IA | Street Smart | June 2019 by NIADA

IOWA INDEPENDENT AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION | JUNE /JULY 2019

STREET SMART Dealer Spotlight

IIADA Member Dealers Who Call Keokuk Home T H R E E O U T S TA N D I N G D E A L E R S | PAGE 12

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STREET SMART JUNE/JULY 2019 WWW.IOWAIADA.COM

ONLINE MARKETING |

By IIADA Staff

TIME TO REVISIT YOUR WEBSITE

Ensure it is Updated

the pictures are current and show the entire vehicle. Verify the current mileage is correct. When a salesperson goes on a test drive, have them record the ending mileage and update the vehicle on the dealer management system. Take off all the “sold” inventory. If a vehicle is assumed to be sold, we have lost that interested customer immediately. List

an asking price – this is one of the main criteria when locating a vehicle on a vehicle search site. The Internet is the most effective sales tool in today’s automotive industry. We as dealers must spend our advertising dollars and manpower to maintain our presence. With just a little additional time and effort your vehicles will generate the interest and the leads you’re looking for.

Like everyone, we as dealers are always checking out the competitors’ websites. We compare their inventory to ours. We look at their retail prices and vehicle descriptions and critique the pictures. A few days ago, I was following up on some dealerships throughout Iowa. These are the same dealership websites I had checked out in February. A few things consistently jumped out at me. It was the middle of April and several of the dealership vehicle photos were still showing snow on the ground. Also, a number of cars marked “sold” remained on the dealerships’ websites. As the number one point of contact with today’s customers, it is vital we as dealer principals and owners maintain the integrity of our websites. We must keep our websites current and relevant. If your Internet presence is not kept fresh and current, the next vehicle and dealer is just a click away. Take a few minutes to inspect your website and view your inventory. Look at it like the customers does. Car dealerships, especially smaller used car dealerships, need to aggressively use their websites to market their vehicles. When a customer is researching a vehicle, they are going to CarGurus, Cars.com, Autotrader, and other vehicle search sites. Only after they find your vehicle on a vehicle site will they actually go to your actual dealership site. With the majority of dealers using a dealer management system, it has streamlined the process of updating the information on the inventory. The inventory will all be VIN-driven to provide all the standard and additional equipment on the vehicles. So the only thing we have to do is take pictures or videos of the vehicle. We have to make sure the photos meet the quality standards our customers are looking for. Not every dealership is able to have an actual Internet manager. Most of the time the Internet site is maintained by the owner or a salesperson. This is why they have to update their websites and remove sold vehicles in a timely manner – they get busy doing their day to day business and the website gets neglected. Make it part of someone’s daily routine to review the dealership website – make certain WWW.IOWAIADA.COM JUNE/JULY 2019 STREET SMART

DEALER FORMS, PRINTING AND PROMOTIONS

The following businesses can provide Iowa auto dealers with dealer forms, printing and promotional items: WILSON DISTRIBUTOR SERVICE 1-800-634-0974 • www.wds-usa.com

Index

03........................... Time to Revisit Your Website 06.........................................................CarLawyer 08...............................Things to do in Hard Times 10........How to Build a Better Dealership Website 12................................................. Dealer Spotlight 15..................Reaching the Internet-Savvy Buyer 16....................................Vehicle Photos That Sell

Advertisers Index

Manheim ............................................................. 11 NextGear Capital............................................. 8-9 vAuto................................................... Back Cover

What’s New

N AT I O N A L Q U A L I T Y DEALER WEBCAST JUNE 20

Quality Dealers from across the nation will gather in Las Vegas to compete for the coveted title of National Quality Dealer during NIADA’s Convention & Expo. Even if you’re unable to attend in person, don’t miss this exciting event! Watch the live webcast on NIADA.tv on Thursday, June 20, 7 PM PDT (9 PM CDT).

Office

For information on how to become a member please contact Judy Wilson. iiada@netins.net 641-755-4177

NIADA Headquarters

NATIONAL INDEPENDENT AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION WWW.NIADA.COM • WWW.NIADA.TV 2521 BROWN BLVD. • ARLINGTON, TX 76006-5203 PHONE (817) 640-3838

For advertising information contact: Troy Graff (800) 682-3837 or troy@niada.com. Street Smart is published bimonthly by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association Services Corporation, 2521 Brown Blvd., Arlington, TX 76006-5203. Periodicals postage paid at Dallas, TX and at additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NIADA State Publications, 2521 Brown Blvd., Arlington, TX 760065203. The statements and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Street Smart or NIADA. Likewise, the appearance of advertisers, or their identification as members of NIADA, does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services featured. Copyright© 2019 by NIADA Services, Inc.

STATE MAGAZINE MGR./SALES Troy Graff • troy@niada.com EDITORS Jacinda Timmerman • jacinda@niada.com Andy Friedlander • andy@niada.com MAGAZINE LAYOUT Christy Haynes • christy@niada.com PRINTING Nieman Printing

ERIKSON SOLUTIONS SERVICES, LLC 402-639-0664

KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR RECALL INFORMATION ON VEHICLES

Vehicle dealers needing information on factory recalls can visit www.recalls.gov or find manufacturer toll-free numbers by going to www.autopedia.com/html/ HotLinks.html and making contact with the respective automaker. Know what recalls are pending on vehicles before you purchase them and give your customers peace of mind by checking out possible recalls before you retail the vehicle. For further info please visit www. safercar.gov or www.safercar.gov/ vinlookup. FIND ADDITIONAL RECALL INFORMATION AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES: www.recalls.gov and www.autosafety.org

PRESIDENT

Rick Theilen

Theilen Auto Sales 10536 265th Street Clear Lake, IA 50428 641-424-3352

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Jeff Schneider

Pocahontas Sales & Service P.O. Box 66 Pocahontas, IA 50574 712-335-4470

TREASURER

Judy Wilson, IIADA P.O. Box 337 Panora, IA 50216 641-755-4177

P.O. Box 356 West Branch, Iowa 52358 Phone: 319-521-7333

STREET SMART JUNE/JULY 2019 WWW.IOWAIADA.COM

515-237-3050

BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION AND IDENTITY PROTECTION

THE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8:30 A.M. TO 3:30 P.M.

This phone line receives numerous calls so the IDOT encourages the use of our email (invbureau@iowadot.us) if the phone line is busy. The bureau investigations information line provides a way for the public to request information, ask questions or file a complaint related to investigative duties and responsibilities. This line is the primary point of contact to reach an investigator who is responsible for investigations in a specific area of the state of Iowa. To ensure accurate information is provided, the bureau investigations information line is answered by a bureau of investigation and identity protection investigator.

