It’s Time to Regain Your Focus in the Used Vehicle Department
Article Highlights:
- Life would've been so much easier if I would've known I needed glasses.
- The average car appraisal takes 43 minutes.
It’s what I like to call the glasses revelation.
When I was in junior high I noticed I couldn’t see the board without squinting. After a call from my teachers, an optometrist appointment was set, and a prescription for glasses was written.
After my eventful appointment, next stop was the grocery store. It sounds funny, but as soon as I walked in I realized something was different.
Did you know the signs over the aisles actually told you what was down each aisle? Because I had never seen it before, I assumed it was just a number marking the aisle. I would have saved so much time if I had known where to look for salsa and that eggs were in aisle twelve.
Many dealerships suffer from the same nearsightedness I once did. They can’t see past the aisle number to know how to improve, especially in the used vehicle department. Here are three challenges they face and how to deal with them:
Efficiency of the Appraisal Process
According to AutoTrader, the average car appraisal takes 43 minutes. Who doesn’t want to make that more efficient? If you automate that process, it will make it faster and easier on your employees in the end. The proper paperwork can be passed from person to person quickly, while remaining secure throughout the entire appraisal process. Once an amount has been agreed upon it can quickly be sent to the desk manager to handle.
The Need for Secure Mobile Technology
A big part of shaving time off of those 43 minutes is going mobile. Being able to walk outside with a phone or tablet to appraise a vehicle saves time. But, you have to make sure the process is secure. The data you enter into a phone or tablet needs to be stored directly on your DMS and linked to the deal so it doesn’t remain on your device.
Current and Correct Information
Now, lets say you just acquired the car you just finished appraising. It makes life a lot easier if you have a process where each store automatically has its inventory updated with the newly acquired vehicle. Not only does it speed up the process, but also keeps your inventory up-to-date, prepping all your stores to make a sale sooner.
Conclusion
Don’t continue to squint at your Used Vehicle Department. Take the time to set up a self exam and fix the problems you might not see clearly.
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Product Planning Manager, Vehicle Inventory applications
Andrew is Product Planning Manager at Reynolds and Reynolds for Vehicle Inventory based applications. Andrew, a graduate of Northwood University, has been with Reynolds for over 20 years and has held various positions in the Service, Support, Education, and Product Management departments.
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