Pub 2 2021-2022 Issue 1

We were probably in the bottom third of all Mazda Dealers just after we purchased the store in 2008. Hard to believe, but last year we finished Top Ten in the Country in Sales Volume and have enjoyed some very positive recognition from Mazda in several areas along the way. business. Above all else, our organization and the people who helped influence me had a deep sense of placing integrity and professionalism at the forefront. This emphasis was really the DNA of how my father approached the business and how he expected all of us to behave. What is the most rewarding part of your career? Well, you can always look at this as an overall accomplishment compared to your peers, similar brands in the marketplace, etc. Separate from that, the most rewarding part has been watching younger people commit to our industry and create lasting success. As a result, I have some exceptional people who believed in the vision and direction I laid out some years ago. The overall growth of our Mazda Dealership in South Orlando and the amount of respect we have earned from the manufacturer has been very rewarding. We were probably in the bottom third of all Mazda Dealers after purchasing the store in 2008. Hard to believe, but last year we finished Top Ten in the country in Sales Volume and have enjoyed some very positive recognition from Mazda in several areas along the way. Again, the best part is that most of the team so instrumental in this accomplishment still works for me. What do you think will be some of the auto industry’s dominant trends in the next 5-10 years? Disruption and public companies continue to capitalize on any area of our business they see as profitable. The overall “perception” surrounding us conveys a belief that our work can be done “better” by some entity other than the car dealer. This perception is what should be keeping us up at night. Even though the vast majority of car dealerships today are run extremely well and strive to deliver a high level of customer satisfaction, as an industry, we are still very vulnerable in this area. The really difficult challenge here is that these “disruptors” are not playing by the same rules or competing as traditionally required. Capital is easily accessed, and profitability is not expected as millions or billions of dollars are spent analyzing our historical role in the retail automobile sales and service business. I also believe that the rise of the EV auto business will coincide with the dealership’s need to evolve and consider additional imaginative ways to serve tomorrow’s customers. There are no doubt some significant changes coming to the way we sell and service our customers. Being open-minded and hyperfocused on the customer experience will be critical for us in the year ahead as car dealers. continued on page 14 Pub Yr 2 | Issue 1 13 CFADA.ORG