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32 episodes with brian kramer
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2 episodes with brian kramer
2 episodes with brian kramer
Brian Kramer said the dealership service drive “is like an oil reserve of valuable inventory.” During his keynote presentation at this spring's Auto Intel Summit now available in this episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast, the executive vice president at Cars Commerce and general manager of AccuTrade shared recommendations for how managers can tap into that reserve.
In this episode, we're talking with the one and only Brian Kramer from Cars Commerce about how to tackle tariffs. We're talking about vehicle acquisition and how to make the process work for your dealership. If you don't have a process in place yet, this one's for you.
In this episode, we're talking with the one and only Brian Kramer from Cars Commerce about how to tackle tariffs. We're talking about vehicle acquisition and how to make the process work for your dealership. If you don't have a process in place yet, this one's for you.
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Episode #1008: Cars Commerce drops a no-nonsense playbook for dealers while Ford rolls out employee pricing for all as tariffs loom large. Meanwhile, Tesla's Q1 delivery miss raises red flags far beyond a Model Y changeover. Show Notes with links:In a sweeping trade policy shift, Donald Trump announced a baseline 10% tariff on all imports; plus an additional 10–50% "reciprocal" tariff targets 60 nations with major U.S. trade deficits.Auto imports already under last week's 25% tariff won't face increases and Mexico and Canada are exempt—if goods comply with the 2020 USMCA terms.Brian Kramer of Cars Commerce released a Tariff Playbook to help dealers navigate the changes. Here's some of the highlights:Consumers are rushing to buy and scrutinizing where vehicles are built—use the Cars.com American-Made Index to guide inventory and messaging.EVs could see a short-term slump; hybrids and full-size trucks may surge. Align your lot accordingly.Six actionable strategies: reduce auction dependency, boost service-lane sourcing, go data-driven, ditch 45-day-old metrics, market American-made units, and build an offense-focused plan.“You won't lose profit because the market adjusted. You will lose profit because your process didn't,”Ford is throwing open the gates to its employee discount program, offering deep savings to all customers through June 2 as a preemptive strike against rising costs from newly announced import tariffs.The “From America, For America” campaign unlocks A Plan pricing—typically below dealer invoice—on most Ford and Lincoln models, with high-performance Raptors, new Expeditions, Super Duty trucks, and Lincoln Navigators being excluded.Discounts stack with other deals, including extended free EV charger installation now running through June 30.The announcement came just hours after President Trump enacted 25% tariffs on imported vehicles, which could significantly increase consumer prices.Ford's imported models include the Maverick, Bronco Sport, Mustang Mach-E (from Mexico), and Lincoln Nautilus (from China). “It's a way to give back to the communities that have supported us for generations,” said Rob Kaffl, Ford's U.S. sales director, adding the move brings “certainty to an uncertain situation.”Tesla's Q1 2025 delivery numbers are in—and they've landed with a thud. The EV giant delivered 336,681 vehicles, missing expectations by up to 55,000 units and raising tough questions about demand.Deliveries fell 13% year-over-year and a sharp 32% from Q4 2024.Tesla cited Model Y factory changeovers as a factor, but analysts see deeper demand issues—especially in the U.S.Model 3 sales in Europe dropped 30% in early 2025, despite not facing supply issues.“The ramp of the New Model Y contiJoin hosts Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Episode #1006: We're joined by Brian Kramer, EVP of Cars Commerce to talk about the upcoming auto tariffs and how Tesla's market share is declining. Plus, as the deadline to sell TikTok nears, some surprising potential buyers have emerged.Show Notes with links:As auto tariffs are set to go into effect (and potentially stick this time) on April 3, automakers have sent representatives to Washington to lobby directly with the Trump administration, arguing that tariffs on parts will drive up costs by billions of dollars.Meanwhile OEMs are warning dealers that vehicle pricing could change, with Hyundai telling its dealers “current vehicle pricing is not guaranteed and may be subject to change for units wholesaled after April 2.”Here to talk tariffs and how dealers should be approaching the next weeks and month is our good friend Brian Kramer, EVP of Cars Commerce and GM of Accutrade.With an April 5 deadline looming, ByteDance must sell TikTok's U.S. segment or face a full ban. President Trump is optimistic that a deal is on the horizon.The app, with 170M U.S. users, was deemed a national security risk over data-sharing concerns and was originally set to be shut down on January 19.A wide range of potential buyers includes Blackstone, Perplexity, MrBeast, and Project Liberty.Project Liberty claims it has $20B in investor commitments for a deal and made an offer ahead of the January deadline.“There's tremendous interest in TikTok,” said President Trump.Hosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle MountsierGet the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/ Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email
Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Brian Kramer, EVP at Cars Commerce, where we discuss: why dealers are losing 70% of trade-ins for every new car they sell, the future of data ownership for dealers, how Brian and his team are working to tackle—and beat—online vehicle price manipulation, and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: 1. Dealer Pay - Designed to increase productivity and customer retention, offering a dealer-specific payment acceptance solution backed by over 25 years of experience as a trusted payments partner for dealerships across the United States. To learn more, contact Julie @ julie@dealer-pay.com or call 636-442-4901. 2. Pacer - Transform your dealership with Pacer, the all-in-one platform designed to optimize inventory, speed up sales, and boost profitability—all powered by real-time data and analytics. Don't miss out: Be one of the first 50 dealers to join the waitlist by the end of NADA and unlock free shipping for an entire year. Terms and conditions apply. Visit pacer.co/free See Brian Kramer at NADA 2025, send him a DM on LinkedIn to schedule a meeting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkramer1/ And don't miss Cars Commerce at the big show, booth #1426, schedule a live demo here: https://www.carscommerce.inc/nada/ Check out the 2024 Auto Market Year-In-Review report, packed with data and insights on the trends and shifts in the auto industry in 2024 here: https://www.carscommerce.inc/insights-report/
In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach dives into an engaging conversation with Brian Kramer, GM of AccuTrade. They discuss the current shifts in the used car market, the innovative appraisal tools offered by Accu-Trade, and how these tools help dealers make smarter decisions while enhancing the customer experience. Brian shares insights on navigating misconceptions in vehicle appraisals, success stories from dealerships, and AccuTrade's plans for 2025. Dealers of all sizes will find valuable advice on staying competitive in a digital-first market.Some of the questions asked were:Q) Brian, can you tell us about your background and what brought you to AccuTrade?Q) What do you think are the biggest changes in the used car market today?Q) How does AccuTrade's appraisal tech help dealers assess vehicle values more accurately?Q) What makes AccuTrade stand out from other digital appraisal tools?Q) What are common misconceptions about vehicle appraisals and valuations?Q) How do Accu-Trade's tools improve the buying and appraisal experience for dealers and customers?Q) Can you share a success story from a dealership using AccuTrade?Q) What advancements is AccuTrade planning for 2025?Q) What advice would you give to single-store dealers adapting to the digital and appraisal changes?Listen to our other podcast episodes: https://www.sellyautomotive.com/podcastTranscribe of this podcast - https://blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/brian-kramer-accutrade-2024
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