BOARD MEMBERS 2019-2020

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Todd Thein

INVESTIGATIONS INFORMATION LINE

REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

Darren Farmer

David A. Farmer, Inc. 1613 Franklin Center Point, Iowa 52213 319-849-2432

Kim Nelson

Nelson Automotive, LLC 300 Sandpiper Court P.O. Box 466 Polk City, IA 50226 515-984-9600

Jay Muller

Best Auto, Inc. 900 S. Grand Avenue Spencer, IA 51301 712-262-4581

David A. Farmer

David A. Farmer, Inc. 1613 Franklin Center Point, IA 52213 319-849-2432

Doug Wilson

Lake Country Automotive P.O. Box 341 Panora, IA 50216 641-755-3048

Marcus Hebert

CarsNow, LLC 2124 W. Broadway Council Bluffs, IA 51501 712-256-6757

Merrill Hitchcock

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES P.O. Box 337 Panora, IA 50216 Ph: 641-755-4177 Fax: 641-755-3247 Email: iiada@netins.net Toll Free: 866-962-9202

AUCTION REPRESENTATIVES

Dave LaFleur

ADESA Des Moines

Merrill’s Motors 317 N. 8th Street Winterset, IA 50273 515-462-1683

Monte Delzell

John Thiel, Jr.

Des Moines Auto Auction

Thiel Motor Sales, Inc. P.O. Box 287 DeWitt, Iowa 52742 563-659-9309

Doug Charleston

Charleston Enterprises, Inc. 20097 E. Panther Creek Road Adel, Iowa 50003 515-993-5959

Dealer’s Choice Auto Auction

Jami Schnoebelen

ASSOCIATION NEWS

2019 IIADA SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS 12 Scholarships Awarded

The Iowa Independent Automobile Dealers Association awarded 12 scholarships to the children and grandchildren of our members and members’ employees’ children at our April 27 IIADA annual meeting. The 2019 IIADA scholarship recipients are: • Carter Barkema and Jennie Barkema, the son and daughter of Eric and Pauline Barkema, BSA Auto Sales, Inc. of Hampton, Iowa • Kannen Carrick, the son of Brett and Angela Wuebker, Brett’s Auto Body and Service of Perry, Iowa

• Elizabeth, Emma and Joe Duehr, the daughters and son of Jim and Sue Duehr, JD Auto Sales of Dubuque, Iowa • Madison Fellinger, the daughter of Tim and Carrie Fellinger and the granddaughter and niece of Pam Recker and Cory Recker of Recker’s Enterprises, Inc. of Hopkinton, Iowa • Sean Liddiard, the son of Kelly and Dan Liddiard, West Side Auto Sales of Waukon, Iowa • Marissa Recker, the daughter of Cory and Emily Recker and the granddaughter

of Pam Recker, Recker’s Enterprises of Hopkinton, Iowa • Zachary Spoelstra, the son of Rick and Kathy Spoelstra, Duane’s Repair, Inc. of Templeton, Iowa • Trevor Thein, the son of Todd and Terra Thein of West Branch, Junction Auto Sales of Lisbon, Iowa • Lucy Wiggins, the daughter of Mike Jayne, Truck City,Inc., of Des Moines, Iowa IIADA wishes each of these talented young men and women the best of luck in their life journeys.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

My Conversation with a Car Guy As many of you may know, IIADA is always asking for stories from dealers’ own experiences to put in Street Smart for other dealers to read. In the fall of 2018, each of my sales-finance staff members had someone in their office working with a customer. This worked out well as I answered the phone. The gentleman on the phone asked if we had any Town and Country vans on hand. I scrolled through our inventory as we conversed about the car business. “No,” I said, “But we do have some nice Dodge vans on hand.” The gentleman said, “No, I only want a Town & Country van.” Somewhat instinctively, I could tell there was a Paul Harvey story behind the caller. I commented he seemed to know more about vehicles than most inquiries we get. He said his dad owned an auto dealership in Algona, Iowa. I was instantly intrigued about any old dealership stories. I asked for his story.

His name was Steve. He worked with his dad in the car business. Steve went to the same auctions and knew many of the same dealers I knew back in the day. Steve even came to Mason City, Iowa, to our little car auction we had here for a few years. Sam Gelt and the Holzman families were the owners, I believe. This has been 40 years ago. Steve spent most of an hour telling me many of his dealer stories. It was really fun to go back in time. Steve told me he has had health issues for some time. He can barely move these days and he gets cabin fever sitting around the house. Steve said he drives right past our dealership to visit the doctor in Mason City. I told Steve about IIADA looking for stories to put in our magazine and mentioned this may be some relief from the cabin fever. I asked Steve if he would consider sharing his stories with us. As we were on the phone, I am sure there

was a great big smile and a bit of Christmas on the other end. IIADA needed stories. This is a handwritten note sent with Steve’s story to my dealership. “Mr. Rick, it’s kind of funny my wife has been telling me for years to write down my experiences in the car business, and I kept telling her that nobody would be interested in an old car jockey’s tales.” What are the odds of Steve calling my dealership that minute, that hour of that day? It was like getting a call from an old friend. Steve’s story is on page 7. Steve, we all hope this helped your cabin fever. We the dealers and IIADA thank you for taking time to share your story with other dealers. The next time you are coming through Mason City, please take a few minutes to stop at our dealership and visit. Rick Theilen and Staff Theilen Auto Sales, Clear Lake, Iowa

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

2019 LEGISLATIVE SESSION Update to Come

As we write our articles for the June-July issue of Street Smart the Iowa Legislature is trying to end the 2019 session. Therefore, you will have to wait until our AugustSeptember issue for a recap of the bills that passed the legislature this year impacting auto dealers. IIADA members will receive this information in their monthly newsletter. If you would like information about any legislation that has been signed by the governor, please call the IIADA office and we will try to help you. Contact us at 641-7554177 or iiada@netins.net. WWW.IOWAIADA.COM JUNE/JULY 2019 STREET SMART

LEGAL UPDATE | By Thomas B. Hudson and Nicole Frush Munro

THE CARLAWYER

Keeping You Informed with the Latest Governmental Issues and Activity in the Used Car Industry Here’s our monthly article on selected legal developments in the auto sales, finance, and leasing world. This month, the action involves the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission. As usual, this month’s article features our “Case of the Month” and “Compliance Tip.” Note that this column does not offer legal advice. Always check with your lawyer to learn how what we report might apply to you, or if you have questions. FEDERAL DEVELOPMENTS CFPB reports to Congress on FDCPA administration: On March 20, the CFPB released its annual report to Congress on the administration of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The report details the bureau’s and the FTC’s enforcement activities, education activities, and policy initiatives conducted in 2018 related to unlawful debt collection. The bureau and the FTC share enforcement responsibilities under the FDCPA, and, in February 2019, the agencies reauthorized their memorandum of understanding that provides for coordination of enforcement, sharing of supervisory information and consumer complaints, and collaboration on consumer education. The report states the bureau intends to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on debt collection in Spring 2019. CFPB provides overview of servicemember complaints: On March 19, the CFPB released its latest “Complaint Snapshot,” which provides a national overview of complaints submitted by servicemembers, veterans, and their families in 2018, as well as servicemember complaint information by state. New supervisory highlights edition focuses on auto “loan” servicers: On March 12, the CFPB released its 18th edition of “Supervisory Highlights,” which covers the bureau’s supervision activities generally completed between June 2018 and November 2018. The report includes supervisory observations in the area of auto loan servicing (despite the term “loan,” these observations presumably cover servicing of both loans and retail installment contracts). Examinations of auto loan servicers uncovered instances of servicers incorrectly calculating rebates for extended warranty cancellations and then attempting to collect deficiency balances based on those incorrect calculations. Examiners also observed instances of auto loan servicers failing to request rebates for eligible ancillary products after a repossession or a total loss and then sending consumers deficiency balance notices containing incorrect rebate information.

