What does the future look like to you?

[Bearster18]

Things do seem bleak for now and have been on the downhill slide for along time, but think about all the programs that have bombed-out in the past, and are no more. I am here to make a profit for my dealer and satisfy my customers. This is a balancing act in itself and has been always. If you can do that and make the manufacturer happy too, well good. If to make the manufacturer happy, while losing money for my owner and the customer is forgotten in the process, forget it. Two things, I do the best I can with what I have to work with, AND do not worry about anything that I have no control over. The bad ideas usually fizzle-out given time. I am 40+years in the GM business and have never seen it this bad. If I were younger starting out now, I think I'd be looking at something else. Not much to look forward to if it stays the same. Sad but true.

I've been with GM 2 years and I've already caught on to what is going on with this company and trying to look at a new career. Finally got my GM of our auto group to realize this year is going to be rocky with the new programs and especially with all the Mega dealers overrunning our small town with huge discounts and fast shipping. Even though they are 2 hours away but have a truck here EACH and every day. Something we can't compete with except I feel I provide WAY better customer service and that has helped me retain a few wholesale shops, but when it comes to making money my dealer is in a down hill slide. From service, to sales, to my parts department it's grim. Everyone goes to online sources to buy parts even when I try discount them , but not going to give stuff away. It's frustrating and I see no winning in sight. Just riding the coaster to see where we land!

[bentwrench54]

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[Bearster18]

Every sector of my part sales are down significantly since January. Our body shop is down roughly 75% , our service shop is down 55%, and my wholesale sales are basically zilch. Every dealer in our district or zone or however they categorized it are down sharply in Sales for their objectives. I was hoping with tax time around that sales and parts sales would go back to normal. Not even close so far.

[EH427]

Online shopping for almost every aspect of our business will be required in order to stay competitive.
Processing payments online will become the norm also.
People will just come in and get keys and drive off. Service, new, used, body shop .. all processed completely online someday.
Salesmen will become less and less important.
Online shopping will reduce gross profit percentages.

Year's down the road.

Having a self driving car that is owned and operated by a taxi company will be cheaper for transportation than owning your own car especially in large cities.
Escalating car payment + insurance + fuel + maintenance, will eventually become greater than using a taxi service if they do not have to pay overhead on a person to drive the car.
This will change everything for dealer's. Less cars sold to the general public, more to taxi services, etc.

These cars will still need to be repaired and will still need parts.
Volume and profit margins will change.