A new strategic partnership and technology-sharing agreement means Canadian automotive retailers advertising their inventory on TRADER Corp.’s automotive marketplace will have access to a new car image library featuring professionally produced photos for most major OEM new vehicles.
The agreement between TRADER Corp. and Car Media 2.0 will provide TRADER customers access to the Car Media 2.0 New Car Image Library and video features. TRADER Corp. is a digital marketing partner for Canadian automotive retailers and manufacturers.
Auto retailers advertising on the autoTRADER.ca marketplace will have access to new vehicle images, captured uniquely, seasonally adjusted and with backgrounds replaced.
The vehicles are categorized by year, make, model, trim and color.
TRADER will also replace its legacy video offering with complete video offerings for automotive OEMs and retailers across Canada. Car Vids 2.0, an advanced video platform developed by Car Media 2.0, will power the new product. It will feature customized and automated video content.
“It’s no secret that well-merchandised inventory, with quality photos, drive more vehicle listing views and more consumer interest on both the autoTRADER.ca marketplace and our dealer partners’ websites,” TRADER chief product officer Jill Hadfield said in a news release. “In fact, one of our early adopters using the New Car Image Library saw a 94-percent increase in visits to their vehicle listings on autoTRADER.ca.”
“This new relationship affords access to automated, streamlined tools for TRADER customers to improve their new car merchandising efforts and enhance the new car shopping experience for Canadian consumers.” Car Media 2.0 head of accounts and strategic partnerships Randy Price said in a news release.
Thursday is the best day for auto dealership traffic in Canada. Consumers are keeping their cars an average of 11.5 years. According to research from global data company Freckle IoT, those are just two of many pieces of information that auto dealers should know, as targeting the correct core audience becomes more important.
Freckle IoT notes that technology and specific shopping behaviors are becoming more prominent factors in auto buying, and that means auto dealers should be armed with as much consumer data as possible.
In its report, “Freckle IoT Path to Purchase, Canada Automotive Footfall Report” for the fourth quarter of 2018, the data company noted various statistics that should interest auto dealers, such as the fact that 59 percent of car buyers spend time doing online research. Forty-six percent of shoppers use multiple devices for research, and six out of 10 shoppers are undecided on a specific vehicle when they enter a dealership.
The data company also released a report for the United States. (And one way the U.S. report differed from the Canadian report is that Friday is the best day for U.S. auto dealership traffic).
Like buyers in the United States, price and reliability are the No. 1 priority for Canadian buyers, according to the report.
Also similar to the U.S. report, the data on auto consumers is plentiful. The report notes that in Canada, the average consumer visits more than five dealerships before buying.
“It is essential to remember this and always be cognizant that you are not the only game in town,” the report notes, adding that consumers also spend an average of six months researching a vehicle they will potentially buy.
The survey also weighed in on the competition between traditional and hybrid vehicles, showing that consumers still prefer traditional.
“So, while the market pressures are playing to the trends with hybrid technology, the consumer still is not on the bandwagon fully,” the report states.
Freckle IoT accumulated the data for the survey by sending more than 8,000 surveys to its customers using its Killi app to uncover specific automotive shopping habits. The company also physically monitored more than 3,000 auto dealerships.
That data includes the top five activities that car shoppers conduct online. They are:
— researching car prices;
— finding actual cars listed for sale;
— comparing different models;
— finding out what their current car is worth;
— locating a dealer or getting dealer information
The report also addresses how dealers should market their vehicles to the public, and it mentions that the car sharing community is rapidly developing. By 2030, the report states, using PwC as a source, the share of autonomous driving could rise to as much as 40 percent.
“This will be a massive factor when developing a marketing plan,” the report states.
According to Laura Zanchin of Zanchin Automotive — Toronto’s largest auto group — the automotive field is a “world of its own.”
And if anyone knows what makes the auto industry tick, it’s the Zanchin sisters. At very early ages Laura Zanchin and sister Andria Zanchin, both 2019 Women & Automotive Profiles in Leadership honorees, worked in the family business and dealerships in positions ranging from reception to controller.
“It’s these roles and challenges that have taught us to become successful executive vice presidents within our own company and have taught us everything we know about the car industry today,” said Laura Zanchin, who serves as both principal and executive vice president within the family business, along with sister Andria Zanchin.
Andria Zanchin told Auto Remarketing Canada she finished university and always knew she would be working in the family business.
“It was the only place I had ever worked or wanted to work from a young age,” said Andria Zanchin. “What I like most about the automotive business is that no two days are often alike. Everyday there are new challenges, and we have to be ready for them.”