STREET SMART JUNE/JULY 2019 WWW.IOWAIADA.COM

FTC warns businesses of their obligations to comply with subpoenas and CIDs: On March 6, the FTC released a post in its Business Blog discussing a business’s obligation to comply with subpoenas and civil investigative demands issued by the FTC when it believes a law may have been violated. The FTC reminds businesses “[t]hese requests are legally enforceable demands, and recipients of subpoenas or CIDs need to take their obligation to comply seriously. We expect all companies and individuals who receive compulsory process to respond completely and in a timely manner, or to disclose quickly and candidly any obstacles to full compliance.” Comments requested on safeguards rule and privacy rule proposed amendments: On March 5, the FTC announced it is seeking comment on proposed amendments to the Safeguards Rule and the Privacy Rule under the GrammLeach-Bliley Act. The proposed changes would bring the rules in line with changes implemented by Congress through the Dodd-Frank Act in 2010 and the FAST Act in 2015, which modified the annual privacy notice requirement under the GLBA. The Safeguards Rule requires a financial institution to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive information security program. The Privacy Rule requires a financial institution to inform customers about its information-sharing practices and allow customers to opt out of having their information shared with certain third parties. The FTC’s new Safeguards Rule review follows from an earlier public comment period in 2016. The FTC is proposing to add more detailed requirements for what must be included in the information security program mandated by the Rule. The proposal generally would require financial institutions to: (1) encrypt all customer data; (2) implement access controls to prevent unauthorized users from accessing customer information; and (3) use multifactor authentication to access customer data. In addition, the proposal would require companies to submit periodic reports to their boards of directors and clarify the Safeguards Rule’s scope in the regulation itself. The Dodd-Frank Act transferred most of the FTC’s rulemaking authority for the Privacy Rule to the CFPB, leaving the FTC with rulemaking authority only over certain motor vehicle dealers. To address these statutory changes, the FTC is proposing to remove from its Privacy Rule examples that do not apply to those dealers. In addition, the revised rule would clarify when the dealers

must provide annual privacy notices to reflect provisions included in the FAST Act. For both the Privacy Rule and the Safeguards Rule, the FTC is proposing to expand the definition of “financial institution” to specifically include “finders,” bringing the FTC’s rules in line with other agencies’ interpretations of the GLBA. “Finders” are those who charge a fee to connect buyers and sellers of a product or service. Comments must be received within 60 days after the proposed amendments are published in the Federal Register. Report highlights SAR trends involving elder financial exploitation: On February 27, the CFPB released a report on the key facts, trends, and patterns revealed in Suspicious Activity Reports involving elder financial exploitation. The bureau’s report examines SARs filed by financial institutions between 2013 and 2017 that concern suspicious activities targeting older adults. This is the first public analysis of such SAR filings since the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which receives and maintains the database of SARs, introduced electronic SAR filing with a designated category for “elder financial exploitation” in 2013. Since 2013, financial institutions have reported to the federal government over 180,000 suspicious activities targeting older adults, involving more than $6 billion. FTC reports on ECOA efforts: On February 26, the FTC provided its annual letter to the CFPB summarizing the commission’s enforcement actions, research and policy initiatives, and education efforts in 2018 related to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. CASE OF THE MONTH Finance companies, banks and Buy HerePay Here dealers regularly repossess cars that serve as collateral for their financing transactions. Occasionally, even dealers find themselves in a situation in which they need to repossess a vehicle. Those repossessions can get sticky. Here’s how: A car owner sued her lienholder for illegally repossessing her car. The lienholder hired a repossession company to repossess the car. When the repo agent went to repossess the car, the car owner called her attorney, who allegedly told the agent he should not take the car and that if he repossessed the car she would file a lawsuit. The attorney did in fact file a lawsuit against the lienholder and notified the state attorney general the lienholder committed unfair trade practices. The agent called the lienholder’s owner to tell him about the conversation with the attorney and was instructed to tow the car. The car owner declined to sign a form

DEALER STORY |

indicating she was voluntarily surrendering the car. The trial court concluded the car was illegally repossessed because the lienholder breached the peace during the repossession. The Louisiana repossession statute provides that “[o]ral protest by a debtor to the repossessor against repossession prior to the repossessor seizing control of the collateral” constitutes breach of the peace. The trial court found there was an oral protest, and thus a breach of the peace, because the car owner’s attorney disputed the repossession over the phone. The trial court awarded the car owner damages, but she appealed the damages award, contending she was entitled to treble damages under the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act. On appeal, the lienholder argued the repossession statute requires protest by the debtor, not the debtor’s representative. The Court of Appeal of Louisiana concluded the trial court did not err in finding the car owner objected to the repossession and that a breach of the peace occurred when the agent towed the car despite that objection. The car owner called her attorney, who, on behalf of the car owner, protested the repossession. The appellate court also concluded the trial court did not err in finding that the car owner was not entitled to treble damages under the LUTPA. The appellate court noted the LUTPA requires treble damages “[i]f the court finds the unfair or deceptive method, act, or practice was knowingly used, after being put on notice by the attorney general...” The appellate court found no evidence the lienholder had been put on notice by the attorney general prior to the repossession. See Marks v. Motor City, 2019 La. App. LEXIS 291 (La. App. February 20, 2019). This Month’s CARLAWYER Compliance Tip The Marks case brings to mind at least three compliance tips. The first is that repossession laws, which vary from state to state, can be tricky, and a dealer or finance company needs to have a written repossession policy reflecting that law. The second is that the repo agent described here is a vendor, and the dealer or finance company needs a written vendor management policy. Both policies should be reviewed by counsel. And finally, the court’s conclusion that Marks was not entitled to treble damages turned on the specific language of the Louisiana law – your state’s law might well dictate a different result. So, there’s this month’s roundup! Stay legal, and we’ll see you next month. Tom (thudson@hudco.com) is of counsel and Nikki (nmunro@hudco.com) is a partner in the law firm of Hudson Cook, LLP. Tom has written several books and is the publisher of Spot Delivery, a monthly legal newsletter for auto dealers. He is the CEO of CounselorLibrary. com, LLC and the editor in chief of CARLAW, a monthly report of legal developments for the auto finance and leasing industry. Nikki is a contributing author to the F&I Legal Desk Book and frequently writes for Spot Delivery. For information, visit www.counselorlibrary. com. For information, visit www.counselorlibrary.com. © CounselorLibrary.com 2019, all rights reserved. Single publication rights only, to the association. HC/48349405-9409.1.

