ConnectedPodcast

On this episode of Connected, Greg is joined by Mike Martinez, COO of DealerOn. Mike has been working to help provide quality websites to dealerships since the early days, back when many dealers didn't even have a site. And since then, he's been a part of every update to keep up with shifting consumer behaviors. Mike and Greg discuss: -Personalizing the shopping experience for consumers on your website. -Using a "right car, right payment, right now" approach. -Elements of a good SEO strategy.

On this episode of Connected Greg is joined by Sandra Gonzalez, also known as "The Fleet Queen." Sandra is the national government and commercial fleet manager at Peoria Ford out in sunny Arizona. Since 2019, Peoria Ford's government fleet sales have tripled with the help of Sandra and her team. She and Greg chat about: -Establishing your brand in a niche space like the fleet market. -Keeping up with fast-paced growth. -The importance of a solid network and strong communication skills.

On this episode of Connected, Greg is joined by two guests from Automotive Warranty Network Inc. — Jake Trott, the vice president of account management, and Jason Tuck, the sales and marketing manager. Warranty claims work isn't talked about very often, but it can be critical to your bottom line. Jake and Jason sat down to talk about: -Common issues to look for before submitting warranty claims. -What percentage of warranty ROs have some type of issue. -How much money is left on the table or lost in warranty audits.

On today's episode Greg is joined by Glenn Mercer, long-time automotive researcher and the author of the popular blog, Car Charts. Glenn has been a part of the automotive space for decades. Before turning to automotive research and starting his blog, Glenn worked in the automotive consulting space with McKinsey & Company for over 20 years. In this conversation, he offers some great insights and ideas on: -The impact of youth sports on car buying behavior. -Being a retailer vs. being a dealer. -The main problems with a direct-to-consumer model.

The average car deal requires 39 feet of forms, and with regular updates to state and federal regulations, it can be a challenge for many dealerships to keep all those documents up-to-date. On today's episode, Reynolds VP of Marketing Greg Uland is joined by another Greg: Greg Schaeffer, Vice President of Compliance. They discuss some ideas for how dealers can protect themselves by identifying areas in common forms where they're most at risk. Hear their thoughts on: -Best practices for managing your compliance. -How often your forms should be reviewed (and the best time of the year to review them). -Common issues to look for when reviewing documents for risk.

This week's episode of Connected is one for the record books. Greg welcomes two in-studio guests for the first time and it's one of the longest conversations we've ever had! Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier from Automotive State of the Union (ASOTU) visited the Reynolds and Reynolds headquarters for the first time to talk about building a macro-brand, creative storytelling, and the role dealerships play within their communities. They also mention their docuseries More Than Cars, which will have a new episode premiering on March 27, and talk about ASOTU CON coming to Baltimore in May!

On this episode of Connected, TrueSpot CEO/Founder Mike Hanna joins Greg in studio to discuss his experience working in a dealership and how the company got started. Watch the entire conversation to hear some of Mike's stories about how tracking down keys can put you in some unexpected places...like digging through a dumpster!

This week's episode of Connected is a bit of a special one. A few weeks ago at NADA, we had 11 great conversations in our booth on the show floor with people from different parts of the automotive industry: dealers, students, influencers, ADA presidents, vendors, and CEOs. Each conversation discussed a new and fun topic from service efficiency to AI, eContracting, and more. In this episode, Greg goes through some of his favorite moments to give you a quick recap of what people were talking about out in Las Vegas.

"For over 125 years dealers have been successful and adapted to every technological change in our industry. Whether it's how vehicles are sold or the technology used in the vehicles, dealers are constantly updating their ability to reach their customers." On this episode of Connected, Greg sits down with Brian Maas, president of the California New Car Dealers Association and outgoing ATAE chairman. Brian and his colleagues are responsible for updating the franchise laws that protect dealerships.

On today’s episode, Greg sits down with Jose Mendoza, general manager at San Leandro Honda. With inventory levels beginning to stabilize, Jose offers some great tips for navigating the used vehicle market. Hear his thoughts on: -Selling new vs. used. -Finding profitable inventory. -Pricing to your specific market.