Shoot us a Text.Happy Halloween! It's the last day of the month, and we're tracking how Carvana has managed to continue its used car growth. Plus, we cover how Ford is slowing down its production of the F-150 Lightning and Starbucks getting rid of extra fees for non-dairy milk.Show Notes with links:Shout out to our friends at UVeye! Their AI-driven automated vehicle inspection has earned a spot on TIME's prestigious 2024 Best Inventions list, showcasing innovations that transform daily life.TIME recognized its impact on safety, reliability, and transparency in inspections.Carvana posted a strong Q3 net income, impressing Wall Street despite an 80% decline from last year's figures.Net income hit $148 million, up 208% from Q2 but down from Q3 2023's $741 million.Vehicle sales rose to 108,651, up 34% year-over-year and 7.1% over Q2.Operating income reached a record $337 million, a 602% year-over-year increase.Gross profit per vehicle climbed 25%, supported by reduced costs and faster sales.CEO Ernie Garcia praised the "efficient growth" from Carvana's ADESA network expansion, enhancing cost efficiency and customer experience.Brian Kramer called it a “MONSTER finish” for Q3, crediting the company's disciplined acquisition and inventory management strategies. He attributed the rise in sales and gross profit to more accurate appraisal estimates, quicker sales, and higher margins on consumer-sourced inventory.Ford is pausing F-150 Lightning production for seven weeks, from mid-November to early January, responding to slower-than-expected demand for the electric pickup.Production will stop on Nov. 15, resuming on Jan. 6 after a holiday break, as Ford adjusts to find a better mix for sales growth and profitability.Despite an 86% year-to-date sales increase through September, the Lightning lost its title as the nation's best-selling electric truck to Tesla's Cybertruck.Ford's supply of electric models remains high: a 100-day supply of F-150s, 130 days of the Mustang Mach-E, and 128 days of E-Transit vans as of September, per Cox Automotive.CEO Jim Farley remains optimistic about Ford's long-term EV strategy but acknowledges “the slow uptake of EVs,” emphasizing the company's pivot to more affordable EV platforms in the coming years: “I wouldn't trade [our strategy] for any of our competitors.”Starbucks is giving nondairy milk fans a break by dropping the extra fee for nondairy milk customizations starting Nov. 7.The change coincides with Starbucks' holiday menu launch and customers can now enjoy soy, oat, almond, or coconut milk without added costs.CEO Brian Niccol says the shift supports Starbucks' culture of drink personalization.Nondairy milk customizations are the second-most-popular modification, just after extra espresso shots.Customers could see a 10% pHosts: Paul J Daly and Kyle MountsierGet the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/ Read our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-email
Policies and procedures are vital. But are they derived from a larger goal of your dealership? Do you know "WHY" your policies are what they are? Brian Kramer discusses the vitality of having a "North Star" for your business and how it can clarify so many smaller questions along the way.Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
Brian Kramer is a busy guy and NOTHING is going to change that but he talks here about how the change in how work is done has allowed him to have greater life balance.Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
Brian Kramer works with dealerships on the cutting edge of car appraisals and you won't BELIEVE what is possible...and what's soon to come!Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
Often times, dealerships wait until the last possible minute to update their processes and systems. Brian Kramer of Cars Commerce explains why that is exactly the WRONG move.Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
How do you keep your top employees happy with your dealership? How do you insure your best salespeople stay put? Brian Kramer has some theories!Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
Brian Kramer gives his take on comfort and surrounding himself with people who challenge him to be better.Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
Local crime prosecution is dependent on law enforcement being called, reported and charges being filed. 8th Circuit State Attorney Brian Kramer on why many crimes are never reported, thus criminals are not prosecuted.
Brian Kramer talks about the fear many in a dealership feel about giving an exact trade-in price to clients and how it creates obstacles to the sale. The right tools change everything!Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
Since we have Brian Kramer, General Manager of Accu-Trade on our show, we thought it would be informative to ask an important question: what IS Accu-trade?Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
As Executive Vice President of Cars Commerce and General Manager of Accu-Trade, Brian Kramer has continuously expanded the reach of the virtual sales environment. As someone we've talked to regularly throughout the years, we revisit where he he was when we first spoke and where he finds himself today. This is an inspiring and thought-provoking discussion!Global Dealer Solutions has a network of high-performance providers offering proven products and services. We are committed to prioritizing dealers by delivering the most effective tools in the industry. Let's grow together. Schedule your complimentary consultation today.http://www.gdsdealers.com/partners?utm_source=wtf&utm_medium=sponsorship&utm_campaign=wtf_sponsorshipBE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HERE www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts: www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host, Russell B. Hill and Charity Dunning, Co-Host and Chief Marketing Officer of FixedOPS Marketing, as we discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in WTF?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations
This week on The Golden Wrench Podcast I sit down with Brian Kramer. Brian and I discuss how to optimize your site for AI searches, acquiring cars through service, training your staff for the digital hand-off and more! For more info on Repair 360, visit: https://www.repair360.com/ Brian Kramer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkramer1/ Digital Dealership Solutions: https://strategywithjason.com/digital-dealership-solutions/ Strategy With Jason: https://strategywithjason.com Bell2Bell: https://bell2bell.ca Listen To The Strategy With Jason Podcast: Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3IwlT3v Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3fT8V3H Soundcloud: https://bit.ly/347rnDb #automotive #automotiveindustry #automotivesoftware #dealership #dealerships #dealersolutions #leadership #leader #bell2bell #strategy️ #data #fixedops #servicedrive #service #customercentric #customerrelationships #training #coaching #AI
Brian Kramer is the executive vice president of Cars Commerce, and general manager of AccuTrade with 28 years of automotive expertise. He leads digital innovation in car sales pioneering the first paperless and Web3 transactions. He is a recipient of Automotive News Top 40 Under 40 and advises Google's Dealer Board and Quantum5 while sharing valuable industry insights. Today, Brian Kramer sheds light on the average variance in appraisals, and reveals how coaching and training can minimize these errors. Discover the significance of clear communication and analogies in explaining innovative ideas, and learn why conflict and disagreement are essential for developing better solutions. Brian recounts his journey into fixed operations, discussing the nuances of OEM vs. aftermarket parts, the necessity of asking the right questions, and the benefits of standardizing pay plans. With insights into managing recon processes, inventory, and subletting work, this episode is packed with practical tips for enhancing shop efficiency and fostering trust and transparency within dealership departments. Whether you're interested in fixed operations challenges, inventory management, or the financial impacts of various strategies, this episode offers valuable lessons and actionable advice. So, buckle up and get ready for an enlightening conversation on navigating the complexities of the automotive industry. -------------------------------------------- This show is powered by PartsEdge: Your go-to solution for transforming dealership parts inventory into a powerhouse of profitability. Their strategies are proven to amp up parts sales by a whopping 20%, all while cutting down on idle inventory. If you're looking to optimize your parts management, visit
In this episode of the Defining Leadership, the Driving Sales Podcast, hosts Bart Wilson and J.D. Mixon sit down with Brian Kramer, EVP at Cars.com and General Manager of Accutrade. Brian brings his vast experience and expertise to the table, discussing the latest trends and challenges in the automotive industry. He delves into strategies for effective used vehicle acquisition, the importance of digital transformation, and the critical role of AI in modern dealerships. Brian also shares insights on creating a digital culture and the impact of technology on improving customer and employee experiences. Tune in for a deep dive into the future of automotive leadership and how to navigate the rapidly changing landscape.Defining Leadership, a Driving Sales Podcast, is dedicated to bringing you the latest insights and strategies from industry leaders. Hosted by Bart Wilson and J.D. Mixon, each episode features expert guests who share their knowledge on various aspects of automotive leadership and management. DrivingSales is committed to helping dealerships thrive by providing innovative solutions and comprehensive resources. We are here to support you with all your employee management needs, ensuring your team is equipped to succeed in today's competitive market.
Brian Kramer, State Attorney, 8th Judicial Circuit on The Bob Rose Show. Discussing the role of Florida's State Attorney prosecuting cases based on laws enacted by the Legislature. Kramer related local prosecution to less stringent enforcement and bond in other states. His office handles nearly 18,000 cases in a year. The Big Red Shootout is this Saturday 4-13 9am-1pm at Shoot GTR, focused on marksmanship and training for families.
The Risk of Relying on Market Reports with Robert Hollenshead & Brian Kramer
Process Change for Profit with Robert Hollenshead & Brian Kramer
Cars Commerce said in its 2024 Automotive Trends report there is roughly a 10.2 million-unit deficit in the number of 1- to 3-year-old vehicles expected to re-enter the pre-owned car market in the near future, leading to a “sparse and expensive” picture for dealers' used-car inventories. How should store managers handle that situation? Brian Kramer, executive vice president at Cars Commerce and general manager of Accu-Trade, offered his perspectives during a conversation for the Auto Remarketing Podcast recorded at NADA Show 2024 in Las Vegas.