By Steve N. Schultz

THE STORY OF SMOKEY AND ME

A Car Guy’s Story

In May 1974, I graduated from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. My dad talked me into returning to Algona, Iowa, to work for him and his brother. At that time they were the Buick, Pontiac and Cadillac dealers in town as well as having a very large service station and convenience store known as the Schultz Bros. · In February 1976 a flier came in from Pontiac Motor Division announcing a 50th anniversary car was going to be built. That particular car was to be a black Trans Am with gold stripes, gold honeycomb wheels and the 50th year ID badge on the front fenders. I told my dad that if he didn’t mind I would like to order two of these cars for myself and we would use them for display in the showroom. He thought it was an excellent promotional idea for the dealership. And so my idea of having two Limited Edition 50-Year Anniversary Trans Ams came to light. I ordered both cars with every accessory that was available except for a rear window defogger. The interior choice was either black or gold vinyl. I chose the black over the gold because I thought the bright gold vinyl was a little too colorful for the cars. I was going to call them “his” and “hers.” I ordered “hers” with a 400 V-8 and the automatic transmission and “his” with the 455 V-8 and the 4-speed transmission.. In about April, I received confirmation from Pontiac that “hers” was going to be built but due to the small numbers of the 50th anniversary model, it was the only one I would receive. There were approximately 2,400 of these cars that were to be built and they were all to be built with T-tops. Unfortunately, only about 800 of the 2,400 cars received T-tops and mine was not one of them. About this time, my dad and his brother decided to dissolve the

partnership they had for about 30 years and my uncle bought my dad’s interest in the business. The future of the Trans Am was very uncertain at this particular time so I had a clause put in the buy-sell agreement between my dad and uncle that unless I received the vehicle, the contract would be null and void. My uncle did not like it very much but he agreed to it. By this particular time, I was already talking to both Buick and Pontiac about a dealer contract but because I was only 23 years old they were not interested in me. Chrysler had a different opinion. On July 1, 1976, I became the youngest dealer ever franchised by Chrysler Corporation. My dealership was located in Wells, Minn., where there had not been a Chrysler dealer for 10 years. The last of August I received a call from my uncle that the Trans Am had arrived and I was to take possession of it so the contract between him and my dad could be finalized. I ordered the car with the full sized spare tire instead of the space saver donut spare, but because of the tire strike at that time, it was shipped without a spare tire or rim. I was supposed to receive the tire and rim when the strike was over but I never received them. I never removed the window sticker from the car and it is still in the passenger door window. In 1976, under the Minnesota franchise Law, a dealer could reassign a MSO from one dealer of a particular franchise to make a franchised dealer of another make under a MSO transfer without paying sales tax and leave it on a MSO, and that is what I did. The next year they changed the law. I left Wells and gave up my Chrysler contract. I had the Trans Am I fondly refer to as Smokey stored many places over the last 43 years but now I look at it as part of my family. This has been my story of Smokey and me! WWW.IOWAIADA.COM JUNE/JULY 2019 STREET SMART

MANAGEMENT MATTERS |

By Andrew Griffiths

THINGS TO DO IN HARD TIMES

Overcoming the Tough Times in Business 11 Ways to Get Through Any Tough Time in Business There are two types of businesses – those that have had tough times and those that are going to have tough times. Generally, tough times relate to money dramas – a lack of business, a client that goes broke or a combination of the two. Of course there are other issues that can create tough times but, more importantly, what do we need to do to survive them? I have experienced a lot of tough times in business and I’ve certainly helped a lot of businesses get through tough times as well. From these experiences, there are 11 absolutely non-negotiable things that have continually proven to be the most helpful to get through and actually come out the other side in better shape. Don’t make things worse by doing nothing. Whenever you see a disaster looming, the single most important thing to do is take action. Sometimes we can be a little like a deer in the headlights – not quite believing what is going on and frozen on the spot. The problem is that if we don’t

leap into action, things will always get worse and they will get worse quickly. Deal with facts not fiction. In the middle of a tough time it is really easy to start freaking out based on “what could be” as opposed to what actually is. It is imperative to get all of the information about what is going on and to only deal with facts, regardless of what is going on in your head. Most of the things we worry about never actually happen, so don’t let your imagination get ahead of reality. Always cement your relationship with your existing customers. In a strangely ironic way, when times are tough, many businesses actually stop servicing their existing and loyal customer. A depressed mood descends on the business and this, in turn, affects customer service. That’s why businesses in this negative space lose far more customers than they should, which of course only makes matters worse. Now is the time to build bulletproof relationships with each and every

customer you are fortunate enough to have. You need to be communicating with your customers, engaging them, finding out what is going on in their world and, most importantly of all, becoming very clear on what your customers need from you. Use this situation to rethink your business. Tough times are crossroads in our business and they provide an opportunity to make hard decisions about what is working and what is not. This is the perfect time to stop and really reflect on your business and make the changes that deep down you know you need to make. It is time to get out and chase business. Just as we can stop servicing our clients during tough times, business development can also grind to a halt, and we all know this spells disaster. As hard as it may be, when times are tough, you have to ramp up your business development and push through the hard times. Winning a few new projects, or finding some new clients might just prove easier than you think and it will go a long way to making you feel better. Continued on page 9

STREET SMART JUNE/JULY 2019 WWW.IOWAIADA.COM

If you have someone you admire and respect you know has been through a similar challenge, why not reach out and ask for help?

Be careful with whom you spend your time. One of my favorite sayings is “if you lay down with dogs you get up with fleas.” It is more important than ever to avoid the harbingers of doom – those people who are negative all the time. They only focus on what they don’t have as opposed to what they have and so on. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the negativity vortex. Keep away from people who are like this and find the positive, proactive and energetic business owners who are too busy getting on with it to get caught up with the misery brigade. Be prepared to try “new.” When what you are doing isn’t working, it makes sense to try something different.

Now this sounds logical, yet I have watched so many businesses slowly go bust simply because they kept doing the same thing, right to the end. We have to be prepared to do new things, try ideas outside of our comfort zone and look to others for advice. Invest in your business. This is the very best time to invest in your business. It is time to give the outside a coat of paint, upgrade the website, come up with a new corporate image, train your staff, invest in new technology and really anything else that will make your business look more impressive and run more impressively. Invest in yourself. Just as I believe it is an important time to invest in your business, it is also an important time to invest in yourself. This means learning new skills through books, seminars, online training, mentoring, and coaching – really whatever it takes. To do this you need to invest time and money.

Find someone to mentor you through the challenging times. If you have someone you admire and respect you know has been through a similar challenge, why not reach out and ask for help? Be totally honest with them – tell them the problem, exactly how bad it is and what help you need. They can’t be expected to take on your problem, but having them to talk to and to offer advice on how they got through their own challenges could prove invaluable. Learn from the experience. This can be such a cliché but it is true. Most business owners are really good at beating themselves up for things that go wrong, but there really isn’t much to be achieved from this. It’s far better to take a step back and learn from the experience. What would you do differently next time? What were the clues you should have picked up on? What are you going to do to make absolutely certain this never happens again? Andrew Griffiths is a best-selling author, global presenter, and entrepreneur.

WWW.IOWAIADA.COM JUNE/JULY 2019 STREET SMART

ONLINE MARKETING

| By Adam Tobias

HOW TO BUILD A BETTER DEALERSHIP WEBSITE

3 Steps

In the increasingly competitive car dealership industry, brand loyalty is more important than ever. It’s also harder than ever to build. Cutting through the noise requires a clear message and focus on the customer experience. Standing out and building a loyal customer base may seem impossible. But small and mid-sized dealerships around the country are punching back and delivering amazing experiences that win lifetime customers. Brand loyalty is still possible for dealerships to attain. And when they do, the benefits are incalculable. A dealer’s website is their first impression with a potential customer. That’s where our brand loyalty journey begins. The Purpose of Every Dealership Website Dealership websites have one job: Get customers to visit the dealership. Car buyers today spend over 60 percent of their time conducting research online and visit only 1.2 dealerships on average. If your website doesn’t convince a buyer to visit your dealership, you have lost a deal, and potentially a lifetime customer. The problem is most dealers try to do too much with their website. Instead of focusing on their sole job – getting customers into the dealership – dealers load their sites with financial services, their life story, and vehicles that customers don’t want to see.