Laura Zanchin explained that serving as the general manager at the smallest dealership in the dealer group (Airport Mazda) has been her favorite role in the business so far. She cites learning from a hands-on perspective from everyone in the store to contributing to her success in the role.
“It’s been extremely rewarding for me to make the necessary changes in both culture and business and then see the exceptional results. It’s been an absolute pleasure,” she added.
Currently, both sisters also hold the title of executive vice president. Andria Zanchin explained that the strength she thinks she contributes to the role is “bringing process and many best practices to the group as a whole.
“I action many of the group initiatives and keep everyone aligned,” she added. The Zanchin marketing department and its Guest Centre staff reports to Andria Zanchin, as well, and she also helps oversee the dealer group’s Mazda dealerships.
It’s clear that both the sisters bring a different perspective to the business. And Andria Zanchin pointed out that while the pair do work alongside one another, “sometimes to be more efficient we divide and conquer what needs to get accomplished.
“We are both very strong in different areas, and we like to collaborate and share the successes that we may have in order to share best practices and processes on what is driving results,” she said.
When asked what makes working and running a family business different, Andria Zanchin pointed to the perception of roles and responsibilities.
“We are often providing input and stepping in where ever there is a need,” she said.
In other words, if something needs to be accomplished you just do it — “no matter what the task or who’s role it is,” she added.
“You are all working very strongly towards the same goal, no matter who’s bucket of responsibility it falls,” Andria Zanchin said.
The Zanchins are among several talented leaders sharing their industry perspectives in the January/February print and digital editions of the Auto Remarketing Canada magazine as part of our Women & Automotive Profiles in Leadership.
Many of those leaders and more will continue the conversation at the upcoming Women & Automotive Canadian Leadership Forum. The forum is scheduled to follow the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference on March 21 at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.
‘A challenge and tremendous opportunity’
Laura Zanchin explained it’s like she was “born into the automotive world.”
But that’s unusual for most women.
Laura Zanchin said that not only is the industry “male-dominated,” but it’s also a world of “passionate, dynamic and testosterone-driven people.”
But, she said, it can still be a great career for women who are willing to work at building strong relationships with both their clients, colleagues and employees.
And she didn’t miss a beat when asked whether there should be a larger representation of women in auto.
“Of course there should be more women in automotive,” Laura Zanchin said.
But how?
“… By being honest with each other and talking about our wins and especially talking about what we learned by our misses,” she said.
Trial and error can often be a great teacher
“It’s also important to find what your own strength is and build on that,” Laura Zanchin said. “Maybe you are an excellent communicator, maybe you’re great with numbers, maybe you enjoy working on cars; whatever it is, build on it until you achieve all your goals.”
Sometimes all it takes to attract the next generation of leaders in to a business is simple conversations.
“It’s amazing what I learn when I start talking to someone that has just started within one of stores,” said Laura Zanchin. “I get to know their backgrounds, their family, their goals and their priorities. Their journey becomes part of my journey. I measure my success by their success, and believe me I’m here to make everyone try and succeed.”
And being a woman in an auto dealership doesn’t always have to be a challenge. Laura Zanchin explained it can be a tremendous opportunity, as well.
“Your worth in this business is achieved through your hard work and by learning everything that you can,” she said. “Once you gain respect, you can bring your own perspective and energy to the business as a woman. That can truly lead to success for yourself as well as the dealership.”
The key, she says, for women in auto, is being true to themselves in this industry.
“In years to come, gender will be less of a factor as long as we remain strong in character and realize that we do deserve to be here,” said Laura Zanchin. “Most of the battle will be in realizing that we are just as competent as anyone else.”
According to Laura Zanchin, perhaps the biggest challenge for many women “is realizing that we actually can make a difference and be successful in the automotive world.
“We have to remain positive, and we have to learn everything we can. That’s how we become empowered and how we all succeed,” she added.
Leadership: ‘It’s not all about you’
Man or woman, leadership — and the characteristics most important in our leaders — is changing. And according to Laura Zanchin, in today’s world, “you have to be smart enough to know that business is changing, and you have to be even smarter to realize that the end result will always stay the same.”
That is, if you work to satisfy your customers by building great experience and strong relationships — and do this by having amazing employees that feel the same way you do — said Laura Zanchin.
Her leadership philosophy is fairly simple: “If your people are happy and engaged, it shows within the store, and it also reflects through to your customers and the overall success of the dealership. It’s a positive ripple effect where everyone wins.”