In this episode, I'm speaking with Brian Kramer, EVP of Cars Commerce This episode is brought to you by: Valvoline - Valvoline can help drive your service department by streamlining operations and increasing revenue with hands-on technician and sales advisor training, state-of-the-art service lane technology, and a robust preventive maintenance chemical program. They even have programs to help you sell more cars and increase trade-ins! Learn more @ https://partner.valvolineglobal.com/dealership Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at carscommerce.inc Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:47) - Brian's career in auto: Lot Porter to GM (00:10:00) - Launching the VR Car buying experience (00:14:46) - Making the jump to evangelize Accu-Trade (00:19:05) - How is this tool different from legacy options? (00:22:13) - What are the biggest changes we will see in used cars over the next year? (00:27:41) - Is the trade-in process broken? (00:33:45) - Consumer's ability to appraise a vehicle (00:37:23) - Does it matter where a car comes from when appraising? (00:40:19) - What's your hope for the evolution of the used car business? Check out Cars Commerce here. Connect with Brian on LinkedIn and check out his YouTube channel. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
Leo Schumaker's "Bluesland" music podcast Dec. 14, 2023 with the music of Christone Kingfish Ingram, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Christine Perfect McVie, Susan Tedeschi, Los Lobos, The Altered Five Blues Band and more. Christone Kingfish Ingram image by Brian Kramer. Go to his site to see more. Thank you for tuning in. See you next week on KMRE 88.3 FM Thursday 7-9 PM live.
Wondering what's in store for 2024? We chat with our very special guest, Brian Kramer, who is bringing us lots of thoughts and ideas about where the car industry is headed and what you can do to get ready for the year ahead.
Wondering what's in store for 2024? We chat with our very special guest, Brian Kramer, who is bringing us lots of thoughts and ideas about where the car industry is headed and what you can do to get ready for the year ahead.
Geographic Differences, Button Pushers, and Rationalizing Trade-In Values. (With special guest Brian Kramer)
Do you want to transform your business while staying authentic and profitable? Don't miss this episode of the 'Facts Not Feelings' podcast where Damian Boudreaux, the founder of Auto Training Academy, shares his revolutionary approach to achieving success through service.Damian Boudreaux emphasizes the value of building and maintaining relationships with customers and the community. Instead of solely focusing on selling cars, he recognized the significance of understanding customers' "why" and providing long-term value. By prioritizing relationships, businesses can create lasting connections, generate trust, and foster loyalty.In the ever-evolving automotive industry, adaptation and continuous learning are essential for success. Damian encourages individuals to invest in self-improvement and take advantage of resources like libraries and online platforms to learn new skills. By keeping up with rapid technological advancements, professionals can effectively navigate this dynamic industry.Profitability should not be the only driving force for automotive businesses. Damian suggests a profound mindset shift towards community service. By actively engaging with and serving the community, dealerships can make a positive impact and build a stronger reputation amongst customers. This balancing act between authenticity and profitability can solidify a dealership's place in the community and promote sustainable growth.In conclusion, Damian Boudreaux's journey from selling cars to serving the community sheds light on the necessary mindset shift within the automotive industry. By prioritizing relationships, embracing continuous learning, and reframing profitability through community service, dealerships can create a lasting impact and cultivate success.Key Takeaways:Serving your community and they will serve you Serving vs sellingEmphasizing authenticity and being yourself and/or the human touch in business.Connect:Damian Boudreaux: https://qrcc.me/rykgmmma1nqwBZ Consultants: https://qrco.de/bcqqFo Apple
Teach and Retire Rich - The podcast for teachers, professors and financial professionals
Massachusetts 5th grade teacher Brian Kramer, who describes himself as an Aspiring Financial Literacy Advocate, discusses teaching, how he and his wife got out of Equitable, term life insurance, saving in a Roth IRA, and perhaps earning the CFP® designation. Northborough School District 403(b) Plan Learned by Being Burned (teachers share how they were burned by sales agents and "trusted" advisors and how they got wise to the 403(b) plan) Meridian Wealth Management 403bwise.org
Human to Human Bryan Kramer, H2H Companies – The Sharkpreneur podcast with Seth Greene Episode 898 Bryan Kramer Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, investor, two-time bestselling author including a TOP 150 USA best-selling book, and Forbes contributor. Bryan also created a global movement and is known for his keynotes, book, and talks on “There Is No BtoB or B2C: It's Human-to-Human, H2H. He is the CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” three years in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Listen to this informative Sharkpreneur episode with Brian Kramer about how B2B sales and B2C sales are really human-to-human sales. Here are some of the beneficial topics covered on this week's show: - How it's important to find a way to communicate with customers without using automation. - Why more moments of truth allow your customer to feel seen and heard. - How it's easier to have someone show you your blind spots instead of finding them on your own. - Why social media has changed the way customers interact with companies. - How all business owners, whether they are entrepreneurial or well-funded need to find a way to remain human without burning out. Connect with Bryan: Guest Contact Info Twitter @BryanKramer Instagram @bryankramer1 Facebook facebook.com/TheRealBryanKramer LinkedIn Linkedin.com/in/bryanjkramer Links Mentioned: bryankramer.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brian Kramer, EVP of CARS and general manager of Accu-Trade, joins the show at NADA Show 2023 for a discussion about how Accu-Trade has worked with its fellow CARS companies post-acquisition, Accu-Trade's recent product launches and more.
Brian Kramer is the EVP at Cars.com and General Manager of Accu-trade. He is the former General Manager of Germain Toyota of Naples and was responsible for leading the dealership's digital transformation initiative, working to eliminate traditional dealership “pain points” that cause unnecessary friction in transactions.Brian has been named one of Automotive News' "Top 40 Under 40." He was promoted to General Manager of a Mercedes-Benz dealership at the age of 24 after working in all positions in various operations. His career as a general manager spans 19 years and a variety of franchises, including Lexus, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, and Toyota stores in the Midwest and Southeast for AutoNation and the Germain family. Alex, the CEO of cars.com, was so impressed by his performance in the used car area that he recruited him to become the Executive Vice President of Cars.com and General Manager of their amazing Accu-Trade program.Brian begins the show by discussing his experience with Accu-Trade, the lessons he has learned, and how this has altered his outlook in the Automotive Industry. Once upon a time, the marketing guru of marketing gurus, Jay Abraham, stated that, if you think about it, best practices emanate from within an industry. Consequently, we are limited to observing the actions of others in the auto industry. In truth, he maintains, the majority of innovations originate outside an industry, not within it.Everyone can describe the meet-and-greet process at a showroom. How we as car dealers - we'll conduct a needs assessment and analyze the customer's requirements and proceed through the demonstration, test drive, service block, and everything in between, such as the sales menu. The journey is then compared using a Disney journey mapping process. How do you map it out if it's a virtual project? Are your salespeople authorized to visit clients and do these tasks? At what point have you provided them with emancipation guidelines similar to those found in schools or other environments where they are trusted and aided? This is part of Amazon's strength in the process. Apple has credibility and clarity. There are so many excellent best practices from outside the business that we're going to learn considerably more of, rather than learn from the automotive industry.We've seen and heard reports of Carvana's stock value plummeting by as much as 98 percent over the course of the past year. And it does not appear that they will be able to write that ship anytime soon. And I'm not sure if they'll ever write the story in which they played a significant role. When all is said and done, there will be a chapter in the history of the automobile industry that states, "These people really made everyone up their internet game."It altered our viewpoints. It made us believe that perhaps the impossible wasn't impossible after all. Perhaps we can provide a more transparent and straightforward online method. And now it appears that so many dealers have responded so effectively and are so serious about continuing to improve along that path that if a customer could get that in the future from a franchise dealer or an independent dealer, we don't know where it will lead, but I believe they served a purpose at the time.We are currently living in a really intriguing time period. We've spent the past three years in fantasy land. Everyone has achieved record profits, which is wonderful. However, we are observing a significant shift in the market for secondhand cars. And the news is good. It's actually good news because, given the choice between extreme limitations and limits, it's preferable that we figure out how to do what Walmart did years ago, which was to buy better than everyone else, not sell more than anyone else.Discussing Accu-Trade and how it has enabled dealers to rapidly expand their market share or sales volume at a greatly reduced risk? Brian says that It is the key to tran