EXAMPLE: A

EXAMPLE: B

STREET SMART JUNE/JULY 2019 WWW.IOWAIADA.COM

For this reason, most dealership websites are hard to navigate. The customer doesn’t know what to do, so they leave your site and go on to the next one. The best dealership websites – those that effectively drive customers to the dealership – show customers only the information they need to know. Everything else is a distraction. I M PROV IN G YO U R W E B S IT E I N 3 ST E PS Here are three elements that matter most for your website. By focusing on these three elements, you can cut out the junk that distracts customers and turns them away. Element 1: Value Proposition Oli Gardner is a master of building great websites. As co-founder of Unbounce, Oli spends his days thinking about and testing how websites can convert more users into customers. In a recent podcast, Oli discussed dealership websites and the importance of clearly communicating your value proposition to your customers: “If you can’t communicate [your value proposition] quickly, your competitor will,” said Oli. “If you can’t communicate quickly, your competitor will.” Oli said you have less than five seconds to make your value proposition clear to visitors. If you don’t, they will move on to the next site. When a customer first visits your website, they have one question on their mind: What can you do for me? The answer to that question is your value proposition. Dealerships should put their value proposition at the top of their homepage. Remove other messages that might distract from it, including financing deals, weekend sales, and messages from the dealer. Most dealers struggle to do this, but when they do, the difference is clear. The dealership website in “Example A” is easy to read and has a clear value proposition: “Family owned for 35 years. 5 minute approvals.”

Your value proposition is a signal to your target customer they are in the right place. Remove clutter from the homepage so your most important message stands out. Element 2: Testimonials/Social Proof Customers are always on the lookout for scams and bad companies. They want to see proof you’ve made customers happy in the past. Testimonials are the best way to put a wary customer’s mind at ease. Testimonials should be honest, authentic, believable and relatable. Here’s an example of an excellent testimonial for a dealership in Oregon: “Amber and the team were extremely helpful. No pressure and they were attentive to our needs. Great experience. We will definitely be back for our next purchase. Amber answered all our questions, even met us on her day off and followed up the next day via text to ensure we were happy. Financing was quick and painless. The whole process was under two hours.” Reviews that seem over-the-top, or even fake, can do more harm than good. Dealerships should encourage customers to leave honest reviews. Never create fake testimonials or encourage customers to write “favorable” reviews. People can sniff out inauthenticity a mile away. They will steer clear of your dealership and find another. Element 3: Call to Action Button Finally, your website needs a call to action: a clearly-defined next step for customers to take. Most websites look like “Example B.” This homepage has at least 10 different calls to action, with everything from “Shop inventory” to “Claim your Offer!” With so many elements vying for your customer’s attention, the action they’re most likely to take is leaving your site. When it comes to CTAs, clarity is king. Your homepage should have no more than three “actions” for customers to take. Ideally, your website offers a single CTA. Brand loyalty starts with the dealership website. If you promise an excellent carbuying experience, make sure your website provides an excellent experience, too. Dealership websites should be clear, trustworthy, and easy to navigate. Focus on the most important elements of your site and remove the clutter. Dealers who do this will be best positioned to build brand loyalty and earn lifetime customers. Adam Tobias is the co-founder and COO of Dealercue, which provides dealerships with real-time, intelligent, market-driven vehicle appraisal, pricing, inventory management, and sourcing solutions. He can be reached at adam@dealercue.com.

DEALER SPOTLIGHT |

IIADA DERR MOTOR COMPANY MEMBER DEALERS WHO CALL KEOKUK HOME By IIADA Staff

By IIADA Staff

Hometown Dealer

Three Outstanding Dealers

As one takes the scenic drive south on US highway 61, just outside of Keokuk, you cannot help but feel overwhelmed when a full view of the Mississippi River comes into view. Keokuk is located in the extreme southeastern corner of Iowa, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Des Moines River to the west. Keokuk is a county seat, along with Fort Madison in Lee County, and has a population of almost 11,000. The Iowa Independent Automobile Dealers Association has three outstanding members who call Keokuk home.

Bruce Derr

Highlights of Ernie Derr Racing Career

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Locally owned and operated, Derr Motor Company is dedicated to going “beyond all expectations.” They just celebrated their 24th year in business and have been doing business in the same manner since the first day. Bruce Derr started doing business in March 1995 at 4057 Main Street in Keokuk, Iowa, and has always worked from this location. Bruce was born into a family of racing. He said, “I was always told that I have WD-40 pumping through my veins.” Bruce spent hours working with his father, racing legend Ernie Derr, on his race car. Bruce recalled being the under chassis specialist: “I was the smallest and could get under the race car on the floor creeper to knock off all the dirt clods.” Bruce and his wife Melissa are co-owners of Derr Motor Company. “Our staff is like our family,” he said. “We treat and compensate them very well and have little turnover in our staff.” They have an office manager and a full time and part time vehicle detailer. Bruce does all the buying, photographing and selling for the dealership. He runs a very efficient dealership. “I work hard to eliminate duplication of tasks, and it’s the little things like fueling the cars on the lot. Every car gets delivered with a full tank of fuel – one trip to the gas station, full tank of fuel,” Bruce said. They have a process from the time the inventory arrives on the lot until it goes through the vehicle inspection, over to the detail department, and is ready to be displayed on the sales lot. It is this attention to detail that enables Bruce to maintain 25-40 vehicles in stock and reach his 30 units a month sales goal. Sometimes the hard work pays off even more than you would expect. In March 2019, Derr Motor Company had their best sales month in the company’s history by selling 55 units. Bruce said, “We were busy. We were putting in long days. And with the help of our team we were able to deliver every car to our customers as promised.” Derr Motor Company caters to the value conscious, late model pre-owned buyers. They primarily target the 2-4 year old vehicles. Crossover models have become the majority of their business, though Bruce still has a strong pickup and sedan market. Bruce said, “The crossovers are so versatile. They get good fuel mileage, have plenty of room, and look great.” As the market changes everyone has to adapt and find their niche. Derr Motor Company has been very successful in adapting to maintain their loyal customer following.

