Holman Automotive has added a Jaguar franchise to its existing Land Rover San Diego facility, selling and servicing new and pre-owned Jaguar vehicles.
In other dealer news, Chapman Volkswagen in Philadelphia has created a new blog to help customers learn more about the latest Volkswagen models and local events.
Starting with the news at Holman, Brian Bates, president and chief executive officer, Holman Consumer Services, said in a news release that his company has represented the Land Rover brand at its dealerships in San Diego and Denver for many years and that he believes the addition of Jaguar to the San Diego location “will further strengthen this world-class retail facility.”
Land Rover San Diego is now operating as an authorized Jaguar dealership and is currently in the process of transitioning all Jaguar sales and service operations to its facility at 9455 Clayton Drive, San Diego. With the addition of Jaguar to its Land Rover San Diego location, Holman Automotive now includes 37 dealership franchises representing 18 brands from the East Coast to the Pacific Northwest.
Tassos Panas, vice president of network development, Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC, said in a news release that he was “excited that the Holman Automotive team will be building a brand new ARCH facility that will showcase both brands and service customers in a new state-of-the-art retail environment, expected to open early next year.”
Jaguar Land Rover notes that it has engaged in an “aggressive product expansion” throughout the United States, including Land Rover’s return of its Defender model to the U.S. market. For Jaguar, its 2018 expansion includes the E-PACE compact performance crossover along with the brand’s first-ever, all-electric, mid-size performance SUV, the I-PACE.
VW dealer launches educational blog
In additional dealer news in Philadelphia, Chapman Volkswagen has created a new blog that features several articles detailing the standard and available features of the available models at the dealership as well as other important information that drivers may also enjoy.
Articles have covered models such as the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta and the 2019 Volkswagen Atlas. In addition to links and images to show drivers what the vehicles look on the outside as well as on the inside, the posts also include details on local events.
The blog posts also offer information about the dealership’s inventory, service department and other services. Those interested in the blog can go to chapmansvw.com and visit the “About Us” section.
Car buyers are doing more advance research than ever. Because of that, they often know more about the dealership than the dealership knows about them. Connect Automotive Intelligence is a new product that VinSolutions believes will close that gap.
VinSolutions notes in a press release that Connect Automotive Intelligence will help dealers better act on customer engagement and data. The tools will analyze customer communications and behaviors to help dealers find the best opportunities to deliver a more personalized experience.
VinSolutions, currently in the pilot phase, includes three new artificial intelligence-enabled tools for Connect CRM, which is a dealership customer relationship management system:
1. Engagement strength, which measures a salesperson’s interactions with an existing prospect or customer. By tracking a salesperson’s customer interaction frequency, the tool highlights engagement trends and helps managers better visualize how a salesperson is performing in the CRM.
2. Sentiment analysis, which uses artificial intelligence to determine customer sentiment and intent by analyzing text messages and emails. This analysis helps identify revenue opportunities and highlight the customer interactions that will build satisfaction.
3. Buying Signals, which captures and analyzes shoppers’ online behaviors and distills them to predict shopping personas, shopping preferences and the sense of urgency. Rather than leads coming into the CRM without any context of the prior online shopping behavior, this new enhancement uses known online traffic to increase speed of sale and build trust with the shopper.
“Modern businesses today excel by being more consumer-facing,” Kevin Frye, eCommerce director, Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, said in a press release. “For us, personalizing each customer experience is a high priority. Connect Automotive Intelligence will allow us to deliver a more consumer-facing journey with timely, relevant and personalized communications.”
For new technologies like artificial intelligence to be most effective, VINSolutions says technology integrations must also take place. As part of Cox Automotive, Connect Automotive Intelligence works with products from its sister companies, including Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book, vAuto, Dealer.com and Xtime, to streamline workflows, reduce duplicate data entry and ensure dealers get more value from their software investments. Those integrations, which help improve personalization across the entire consumer lifecycle, will also be filtered through these artificial intelligence-enabled enhancements to bring the most opportunity out of the marketplace for dealers.