Brian Kramer is the EVP at Cars.com and General Manager of Accu-trade. He is the former General Manager of Germain Toyota of Naples and was responsible for leading the dealership's digital transformation initiative, working to eliminate traditional dealership “pain points” that cause unnecessary friction in transactions. Brian has been named one of Automotive News' "Top 40 Under 40." He was promoted to General Manager of a Mercedes-Benz dealership at the age of 24 after working in all positions in various operations. His career as a general manager spans 19 years and a variety of franchises, including Lexus, Chevrolet, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, and Toyota stores in the Midwest and Southeast for AutoNation and the Germain family. Alex, the CEO of cars.com, was so impressed by his performance in the used car area that he recruited him to become the Executive Vice President of Cars.com and General Manager of their amazing Accu-Trade program. Brian begins the show by discussing his experience with Accu-Trade, the lessons he has learned, and how this has altered his outlook in the Automotive Industry. Once upon a time, the marketing guru of marketing gurus, Jay Abraham, stated that, if you think about it, best practices emanate from within an industry. Consequently, we are limited to observing the actions of others in the auto industry. In truth, he maintains, the majority of innovations originate outside an industry, not within it. Everyone can describe the meet-and-greet process at a showroom. How we as car dealers - we'll conduct a needs assessment and analyze the customer's requirements and proceed through the demonstration, test drive, service block, and everything in between, such as the sales menu. The journey is then compared using a Disney journey mapping process. How do you map it out if it's a virtual project? Are your salespeople authorized to visit clients and do these tasks? At what point have you provided them with emancipation guidelines similar to those found in schools or other environments where they are trusted and aided? This is part of Amazon's strength in the process. Apple has credibility and clarity. There are so many excellent best practices from outside the business that we're going to learn considerably more of, rather than learn from the automotive industry. We've seen and heard reports of Carvana's stock value plummeting by as much as 98 percent over the course of the past year. And it does not appear that they will be able to write that ship anytime soon. And I'm not sure if they'll ever write the story in which they played a significant role. When all is said and done, there will be a chapter in the history of the automobile industry that states, "These people really made everyone up their internet game."It altered our viewpoints. It made us believe that perhaps the impossible wasn't impossible after all. Perhaps we can provide a more transparent and straightforward online method. And now it appears that so many dealers have responded so effectively and are so serious about continuing to improve along that path that if a customer could get that in the future from a franchise dealer or an independent dealer, we don't know where it will lead, but I believe they served a purpose at the time. We are currently living in a really intriguing time period. We've spent the past three years in fantasy land. Everyone has achieved record profits, which is wonderful. However, we are observing a significant shift in the market for secondhand cars. And the news is good. It's actually good news because, given the choice between extreme limitations and limits, it's preferable that we figure out how to do what Walmart did years ago, which was to buy better than everyone else, not sell more than anyone else. Discussing Accu-Trade and how it has enabled dealers to rapidly expand their market share or sales volume at a greatly reduced risk? Brian says that It is the key to transforming digital retail from a lead generation tool to a transactional tool, transforming it into a transformational tool. And in the future, it will be a transmission that opens that door. Using Accu-Trade on the CARS platform, dealers can now identify distressed inventory and efficiently liquidate vehicles with industry-leading features such as our integrated appraisal technology, historical VIN activity tools, and value-based condition reports, all of which are designed to help identify the best end user for each vehicle. The CARS + Accu-Trade platform enables the wholesale market to expand and provides dealers with more profitable choices for car acquisition and disposal. Obtaining three essential Key points from the episode on Accu-Trade Tool: Increase your inventory and take advantage of Cars.com's new DIY audience: Nearly half of Cars.com's 25 million monthly consumers with strong intent are interested in trading in or selling their vehicle. Dealers benefit from Accu-Innovative Trade's immediate valuation experiences and guaranteed offers, as well as the ability to intercept the millions of private-party sales that occur each year.Customers enjoy real-time information regarding a vehicle's guaranteed worth, fast access to nearby dealers, and the option to conduct an online transaction in a secure manner. Create a Trade-in Machine on Your Dealer Website: In a matter of minutes, dealers can now provide consumers with guaranteed cash offers and trade-in prices for their precise VIN, as well as more accurate condition and option information. The platform instantly populates the same vehicle valuation data across all consumer interaction channels, including the dealer's website, Dealer Inspire's digital retailing products Online Shopper and Conversations, and the store. Utilize Accu-Sophisticated Trade's automobile evaluation engine: Through a cutting-edge, patent-pending evaluation method, dealers may discover, locate, and acquire the exact vehicles they desire for their lots. Dealers can give consumers complete confidence in every vehicle they appraise and simply utilize Accu-risk-free Trade's vehicle divestment alternatives for any automobiles they have acquired but do not intend to sell. As part of this first-of-its-kind solution, the business will develop an appraisal device that creates a VIN-specific valuation and provides a customized, consumer-facing condition report in a timely manner. The gadget enables dealers to efficiently expand the sophistication of their vehicle acquisition capabilities, providing them with a portable, powerful solution to provide correct valuations from the service lane to the seller's driveway. By combining forces, Cars.com and Accu-Trade provide dealerships with an easier and safer method to buy, sell, and trade vehicles. Accu-Trade is designed to facilitate seamless VIN-level appraisals, which will speed up dealership procedures and increase wholesale revenues for dealers. Visit https://linktr.ee/spisakd for all our links Updates here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/davidspisakscommunity/ Like this show? Please leave us a rating and review where you're listening right now!
How do you take a dealership and grow it to be one of the largest stores in your state and then just...walk away? Listen in as we talk with Brian Kramer, who walked away from an incredibly successful career and eventually became the executive vice president of cars.com. You aren't going to want to miss part two of this conversation a champion.
How do you take a dealership and grow it to be one of the largest stores in your state and then just...walk away? Listen in as we talk with Brian Kramer, who walked away from an incredibly successful career and eventually became the executive vice president of cars.com. You aren't going to want to miss part one of this conversation a champion.
Brian Kramer is in a whole new ballgame. After spending years on the dealership side, he has joined Cars.com as their EVP and GM of Accu-Trade. Michael Cirillo, Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier talk to Brian about this transition, and the issues that he's now experienced on both sides. They also touch on haircuts, lead fatigue and pitch slapping.What we talk about in this episode:0:00 Intro with Michael, Paul and Kyle10:05 The schedule of the industry partner and the dealer, and their priorities, don't always line up. Brian realized this when he was on the other side of phone calls he had been receiving as a dealer.13:57 Brian thinks that vendors need to stop “pitch slapping” dealers by piling new widgets and tools.21:52 Brian also sees a need for dealers to stop “pitch slapping” consumers by trying to sell them something when they really aren't interested.25:40 Ultimately, Cars.com, like Automotive State of the Union, is for the dealer. Brian talks about how Alex Vetter has centered Cars around arming the rebels and pushing back.“I'll tell you, there's a lot of people there that are working in the same direction, to really transform this industry, I mean, Alex Vetter has put this north star out there of really empowering dealers for all the disruption that's happening to be like a safe haven to be able to sit there and just be arming them with as many tools as possible to hang with any disrupter that comes into the space, and make it easier and simpler so that they don't have to do an insane amount of work to do it.” ⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally! We have a daily email! ✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.Connect with Brian Kramer on LinkedInLearn about how Cars.com empowers dealers
