WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. -

Auto Remarketing recently learned of a change in the leadership on the pre-owned side of the business at BMW of North America.

The company revealed to the publication that Joan Bowen, who was the marketing manager in the pre-owned department, has moved over to head up marketing for the company’s new electric vehicle brand.

Additionally, the company’s manager of pre-owned sales and corporate fleet shared with Auto Remarketing some of the strategies BMW dealers are currently employing to tackle the off-lease supply challenges.

Discussing the department moves in more detail, filling Bowen’s pre-owned position is Lisa Judge, who was previously a sales strategy training manager with the BMW Group University.

Bowen and Judge both began their respective new positions on Aug. 29.

“During her time with BMW University, Lisa developed an effective network among our field team and the retail network. The insights she has gained from this network make her well prepared for her new assignment,” said Stephen Saward, manager of pre-owned sales and corporate fleet.

“This gives her the opportunity to maintain an ongoing dialogue regarding marketing concepts and initiatives and can provide immediate her feedback on the effectiveness of our marketing efforts. Lisa also had the opportunity to display her creative side in her role in University, developing and implementing communication pieces that could draw in and hold the students,” he continued.

Saward added: “She also has an extensive background managing a team of external resources, which will serve her well in a marketing environment. Lisa comes on at a time when we are also partnering with a new advertising agency. We expect that these two elements will bring a new degree of creativity and innovation to our CPO marketing efforts.”

Moving along, Saward also delved into what Bowen’s responsibilities will be in her new post. She will have complete marketing responsibilities for the U.S. launch of BMW i, the company’s sub-brand.

“She is part of a dedicated team focusing first on the launch of BMW Active e, and then the i brand. The BMW i sub-brand stands for visionary vehicles and mobility services, inspiring design and a new understanding of premium that is strongly defined by sustainability,” Saward shared.

“With BMW i the BMW Group is adopting an all-embracing approach, redefining the understanding of personal mobility with purpose-built vehicle concepts, a focus on sustainability throughout the value chain and a range of complementary mobility services,” he continued.

Sharing more on Bowen’s contributions in the pre-owned department, Saward noted that she was pivotal in bringing non-CPO listings to BMW websites. This pushed an “immediate” uptick in website searches and leads.

“Joan has made a great contribution to the pre-owned department, and we will miss her, but we wish her well in this exciting new opportunity that will represent an important step for the BMW Group,” he added.

“We are excited to get an individual like Lisa on board as her replacement. Lisa is well equipped to continue the work Joan has begun, and will doubtless bring her own creativity to the task to take BMW pre-owned sales to the next level. We expect a seamless transition,” Saward continued.

Tackling Inventory Challenges

Moving along, dealers throughout the industry, including BMW, are facing inventory pressure on the used-car side. With off-lease supply falling and possibly getting even more challenging, dealers are finding it harder and harder to secure CPO-worthy used units.

To shed some light on how BMW has addressed the lease-return shortage, Saward shared a few strategies that his automaker’s dealers have employed.

“Dealers are finding that they can profitably retail cars they may have wholesaled in the past. They may not certify these cars but can offer BMW FS extended protection products to customers,” Saward explained. “They are also utilizing equity sort tools like the BMW FS Loan Loyalty tool as well as tools provided by vendors like Xtream Service to mine their customer population to identify retail finance customers that may be in positive equity.

“They turn the high used-car prices into a positive and both sell a new car and acquire a used car they can retail. Some are even posting signs in their service drive telling service customers that they are actively buying used cars,” he continued.

Saward added: “The more progressive dealers have set up a communication process between their sales and service department. The service department gives the sales department a list of customers scheduled to come in for service.

“The sales department reviews the list and then identifies customers likely to be in a positive equity position, or with a vehicle the dealership wants for their used car department. When the customer comes in for service there is a handoff to a salesperson to determine if the customer has any interest in a new car,” he concluded.