Connect Automotive Intelligence will be available to view at the NADA convention later this month in San Francisco.
Jaguar St. Petersburg and Land Rover St. Petersburg is the newest member of the Crown Automotive Group, and the newly constructed, 19,000-square-foot building includes various new design features.
The dealer group noted the grand opening of the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based dealership will be the first Jaguar Land Rover “Arch” architectural design used in Florida. The arch is a worldwide design used to express the advanced technology of these brands.
The new dealership was scheduled to open its doors on Tuesday and features 11,500 square feet of new construction, a showroom with 16-foot-high ceilings, and 100-percent LED lighting.
The new home for Jaguar St. Petersburg and Land Rover St. Petersburg also is one of the first buildings to have a hurricane-resistant, seamless glass system with exterior glazing — which the group noted is designed for a “luxuriously open feel” while withstanding Florida’s often inclement weather.
“We are extremely excited to have such iconic British brands added to our lineup. Especially one which compliments Jaguar, a marque we have represented since 1976,” Jim Myers, president and chief operating officer of Crown Automotive Group, said in a news release.
The grand opening of Jaguar St. Petersburg and Land Rover St. Petersburg also featured a service reception area and a fully air-conditioned service shop.
More than 3,000 square feet of the service area, including the shop, includes all-new equipment for its certified technicians. Also, three new service lanes with quick-check capabilities have been installed.
The company notes that the lanes increase the speed and information gained from service by using laser sensors and cameras to check wheel alignment, tread and other readings in seconds.
“Our goal is to make our customers’ experience very memorable every time we have the pleasure of interacting; thus showing why we are the truly the better way to buy,” said Michal Niezbecki, general manager of Jaguar and Land Rover of St. Petersburg.
Florida-based Ed Morse Automotive Group has spread its reach to Texas and acquired dealerships in Dallas from Roundtree Automotive Group.
These new dealerships are:
- Freedom Chevrolet by Ed Morse, located at 8008 Marvin D Love Freeway
- Freedom Buick GMC by Ed Morse, located at 3837 W. Wheatland Road
- Freedom Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram by Ed Morse, located at 815 E. Camp Wisdom Road.
“It’s tremendously exciting to be expanding outside of Florida, which has been our home for over 70 years. Dallas is a market that we’ve coveted for a long time and look forward to establishing our trusted family name in such an important region,” Teddy Morse, chairman and chief executive officer of Ed Morse Automotive Group, said in a news release.
The Ed Morse Automotive Group has been in the automotive business since 1946 and is headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla. It has been family owned for more than 70 years. The acquisition will add more than 260 employees to its 900-plus employee base, growing its locations to 16 dealership locations, 22 franchises and 13 automotive brands.
“Dallas is a great car market, and these dealerships were well run,” Morse said. “We are looking not only to continue these dealerships’ history of great deals and outstanding customer service, but to make significant capital improvements. We also look forward to supporting the local community with job growth and giving back to local non-profits.”
According to a HomeNet Automotive research study, 83 percent of dealers believe they can increase turns if they improve online merchandising, but only 10 percent thought their online presence was highly differentiated.
In response, the newest inventory merchandising tool from HomeNet is designed to respond to how much dealerships — and their potential customers — spend on their mobile devices.
The company highlighted four major components of SnapLot 360, a 360-degree capture solution that is geared to drive increased visibility to dealers’ online sales platforms through an iOS and Android compatible application.
HomeNet explained SnapLot 360 technology can provide dealers the ability to manage the following through the app:
—Exterior 360 Capture: Walk around the vehicle and capture a high-resolution exterior 360 degrees photo in seconds using image stabilization to drive efficiency and optimal viewing by vehicle shoppers.
—Interior 360 Capture: Leverage SnapLot 360 to capture a compelling interior 360 degree panoramic to fully immerse car shoppers in the experience.
—Hot Spot Tagging: Tag specific features as hot spots that will call out to online car shoppers, driving engagement and a deeper understanding about the vehicle.