On today's episode, Dan Shine, senior editor of Automotive News, joins Greg in the Connected studio. As a Detroit native and experienced journalist, Dan has great insight into what’s going on in the industry and how’s it being talked about in the media. Get Dan's insight on: -Important topics that aren't being talked about enough. -Subjects to keep an eye out for in the future. -How he identifies the stories and people he covers.

Today on Connected, Greg sits down with Curtis Lewsey, the founder of DealerCards and bestselling author of Appreciation Marketing. Curtis has figured out how dealerships can turn a simple "thank you" into a competitive advantage. Listen as they discuss: -What you can do to increase repeat business. -How to earn customer referrals, not just ask for them. -How to build a lasting customer relationship from the get-go.

It's the last episode of Connected before Christmas and we picked this guest just for you! Greg is joined in studio by Kelly Adkins, director of OEM programs at Reynolds, to talk about getting involved in your community and the joy of giving back. Kelly and her family do a lot of volunteering and she has some great tips for getting started!

Thanksgiving has come and gone but we're thankful for this week's guest, Owen Moon! Owen is the co-founder and CEO of Fixed Ops Digital and he sat down with Greg to talk about how you can use marketing to increase visibility and trust in your service department. Find out how you can make your dealership stand out when customers need proactive maintenance work or reactive vehicle repairs!

On today's episode of Connected, Greg talks with Lee Harkins, president and CEO of M5 Management Services, about the common issues he is seeing impacting dealerships' service operations and what advice he gives to help improve their processes. When it comes down to implementing those improvements in the service drive, there are often two different paths taken - investing in the process or investing in technology and tools. In regards to which he has seen drive more success, Lee shared: "Both have had a big impact. Technology in our business right now has been just over the top from a benefits standpoint to the stores... but they are not going to be as effective without the formal processes to support it."

There are many incredibly talented technicians out there. For the best of the best at Hendrick Automotive Group, there are few achievements as impressive as being invited to participate in the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown. This week on Connected, Greg sits down with Roger Mesiemore, vice president of fixed operations at Hendrick Automotive Group, to talk about this year's event and why it's important to recognize talented techs. The 22nd annual Engine Builder Showdown takes place November 8-9 on the campus of Hendrick Motorsports in Concord, North Carolina. Watch it live at RacingAmerica.tv and HendrickEBS.com!

Happy National Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Well, we hope it's a happy occasion. This week on Connected, Greg sits down with Ken Wolf, the supervisor of Reynolds' Security Operations Center. While thinking about cyber incidents can be intimidating, Ken was able to talk through some things that can help you protect yourself and your dealership. Things like: -Where you have control when it comes to your data. -The impact of ransomware and cyberattacks. -What you can be doing to keep your data safe.

Today on Connected, Greg sits down with Tim Whalen, service manager at Voss Chevrolet in Dayton, Ohio. Technician turnover continues to be an issue for dealers but at Voss, Tim's only seen two techs move to different roles in the last five years! Watch the full conversation to find out how Tim manages retention in his dealership by asking questions and evaluating why employees might not be satisfied.

Implementing new systems into the dealership can have a huge impact on long term success, but it's not a one-sided process. It takes work from both the vendor and the dealership, each of which has unique insights on what it takes to successfully implement change. On this episode of Connected, Greg talks with Sean Sullivan, general manager at Bill Currie Ford, and Brad Schafer, the founder of ReconTRAC®. Listen to Brad and Sean's takeaways on: -What kind of buy-in is needed to make a successful change. -Who should be included in the decision making process for widescale changes. -What leaders can do to smooth out the transitional period between two systems.

On today's Connected, Greg sits down to talk with Don Graff, owner of Don Graff Automotive Advisors. Don has spent many years on all sides of the industry, giving him so much knowledge to pull from in his current role as a consultant helping dealerships better understand their business and their workforce. During the conversation, Don shares his thoughts on: -How much impact you can actually have on employee retention. -If there's an appropriate level of attrition for a business. -Current and future trends to get the most out of your BDC. Interested in hearing more? Don will be speaking at our retail summit, Amplify, September 25-26 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sign up at https://www.reyrey.com/cp/amplify