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Bruce takes great pride in offering the highest quality vehicles he can locate. He spends hours researching his inventory and finding the best units to meet his specific criteria. Bruce even takes the photos for every car that goes onto the dealership website. He is truly involved in every aspect of his business to assure the customer is completely satisfied in their purchase. Derr Motor Company has been very successful taking care of their customers, and customers who are comfortable with the dealership will be your best form of advertising. A personal referral is the ultimate form of flattery. “Two sets of keys and full tank of gas,” Bruce said. “You have to have the customer’s ‘new’ vehicle ready to go. It has to be serviced, washed, and fueled up for delivery.” Bruce shared plans to expand his dealership in the near future and further enhance his customers’ buying experience. They will be adding a complete service department and collision shop. Bruce indicated there is a need for this in his community. These services will not only enhance his dealership, but provide needed services to Keokuk and the surrounding areas. You would think working 9 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday, and Saturday 9 am to 3:00 pm would be enough for anyone. But not for Bruce. You will usually find him at the dealership before 8 am and well past 7 pm getting ready for the next day’s business. Yet he still finds time to be a member of the Chamber of Commerce and a board member for 12 years. He has also been past president of the Keokuk Main Street Program and supports the Keokuk Boosters, youth sports programs and the Bently playground for special needs, sponsors a Keokuk little league team and donates items for any fundraiser he is asked to assist with. In Bruce’s down time he enjoys landscaping and remodeling around the dealership and his home. He even designed his company logo. Be assured he will be very involved in the construction of the new additions at their dealership. Bruce is very driven in his lifestyle and being active in his church in the form of leadership. Additionally, when his church needed a drummer, Bruce taught himself to play the drums to assist the congregation. “Being a third generation family living in Keokuk, you just step up and do what needs to be done,” Bruce said. “I am thankful to have my career start with Jim Baier in Fort Madison, Iowa,” said Bruce. They gave him his first opportunity in the car business. Bruce, we are sure the city of Keokuk is just as thankful you built your dealership in the city you were born and raised in, and you and your wife call home. Derr Motor Company has been a member of IIADA since 1995.

DEALER SPOTLIGHT |

By IIADA Staff

ECKLAND MOTORS, INC.

A Family Dealership

Left to right: Gentry Jones, Drew Krome and Ty Eckland

Ty Eckland

Galen and Ty Eckland started Eckland Motors in May 1992. Ty had just graduated from Western Illinois University and was ready to begin his life as a school teacher. His father had a different opportunity for Ty to consider, going into business in an automotive dealership with him. Ty embraced the opportunity. “Upon graduating, my father offered me a chance to buy into an ownership position. I thought I always wanted to work with kids, but ended up making the decision to join my family in the dealership,” said Ty Eckland. They opened Eckland Motors at 1802 Main Street in Keokuk, Iowa, just across the street from where his father had his other dealership. Ty worked side by side with his parents until 2012, when they retired and handed the reins over to Ty to continue their family business. Even Ty’s father-in-law has been a part of the business. He has worked at Eckland Motors for over 20 years. This dealership is truly a family business – by blood, marriage, or dedication. The staff members at this dealership are not just employees – they are a family. When Ty and his family built their dealership, they made it a point to cover every price range – from the inexpensive, first car to that high-end late model buyer. This is true today, even though the prices of the cars have increased. “Our goal is to have something for everyone so our dealership has vehicles ranging from $5,999 to $34,999,” Ty said. “We want every customer to come on our lot and be able to find something for them. “Our dealership really started to grow when we incorporated our own finance department. This allowed us to be the middle man, connecting our customers with the many great banks and credit unions in the tristate area – Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. “Plus it allowed us to offer aftermarket items that are a necessity in today’s business – service contracts, GAP coverage and credit life and accident insurance. All which add value to the customers’ overall buying experience.” Over recent years the dealership has seen rapid changes in the used vehicle industry. The continued goal is be a balanced mix of old school and modern principles. These principles include the way they interact with customers, buy and sell, and advertise in both traditional and online mediums. The dealership has also had continued referrals and repeat business over the years. The art of selling has not continued on page 14

WWW.IOWAIADA.COM JUNE/JULY 2019 STREET SMART

ECKLAND MOTORS, INC.

continued from page 13

changed so much as the methods of communicating with the customers. Ty and his staff try to maintain 50-70 units on the lot, which can become a challenge, to the point Ty has a full time buyer working the auctions five days a week while Ty spends the better part of his days looking over the simulcast sales and buying online. Eckland Motors has a loyal customer base they have built and maintained over the years. Their customers allow Ty and his staff to find the specific vehicle they want, which allows for some very nice local trades. Ty said, “Over the past 27 years we have seen sales from 30 units a month all the way up to 80 units, depending on the year we look at and the economy! The hardest challenge we face is getting the correct vehicle at the right price with vehicles bringing more money at sales and getting credit challenged people approved for loans on a regular basis.” Eckland Motors, like most dealerships, is always giving back to the local schools and community. “We pride ourselves with our strong commitment to our community,” Ty said, “whether it is our support of our city’s Chamber of Commerce through free vehicle rentals when they bring new people into our community for tours, our schools’ many sports, arts and music departments as well as just recently supporting our Keokuk Little Feathers (poms and dance team) as they made the trip to nationals in Texas, where they won the national title. We are also active with different organizations in the area that help kids with special needs.” When you approach Eckland Motors, the first thing you will notice is the all brick facility, which is very impressive, along with the fact the main dealership sits on an entire city block and is home to their detail shop. As if that’s not enough, when you look across the highway you will see their truck center. “My father was a partner in a dealership across the street from our main location,” Ty said. “Eventually we ended up buying the original property that my father was partnered in.” You will Find Ty and his staff of 12 (7 full time and 5 part time) during their normal business hours: Monday through Friday 8:30-6:00 and Saturday 9:00-4:00. Ty enjoys spending his free time boating, swimming, and vacationing with family and friends. “Being in the used car industry gets a bad rap at times, but it has been an absolute blessing for my family! And we have grown over the years into a very successful dealership,” Ty said. Eckland Motors is and has been a pillar of the city of Keokuk, and has been a member in good standing with the IIADA for over 25 years.

DEALER SPOTLIGHT |

By IIADA Staff

KEOKUK AUTO CREDIT

Family-Owned BHPH Headquarters

Left to right: General Manager Patrick Profeta, Kenny Hempen, Jr., office manager Donna Neill, and salesperson Dave Jones

Keokuk Auto Credit is your Buy HerePay Here headquarters! They offer quality pre-owned cars, SUVs, vans and trucks for everyone’s needs with hassle-free shopping and no-pressure sales. Their friendly, helpful sales staff wants to help every customer find a vehicle that meets his/her individual needs. Keokuk Auto Credit offers in-house financing. They take trade-ins and buy used vehicles. A family-owned business, Keokuk Auto Credit takes pride in their personal service and helping the community’s needs. Keokuk Auto Credit takes pride in their advertising and their dealership website – they tell it straightforward. On February 2, 2009, Keokuk Auto Credit opened its doors at their current location, 1728 Main Street in Keokuk, Iowa. Before they could even get the cars ready for the lot, customers were already starting to gather at the dealership. “‘We tote the note,’ ‘no credit check,’ ‘low weekly payments’ or ‘Need a ride? See us’ are not advertising tactics,” general manager Patrick Profeta said. “This is how we operate our business. “We found a specific niche in the Keokuk area. There are a lot of customers who need a dependable vehicle but just can’t get a conventional loan. That’s where we come in. “We carry a variety of different cars, vans, SUVs, and even trucks for our customers to choose from that fit their needs, and then we structure the down payment and weekly or biweekly payment to work with the customer’s pay cycle. We are able to provide our Buy Here-Pay Here services to a wide variety of buyers, because we keep all of our notes in house.” Growing any new business takes time and that was true for Kenny and Tracy Hempen, the owners of Keokuk Auto Credit. They recognized the need in Keokuk area for a Buy Here-Pay Here dealership and wanted to build it the correct way. They hired Patrick Profeta to be their general manager and trusted him to build the business by word of mouth, customer referrals, Mediacom television, and their website. Patrick said, “The main thing it takes to get a successful Buy Here-Pay Here dealership started is capital. Unlike your traditional dealerships, we are paying for the cars when we buy them and then receiving weekly or bimonthly payments until the car is paid for. This is where Kenny and Tracy really came through – continued on page 15

