DealersEdge Professional Forums

I work for a GM dealership and have done so for many years. I fully understand the implications of change and have dealt with nearly everyone that GM has sent our way since the early 1980s.

With that said I want to know what you think the future holds for a "smallish" dealership in a midsize mid-western town. It seems like it is getting more and more difficult to deal with all the problems coming at us from all directions, all the time. From the current level of 'acronym' programs - are we now moving to four letter programs (PASE) because GM simply ran out of three letter combinations? To the problem of attracting talented people to work in dealership's various departments.

What do you think the next 5 - 10 years look like?

As some one put it yesterday. I was 4 miles (years) from the finish line and the stock market just dropped me back a mile or 2. Oh well all I do is keep playing the lottery and hoping the stock market works in my favor. The last few months have been the most difficult dealing with GM in all the years combined. Gotta Love that Great GM Feeling.

It's too late for me to do anything else, after 30+ yrs in.

BUT I like this business, I love the people I work for, and change is always coming.

I've seen GM programs come and go, always another knot to untie. But like I said change is always coming. If you're to fixated on being comfortable and cozy doing the same thing everyday, change will make you miserable.

Being miserable is hard work.

The immediate future is looking like I need to redo my pay plan. We were #1 in our district for Feb. YOY had the biggest increase since we have been SLP YOY 150% and still would only get 35% of the 40% under PASE! I'm on pace to lose at least $20K in credits with the new program. Future is looking like a lot less profit back to the dealers and less in our paychecks.

GM is STILL trying to lean their franchise ownership numbers. If they implement enough aggravation and disgust within the dealership management, the dealership may crumble enough to bow out. GM seems to have spent a great deal of effort to realize the management demographics in midsize to smaller dealerships; with respect to management's age; not only physically, but seniority wise. Meaning, GM realizes the mid-to-small dealer has a mostly older management staff with many years under GM rule. THESE MANAGERS ARE TIRED OF THE B.S.! That is what GM is counting on. With all the incredulous warranty claim issues, PASE program implementation, overall credit lag time to name a few; GM is pounding the sharp point of the nail in order to render it useless. Sweeping the proverbial legs from under the dealer, in hopes the dealer will just give up. Attrition is still the goal.
Furthermore, GM is trying to get dealer owners to be "mega" or "multi" location owners. GM can speak to one owner and broadcast from there.

Good luck to everyone.

Pretty grim honestly. Not much more to say about it.

Over 25 years as a GM service manager started as a tech in the 80`s this is by far the worst dealer-company relations have ever been . I believe like has been said before GM wants small dealers out of business and at the rate they are going it will happen sooner than later . 63 and counting come on 401k hold on a little longer

this is a post i did a couple of years ago----GM does not want the small dealers doing wholesale, they want only large one's. this is a post i did in 2009, you can agree or not. "The amazing thing to me is how people here have blinders on and are shocked at what is happening or has happened in the industry, you can't tell me NONE saw any of this coming? """ back in 1982 at a cadillac dealer advisory board that i serverd on, i brought up the fact that it looked like GM was trying to get rid of the small dealers . when they got rid of wholesale comp, i think around 1979 or 80 they told us we would make more money because we would sell more because they were going to reduce the price. with that kind of thinking we as parts mrg's knew then that the next 10 or 15 yrs GM was going to be in the dumpster, it did take a little longer but it did happen. most of the PM that were in that meeting left GM and went to other car lines, most went to imports, some out of the auto business. the the big wiggs in there ivory towers are now paying the price for the dumb decisions they made back in the 80's and early 90

Crazy how everyone here has the same experience from the last 30 years. We are all the same damn ride, and it's a predictable, low payoff kinda ride.
I am trying to get my ducks in a row to exit this profession and get on with my life. I still have kids in school and my wife is very sick. I have at least 5 years left on this ride, max will be 10 (or I will be dead )
I got out once for a couple years, it was glorious!!!

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