Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine is the daily operations publication serving the retail automotive industry. This automotive publication serves dealer principals, officers and general managers with the latest best practices.
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in the beginning opening observations News, News and More News Volume 9, Issue 4 Editor I
'm not sure I can include all the news I have to share in this month's column.
First, it's the time of year when we at Auto Dealer Monthly tip our hats to some amazing, hard-working, and often extremely innovative vendors and some outstanding fi- nance companies. For eight years now, Auto Dealer Monthly has been holding the Dealers' Choice Awards. Over that time we have seen a lot of product improvements and changes in the indus- try. We've watched some companies grow, while others were gobbled up by other companies.
Normally our magazine focuses on the dealers and their stores, but once every year we stop and ask the dealers how they feel about the vendors and finance companies that serve them on a daily basis. Dealers and their employees tell us how they feel about the companies' products and services, customer service, value for money spent, and whether they would be willing to recommend the provider to an- other dealer.
Through our content interviews, training, conferences and incoming calls from dealers looking for resources, we often hear the good, the bad and occasionally the ugly of their interactions with vendors and finance companies in the in- dustry. Then February rolls around, and the results of the survey often mirror those conversations.
This year, we have 40 companies being recognized for their work. Congratulations to all of those vendors and finance companies for delivering great products
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and customer service to the dealer community.
As big as the Dealers' Choice Awards are each year, we also have a couple of other big announce- ments for the year. The Subprime Conference dates and location have been announced. This year, we will again host our Subprime Conference in the same venue as the F&I; Conference as part of the Industry Summit, Sept. 10 to 12, 2012, at the Paris Convention Center in Las Vegas. This year's show has been expanded to include more special finance cover- age and a BHPH education track. For more information on the show, go to
SubprimeConference.com. Mark your calendar.
On top of all of that, Auto Dealer Monthly is launching the industry's first convention dedicated to Customer Relationship Manage- ment (CRM). At the heart of any dealership are the relationships the dealer creates with customers, and improved technology has helped dealers stay connected to their customers more than any other time in history. This show will bring the best information, processes and practical application of how to use your CRM system to create stronger customer relationships, which will translate to more loyal customers. This show, also at the Paris Conven- tion Center in Las Vegas, will be held Sept. 10 to 11, 2012, as part of the Industry Summit. This is one event you don't want to miss. For more information on the show, go to CRMConvention.com.
Harlene Doane
Senior Assistant Editor Jennifer Murphy
Assistant Editor Kimberly Long
Contributing Authors
Ali Amirrezvani Courtney Cole Harlene Doane Mark Dubois Greg Goebel
Thomas B. Hudson, Esq.
Marketing Manager Andrew Markle
Layout & PrePress Regent Promotions, Inc.
Copyright ©2012 all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited unless expressly authorized by editor or publisher. The views expressed in the articles or adver- tisements are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of this magazine or its staff. All unso- licited content, photographs and artwork submitted are at the submitters risk and will not be returned unless return postage and packaging are included.
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Auto Dealer Monthly (ISSN: 1941-384X) is published monthly by Auto Dealer Monthly, LLC P.O. Box 39 Osprey, FL 34229-0039.
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David Keller, CPA, CFE Kimberly Long Jennifer Murphy Jim Radogna Greg Wells