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Patrick’s Race Car - Keokuk Auto Credit

continued from page 14

making sure I could keep selling the cars and keep my lot properly stocked.” Keokuk Auto Credit currently has 30 cars in stock, but they are trying to get back to 60 units. “We have the same problem every dealer is facing in today’s market – finding the decent used vehicle at the right price for our clients to be able to afford,” Patrick said. “We work the auctions online, attend the local auctions, and try to buy from the wholesalers that call on us.” The goal at Keokuk Auto Credit is to sell a car a day. They set their monthly goals and try to maintain enough inventory for a 30-car month. Since 2009, they have been very successful and have built a very strong clientele. They took advantage of an opportunity to buy the adjoining lots next to their dealership and now have plenty of room to grow their dealership. They now have the ability to stock even more inventory for their customers to choose from. A successful Buy Here-Pay Here dealership has to have a strong service department. Keokuk Auto Credit has two full time mechanics and one part-timer, along with a full time detailer. “We spend most of our time getting our used cars inspected and ready for the sales lot,” Patrick said. They do some customer repairs too. Patrick said, “We have to help keep our customers running. They have to be able to get to their jobs to make a living and make their car payment. Keeping our customers mobile is everything in our business model.” You will find Patrick and his team at the dealership Monday through Friday 8-5, Saturday 9-12, and after hours by appointment. “We really try to make ourselves available to our customers and work around their schedules – not everyone can get here during our normal hours,” Patrick said. One of the hardest challenges Patrick faces on a daily basis is assisting customers in getting their cars repaired while making sure the customer can afford the repairs. “So many of our customers live paycheck to paycheck and can’t be without their car,” said Patrick. “Sometimes we can repair their car and arrange payments that they can handle.” Another challenge is working across state boundaries. Sometimes dealing with tax and titling issues with Illinois or Missouri can be very difficult. In Patrick’s down time, he can be found working on and driving his race car, relaxing with a fishing pole on the river, or watching sports. Patrick said because of his proximity to St. Louis and Chicago, he is never sure if he is Cubs fan or a Cardinals fan. Since the first day at Keokuk Auto Credit, Patrick knew this was the career he was meant to be in. He credits his team – Kenny Hempen, Jr., office manager Donna Neill, and sales representative Dave Jones – and owners Kenny and Tracy Hempen. Patrick will tell everyone why their team is so successful: “We all love this business.” Keokuk Auto Credit has been a member of IIADA since 2009.

ONLINE MARKETING |

By IIADA Staff

BECOMING A DESTINATION DEALERSHIP

Reaching the Internet-Savvy Buyer

Let’s face it – we all are seeing less floor traffic since the Internet has taken over our dealerships. This is especially true for dealers located outside of a metro area. The one thing we can all agree on is we have to recreate ourselves into a “destination dealership.” We must have an environment that is embraced by the customer – one they feel comfortable coming to. A place that is totally transparent, where what you see is what you get. Once a customer arrives at our dealership via the Internet lead, the car is all but sold. The hard work has been completed. Now it is the job of the salesperson not to screw up the deal. Everyone knows that buying a car is the second largest purchase consumers will make (next to purchasing a home). However, today’s customer’s mindset is to get in, complete the paperwork, and get out in a reasonable amount of time. The test drive becomes the only reason a customer even needs to visit the dealership. With all the information available on the Internet, including videos on how to use all the accessories on the car, the only reason they would want to drive the car is to get a feel for comfort and performance. On average the test drive can last up to an hour. This is too long in today’s buyer’s mind. Cut the test drive and walk through time down. Get it under 30 minutes and you will gain credibility with the buyers. If your process is working correctly, you will be able to complete your tradein appraisal with the customer in about 5-10 minutes. You just need to verify the information sent to you online is correct and the trade-in was represented accurately. Once the trade-in number is confirmed, which should be close to the online conversation, everyone can move into the closing room. It is very important that a proper turnover takes place. At this point the finance manager doing the paperwork will verify sales price, trade-in if it applies, and verify if there will be any additional products purchased for the vehicle. All of the additional products should have been discussed with the buyer before they reached the finance office. Knowing that the savvy Internet buyer will have done their research, we must maintain full transparency while discussing any aftermarket products. Normally the salesperson will have given the customer a payment range prior to finalizing the deal. If we have streamlined our online negotiations, and revisited the products with the customer as we are completing the final paperwork, then we are able to finish the paperwork in about 30-45 minutes. Customers don’t want to be detained for several hours duplicating conversations they provided online. If the salesperson did their job, all the needed information will have been discussed and provided by the customer through the online application to get financing pre-qualified, fees calculated, and insurance information collected. So the papers are signed and it’s time for the salesperson to present the customer with their vehicle. This is the time for the salesperson to build a potential customer for years to come. Don’t just have the salesperson throw the customers the keys and say “Thanks.” This is the time when the customer does not feel pressured. Allow them this time to be proud, excited, and happy about their purchase. Take the time to show them all the neat features of the vehicle and congratulate and thank them for their purchase. In a few days, follow up with your new customer. Stay in contact with them and they will stay in contact with you. You will have taken a “destination buyer” and turned them into your customer. The best part is they will tell everyone they know they took delivery of their car in under two hours. If we as a dealership simplify our sales process, by allowing the customer to provide the required information ahead of time, then it is a win for the customer in saving time, a win for the salesperson by gaining a new customer, and a win for the dealership by selling the car and some products, and hopefully making the customer a customer for life.

Some information was gleaned from an online article by Auto Alert.

WWW.IOWAIADA.COM JUNE/JULY 2019 STREET SMART

ACCELERATE |

By GWC Warranty

VEHICLE PHOTOS THAT SELL

Set Your Inventory Apart

Every picture you take of your inventory and post online can be the one click that sells a car or sends your customers on to a competitor’s website. When it’s time to get your camera ready for that new score from auction, be strategic to make sure your customers see everything that’s good about your inventory. Focus on the Details Things like tire treads, shots of clean engine compartments, high-quality stitching on upholstery and other small items can show your attention to detail that will attract customers and save them on repairs after the sale. These items may seem small, but can give the customer the impression they’re buying a meticulously maintained vehicle. Highlight Your Reconditioning You spend valuable time and money on getting your cars ready for primetime. Show this to your customers. You can even go as far as to show off an invoice or list of work done on the car to get it ready. It shows your customers how this car can stand out from similar models on sale elsewhere.

APPROVED MEMBER BENEFIT PROVIDERS

ADVANCED BUSINESS PRODUCTS, INC.