Ultimately, the automotive industry is not for the faint of heart. To be a leader in this industry, you do have to be tough-skinned, she says, but that by no means discounts women from the industry.
“Setbacks come with the territory as long as you learn from them, and everybody has their share of setbacks,” Laura Zanchin said.
She concluded: “The most important trait in a leader is to understand that it’s not all about ‘you.’”
Phil Sura of UnityWorks is known as the foremost expert in integrating video on dealer websites.
Phil will share his expertise and guide dealers to higher levels of success during Dealer Training Tuesday as part of the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference next month in Toronto.
The conference runs from March 19-20 at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto.
Listen in to the podcast below as Phil and AR Canada Conference chair Bill Zadeits catch up during the recent NADA Show 2019 in San Francisco.
The full discussion can be found below.
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Sellchology CEO Jonathan Dawson shares his path to success and the unique selling approaches and insights he'll bring to Dealer Training Tuesday as part of the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference.
Listen in to Jonathan and his conversation below with conference chair Bill Zadeits.
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After seeing the improvement of its first two 2018 dealership acquisitions in Western Canada, Foundation Automotive Group in Calgary is looking for rapid U.S. growth in 2019, with seven U.S. dealership acquisitions planned for the first quarter and nine planned after that for the second quarter.
Foundation Automotive Corp., which describes itself as one of Canada’s newest and fastest-growing automotive groups, acquired Foundation Squamish Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Squamish, B.C., in October. In November, the group acquired Foundation Drayton Valley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Drayton Valley, Alberta.
“When we acquired these stores, back in October and November of 2018, they were not broken stores. They were good stores with room for improvement. And we like that,” Chuck Kramer, chief operating officer of Foundation Auto, said in a news release. “What we're doing is coming in and re-working some of the key processes, creating efficiencies and providing much-needed support. Our early efforts are already showing rewards.”
Foundation Auto boasts of its “all-star executive management team with the perfect mix of operations specialists and analytical professionals.” The company says the team’s vision is to be “the North American benchmark for top-tier automotive solutions.”
That group will work on continuing to improve operations at its most recently acquired dealerships. Travis Van Spronsen (dealer principal/managing partner) will manage Foundation Drayton Valley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and his operational experience includes work with Browns’ Chevrolet Buick GMC in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. At that dealership, Van Spronsen “built a deep-rooted culture of service,” Foundation Automotive Group noted in a news release.
Adam Mounzer (dealer principal/managing partner) will manage Foundation Squamish Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, and he brings more than 25 years of industry experience. That experience includes more than five years in management roles at Dodge dealerships across Western Canada.
Michael Cirillo is known to thousands of dealers across Canada and 64 additional countries as the host of the "The Dealer Playbook" podcast.
Cirillo, who is also CEO of FlexDealer, will be at the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference on March 19 during Dealer Training Tuesday, with a session that will guide dealers through a process to future-proof their businesses through new technologies.
Hear a sneak peek of his session in this interview with Cherokee Media Group president Bill Zadeits, recorded at NADA Show 2019 last month in San Francisco.
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.
OpenRoad Auto Group has a long history with Toyota.
The group began its partnership with the automaker in 1978, when the company opened its first Toyota showroom on Granville Avenue in Richmond. The dealership in 1985 moved to its current Richmond Auto Mall location and renamed it OpenRoad Toyota Richmond. The dealership group went on to acquire two more Toyota dealerships. On Jan. 22, OpenRoad announced the acquisition of its fourth British Columbia Toyota dealership and 28th automotive retail location, Peace Arch Toyota in South Surrey.
In other Canadian dealership news, Mercedes-Benz Canada named its 2019 Star Dealers, which are the group’s top 11 dealerships among the company’s national network of 59 retail locations.
Regarding the OpenRoad news, the auto group is singing the praises of Peace Arch Toyota, noting that under the Vines family leadership, the dealership earned Toyota’s highest honor for excellence in customer service, sales volumes and market penetration. OpenRoad also noted that Peace Arch has earned the President’s Program Award five times.
But the praise doesn’t stop there. OpenRoad emphasizes Peace Arch Toyota’s charitable reputation in the community for its many donations to the Special Olympics, the Canada Cup Softball Tournament and the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation. As the new owners of Peace Arch Toyota, OpenRoad says it plans to continue those traditions.
