Two solitudes
Two solitudes exist between the front of your store, and the back I’ve had a number of conversations over the past month that ended in a similar manner; talking about the (generally) poor job being done at many dealerships when …
Category: Opinion
Quebec student protests point to larger social issues
Misconceptions over public education spending fuels tensions The evolution of the student protests in Quebec the past few months has sparked a national debate much greater than the original aim of the movement. At its outset earlier in the spring …
Get your seats dirty
If you want to sell more cars — conduct more test drives. The math is simple. in its 2011 Auto Shopper Behaviour Study, Google studied automotive purchasing behaviour, and vehicle shoppers were asked the following: How useful were each of …
Tablet tales
Canadian auto dealer delivers new tablet edition The role of the tablet device as a communications tool is one of the most interesting technology debates raging. How it all sorts itself out is something that auto dealers need to keep …
Majority budget was more of the same
Harper’s ho-hum budget didn’t rattle as many cages as feared In the end it was neither the intensely political document that has characterized the Harper government’s tenure in power until now nor the Canada-redefining blueprint long feared by many opponents …
A new ritual of spring
The best part of publishing magazines in the automotive industry is the chance to participate in key industry events. There’s just no substitute for exchanging ideas face-to-face. Earlier this spring I had a chance to do just that as part …
The social media mix
It’s the big question with no easy answer Social media is one of the biggest issues facing dealers that nobody can really define, quantify, measure, grasp or figure out what to do about. In this swirl of confusion, there are …
Scene and heard
It’s been a busy stretch keeping plugged in to the automotive scene I’ve been on the road from Las Vegas to Detroit to Quebec City to Nova Scotia — and parts in between — attending auto shows, industry events and …
Housing market spooks economy
Canada’s economic foundations are sound Everywhere you look there seems to be another dire warning on the state of Canada’s housing market. Homes are overvalued by huge margins, screams one headline. Consumers are in debt up to their ears, warns …
Let’s not forget the magic
Our love affair with cars runs deep After having just spent about 18 hours at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for media day, followed by VIP night, and then assorted after-hours parties and photo ops, you might think I’d had …
The incredible shrinking planet
How global events impact us here at home We all have the tendency to live life in our own little worlds. We spend most of our time in a relatively small geographical area. We work within a reasonable distance of …
Paper never refuses ink
Groundbreaking report on social media usage challenges some traditional outlooks. Are you ready to change your opinions? One snowy day, a long time ago, Trish’s grandmother was reading the newspaper. Her reading glasses were precariously balancing on the tip of …
