The Art and Science of Running a Car Dealership

by Max Zanan, Ted Ings (Foreword)

This book is the pocket guide I wish I had when I first became a general manager of a Mitsubishi dealership in New York. Honestly, I am not the brightest star in the sky and made every mistake anyone could’ve possibly made. Unfortunately, I see dealer principals/general managers/general sales managers making the same mistakes today. The only difference is the time and consequences of these mistakes. I got my first GM gig in 2004. That was in the beginning days of the Internet, before millennials joined the workforce, and way before any viable disrupters entered the market space. It was a lot easier to get away with mistakes then. I don’t think you could get away with making the same mistakes now. The stakes are too high. Automotive retail profit margins are tiny. According to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), automotive net profit margin as of March 31, 2019 was merely 1.38 percent. As a result, every misstep makes it harder to stay in business.The car business desperately needs better leadership skills, understanding of social media, inventory management, fixed operations, and so much more. There is no educational barrier to the entry into car business, and there are only a handful of universities offering a major in car dealership general management, such as Liberty and Keiser. On top of that, only a tiny percentage of dealer principals and general managers attend the National Automobile Dealer Association University. That means that a vast majority of general managers receive training on the job, even if we took business-related classes in college. The auto business is a different animal. General information will only carry you so far. That is exactly why general managers make the same mistakes year after year. My goal is to break this vicious cycle and provide as much information as possible to ensure that automotive retail survives the disruptions we are witnessing today. We need to be ready for the next generation of car buyers, people who are more computer savvy and not afraid to search for better deals. According to surveys, 80 percent of millennials plan to buy a vehicle in the next five years. In fact, millennials worldwide will buy about 40 percent of all vehicles in the next decade. At the same time, they spend an average of 17 hours on line before going to a dealership.Are you ready for them?

130 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2019

About the author

Max Zanan is a seasoned automotive industry expert with nearly 20 years of experience in sales, F&I and dealership consulting. After graduating John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Zanan went on to get his Master’s Degree before starting his career in automotive retail as a salesman at a local, New York City Volkswagen dealership. After working his way up the ranks, Zanan then became the General Manager of a New York City Mitsubishi dealership, which subsequently placed #1 in sales for Mitsubishis in the United States. Following his stint at Mitsubishi, Zanan went on to become the Platform President at Elite Auto Group, where he oversaw three dealerships, with 150 total personnel.

Max Zanan has worked in every department of a car dealership. He started as sales person and throughout the years worked as a sales manager, finance manager, general sales manager, service manager, and general manager. He has also provided income development services through F&I products and training as the owner of Total Dealer Compliance—one of the best dealership compliance firms in the country. In addition to F&I and Compliance, he provides dealership consulting services that are focused on process improvement, customer retention, and profitability. As Founder and CEO of IDDS Group, Zanan utilizes all of the skills he has picked up over the years to cohesively mentor dealerships on how to increase revenue and profitability, and eliminate non-compliant practices in all departments. Max Zanan is also the author of Perfect Dealership and Car Business 101.

Reviews

[Colleenshirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Running a car dealership involves a unique blend of art and science, where customer service, market knowledge, and financial expertise all come together. It's not just about selling cars; it's about understanding your customers' needs and providing them with the right options. For those with bad credit, there are dealerships that specialize in helping them get back on track, offering financing options that cater to a variety of financial situations. Car dealerships that take bad credit can make all the difference for people looking for a fresh start. It’s great to know there are places out there that understand and work with you, no matter your credit history! See More:- https://gobgautos.com/phoenix-bad-cre...

[Ed Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

I work with dealers on a regular basis, and the business is tough! There are low margins, little room for error, distrust and process failures that can kill a business. Max Zanan does a great job of introducing these concepts and making sure that if you’re moving into management or ownership, you have a good picture of the landscape and challenges you’ll face. A must read.

[Tanjima Jahan]

good