The company is currently building what will be the new home of OpenRoad Toyota Richmond, and OpenRoad say it will become Canada’s largest Toyota dealership. The company is calling it an “impressive 205,000 square foot, mega facility” that it says will incorporate the most advanced technological features and environmental systems. while housing the country’s largest Toyota showroom and service centre. The new OpenRoad Toyota Richmond dealership is expected to open in late 2019.
Openroad will soon rebrand Peace Arch Toyota as OpenRoad Toyota Peace Arch, which will also feature OpenRoad’s Club OpenRoad loyalty program.
“We are honored to continue the legacy and family success story of Peach Arch Toyota as a leading B.C. Toyota dealer in White Rock and South Surrey,” Christian Chia, chief executive officer of OpenRoad Auto Group, said in a news release. “We look forward to maintaining the dealership’s excellent reputation for offering superior customer service, being a committed community partner and a great place to work.”
For Mercedes-Benz Canada, the dealership notes that its 2019 Star Dealers, over the course of the 2018 calendar year, must have shown outstanding performance in new and pre-owned sales and service and parts, in addition to exceptional customer service satisfaction. The Star Dealer designation was first introduced in 1999.
The 2019 Star Dealers are as follows (listed from east to west):
— Norman Hébert, Mercedes-Benz de Québec
— Benoît Theetge, Mercedes-Benz St-Nicolas
— Peter Santos, Mercedes-Benz Peterborough
— Neal Bodack and Giuseppe Zanchin, Mercedes-Benz Durham
— Glen Alizadeh, Performance Mercedes-Benz
— Van Malkhassian, Mercedes-Benz Markham
— Graham MacNab Mercedes-Benz Midtown
— Sylvester Chuang Mercedes-Benz Oakville
— Jonathan Eltes Mercedes-Benz Brampton
— Rick Sentes Kelowna Mercedes-Benz
— Ajay Dilawri, Mercedes-Benz Langley
“In 2018, Mercedes-Benz dealers from coast to coast worked incredibly hard to provide exceptional products and services to our customers," said Brian Fulton, president and chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Canada, said in a news release. “Thanks to their efforts, the company was able to maintain its position as the number one luxury manufacturer in Canada for the fifth consecutive year.”
A new dedicated business development center will offer a tailored product for the AutoCanada group using DealerMine CRM’s Service CRM application to increase service department traffic at AutoCanada's Canadian dealerships.
The center is the result of a strategic partnership between AutoCanada Inc. and DealerMine CRM to establish a dedicated business development center for AutoCanada's Canadian dealerships. The two companies announced the formation of the partnership on Thursday. AutoCanada currently operates 68 franchised dealerships with 28 brands in Canada and in Illinois in the United States.
DealerMine CRM, a subsidiary of Quorum Information Services Inc., will operate the AutoCanada business development center in dedicated facilities from its headquarters in Saint John, New Brunswick. A staff of 85 people will work for the center. DealerMine works to help dealerships increase revenues and profitability through data mining, multi-channel marketing OEM integrations and BDC operations.
“The establishment of the business development center is a key step of our Go-Forward Plan and will increase occupancy levels in our service departments," Michael Rawluk, president of AutoCanada, said in a news release.
“Our partnership will allow DealerMine CRM to offer a robust and tailored solution for AutoCanada, while continuing to focus on driving more sales to their service departments,” Robert Quirion, chief executive officer of DealerMine CRM, said in a news release.
Kijiji Autos, a digital destination that includes a website and app for helping Canadians find new or used, private or dealer, cars and trucks, formed an exclusive partnership with The Car Girls, a female-led organization that will provide additional communications and account-specific support to Kijiji Autos’ business.
The Car Girls provides sales-driven services for automotive dealerships through their business development center capabilities. The partnership with Kijiji Autos will focus on providing customer contact support, as well as additional regional sales support in smaller markets where Kijiji Autos does not currently have dedicated team members.
This partnership will also use The Car Girls’ various services — including marketing consulting, customer service and staff training, as well as their experience and understanding about dealerships — to onboard new dealers and support their needs throughout the Kijiji Autos offering process.
“We’re excited to have The Car Girls’ knowledge and expertise — as well having their female voice as part of our frontline communications — as a new component of our growing autos team,” Leanne Kripp, head of autos at Kijiji, said in a news release. She added that the partnership will “continue to build more avenues for trust and transparency throughout our Kijiji Autos brand, and to strengthen new and ongoing connections with our clients.”
Janis Showers, owner of The Car Girls, said in a news release that the opportunity will help to “…bring dealer clients a ‘white glove service’ through our efforts and that The Car Girls will “collaborate with Kijiji Autos on how to master the autos sector through the digital landscape.”
