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| The 2010 Dealer Day Conference will feature an operations panel to provide insight into the challenges confronting dealers. |
This year’s Dealer Day will focus on accessory integration, sales and profit and will also provide participants with a “how-to” manual that outlines best practices and guidelines for dealer accessory programs.
A key component to this year’s Dealer Day will be an operations panel consisting of a dealer principal or general manager, a service manager, a parts manager, a new- and used-car sales manager, an office manager and a finance manager.
Questions will be asked from the perspective of an experienced accessory manager. This diverse panel will provide insight into the inner workings and challenges confronting every dealer.
There are generally four basic approaches to operating an accessory program within a dealer:
• Third Party: An outside company facilitates the entire operation and is responsible for inventory, installation, spiffs and management. The dealer benefits from this method through a rebate program and has minimum risk.
• Dedicated In-House: The dealer assumes all responsibility and controls the entire scope of operations. There is a dedicated accessory manager who facilitates all sales and service. All expenses (installations, inventory, labor, pay-roll, insurance) are born by the dealer. Also, the tire department usually falls under the umbrella of the accessory department. These programs generally offer a higher return on investment but also carry increased liability and the potential for obsolete and bloated inventory levels.
• Parts: The parts department acts a liaison between the front and back end and is responsible for ordering accessories. Installation methods vary.
• Get-Ready Manager: The get-ready manager coordinates accessory sales between sales, service and parts. He or she basically schedules installations. The scope of responsibility may vary, but this person is generally controlled through the sales department and ensures that any “we-owe/due-bill” work owed to the new- or used-car customer is completed.
The dealer approach is often determined by the following factors:
• Size and volume of dealer
• Car lines offered
• Shop capacity
Regardless of the chosen approach, success dictates that the dealer have a clear vision of the products and services they want to offer, create functional policies around that vision and then firmly commit to said approach.
Advanced registration**: $99 by October 17, 2010
Onsite registration**: $149 after October 17, 2010
** Includes lunch. Does NOT include required SEMA Show registration of $25 by October 17, 2010, or $75 after October 17, 2010.