measure success, and how to re-frame conversations with teams in the dealership to get everyone behind the change.

How Your Current Hiring Process May Hurt You Long Term Apr 29, 2022

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In this vAuto podcast episode, Adam Robinson, CEO of Hireology, highlights a growing disconnect between the way dealers are currently filling positions in sales and service, and the expectations of the people dealers are looking to hire. Adam shares best practices to help dealers address the disconnect—from rethinking what they expect of key sales and service team members to reinventing how they compensate new team members who aren’t solely motivated by money. Adam also outlines a multi-point game plan to help dealers ensure the candidates they seek will see—and respond to—the career opportunities dealers offer. Find out why Adam believes the hiring decisions many dealers make today will shape the level of their success in the coming year and beyond.

Why a “Good Enough” Reconditioning Process Won’t Cut it Anymore Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

Think your reconditioning process is good enough? Think again. Vehicle reconditioning is often considered a necessary evil of inventory management—a cost of doing business that’s less glamorous than selling cars. It historically hasn’t received the attention and oversight it should. As a result, dealers often don’t consider how much their reconditioning process affects their ability to effectively appraise and acquire cars, merchandise them in the most transparent way possible and provide a why-buy-from-us differentiator with retail customers. In this podcast, join Mike Boyd, founder of iRecon, to understand the link between reconditioning and how it impacts all other aspects of used vehicle inventory management. Mike will walk through how a less-than-efficient reconditioning process hurts a dealer’s ability to buy cars as well as the signs that signal you should consider tuning up your reconditioning process.

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