To get a demo of how Accu-Trade works with Service Drive:https://www.accu-trade.com/contact/ Speaker 1: (00:00)Good afternoon, everybody. And welcome to this week's vendor with Robert Holland said good day, Bob. It's been a while. It's been a couple weeks. I know you'reSpeaker 2: (00:09)I knew my friend. I caught the, I caught the stink. This thing is not a joke. It's like for real buddy. And when you're 70 years old, like hits you in the nose, it's like getting a punch. First time you get smacked in the nose. When you're in seventh grade with the first real fist fight, you follow me. you get that stinger. You know what I'm saying?Speaker 1: (00:31)Whether you gotta take, if you gotta take a break to you know, we'll be fine. I'm sure we'll get through this. There's lots on the go. I was just commenting. I was just commenting that you had at one of those lucid motors, electric cars through the lanes the other day,Speaker 2: (00:46)FirstSpeaker 1: (00:46)One I had seen come up for wholesale. So that's prettySpeaker 2: (00:48)Cool. Yeah. Yep. Everything's moving around. There's no question about it. So people buy it. They can make a profit everybody's over word. They gotta, you know, a lot of people take a little, take a little profit and run, man. You know what I mean? Nobody's committed that any of these junks, you know, it's amazing. So just a funny side story quick, Shawn, just to start, right? So I've been doing this for a long time and everybody gets sick of hearing that, but it's true. It's I'm over 50 years doing this. And first time this has ever happened. I mean, we used to go through a period where we get cars stolen off trucks, cars out of auction, you know, things stolen replated whatever. Last night we had a, one of our guys pinched a, a, like a next to new Volvo, a 20, 22 Volvo got traded at Lexus store.Speaker 2: (01:40)So he, he grabbed the keys, took it out and he's taken our, one of our attorneys to dinner last night, this, his birthday. And Mr. Frankenstein, Hank Stein, Hank, the best attorney in the United States or Canada, by the way. And you know, they come out from having dinner and they had the car park right in front of the restaurant and it's stolen a 20, 22 vavo. Now I thought they were playing with me when it, when, when I heard they, you know, car had stolen. Cause when you stop and think about this in my entire life, you know, we've had all kinds of things stolen, but we ain't never had a Volvo stolen. Like who's stealing a Volvo. . I mean, you ain't parting the Volvo route, right? It's not getting exported. It's not going into container to vena a Whaler or something. It's it's, it's a, a Volvo that got stolen in front of the restaurant. I don't know. Maybe that's not funny to me. It's hilarious. It's not funny. We got a car stolen. It's a 60 car, right. I'm trying to, I can't wait to find out who stole it. And what's the reason behind it.Speaker 2: (02:48)Like, it's not like it's a civic, you know, type something or other we're they're gonna chop it up and put it in a, in a, you know, port the thing out. It's a so well, I,Speaker 1: (03:01)I got a Volvo. Well, it brought up a bad memory for me. I got my Volvo stolen story for you then. So we had the Speaker 1: (03:10)Well, I, I agree. So these our yard manager opened up the gates for the auction cuz the snow plow was coming in cuz it was wintertime and he opened it up at five in the morning, about five 30 in the morning. Some guys came in, stole an old Volvo station wagon. Used it to grab moreSpeaker 2: (03:25)Of those. That's that's different. They stole a car, they didn't steal a Volvo. They stole, they stole a, a car. You follow me. That's true. But when you're at something late model, there's gotta be a reason behind it. You got, you got something going on, right? Ain't nobody still Google. The number of cars vavo is the last manufacturer to have cars stolen. It's like out a hundred thousand. I would agree. It's less than 1%. okay. I'm sorry. I'll just,Speaker 1: (03:53)I'll just no, no, no. I'll just finish off my story. So we ended up the, well, the police found the Volvo weeks later, months later, even in the back of the woods started right up. It was used in some sort of ATM Grabb one of those old cash machine ATMs of a convenience store. Oh I love it. Ice or whatever, gave it back to us. And put it through the lanes and it brought the same money that it was worth. What months laterSpeaker 2: (04:17)As cars normally do. That's why it's comical.(04:20)When I listen to people, fist fighting over a CR or a PDR or some sort of something that's wrong with the car and you know, give it back and arbitrate it. And it's absolutely comical, but it's, it's almost like chisel and granite when something's wrong, rather than everybody off in the chain of command, they wouldn't answer the phone. He doesn't do anything. The time is up 10 days is over. Just go sell the car again. It I'm telling you that more than 60% of the time, the car brings as much or more money and everybody's temperature can go down and you don't need to take Prozac. And you know, like all kinds of things, man, you know, get over it and just like go do it again, put it outta your mind. And everybody stays normal. It, it happens all the time. In fact, it's a high percentage of times a car brings more, you know what I mean? I don't know how we got on that, but it's that's been my experience.Speaker 1: (05:17)Well, and I was kind of briefly chatting with you about before the call about how dealers seem to be putting vehicles up on multiple different marketplaces, trying to get the money. And you said, well, it's all about relationships. Or the lack ofSpeaker 2: (05:32)We're gonna have to go down that rabbit hole different time because that, that requires like a whole different mindset. It's where, you know, you have a lot of guys try to get the last 15 cents for a car. And in the process of doing that, they get less because when you actually have a relationship with people that you're doing business with and you need to be at the, you know, like you need something to happen, you need another for grand to make a deal and you got a relationship. I can only tell you hundreds of thousands of times where somebody that's doing business with us that really needs something to make a deal. We absolutely will do it with our eyes closed and nothing to talk about. That don't happen when, you know you're, whoing a car out to 50 different places and there is no reciprocity.Speaker 2: (06:17)That's a whole separate issue. Probably a bad topic to get onto today you follow me. But I think if anything happens to be an Axiom in the business that we're in that turns out to be one that is almost never broken. You follow me where you're actually doing business with people you can trust that actually are not scam artists that really do need help and they can reach out and actually find that help at will. You know, it, it's, it's a different circumstance. That's a whole different topic today. Shawney I was thinking about just bringing up the topic that, you know (06:57)Brian Kramer has finally been landed to lead Accu trade, which to me is a phenomenal thing. I've been talking to Brian for probably a year or so.Speaker 2: (07:10)Following how they've actually used our tool in their dealership to, you know, we have a lot of dealers at this point in large dealer groups that are turning out to be the cream of the crop because of using our tool in comparison to other stores in their groups. And what we're finding is that when it's used the way we designed it to be used for communication capability for insurance, for, you know the ability to actually help a salesperson and a consumer, as well as the manager to understand, you know, catter dog DNA what is actually a fair price for something and rationalize it in a way that is it's not just verbal, it's visual and then it's factual and then it's scientific by the time you get to the leveraging the EKG or what we call the O B D Tel, right?Speaker 2: (08:08)All of these things when they actually are used in a consistent manner incrementally, the rooftop actually starts to Excel, right? Because they trade for less, they trade easier, they trade with better communication. They trade for, to be a cat when it's a cat and a dog, when it is a dog and it's not random let's call it the luck that you traded a CARF to be a cat when it turns out to be a dog. And then going through the torture session with, you know the service department actually coming out and breaking your bubble because it's a, an absolute turd and we traded it to be a shiny little object. You follow me. So all of these things, and Brian has led the charge in his use case and his stores in a way that it, it basically changed the culture.Speaker 2: (09:02)And it, it, it kind of like gets the entire dealership on board with a process that and you can use it and they do use it in conjunction with other platforms for other reasons. But when it comes to service drive acquisition it's, it's in a different class. It's not even in the same category when it comes to you know, a salesperson being involved in the trade process, which, you know, that actually rubs off believe it or not into the conversation with the consumer. So it, it just kind of like morphs the the energy and the the honesty and the I would call it the legitimacy of the process. And because of Bryan's success with that suffer from his pedigree. I mean, a guy's got unbelievable pedigrees.Speaker 2: (09:57)He's got a deep history in retail success simultaneously having success in the wholesale side being a a new car dealer it's and not, and recognizing the fact that you don't ignore wholesale because it goes back to the old story, Shawn, if you're not the best end user, there's no shame in recognizing it and finding the best end user to actually get actual cash market value for that vehicle fast, easy in the bank, next case you see. So I'm very, I'm very, very happy that we now have, I think what I'm calling 'em the Pope I would say the spokesperson that has skin in the game that has experiential knowledge of how we built and what we built and how it's leveraged in, in the showroom that in conjunction with the again, the leveraging of the B D the EKG, the reading of the heart monitor of the vehicle, talking to the appraiser before you've welded yourself in those Hamburg, you follow me, there's no shame in knowledge, knowledge is actually nothing to be embarrassed of.Speaker 2: (11:14)And if we have the knowledge prior to pulling the trigger going in deeper on 122,000 mile