Video Blog/Jeff Sacks: Jeff Takes a Look at Dealership Staffing Guides

How much support staff do you really need? And other key guides…

(4/21/2011)

DealersEdge Headlines In this week’s video blog, Jeff Sacks tackles the question of how dealership personnel should be allocated for optimum productivity. As a rule, says Jeff, 60 percent of a dealership’s employees should be classified as “productive,” with the other 40 percent listed as “support.”

Video Blog/Jeff Sacks: As Sales Show Improvement Now is Time to Tune Up Your Customer Retention Process

Video Blog/Jeff Sacks: As sales show improvement now is time to tune up your Customer Retention Process

With the somewhat improving economy, dealers are admonished to sharpen their focus on how many new vehicles customers are coming back for in service.

(3/3/2011)

DealersEdge Headlines

Understanding the Misunderstood Work in Process (WIP)

My thoughts on work in process are quite simple. The way we account for this asset is unwieldy, clumsy and awkward, but we handle it this way because it is the way we have always done it. When it comes to managing WIP, there is a much easier and simplified accounting process that I want to share with you, but first there is a need to completely understand how this asset is created and, in turn, how the current system works.

Looking Behind the Numbers

Numbers are the performance barometer—we use them to measure, monitor and compete. They define our performance and, in many instances, our prosperity. Numbers can be used as the carrot or the stick—the tool that management uses as the lever to change and hopefully improve.

Thus, numbers influence management behavior and decision making. These actions are forged by what is normally a logical interpretation of the numerical information that is available. However, there are instances where certain metrics are not tracked, but instead ignored or not even acknowledged and yet, some of this data is incredibly important because of its significant impact on the bottom line.