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In-person audits can make it easier to get answers

Whether a warranty audit is conducted in person or remotely can make a big difference.
Some dealerships say in-person audits are back with a vengeance

Automakers resumed warranty audit visits after they mostly shelved the practice in 2020. Some dealers complain they are less forgiving and more punitive.
The 7 dirty words not to use in a claim

Dealership consultant Rob Campbell's words should never be used on a warranty claim, lest they raise a red flag for auditors.
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Honda ranks No. 1 for lowest total cost of service, 2021 analysis says

The study also found that actual service costs for battery-powered electric vehicles for the first 90 days are more than twice as high as either gasoline or hybrid vehicles.
Leo Levine
Leo Levine, former Mercedes public relations chief in N.A., dies at 90

Levine was a journalist and a book author, an automotive historian with an encyclopedic memory.
Positive signs for the F&I road ahead

Auto finance should enjoy several advantages in 2021 that carry over from 2020, starting with the fact that auto delinquencies barely rose overall last year, despite high unemployment, according to a panel of industry executives.
Subaru, which had a captive arm in the U.S. in the 1980s, now maintains a captive-type relationship with Chase Auto.
Money keeps many from the captive game

If captive finance companies are such a great idea, why doesn't everybody have one?
Choosing ‘true captive' or ‘captive-like'

Captive finance companies offer advantages for dealers, like loyalty, but private-label financial services are more capable of raising capital.
Avoid legal snags posed by remote sales

Many of the laws that apply to sales outside the dealership were written before the Internet. That can create potential legal problems for deals conducted remotely during the pandemic.
A ‘blind' approach to diverse hiring

A couple of points from Juanita Baranco, COO at Baran Co. in Atlanta, stole the show at NADA's Women Driving Auto Retail event Wednesday night.
Need service advisers? Fix job title

Business conditions are great for dealerships to recruit and retain service advisers, yet the ability to do so continues to be a weak spot.
Smaller teams can benefit dealerships

Speakers at the "Redesign Your People Strategy to Improve CX and Drive Profitability" workshop recommended breaking up the dealership organizational chart into smaller teams, with "tactical" and "strategic" responsibilities.
Low overhead and digital options are key as HAAH ramps up

Nicole Geenen is vice president of service operations for HAAH Automotive Holdings, which plans to introduce vehicles developed by China's Chery Automobiles to the U.S. market under the brand names Vantas and T-Go starting in 2022.
Service-only BDC aims to grow business via outreach, efficiency

BDC handles inbound customer calls for service appointments and also initiates calls, emails and text messages to drum up business from customers who, for instance, declined recommended service on their last visit.
Taking initiative helps keep business rolling

As state-mandated shutdowns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic slowed business in the service lane, many fixed ops directors reduced hours and, in some cases, limited appointments to emergencies only.