7 crucial lessons dealers are carrying into 2025 (Pt. 1 of 2)

Hey, everyone — Last Friday, we launched the first CDG ReactionCast live community discussion. It was a strong start, and we’re excited to keep improving with each session. 

To keep the momentum going, we’ve set up a private online community at cdgcommunity.com for dealers and industry pros to connect, share ideas, and dive deeper into CDG content. We’ve even posted the key takeaways from the first discussion.

This is an imperfect experiment and will only get better!

—CDG

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As a holiday treat for you, I’ve compiled a list of 7 crucial lessons from Car Dealership Guy Podcast episodes designed to help everyone in the industry become smarter, sharper, and better prepared heading into the new year. Stay tuned for part two of this newsletter – heading to your inbox next week.

Let’s start with a key insight for the aspiring dealers out there…

How to buy a franchise dealership

After jumping into the car business at 18, Kyle Coleman was finally able to buy his first dealership at 37 — a dual-point Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Ford dealership. 

And although financing was a challenge, at the end of the day, his ability to turn struggling departments into profit centers gave lenders confidence. And his tenacity ensured the deal worked on his terms. 

Lesson #1: Some first-time dealers like Kyle aren’t overlooking rural markets — opting to pay a lower multiple and turn around an underperforming store, instead of overpaying for premium locations.

But once an acquisition is made… the next challenge is cultivating a world-class staff…

How to lead a dealership team

In Queens, NY, Brian Benstock leads Paragon Honda, the world’s number-one performing Honda dealership. But working for Brian is not easy — and that’s by design. 

The car business is 24 hours, seven days a week. And Brian’s team is fielding phone calls and text messages from 4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. That’s the expectation. It might not work for everyone — but making the choice to grind it out early on and develop a strong skillset can yield excellent benefits later in life. 

Lesson #2: Brian believes true leadership requires vision and an ability to see the bigger picture. A leader’s job is to set a course forward for the business and inspire the team to get there.

And developing talent today lays the groundwork for a business that excels in the long-term…

How to build a lasting legacy from the ground up

Fred Beans built one of the nation’s top dealership groups by sticking to his roots and humble beginnings. Today, his empire spans 27 stores and six collision centers.

His approach? Reinvesting 50% of earnings to fund growth — and strengthening his local market before expanding.

Lesson #3: To build an iconic brand, dealers have to cultivate a sphere of influence in their local market like Fred. By keeping the focus narrow — dealers can meets the needs of their most immediate customers.

As Fred said, the easiest days of the car business are behind us, and dealers are getting creative to improve customer loyalty…

How to retain dealership customers for life

Vince Sheehy has mastered the art of turning one-time buyers into lifelong customers. His VIP Club, a loyalty program with 125,000 active members, means customers stay connected to the dealership by offering prepaid maintenance and other rewards that can go towards the purchase of a Sheehy car.

Lesson #4: Incentive programs like the VIP Club keep customers returning for service — making them more likely to buy their next vehicle from the same dealership. In fact, 15 - 20% of Sheehy’s customer base for car sales are from the program. 

Retaining customers is critical — but creating experiences that make them feel at home takes it to the next level…

How to build a culture of hospitality

Jeff Swickard currently owns 39 rooftops representing 54 franchises and just added another storefront this past October. And from the start — Jeff’s approach has been simple but powerful — “treat every customer like a guest in your home.”

So — Jeff decided to build a fixed-ops department capable of handling any amount of volume — no matter how busy the day might be. And in the meantime, the majority of customers will get a loaner nearly identical to their actual car. 

Lesson #5: Dealers must give every customer the same caliber of experience, regardless of how many people they serve or whether they operate premium or mass-market brands.

But at the same time, some dealers are leveraging AI to make the car buying process faster and smarter…

How to build a next-gen BDC

Artificial intelligence is transforming the ways dealerships operate — especially the business development center (BDC), which typically handles inbound leads from phone calls and websites. 

At Van Horn Automotive Group, Tina Tasche explains AI software handles these leads 24/7, with 40% of AI-driven sales coming from off-hours chats since February. And by freeing up her BDC staff for more high-level tasks, the group was able to launch a new after-sales care department.

Lesson #6: AI is creating lots of new opportunities for dealers, but training employees on using it and how to “take over” complex conversations, doesn’t happen overnight. Yet, centralizing the BDC under one roof means every staff member is trained on the same protocols.

However — all of these efforts won’t be nearly as effective if dealers can’t get their messages out to the right audience…

How to dominate social media

At Ryan Rohrman’s 22 storefronts — traditional marketing strategies are no longer cutting it – influencer marketing is much more personable and far more effective. But what many aren’t doing — is enabling dealership staff to leverage their own social media platforms to create and engage with these relationships — driving results for themselves and the business.

Lesson #7: Some of the most creative people are already working in dealerships. Sharing content and connecting with the audience consistently is what keeps the brand at the forefront of consumers’ minds until they're ready for their next purchase.

These strategies prove there’s more than one way to win in the car business…

What approach is driving your next big opportunity? Hit Reply to let me know (yes, I really read the responses)

Retaining customers is crucial for dealers. But the frequency and personalization required for effective outreach, follow-up, and retention surpasses what humans can achieve alone.

Impel AI doubles as a customer service concierge and an AI assistant for dealership staff:

• Continuously mines the DMS for maintenance and marketing opportunities

• Reaches customers on their preferred channel at the right time, with the right message

• Consistently follows up with every customer

• Instantly schedules service appointments without staff intervention

Automotive AI is helping dealers boost Repair Order revenue, drive appointments, and free up agents to build customer relationships that drive loyalty. The service drive of the future is here - are you ready?

Three opportunities hitting the CDG Job Board right now:

• CURATED: Parts Manager (Miami, Florida)

• Reliance Motor Credit: Dealer Relationship Manager (Pennsylvania)

• Dealer Pay: Director of Marketing (remote)

Looking to hire? Add your roles today—it’s 100% free.

• Carlos Ghosn blasts Nissan management for ‘surrendering’ to ‘archrival’ Honda.

• Government regulators close investigation into Ford Focus recalls.

• U.S. Treasury released EV charger tax credit guidance – here’s how to find out if you qualify.

• BYD construction site in Brazil shut over ‘slavery-like’ conditions.

• S&P Global Mobility forecasts 89.6M vehicle sales worldwide in 2025.

Thanks for reading. See you on the next edition…

—Car Dealership Guy

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