car, that you're not gonna spend money on, or going in a little more shallow in a off brand unit with 42,000 miles, that's gonna take a, let's call it a a rebuild in a a reconditioning department in order to get it to the point where you might be able to retail it. It's just incremental use of historic and, and current data that surrounds every VIN before you touch it while you're touching it after you've already owned it. And because we have a need for, in my estimation, a a legitimate voice that is a, I hate to say it a do, not a pontificator, someone who's experienced you know, the the set that we've built to be able to speak the language to a dealer where we're not telling a dealer without experience how to do his job better, but helping them understand how you can leverage our stuff in order to actually make not only your job easier, but more efficient.Speaker 2: (12:38)And I would say in the world that we live in efficiency is at the top of the order of things that everybody dreams of, right? In other words, there's only X amount of time in the day. And as you know, the way our worlds are evolving, there's no time to take a private defecation. You, you see what I'm saying? It's just like morning tonight, you're on a a curve of activity that it don't give you any five seconds to do anything outside of the what the noses on a grindstone doing. And my feeling is our tool set. Actually, it, it fits, facilitates that if, if, if that makes sense to you, Sean,Speaker 1: (13:29)I like itSpeaker 2: (13:30)Agent, that's the number one thingSpeaker 1: (13:31)That's exciting. I'm sorry, go ahead. I'm no, I'm just super excited about Brian heading the charge. It's, it's gonna be, I think you nailed it with the product and you nailed it with him, energy, honesty, and legitimacy. So it's, it's superSpeaker 2: (13:43)Cool. And, and we gotta have experiential it's this where we, I know I overused the max plank example of you know how experience is more important than you know, like formal learning, experiential knowledge supersedes anybody reading the book and, and then trying to explain what it is you wanna say being in the trenches, being face to face, having a juggler vein pound in a little bit, when you get stuck in a weird spot and knowing how to actually find your way to the promise land in those circumstances, that's something that you don't learn in a book. It's something that it requires being on the hot seat, how to handle the hot potato and doing it correctly, where you have a high percentage of wins, right? If you don't have that, it's so difficult, no matter how much artificial excitement you want to infuse into something car dealers are not stupid.Speaker 2: (14:46)I, I, you know, I've said it many times, I believe we're the most resourceful people that I've ever had experience dealing with, including lawyers and doctors, including professors. It's difficult to a, a car dealer. They smell it, they say it and when they experience something that actually is useful to them you, you, you have a a different set of commitments to it. It becomes part of the DNA of their activity. And my feeling is, and until now I, I believe I'm, I'm accurate when you're actually being introduced to a I think a you know, a, a platform that it really is built to to be part of a dealer's daily operational skill set. When you have somebody that's actually experienced it to help you through that can read, you know, the personality that dealerships to understand how in instances this will be a a winner for them.Speaker 2: (15:54)It's, it's really exciting to me. Dealers that have started to use it the way we have designed it in the service drive. You know, we have guys that are buying 40 and 50 cars a month that never systemically bought cars out of the service drive. Now, you have to think about what that means. You're buying cars with pedigree your trading cars with pedigree. It means you more than likely sold that sucker new the probability of that being a better retail unit is algebraically higher than being a random buyer in a marketplace that that's, you know, more than likely a car that's flunked, somebody else's shop. And now you're gonna try to act as if this is gonna be a great purchase. You're buying something that is in your there's no transportation. There's no, there's no entire day sitting there going through CRS, breaking balls, trying to find a car that you think you pinched.Speaker 2: (16:53)No, these are cars that are already there. They're not from Syracuse with surface rust under the who knows what these are cars that are sitting there. So when somebody says where this car come well, Mr. Miguel Gotti two doors down from you, that's where the car was sold. New. See, that's a different conversation that that's different when you're bumping 'em for a couple extra bucks, because they actually know that they're buying something that is, you know, something close to being a human's automobile, right? Not an ex rental who knows what, right? It's something. So as we start to leverage this and the, you know, the way that the auto industry is always DeVol, the service and sales are completely separated. I don't give a. What anybody says. Service manager and sales manager never talked to one another. Therefore, who's in for service today.Speaker 2: (17:44)Nobody pays attention. If they do, they paid attention for two days. Last month they didn't have any success had, and therefore they forgot about it again. And therefore service has nothing to do with sales. The fact is when it's done in a let's call it a metallic. If you spent the same time in service drive, as you spend going to 12 auctions in a week you would double the number of cars you're buying and the quality of the cars would be better. And of course, you're saying, whoa, what about the cars with 180,000? Well, of course those cars you're looking to buy out of the service drive because without any question or doubt, if you have no fear of wholesale like CarMax and anybody else that's successful, you have an outlet for those cars to actually make profit. I'll say it again.Speaker 2: (18:29)I've said it many times your bank account, doesn't ask the question. Well, was this wholesale profit or was it retail, profit? The bank doesn't know, nor do they care. They know you paid X and you brought in Y if that's true, it turns out to be a profit. If it's a profit, the king got manufactured out of your service department, because it's not a car that you wanna put on your front line, because it is adverse selection. For whatever reason, 14 bad car faxes and knocking the motor don't make no difference. If you bought it to be 14 bad Carfax and knocking a motor, and you put it in the right marketplace, you gonna make a wholesale profit. Once again, it to ignore that would be in my estimation ignoring the new Testament, because you're only interested in the old Testament. Doesn't make any sense.Speaker 2: (19:18)There's no, there's no rational conversation that you could actually surround that, that attitude with to actually become out, to turn out, to make sense. It doesn't make any sense. So I'm, I'm sorry to get off on that tangent, but it's, it's really exciting to me when we actually start the watch dealers to put the attention to many have, you know, when we first started the traded marketplace now instant cash offer. You know, we actually had the, the, the Sims group out in California was an early adopter, and they actually took a whole building and they, and they dedicated specific people just to follow the leads said, wow, that's unbelievable. And what's happened was over time that has evolved into the best case. User actually takes a specific person to follow those leads coming from Elli and from Autotrader to actually go hound the seller and pinch them little babies, right?Speaker 2: (20:15)You can't do it casually. You gotta do it with direction and with intention and it works. It really does work. I mean, let's be realistic about it right now. If we do the same thing in service drive, where we actually encourage guys to hire people at a, a wage, whatever the wage is, pick a wage, it don't matter. And then incentivize for each car that's purchased. What you wind up with is a very motivated individual that actually is going through your hundred 42 borrows for the day that actually really does pick the cars and do the right condition report with the B D. So then when we're sending the lead in to the acquisition manager or a new car lead, because now they want to trade, they don't wanna just sell to, to, to, to let's say put those leads into the right hands where they're not just getting followed, but they're getting followed with all the data, the incremental information did we sell at new yes or no?Speaker 2: (21:16)Is it a conquest lead? Yes or no. Is this a car we would keep? Is it not? If it's not, let's send it to the person who understands what we're gonna do with it, if we don't keep it right. So it's a really simple process. And, and those leads are not warm. They're red, red, hot. You're actually taking the vast majorities people by surprise. They weren't even thinking about making a transaction to seller trade, but now you're whacking them with the information necessary to create the conversation. Shawn, how much did they sell it for new? Well, our tool shows you what they, what they bought it for new. It, it also shows if it's a second, third or 15th owner. So now we know if we have cat or dog, we also know if the car X ever, and therefore when we have the equipment, the pictures, the dent, and scratch all in one place and deliver that to the person that is the leads best end user.Speaker 2: (22:18)We're off to the races. It's not unusual to pick two or three or four cars in a day when you stop and think about it it's as natural as the sun coming up in the morning, but you have to handle it as if it's real. If your used car manager went out and bought four cars a day at the auction, you'd think he's a superstar. Super, he's a super duper star coming home with MP numbers that he's absolutely clogged in the back of his head with in order to force them through and then rationalize, we'll pick up some money in his shop and then we'll