Why Smart Dealers Are Ignoring the Government Bid Myth
Most dealership principals treat government bids like a tax write-off—nice to have, sure, but not worth the operational headache. Wrong. The conventional wisdo...
Stop Chasing the Lowest Quote: What Fleet Operators Get Wrong About Vehicle Purchasing
Most fleet consultants will tell you that buying commercial vehicles is a straightforward commodity play: get three quotes, pick the lowest price, and move on. ...
Fleet Account Acquisition: Why Most Dealerships Are Losing Money on Deals They Think They're Winning
The Fleet Account Everyone Wants Is Probably a Money Loser You know that moment when a fleet manager walks in with a 50-unit annual order and your sales team s...
The Contrarian Case for Parts Counter Receivables Aging
You're sitting in your office Tuesday morning, staring at your aging report. Sixty days past due: $47,000. Ninety days: $28,000. One hundred twenty days and bey...
Why Your Dealership's P&C Insurance Audit Might Be Costing You More Than It Saves
Why Your Dealership's P&C Insurance Audit Might Be Costing You More Than It Saves Here's a question that probably hasn't crossed your desk in a while: what if ...
Why Your Dealer Composite Report Is Costing You More Than You Think
You're spending three hours every Monday morning pulling dealer composite reports, cross-referencing them with your accounting software, and then presenting a p...
The Forecast Trap: Why Your 12-Month Cash Flow Model Is Probably Wrong
Dealerships spend roughly 40% more time building cash flow forecasts than they actually spend acting on them. That's not a slight exaggeration—it's a pattern yo...
The Contrarian Case Against Pack and Holdback Transparency Theater
You're sitting in your office reviewing last month's P&L, and something doesn't add up. Your gross profit looks solid on paper. Your RO count was strong. Your t...
Stop Over-Reconciling Parts and Service Accounts: A Contrarian Take
Back in 1916, when the first Ford Model T rolled off an assembly line in Highland Park, Michigan, the dealer's accounting job was simple: count cash, count cars...
Stop Obsessing Over Chart of Accounts Cleanup (Unless You're Really Big)
Back in 1974, when NADA first published standardized chart of accounts guidelines for dealerships, the goal was simple: make it easier for dealers to compare fi...
The 13-Month Rolling Forecast Isn't Broken—Your Process Is
According to industry surveys, roughly 72% of dealerships claim to use a rolling 13-month forecast model. Yet somehow, most of those same dealerships get blinds...
The Contrarian Take on Floor Plan Interest: Why Your Rate Negotiation Is Missing the Real Problem
What if your dealership's floor plan interest expense isn't actually your biggest cash flow problem? Most controllers and office managers spend hours optimizin...