BOOKS

DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO F&I

Every dealer sells F&I products, and most dealers understand the importance of the F&I department in terms of its contribution to the bottom line. Unfortunately, F&I is not a regulated profession; meaning one doesn't need any type of state license to practice and because of that there is very little formal education available. There is plenty of sales training focusing on HOW to sell F&I products and there is compliance training as well. However, the actual management of the F&I department, product selection, and different types of participation programs are largely ignored. Most dealers, general managers, and finance managers must figure out these aspects in real time, on the job.

EFFECTIVE CAR DEALER

This is my fourth book on the auto industry, and I have written it because this business iscomplicated, sophisticated, and ever-changing. Automotive retail is changing slowly, and one ofthe main reasons for that are the franchise laws. I want to urge you to operate as thoughfranchise laws don’t exist to protect you. Carvana is not going anywhere and neither isAmazon. At some point they will join forces. Also, OEM’s such as Tesla, Rivian, and many moreare going to go directly to the consumer, bypassing the dealer network altogether. At the endof the day, awesome customer service, whether in sales, service, or parts, will keep yourcustomers coming back for more. Poor service and a cumbersome sales experience will drivethem elsewhere—Carvana, CarMax, Tesla, Jiffy Lube, Firestone, Good Year, Valvoline, NAPAParts, Pep Boys, etc.COVID-19 is already having a profound effect on consumer behavior andthe way in which we buy and service cars. I predict that there will be two types of dealers afterthis pandemic abates—the first will change their business operations, adopting frictionlessdigital and showroom retail; the second will hope that things go back to normal and thatnothing needs to change. Unfortunately, the second type of dealer will be out of business. It isultimately your choice whether to accept change. Consumers will continue to purchase cars.The only question is: Will they will be buying from you?

The Art and Science of Running a Car Dealership

Car dealers get a bad rap. Yet study after study shows that while stereotypes abound, they are often not based in fact. Automotive industry veteran, Max Zanan is well-versed in the resulting business challenges these misperceptions pose and The Art and Science of Running a Car Dealership aims to help car dealers be more strategic and thoughtful in operating their businesses. Written with general managers, dealers and investors in mind, the book is a pocket guide of practical solutions to boost customer confidence and satisfaction, enhance employee morale, and ultimately, increase profits.

The book comes along at just the right time. 2019 saw an increased volume of unsold vehicles with industry experts predicting auto sales may slip to under 17 million vehicles for the first time since 2014.

Art and Science offers tips and straightforward advice on tackling marketing challenges head-on for a productive workplace and a happier buyer. And Zanan knows his stuff. He is in fact, an entrepreneur and consultant to dealerships across the country, whose stated mission is to improve automotive retail, one dealership at a time. With 20+ years of experience in auto sales, F&I and dealership consulting, his accomplishments include managing a New York City-based dealership that ranked #1 in sales; and oversight of a family of dealerships with 150+ employees. Today he is founder and CEO of IDDS Group and Total Dealer Compliance, which mentor dealerships in generating more revenue and eliminating non-compliant practices across departments.

This book advances his overall goals for improving the industry’s reputation and revenue-generating potential by filling an unmet gap in educational resources available to car dealers. It is based, in part, on the author’s firsthand experiences and includes a comprehensive reference section listing the best vendors serving car dealers nationwide. At the heart of his message is helping dealers to endure, adapt and grow in the face of major shifts in the car-buying process.

Zanan challenges dealers to rethink outdated sales practices centered on tedious negotiations with sales professionals who lack people skills in favor of a new mentality that makes a visit to the dealership a positive consumer experience that cements a long-term – and profitable - relationship. From reinventing showrooms to maximizing websites to overall dealer-centric practices, The Art and Science of Running a Car Dealership is a welcome primer for its target audience in how to learn and embrace new ways of operating a state-of-the-art, modern-day automotive business.

Zanan is also the author of two previous bestsellers: Perfect Dealership: Surviving The Digital Disruption, which outlines what car dealers can to survive and thrive in a digital world; and Car Business 101: #CrazyShitCarDealersDo, that gives car dealers guidance on how to change practices that are hurting their business.

Car Business 101: Your Guide to Surviving the Next 10 Years

Will your car dealership survive the next decade? Will the automotive retail industry as a whole survive? Digital disruptors are coming for our industry and auto retail professionals need to take this threat seriously and make real improvements to their businesses in order to survive.

Car Business 101, also known as “Crazy Shit Car Dealers Do” represents the flip side of Max’s previous bestseller Perfect Dealership. While Max’s first book discussed what car dealers need to do right, this new book covers what they’re often doing very, very wrong.

The truth is that many dealership owners and managers are still acting like it’s 1999 and they’re the only game in town. In fact, online car sales business like Carvana and Vroom are quickly getting attention from consumers simply by paying attention to the market and giving people what they want.

Stop Making the Same Mistakes

Car Business 101 offers all automotive professionals insight into the common mistakes made by the auto retail industry and how to start doing better. Max covers topics including,

     • Common problems in employee knowledge and training
     • Outdated marketing and sales techniques to replace with modern digital strategies
     • F&I sales, marketing and product failures causing dealers to leave money on the table
     • Compliance mistakes that can incur huge fines, not to mention losing customer trust
     • And many other issues!

Reading through this book will equip you and your team with a diverse set of pitfalls to avoid, new ideas to implement, and future trends to embrace. Buy now on Amazon and start building an auto retail business that will survive and thrive in the coming decade.

Perfect Dealership: The Best Selling Auto Dealership Management Book

The auto industry has changed. This book is your guide to the new reality of retail car sales. Written by Max Zanan, a 20+ year veteran of the automotive industry, Perfect Dealership is your complete guide to succeeding in the new world of car dealership management.

To succeed in 2018 and beyond your dealership needs:

     • A robust compliance strategy
     • Strong F&I products and management
     • A profitable parts and service department
     • Aggressive digital strategies on your website, social media, and more
     • Sales managers following an optimized process leveraging modern tools
     • And much more!

A Practical Manual for Automotive Retail Success

Perfect Dealership is not a “motivational” sales guide or a rehashing of platitudes. This is a practical, modern, proven guide to growing your dealership, becoming more profitable, hiring and training the right team, implementing effective compliance strategies, and more. This is a guidebook not a novel, and the strategies included in this book have been proven by dealerships all across the country who have relied on Max Zanan’s consulting to build better dealerships.

Reading this book will give you immediate tangible tactics you can apply to operating your dealership today, as well as long-term vision for future success in an industry that is poised to change.

ADAPT OR DIE

History is filled with businesses that failed to predict the future, failed to adapt to change, and ultimately failed altogether. Consider Blockbuster movie rentals, retail book stores, music publishing and retail businesses, and many others. The automotive industry is poised for a tectonic shift over the next 5 years that will separate the fast-movers and winners from the dinosaurs.

Buy the Perfect Dealership book today and take the first step towards securing a long-term competitive future for your dealership and your career. In times of change, those who can see the future win big and those stuck in the past die fast. Embrace change and build the auto dealership of tomorrow. Buy the book online on Amazon today.