Dealer network of the future explored in depth
The inaugural CADA Summit held Feb. 13 in Toronto generated a lot of buzz, discussion and excitement. In short, it was a big hit.
The next day, people at the Canadian International AutoShow and VIP night were still talking about it. “In my career, I have not seen manufacturers at a high level, dealers at a high level, bankers, media, and futurists all in the same room enjoying the same excellent content,” said Alex Baum, CADA Chairman in interview on the floor of the auto show.
Baum’s comments echoed many sentiments expressed by attendees. “Over the moon,” and “knocked it out of the ballpark,” were expressions I heard more than once. The event ran on time, the content was as advertised — and in fact exceeded many people’s expectations.
Some attendees who had just returned from spending several days at the NADA convention said they learned more in one day at the CADA Summit than at NADA. That’s high praise indeed, and it was always the intent of the organizers to compress an incredible amount of learning into a one day jam-packed agenda. They understood that dealers have a lot of demands on their time, and they needed to roll up their sleeves and just dive right in.
For those dealers that didn’t attend, you really missed a good one. Apart from the keynote speakers, (Bob Lutz was both entertaining and insightful) the panel sessions and expert presentations, it was a great place to network and catch up on industry news and views.
While you can read some of our CADA Summit coverage in this issue, it’s really a case of having to be there to appreciate it. The key points that would apply to your dealership, and the conversations over meals and in the hallways are what makes an event so much more than just what is presented from the stage.
The content presented wasn’t all good news for dealers. There are forces of change driven by the changing customers that are affecting all industries, and many retailers aren’t adapting quickly enough. There are challenges in trying to reach the GenY audience who don’t respond to the traditional marketing tools the way their parents might have.
But despite the challenges, there was also an air of optimism and energy in the room. Dealers have always been bold and agile enough to respond to their markets and many left the event energized and ready to embrace the dealer network of the future as it takes shape. CADA deserves kudos for hosting a great event, and I look forward to next year. Hope to see you there.
