Page 30 - On The Move - Volume 18, Issue 3

Take Technology 1 Byte at a Time, Says Car Saleswoman

Robin Hill, a sales executive at Hendrick Lexus “I understood what that meant: Don’t let Enhanced
of Charlotte (NC) recalls how she felt when modern something overwhelm you,” she says.
smartphones came out about 15 years ago. She Hill now regularly uses technology, including
wasn’t an early adopter. “My daughters practically social media, her smartphone and more, in her sales
had to pry my flip phone from my hand,” she says. job at Hendrick Lexus of Charlotte. It is part of the
In retrospect, “I’m so glad they did.” 94-store Hendrick Automotive Group, No.6 on the Performance
That’s because Hill now believes in the pow- WardsAuto Megadealer 100.
er of technology, its usefulness as well as “the re- Hill recalls how digital auto retailing gained Taking delivery of a new vehicle is a big deal.
sourcefulness of smartphones.” It took some effort traction last year during the height of the COVID “So, my clients have the option of us shooting a vid-
to reach that comfort zone. pandemic. “As a culture, we have a thirst – a need eo of them driving away in their new car.” The clip is
“Before, I would clench up with new technol- – for buying and selling. During the pandemic, tech- emailed to them. “It’s a lot of fun,” says Hill.
ogy,” she says during a presentation at Auto Intel nology really saved us.” When not selling vehicles, Hill is a motivation-
Summit, an online conference put on by Cherokee She cites the influence of online reviews. Her al speaker. She’s also authored books on seeking Business Insurance and Employee Benefits
Media. “I didn’t think it was dangerous or anything dealership ranks as the No.1 Lexus store in its num- success.
like that. I was just uncomfortable with it. After all, ber of positive online reviews, according to Reputa- “Use technology to advance and profit,” she Consulting for Automotive Dealerships
I’m pushing 60.” tion.com. advises.” Be confident in what you do and know.
Her conference presentation is called “One Modern vehicles are loaded with technology, Take a few minutes a few times a week to learn
Byte at a Time,” referring to digital bytes and the including advanced driver-assist systems that many something new about technology. Look into what
overall need to embrace innovation. She says the buyers aren’t readily familiar with. Accordingly, you can do to advance yourself and profit from it.” Shift to a modern risk management experience aligned between service and
presentation title stems from “a strange question Hendrick Lexus of Charlotte employs tech-savvy Source: WardsAuto selection. Our formula is designed to put you in the driver’s seat:
someone once asked me: How do you eat an ele- young people to give customers tutorials about the
phant?” The answer: One bite at a time. technology in their newly purchased vehicles. + Negotiate between competing underwriters for savings.
+ Customize program designs to fit your business and team.
Hyundai Dodges Chip Shortage, Sets U.S. Sales Records + Access year-round support for your dealership, beyond renewal.
+ Utilize our safety, compliance, human resources and claims teams.
Hyundai Motor America reports its third around the current, industrywide semiconductor Parker says the chip shortage is having a defi- We’re delivering this experience through a team of consultants with deep
consecutive month of record U.S. sales in May at chip shortage by trying to keep its focus on the nite impact on the U.S. market, but he’s hoping it
90,017, a 56% increase over May 2020 and a 36% brand’s biggest-selling models, the Tucson and San- doesn’t disrupt new-model rollouts for 2022. “This experience working with dealers and their employees.
increase over pre-COVID May 2019. ta Fe CUVs, and the Elantra sedan. summer, inventory is going to continue to get a lit-
“We’re not just observing the challenges, “They’re not as bad off as some manufactur- tle lean,” he says.
we’re trying to attack the challenges that are out ers, with this chip debacle,” Rick DeSilva Jr., dealer The redesigned ’22 Tucson is off to a good start
there,” Randy Parker, senior vice president-national principal at Liberty Hyundai, Mahwah, NJ, says in a only about a month after its official U.S. launch in
sales, says in a phone interview. phone interview. May, Parker says. The ’22 model already accounts for
For example, he says HMA is trying to work In its first-quarter earnings report in April, 80% to 90% of current U.S. Tucson sales, he says.
parent company Hyundai Motor Co. says it plans “to Year-to-date through May, the Tucson is the
flexibly adjust its production in line with chip sup- brand’s No.1-selling U.S. model. In 2019, the Elantra
ply delays, by preemptively securing its component was No.1 year-to-date. HMA launched a redesigned Visit us online for resources including our auto dealers toolkit
inventory while looking for alternative chip parts to Elantra in fourth-quarter 2020. For the month of with sample policies and customizable templates to protect
optimize production.” May, the new Tucson outsold the new Elantra by your dealership, repair shop and employees.
Hyundai Motor is widely reported to have only 27 units.
stockpiled chips before the shortage became wide- “Our product portfolio is the best it’s ever
spread, and that apparently delayed the impact, been. Unlike some others, we continue to invest in
compared with some competitors. Nevertheless, passenger cars,” Parker says. “There are people who
Hyundai reported some temporary assembly line do want an alternative to an SUV.”
shutdowns in April due to the chip shortage. Source: WardsAuto
valentgroup.com/auto-dealers
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