AUTO DEALER KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND FUTURIST: WHO’S MAKING DEALS ON CARS LATELY?

Talk to auto dealer keynote speakers and car dealership futurists and odds are that they’d have much to say about the many new trends and technology innovations rocking the automaking and manufacturing field. Needless to say, vehicle vendors and the sales teams which serve them often have many questions about these same paradigm shifts. In any event, our auto dealer keynote speakers and car dealership futurists have been increasingly tapped in recent months to provide live and virtual online speaking on a host of subjects in the space. Before diving deeper into them though, let’s explore the different types of dealerships that are currently being impacted by all these changes.

• New car dealers – Sell new vehicles and offer manufacturer warranties and servicing. The way auto dealer keynote speakers and car dealership futurists tell it, firms obtain franchise rights to sell specific makes (Toyota, Ford, etc).
• Used car dealers – Focus on selling a variety of used vehicle makes and models. Inventory is acquired from trade-ins, auctions, leases, etc.
• Independent dealers – Dealerships that are not associated with a specific manufacturer and can sell both new and used cars from multiple brands.
• Buy here, pay here dealers – Provide direct in-house financing to buyers, including those with poor credit. Interest rates are generally higher.
• Online/internet dealers – Sell vehicles strictly through online listings and transactions versus a physical showroom, making them of great interest to auto dealer keynote speakers and car dealership futurists. May deliver cars directly to buyers.
• Franchised dealers – Independently owned dealerships that pay a franchise fee to use branding of a larger retail chain like CarMax or AutoNation.
• Import dealers – Specialize in the sale of imported vehicles from specific regions like Europe or Asia. Requires expertise in sourcing these vehicles.
• Luxury/exotic dealers – Sell premium and high-end vehicle brands like Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, catering to affluent clients. Always popular examples among auto dealer keynote speakers and car dealership futurists.
• Wholesalers – Sell cars in bulk directly to other dealerships rather than retail consumers. Allows dealers to source inventory.
• Rental car sales – Convert portions of their rental fleet to sales after vehicles have been rented for a period of time.

Like auto dealer keynote speakers and consulting car dealership futurists observe, the dealer category indicates the type of inventory, business model and target consumer base.