While many dealers enjoyed themselves at NATDA’s tenth anniversary trade
show, some dealerships were impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma as the
storms swept their way through the Southeast. This year, we want to make
certain your dealership is secure. In its debut article, Are You Prepared for the
Next Big Hurricane? (Page 74), Florida Automobile Dealers Association gives
you the definitive checklist to protecting your business.
Once you’ve protected your physical business, it’s time to look at what you can do
operationally to protect it. The 2018 NATDA Trade Show will feature some great
NATDA Dealer Education seminars. Not only will Bob Clements International and
Dealer Spike tackle three interesting topics, but we’re also hosting a roundtable
panel discussion with various dealers around the country. It’s a chance for you
to ask other dealers where they’ve been finding success over the past year.
To prepare you for September’s Dealer Education slate, Bob Clements
International’s Sara Hey discusses a basic component in the realms of dealership
management: the employee handbook. In Management Basics: The Employee
Handbook (Page 10), Sara explains the top three benefits in implementing this
resource if you haven’t already.
I’m thrilled to announce that on Friday, September 7, 2018, the NATDA President’s
Breakfast will return. This year, we have two compelling keynote speakers,
including a representative from digital-space behemoth Google. Google’s
representative will discuss not only why Google is so powerful for your business,
but the benefits of segmentation, digital marketing, industry data and marketing
automation. Additionally, Steve Whittington, Executive Vice President for the
Flaman Group of Companies, will take the stage to explain the four “moments of
truth” in your customer’s experience.
There’s a lot of advances in the industry now. New technology, for the most part,
provides new benefits, making trailering easier all the way around. There are
occasions, though, where technology moves faster than it should. In Broken
Connection: A Super Duty Problem (Page 84), we tell the story of a dealer who
recently ran into issues with Ford’s new trucks. Hopefully, this dealer’s experience
saves you time and resources should you come across similar circumstances.
In addition to these fantastic articles, we’ve got updates on the NATDA Dealer
Lounge, the 2018 NATDA Trade Show mobile app and more.
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NATDA Magazine
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