—360 Syndication: Syndicate interior and exterior 360 degrees photos to the top website and listings providers in the industry, including Dealer.com and Autotrader.
“SnapLot 360 is an evolution of the digital showroom, delivering a three-dimensional view of a vehicle's interior and exterior that separates dealers from the competition, while empowering customers to explore dealership inventory from any device,” said John Hensman, vice president and general manager of HomeNet Automotive.
“A more immersive experience than traditional video, SnapLot 360 provides a higher level of engagement and transparency that customers need to make more informed — and faster — buying decisions,” Hensman continued
“This new technology furthers our proven philosophy that transparency builds trust, which results in more sales for dealers,” he went on to say.
HomeNet emphasized that vehicle merchandising that included photos and videos were the first stops in differentiating dealerships online. As the industry has evolved, the company pointed out technology advanced, and shoppers continue to become savvier as customers demand a more dynamic online shopping experience.
Market research indicated that a personalized online shopping experience can help dealerships drive sales and increase margin.
Hensman noted that the previously mentioned HomeNet research study insights are supported by a Cox Automotive report, “Working Deals in a Digital World,” which identifies “dealers who infuse a customer-centric approach to their sales process, allows them to protect margins, improve workflow and increase customer satisfaction.”
Hensman said, “Customers have become more educated; they know their options and how to find the inventory they're interested in. We also know that they seek out a heightened online user experience that's personalized and easy to engage with.
“With SnapLot 360, dealers can serve their customer dynamic content with ease,” he went on to say.
HomeNet launched a pilot program with customers to test the SnapLot 360 technology, and the company said the initial results have exceeded expectations.
“We’re a dealership group that wants to stay ahead of the curve and SnapLot 360 helped us differentiate ourselves online from the start,” said David Simches, used car group director for the Crown Auto Group. “It’s easy to use and adds a lot of value to our online listings.
“If you have a product that improves the customer experience while making you more efficient, it’s a win/win for the dealership,” Simches continued. “The bottom line is we're selling more cars since we've started using SnapLot 360,”
To see SnapLot 360 in action, dealers can go to this website.
Matt Gibson, vice president of reinsurance sales for Protective Asset Protection, joined Nick to discuss one of the more complicated subjects ever broached on the Auto Remarketing Podcast.
Gibson explained the potential ramifications on dealerships’ F&I profit stemming from initial decisions associated with passive foreign income in connection with non-controlled foreign corporations (NCFCs).
It has all been triggered because of new tax laws enacted by President Trump.
The podcast discussion can be found below.
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Nick had the chance to share another conversation with Anil Goyal and Jared Kalfus from Black Book during Used Car Week 2018 for a discussion about how the company partners with a variety of other players in the automotive space for the benefit of auctions, dealers and finance companies.
Goyal and Kalfus described the collaborative spirit that brings fruitful results.
The podcast discussion can be found below.
Download and subscribe to the Auto Remarketing Podcast on iTunes or on Google Play.
You can also listen to the latest episode in the window below.
Catch the latest episodes on the Auto Remarketing Podcast homepage and on our Soundcloud page.
Please complete our audience survey; we appreciate your feedback.
The Dave Cantin Group (DCG) sought to become the fastest-growing and largest automotive mergers and acquisitions firm in the United States during 2018.
And DCG believes it delivered on that vision based on the results the company reported this week.
DCG completed 2018 with 39 acquisition listings valued at more than $1.5 billion. The listings cover more than 18 automotive brands, including Audi, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover and Infiniti.
“Our experienced management team has worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to make DCG the top M&A firm serving auto dealers in the country,” said Dave Cantin, DCG’s founder and chief executive officer. “Their efforts have positioned DCG as the industry’s go-to mergers and acquisitions firm.”
Cantin said that DCG’s 2019 goals include offering more than 50 acquisition listings with a valuation of more than $2 billion. The company is expanding its team in 2019, seeking to add additional M&A experts in all five regional offices and its headquarters in New York, to handle the volume of activity and interest in working with DCG.
