From all of us at the North American Trailer Dealers Association (NATDA), we wish you a happy
New Year!
2017 was one of the highlights in this association’s history and we’re excited for 2018 to go the same way. In 2017, we
took the NATDA Trade Show & Convention to Indianapolis, Indiana for the first time. As a result, the show had one of
the highest participation rates since its inception. This year, we’ll return to Indianapolis for another lap. Exhibitors are
quickly filling up the floor space and we’re excited to bring another illuminating and innovative show to you and your
dealership’s employees.
If you have not heard by now, we instituted two, new programs in the final half of 2017. NATDA Dealer Success Groups
and NATDA Dealership Performance Training are initiatives that will help fuel your dealership’s fire and bring it up to
racing level. These programs, hosted by Bob Clements International, have increased Service Department profits by as
much as 60%. They have improved margins in the parts department and even reduced transaction time at the parts
counter by 30%. Basically, they bring back the enjoyment of running your dealership. For an idea of the kind of items
you can learn from these programs, Bob Clements has written A Canary in a Coal Mine for this issue. Here, he walks
you through three crucial numbers that you should be monitoring and how to fix them if they’re close to empty.
Also in this issue, Beyond Unit Videos—4 More Ways to Use Video on Your Dealership’s Website gives you some
interesting video ideas that will make your website stand out to visitors. Whether it is for your website or your YouTube
Channel, these ideas will definitely create a buzz surrounding your business. With The Power to Dream Bigger, Go
Farther and Do More, Westinghouse explains why their brand new iGen4500 is exactly the generator your customers
are looking for. It’s a new product that gives you all the power you need – anywhere you need it. Lastly, David Borg of
Touch of Class Trailers explores some ideas your dealership should be doing during the slower months of the year in a
feature titled Creative Downtime.
Last year marked a special event in this association’s history. Our anniversary was a clear indication of the strength of
our industry in the United States, Canada and abroad. In 2018, we look forward to increasing and cultivating industry
awareness, so that your dealership grows along with it.
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NATDA Magazine
www.natda.org