Most sports have an off-season. In fact, Golf just ended their regular season in August with the Tour Championship held right here in Atlanta Georgia, SDA’s hometown. In the off-season, athletes will relax, review their past performance, adjust, practice, and train. The off-season is both a physical and mental time to establish a new plan and prepare for the year ahead. (Click here to Read More)
Get With The Program (Capital Program)
Most Buy Here-Pay Here dealers use an outside capital provider to help grow company or a third-party capital provider specializing in our industry. With the high costs of vehicles, dealers with their lots and growing their business than those self-funding. There are dozens of options in the marketplace with a mix of programs that should be matched to your needs. names and terms, but the basis of the programs in the marketplace are often similar. The differences come in the advance amounts, terms and the structure of the payback. Knowing the program’s pros and cons really point for one dealer can be a negative point for another. Read More
Technology for the Non-Technical
I must admit I’m not the most technical guy in the world. I do, however, understand the importance of implementing technology in our workplace and our everyday lives. Listen, I held on to my BlackBerry as long as I could and I had a pager longer than most. And I mastered the fax machine that now serves as a large paperweight in the office. But change happens – especially with technology. Even non-technical guys like myself need to implement the latest in technology to stay competitive in this changing environment. A good business practice is to always surround yourself with people who have the skills you’re lacking. In my case, those are technical skills. Learn More
Breakeven – Know It and Manage It
BHPH Dealer Magazine – (August 2019) – Mr. Gary Page, chief executive officer of SDA: If you had more cars on the lot – could you sell them? Simple math suggests that if you sell more cars, dealership profits increase. If it was that easy we would all be retired and relaxing on our private island. One thing is for sure. You have to know your numbers, especially time to breakeven. Breakeven, sometimes referred to as “days on the street,” is the number of weeks before you recoup the cost of the vehicle. This simple math can triple your profits….Read Article
BHPH Dealer – Tips for Selling to Millennials
More than $1 Trillion in Purchasing Power
BHPH Dealer Magazine – (April 2019) Mr. Gary Page, chief executive officer of SDA: According to research from Autotrader, Millennials are the most diverse, most educated, most socially conscious and most tech-savvy group the world has ever known. While there are dozens of conflicting research reports available about why or why not millennials are buying cars. One thing is clear, these buyers are different, and BHPH dealers should be prepared to sell to this large demographic. They are getting more mature, financial capable, and their needs for vehicle ownership is increasing as they age. Even though the BHPH millennials have unique circumstances, they tend to share many of the same attitudes. Click here to read the article.
USED CAR NEWS – SDA Sees More Demand
Used Car News: How has your company performed this year?
Mr. Gary Page, chief executive officer of SDA: This year has been pretty busy. We had one competitor leave the business and there have been fewer funds available from banks. That’s been good for our business. If capital is tightening up, that is good for us. The demand side has been strong. More dealers are moving into buy -here, pay-here. It’s always slower in the summer, especially in Florida, but our numbers are up. Everyone should be doing well right now. Click here to read the interview.
2018 – The Year for Healthy Growth
You’re starved. You order the large meat lovers. You only need 2 slices, but you eat the whole pizza. The next day is tough and you knew it would happen. Habits like these are unhealthy and can often lead to terrible consequences. Funding your Buy Here Pay Here dealership is much the same. History suggests that leveraging the business too deeply through excessive borrowing can be unhealthy if not deadly. Dealers need to retain part of their portfolio to fund the business and protect for the unknown. [Read more…]
Customer Loyalty – It’s NOT about the Best Price
If recent research is accurate, loyal customers provide 60-70% of annual revenues. Traditionally, Buy Here Pay Here dealers invest most of their time and a significant part of their budget towards marketing and acquiring new customers. If you consider these facts, we may be miss-allocating precious time and money. [Read more…]