Cantin’s company currently offers a broad range of professional services, including the management of:
—Simple buy/sell acquisitions
—Multi-dealership acquisitions
—Private equity transactions
—Employee buy-ins
—Minority investor programs
—Succession planning
DCG will exhibit at the upcoming National Automobile Dealers Association Show beginning on Jan. 25 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The firm’s space will be at No. 7553W, located in the center’s West Hall on Level 2.
Sheehy Auto Stores has announced donations of $135,000 among 19 charities throughout the communities they serve in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, Va. The donations are part of Sheehy’s Annual Giving Program whereby each dealership partners with local non-profit organizations.
“Sheehy Auto Stores is pleased to continue our annual end of the year giving campaign that supports a variety of community causes,” Sheehy Auto Stores president Vince Sheehy said in a news release. “Our employees and family of dealerships do much throughout the year in donating time and money for many charities in the areas we serve, and we are proud to support these on-going efforts.”
In the Washington, D.C. area, $55,000 was donated to charities including:
- Ecumenical Community Helping Others ($5,000)
- Fauquier F.I.S.H. ($5,000)
- Gaithersburg HELP ($7,500)
- Good Shepherd Catholic Church ($5,000)
- The Good Shepherd Housing ($7,500)
- The Lamb Center ($2,500)
- Ronald McDonald House Charites of Greater Washington, DC ($5,000)
- Smashing Walnuts Foundation ($5,000)
- The. St. Lucy Project/Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington ($7,500)
- United Communities Against Poverty ($5,000)
Non-profit organizations in Baltimore, Maryland that received $57,500 included:
- The Arnold House ($5,000)
- Arundel House of Hope ($5,000)
- Charles County Children's Aid Society ($5,000)
- The McArdle School for Early Autism Intervention ($7,500)
- Mosaic Community Services ($5,000)
- Naval Academy Athletic Association ($30,000)
In the Richmond, Va. market, $22,500 was distributed to:
- ACES ($3,750)
- Circles Ashland ($3,750)
- Mercy Mall of Virginia ($15,000)
[Updated to correct timing of shift mentioned in first paragraph from Tuesday to Monday.]
AutoNation chief operating officer Lance Iserman and chief technology officer Tom Conophy will be leaving the company effective Monday as part of an operational structure reorganization announced by the retailer, a restructuring that involves several executives departing the company and a change in its regional structure.
As part of the realignment, Donna Parlapiano — who is the executive vice president of franchise network, mergers and acquisition, and corporate real estate — chose to retire effective Jan. 3.
Chief human resources officer Dennis Berger will leave AutoNation on Jan. 31 after assisting in the transition.
In a news release, AutoNation chief executive Mike Jackson said: “We believe automotive retail will be challenging in 2019 and improving our performance, creating synergies across our network, and restructuring our corporate and regional teams are pivotal components of AutoNation's cost savings plan, as we create a more agile, streamlined, and efficient core business that is well-positioned for long-term success.
“These actions will better position us for a changing market,” Jackson said.
He later added: “We want to thank Lance, Tom, and Donna for their years of service and contributions to the company. Realigning, combining, and reducing positions improves efficiencies, speeds up decision making, and reinforces our commitment to providing a peerless customer experience.”
Jackson added: “We would like to thank Dennis for the skill, leadership, and passion he brought to the company.”
AutoNation believes the restructuring will cut costs by about $50 million annually and fosters the retailer’s “flexibility to continue investing in its brand extension and digital capabilities.”
The reorganization also includes a consolidation of AutoNation’s regional structure from three regions to two. In conjunction with the reorganization, AutoNation named James Bender its executive vice president of sales, a move that was effective Tuesday.
Bender, who was been with AutoNation for more than 20 years, was most recently the Eastern region vice president.
“Jim is an exceptional and respected leader, with tremendous success. He will lead all aspects of the variable sales operations,” Jackson said.