pick up some money somewhere else and we'll pick up something else. Well, that's good. But if you did the same thing in service drive, I think your net number, you're not gonna be cringing. The sales force isn't cringing when they see the P number, because the P number obviously means it's a pinched car outside the, oh, it's not so pinched.Speaker 2: (23:15)It means it's overpaid for a car because there's auction fees. And in other words, transportation costs along with random shop bills that you didn't know about before you pinched it. Right? all of those things again, incrementally as we walk that back, it turns out that service drive is in my estimation a man, a person, a purchaser's best friend. It's probably too much for today, but it, it, to me, it's very exciting, especially since we have somebody, you know, obviously we believe Brian used our tool set and is gonna be again the minister of the tool set, but there there's stores buying 80 cars a month out of service drive 80 as an eight to eight zero. Now when you stop and think about that how much time does that save of somebody needing to go to the auction and find those 80 course that ain't such an easy job.Speaker 2: (24:20)That's actually a full-time job. And then when you think about how they do their turn, their turns, unbelievable. I've never seen inventory. That's better than theirs, but, but when you stop thinking about it, the inventory, the vast majority as pedigree, not your salesperson, they, their sales force doesn't have the approach avoidance thing. When the customer says, well, where duck court come from? What's funny. You asked that folks, we sold the car new. You see when? Well we, we have a professional buyer. He goes to the auction. He buys cars on marketplaces nasty, that, that story starts to get a little fumbled. You follow me, it's different attitude is different. See, we know why Kurt cars turn out to be 30, 60 day cars. They stink like rat rear end customer gets in a Buddhi course, stinks. Salesperson walks that car never, ever in a million years will put the key in that door to show customer again.Speaker 2: (25:18)Right? So, so when we have these approach avoidance issues with cars that are aging out, you follow me. You might even be the one that traded it, and therefore you don't really give a Ratri right of the dealership ever sells it. And you're definitely not gonna take your new up. You only get two ups a day. You're not gonna take your up to that car. So these are simple facts of life or Mo sales people don't do that yet. You're sucking a lollipop if you believe that's not true. And therefore, again, and I'm not saying it's the only solution in the world used car dealer. Can't do it. Cause used car dealer don't have a service department. So, so this is basically franchise specific conversation, but when you actually leverage it, I think it's it's something that will not be overlooked by anybody that has, is inclined to think about what they're doing. Does that make any sense to get at all Shawn? Or are you snoring over there?Speaker 1: (26:17)I'm not snoring in the least. All I wanna say is that anybody out there listening though, if you're an ADE user are gonna become one and this, sorry, Bob, but I know you don't like me doing this, but in the show notes, check it out, get a demo because we can show you the process that, you know, best in class dealerships are using to acquire these vehicles at a service drive. So just check this show notes and click on, get a demo becauseSpeaker 2: (26:42)It's happening and it can happen well for your dealership. It, it really will happen for anybody that actually has the inclination to pay attention. There's no question in my mind about it. So and I'm not, again, this is, of course it's our tool. Of course, it's our product. Of course, it's our pedigree that built the thing, right? So it's not as if this is without shame whatsoever in terms of promoting it, that it's just happens to be when it's true. And it actually works for us not to show a little less shame than we should would be also I think incorrect if I'm not mistaken. We got plenty of testimonials at this point of guys that the, you know, they swear by it and they're at the top of their groups. So it can't just be that they like this dumb, big fat Irish guy and they wanna kiss our somehow. That's not the deal brother. The thing actually works. All right, Shawny. Awesome. Thank you, sir. Hope everybody has fun today.
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
We've got a special episode today as we talk about the rapidly shifting wholesale market. We also have the honor of being the first to announce the big move of ASOTU Investor and long time dealer, Brian Kramer as he is named EVP Cars.com to be Head of used car acquisition platform AccuTrade. Hang on everyone, we're comin' in hot on a Monday. Wholesale auctions race to reinvent amongst rapid change in dealer and consumer behaviors“J.D. Power estimated that volume at traditional auctions was at 64,276 vehicles for the week of May 16, down from 111,876 vehicles for the same week in 2019.”The 2 largest, Manheim and Adessa are leaning into digital but not abandoning physicalManheim: "Our physical space is not just about the auctions…(it is)...for us, a key asset that we plan to have forever. We don't have any intentions of selling it."President of Manheim, Grace HuangThey are reconfiguring for an expected influx of EVsAdessa: Now owned by Carvana, largely purchased for physical locations for reconditioning and processingDealers have adapted to new restrictions and speed requirements as they have continually refined processes to acquire used inventory directly from consumersBrian Kramer is named EVP of Cars.com, Head of AccuTradeCARS acquired AccuTrade earlier this yearGet the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/Listen to other episodes: https://www.asotu.com/media/podcastsRead our most recent email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-emailShare your positive dealer stories: https://www.asotu.com/positivity----Rock w/ us on social:Insta: https://www.instagram.com/automotivestateoftheunion/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/asotu_ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ASOTU FB: https://www.facebook.com/automotivestateoftheunion Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/automotivestateoftheunion/_created/
Did David Long not send us into the weekend the right way or what?! What was your biggest takeaway from our conversation with him? If you haven't already connected with David, you are missing out on knowledge left and right!Connect with and Follow David Long: https://qrco.de/bd5FE2Watch Show David Long: https://lnkd.in/gFAXtFwrIt is Graduation Season. Chris's niece Abbie graduated over the weekend with her Masters. Incredible accomplishment with two adorable little boys and ever supporting husband Kris. The President of the college brought up a simple yet very wise statement in addressing the recent graduates. Commencement means to start, to begin and how this was the beginning of a brand new chapter for them.As Brian Pasch leads us into the uncharted GA4 Front, we are commencing into brand new territory. I for one am ever grateful to have him as our fearless leader. Look at this list of names! It is incredible to see the companies answering the call! Brian Kramer equated this council to "Bluetooth having a IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) or SIG Standards for Modern Retail KPIs." GA4 Council Assemble!Today is a packed today! I may need an extra bowl of Wheaties and...mug of tea!Join me today on Jeff Polo and Ian Nethercott's Auto Hub Show "The Inclusive Marketing Show" this Monday at 10 AM CST: https://bit.ly/3myVppcJoin me on Ted Ings After Dark at the Fixed Ops Roundtable® at 7 PM CST: https://bit.ly/3xFiVpVConnect with BZ Consultants Group: https://qrco.de/bcqqFoFollow, subscribe, and never miss a show!#BZConsultantsGroup #BZConsultants #FactsNotFeelings #FactsNotFeelingsFriday #Love #Unite #Support #UniteInLove #Carllage #DavidLong #Hansel #HanselAutoGroup #Commencement #Graduation #GA4 #Google #GoogleAnalytics #GoogleAnalytics4 #InspireOthers #Positivity #PandemicOfPositivity #Patience #BeKind #PersonalDevelopment #FixedOps #Service #TedIngs #FixedOpsRoundTable #AFTERDARKatTheFixedOpsRoundtable #AutoHubShow #AutoHub #CustomerExperience #Consultant #BrookeFurniss #Podcast #automotive #CarConsultant #AutomotiveConsultant #CartTalk #CarDealership #WomenInAutomotive #WomenInBusiness #AutomotiveMarketing #PrideMonth #LoveIsLove
Building trust in your organization can be a challenge. Let alone taking over a team or being placed in a position of leadership. There can be so many mistakes made, many without your knowing it. Brian Kramer, a leader in automotive for over 25 years shares his experience building multiple successful teams. He shares his three levels of trust, personal, technical and ethical trust. Too often we focus just on technical but Brian shares why all three are important to your success. Great conversation. Enjoy it Don't forget to review us, share the episode and subscribe so you don't miss these great conversations. Brian's book recommendation: Bob Iger Ride of a Lifetime https://amzn.to/3wSYpl6 About Brian Kramer: Automotive General Manager specializing in digital transformation with 26+ years of retail dealership experience. 19 years as a General Manager operating dealerships for Autonation and Germain Automotive Group. Experience managing Infiniti, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Toyota and Lincoln franchises in Ohio and Florida. Recipient of the Automotive News “Top 40 under 40” award. Delivered the first 100% paperless transaction in 2020, and recently delivered the first automotive transaction in the Metaverse. Pioneer of digital and virtual automotive sales and service transactions, bridging the gap between the virtual showroom and the physical showroom. Pioneering the Future of Virtual Automotive Retail in ways Virtually, Remotely, Physically & in the Metaverse. Linktree:https://linktr.ee/briankramer Clubhouse: @briankramer YouTube: @briankramer Facebook: @briankramerfl Instagram: @kramerbrian About Glenn Pasch: "Everyone finds themselves in charge at some point in their lives. Yet many of us lack the skills to generate consistent results. My goal is to help you learn the skills to adapt and grow in your personal and business life.” Glenn Pasch is CEO of PCG Digital, a full service digital marketing agency that specializes in helping businesses create and deliver customers raving, recommending & returning for more. He is author of 2 books including "The Power of Connected Marketing" and has spoken and educated audiences throughout the US and internationally. Let's Connect: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennpasch/ Personal Website http://glennpasch.com/ Company website: https://pcgdigital.com/
