Ok, let’s state the obvious and get it out of the way.  You fill in the blank: We are witnessing the __________ economic time since the Great Depression.  Glad we got that out of the way.

Most are calling it a recession.  I’m calling it a Revolution!

Wikipedia defines a revolution as: a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.  Their results include major changes in culture, economy, and socio-political institutions.

Do you see a revolution going on around your dealership?  Do you see a revolution with the way customers are shopping your inventory?  The answer comes with a resounding YES!  Let’s break down the definition:

Fundamental change: consumers are changing the core elements of the shopping process.  One example is the use of comparison pricing tools given to the consumer by sites such as Vast.com, Oodle, Edmonds, and many others.  We then say pricing tools become the golden egg for car dealerships to competitively pricing inventory.  There were many elements leading up to this change and many since, but the principal is fundamental change.

Relatively short period of time: a recession is defined as a decrease in a country’s GDP for at least two quarters.  Mmmmm…I think we have covered the two quarters.  Certainly the OEMs didn’t help anyone with their timing of financial assistance needs, but we are there.

Major changes in culture, economy, and socio-political institutions: There is definitely a different culture created for the consumer and in the dealership sales process.  I don’t need to go into the economy part (enough said).  Finally we set history this November in politics with the election of Barack Obama.  The political climate has certainly changed as President Elect Obama will be solving challenges  he never dreamed of through his campaign.  Isn’t it so true that all of us are interrupted by the uncertainty of life.

Since we are talking revolution I had to look up “revolutionary“.  To paraphrase again from wikipedia:   A revolutionary has no private interests, no affairs, sentiments, ties, property nor even a name of his own. His entire being is devoured by one purpose (sell cars), one thought (sell cars), one passion (sell cars) - the revolution.  Heart and soul, not merely by word but by deed, he has severed every link with the social order and with the entire civilized world (working 80 hour weeks in the car business); with the laws, good manners, conventions, and morality of that world.

Is that us or what!?  I see our industry as FULL of revolutionaries!  Bring it on, we will survive!

I would say after being a business owner the number one challenge faced is dealing with uncertainty.  We plan, strategize, and move to change an industry but many times we encounter so much uncertainty that it challenges the plan or strategy.  So to counter the “Revolution” definition I tell our dealers it is simple:

1. Master the “Fundamentals” of selling a car online (with AutoRevo of course).  Not the way it was, but the way it is NOW.
2. Make “Major Changes” in your business.  Example: put your General Manager back in front of the customer.  Get them out of their office on a Saturday looking at leads data reports (that is for Monday morning).
3. Leverage the “Revolutionaries” at your store.  Cut the bottom 10% performers immediately and meet with your best resources to communicate the game plan.

The reality that businesses and dealerships are not run in straight lines is more evident than ever today.   Accept the uncertainty as a part of business and life.  Getting to your goal may have a different path than anticipated, but you still get there.