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
With Paul on the ground at VeeCon, we hear from him and invite Brian Kramer to the show. We are talking cars with ghosts (seemingly), a new podcast to listen to, and how markets are impacting dealers.Brian Kramer shared a video in a driverless carTechnology by QubisKramer stated use cases likeDelivering rental carsChase cars for vehicle drop offRetrieving vehicles from storage lotsTake Away: You may not have an army of driverless cars in your area sometime soon, but preparing for potential business opportunities is a best practice.Jim Farley, Ford CEO, to host a Spotify podcastDrive with Jim FarleyGuests include: Tom Brady, Dax Shepard, Harley Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz, YouTuber Emelia Hartford, The Duke of Richmond and Patrice Banks.“Spotify is footing the bill for putting the show together, and it's sponsored by customer-relationship software giant Salesforce.”“Auto executives are stepping further into the spotlight to build and burnish their personal brand, and ideally boost their company's share price.”Take Away: Never underestimate the power of personal brand on a company brand. Think about your dealership and how the brand of those in the store can impact profitability.Stock exchanges on pace for bear marketGlenview Trust CIO Bill Stone wrote. “For the first time in the post-Covid period, retailers have been stuck with some excess inventories. Costs due to inflation are also taking their toll on their earnings.”“The S&P 500 fell 0.6% on Thursday and is now about 19% below a record closing high set in early January. This would be the first bear market — defined by many on Wall Street as a 20% drop from a high — since the pandemic decline of March 2020.”Futures may have gotten a boost after China overnight cut a key benchmark rate for mortgages as Covid shutdowns hit the economy.Take Away: With consumer sentiment waning, interest rates rising, and markets continuing to turn down, a consistent and complete used car inventory strategy is a must for any operator. Now is not the time to be sitting on bloat aged inventory.Get the ASOTU Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/Listen to other episodes: https://www.asotu.com/media/podcastsRead the most recent Daily Push Back email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-emailShare positive dealer stories: https://www.asotu.com/positivity
You asked, I delivered! Boom! The Metaverse Team is here to give you quick intro into the this crazy virtual world and the basics of how to get started. I promise to keep this high level as this is new to most. You may be asking yourself, why is this even important? Isn't this all science fiction and smoke and mirrors. Citi predicts the Metaverse is an $8-13 Trillion Market opportunity. Not sure about you, but I want a piece of that pie for sure! Furthermore, people are more at ease in the Meteverse. Razorfish's Study found that 52% of Gen Z Gamers feel more like themselves in the Metaverse than in real life. 65% believe that their online relationships are just as meaningful as offline ones 1 in 2 feels gaming improves their mental health. Today, 15% of Gen Z's “fun budget” is spent in the Metaverse. In five years, it's expected to hit 20%. Convinced? Get back to your Lego days as a kid and start building your worlds!Follow and subscribe and never miss a show! Let's Connect!BZ Consultants: https://bit.ly/36lHD53BZ Consultants LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3JiCSqbBrooke LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/37lk7oJBZ Consultants YouTube: https://bit.ly/3Omf88aBZ Consultants Instagram: @bz_consultantsBrooke Instagram: @mjluver23BZ Consultants Facebook: https://bit.ly/3xc5vmkTwitter: @BzConsultants #BZConsultantsGroup #BZConsultants #BZ #FactsNotFeelings #FactsNotFeelingsFriday #NFT #Meta #Metaverse #VR #AI #Spatial #Horizons #Avatar #MetaMask #CustomerExperience #DigitalMarketing #Consultant #BrookeFurniss
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
This Monday we are waking up to a world where you can buy and sell a real life vehicle in the metaverse. Our very own Brian Kramer lets the team who executed the first transaction and we're going to get into it. We also talk about some new EV price hikes as well as offer a little education on Banking and Defi…it's not as boring or irrelevant as you might think.Brian Kramer, GM of Germain Toyota of Naples executes first ever retail auto transaction in the metaverseThe Troublemakers are the first to report on this :) Was Kyle there? Check out the video here Let's talk about EV price hikesTesla announced last week that the price of its model 3 is going up making its cheapest vehicle 48,190 Model 3We talked 2 weeks ago about Rivian's price hike debacleChinese EV maker Xpeng Inc announced Friday they, too, will be increasing prices on their EVs. Depending on the model, the increase will be between $1,500 and $3,000. Lucid is also in the gamePendulum swings as interest hikes give Banks leverage over fintechZero interest rate environments provide big cash from investors struggling for basic yields into the fintech space putting Banks at a disadvantageNow that standard rates are going up, Banks can leverage deposits as a cheaper form of liquidity for loansFintech companies like Affirm still have a strong value proposition because loans are short term and the money turns over faster and is often subsidized by the sellerSign up for the ASOTU Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/Listen to other episodes: https://www.asotu.com/media/podcastsRead the most recent Daily Push Back email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-emailShare positive dealer stories: https://www.asotu.com/positivity
The Automotive Troublemaker w/ Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier
We wake up on a Friday morning expecting that our good friend Brian Kramer is poised and ready to complete a vehicle transaction in the metaverse! Tons to talk about around the world of news, including some resilient workers in the Ukraine keeping automotive rolling.NIL (Name, Image, & Likeness During March Madness is in play for First TimeDollar Shave Club, Wing Stop, Great Clips, Sheets and GigglesMortgage rates top 4% for the first time since 2019Rates climbed ahead of the feds decision to raise benchmark rates .25“Banks borrow from each other at the Fed's benchmark federal-funds rate, which in turn influences borrowing costs for all manner of consumer and corporate debt.”Ukraine workers are still producing wiring harnesses next to bomb sheltersAudi CEO Markus Duesmann “Many of our suppliers, especially for wiring harnesses, were in Ukraine, or are in Ukraine. They are desperately — even with the people staying there, which is incredible — trying to produce, and doing so always close to a bomb shelter," Duesmann said stoically. "They try to produce, which is an enormous achievement [for] a really proud and brave people there."Netflix to crack down on account sharingUp to 3 ‘sub accounts'Testing in Costa Rica and Peru ($3 and 2.10)Sign up for the ASOTU Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/Listen to other episodes: https://www.asotu.com/media/podcastsRead the most recent Daily Push Back email at: https://www.asotu.com/media/push-back-emailShare positive dealer stories: https://www.asotu.com/positivity#automotivenews #automotiveindustry #retail #ev #tech #asotu #interestrates #metaverse #inflation
Brian Kramer is the General Manager of Germain Toyota of Naples and has been a change agent and advocate for digitizing car dealership experiences and processes. Some dealers are still reluctant to adopt a digital process, but now is the time to embrace the digital transformation. In this episode we discuss: Brian shares that it's important to take action adopting digital processes, even if it's messy to begin with. With digital adoption comes the importance of displaying F&I numbers earlier on in the customer's purchase journey. Customers who can see numbers earlier on usually end up purchasing more products and services. Brian's team starts with a digital retail tool, and then follows a process that is 100% paperless. When the deposit is received, that's the trigger for a remote interview with the customer. That way the dealership can provide a more accurate "out-the-door" number. Brian can't think of a reason why his team wouldn't conduct an F&I interview prior to creating documents for a customer. Brian's team slogan is "Simple, Fast, and Easy." That's allowed them to get away from price and payments and allows them to focus more on making sure they can always provide an answer to customer questions. Listen for more! Like this show? Please leave us a rating and review where you're listening right now! Even one sentence helps! Consider leaving your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally! Thank you, Brian Kramer! If you enjoyed this conversation with Brian Kramer, please let him know by clicking on the links below and sending a message. Click here to thank Brian Kramer on Linkedin Click here to share your number one takeaway with Becky Chernek Connect with Becky Chernek: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckychernek/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.chernek.1/ F&I Today with Becky Chernek - https://www.facebook.com/groups/260984864044461 Website - www.chernekconsulting.com
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