Printing, Promotional Products, & Wearables Contact: Scott Jayne PO Box 71547 Des Moines, IA 50325 Phone: 515-225-6343 Toll Free: 888-464-2274 Fax: 515-225-6510 Toll Free Fax: 877-987-3514 Website: www.go4abpi.com

ASSOCIATIONS MARKETING GROUP INC

Health Insurance Jesse and Lee Patton 1112 Maple Street West Des Moines, Iowa 50265 Toll Free: 800-798-6772 Phone: 515-270-8178 Fax: 515-270-0398 E-mail: leepatton@amgi-dsm.com

AUTO OWNERS INSURANCE

8% DISCOUNT TO ALL IIADA MEMBERS

AUTOJINI.COM

Websites for Dealers Contact: Syed Azam 310 Main Street Ste 201 Ames, IA 50010 Phone: 515-232-2024 E-mail: syed@octadyne.com Website: www.autojini.com

CITIZENS COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

2012-1ST AVENUE SOUTH FORT DODGE, IOWA 50501 Phone: 515-955-5524, Ext. 202 Fax: 515-955-8241

Try Video A tool like Covideo gives you the ability to bring a standard vehicle walk-around to life. It gives you the ability to give your customers a firsthand look at the car. You can take them behind the wheel, in the seats and up close with every bell and whistle to show it off like a photo never could.

STREET SMART JUNE/JULY 2019 WWW.IOWAIADA.COM

FRAZER

Dealer Management Software 6196 US Highway 11, PO Box 569 Canton, NY 13617 Phone: 888-963-5369 Fax: 888-963-3366 Website: www.Frazer.com Email: info@Frazer.com

GLOBE ACCEPTANCE INC

THE CYCLONE AGENCY

F&I Training, Sales Training, Service Contracts Rob Miller and Chris Hochstein 515 N Jefferson Way Ste H Indianola, IA 50125 Phone: 515-962-0099 or 515-962-0100 Fax: 515-961-8400 Rob: 515-205-5900 cell Chris: 515-205-5800 cell E-mail: cyclone@thecycloneagency.com Website: www.thecycloneagency.com

Sub-prime Lender Contact: Beth Dieter P.O. Box 65400 West Des Moines, Iowa 50265 U DRIVE ACCEPTANCE Phone: 515-225-9067 globeaccepts@globeacceptance.com CORPORATION Website: www.GlobeAcceptance.com An Iowa Sub-Prime Finance Company P.O. BOX 3107 GREATER IOWA CREDIT UNION Sioux City, Iowa 51102 1630 22nd Street Jeremy Bennett West Des Moines, Iowa 50266-1407 Office: 712-258-0269 Jason Kolar, Dealer Direct Manager jeremy@udriveac.com Ph: 515-954-1666 F: 515-956-6966 UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION jkolar@greateriowacu.org Doug White, Indirect Lending INNOVATIVE DEALER Manager SERVICES, INC. 319-248-5855 Dealer Software Management dwhite@uiccu.org Systems P.O. Box 800 P.O. Box 23189 North Liberty, IA 52317 Shawnee, Kansas 66283 VERIDIAN CREDIT UNION 913-312-7344 – Ext. 11 1827 Ansborough Avenue Fax: 810-821-1718 P.O. Box 6000 Website: innovativedealer.com Waterloo, Iowa 50704-6000 Terry Webb 800-235-3228 twebb@innovativedealer.com Kara Van Wert –Tony McKillip

PREFERRED WARRANTIES, INC.

200 Pinebrook Place P.O. Box 278 Orwigsburg, PA 17961 Website: www.warrantys.com Iowa contact: Larry Bohlen CU DIRECT (CUDL) Cell: 515-322-6397 Contact: Paul Bejarno, Area Account Fax: 1-877-233-0298 Representative Email: lbohlen@warrantys.com Phone: 515-988-0521 Email: paul.bejarno@cudirect.com PROSOURCE FINANCE We Do F & I for You Website: www.cudirect.com 2540 106TH Street, Suite 202 2855 E. Guasti Road, Suite 500 Urbandale, Iowa 50322 Ontario, CA 91761 800-795-1765 ERIKSON SOLUTIONS jeff@prosourcefinance.com SERVICES, LLC website: www.ProSourceFinance.net F & I Compliance & Sales Training REYNOLDS & REYNOLDS INC. Alpha Warranty Services Classic Essential GAP – Norman & Co. Dealer Bonds Frazer Computing Rep Long Term Care Insurance Motorsport Dealer Solutions Various types of insurance www.motorsport-dealer-solutions.com Contact: Dean M Clark Contact: Scott Erikson 300 Walnut Street Ste 200 15210 Castelar Circle Des Moines IA 50309 Omaha, Nebraska 68144 Phone: 515-243-1724 P: 402-639-0664 F: 402-697-4937 Toll Free: 800-767-1724 eriksons@aol.com Fax: 515-243-6664 E-mail: d.m.clark@reynoldsFIRST INTERSTATE BANK reynolds.com Indirect Lending S & C AUTOMOTIVE, INC. Jarret Eshuis, AVP NIADA CPO Program & Training, F&I P.O. Box 903 Products, Reinsurance Formation, Brandon, South Dakota 57005 Appearance Protection, Spray-on Phone: 605-321-9759 Bed-liners, Accessory Installation Fax: 605-582-6558 3828 70th Street Email: Jarret.Eshuis@Fib.Com Urbandale, Iowa 50322 FOLLOW-UP PLUS P -515-276-9622 “Customers for Life” Fax: 515-276-8472 Repeat Sales, Referrals Contact: Doug Eckhart & Customer Loyalty doug.eckhart@scautomotive.net Contact: Terry & Sue Newell Website: www.scautomotive.com P.O. Box 294 Carthage IL 62321 Ph: 217-357-9032 Fax: 217-357-9076 E-mail: tlnewell@frontienet.net

WILSON DISTRIBUTOR SERVICE

Car Brite Products Forms, Detail Supplies, Equipment & More Jason & Lisa Goody 105 N McCoy Mt. Pleasant IA 52641 Phone: 800-634-0974 Fax: 319-385-2927 E-mail: jason@wilsondistributor.com Website: www.wds-usa.com

MIDWEST AUTO AUCTION DIRECTORY

135 AUTO AUCTION

4716 S. Santa Fe Street Wichita, Kansas 67216 316-351-5001 Dealer Consignment Sale Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. Free Breakfast, Free Car Wash

ADESA DES MOINES

GREATER QUAD CITY AUTO AUCTION

4015 78th Avenue Milan, Il 61264 (309) 787-6300 Fax: (309) 787-4541 Tuesday 10 a.m. – Thursday 6 p.m. General Manager: Larry Anderson

1800 Gateway Drive Grimes, IA 50111 (515) 986-1200 Fax: (515) 986-1201 www.adesa.com Fleet/Lease Manager: Lesa DeRoy Consignment Sale every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. Fleet/Lease Sale Tuesday 10:30 a.m.

5937 Sandy Hollow Road Rockford, Il 61109 (815) 874-7800 (800) 830-4722 Fax: (815) 874-1325 General Manager: Chad Anderson Wednesday 10 a.m.

ADESA KANSAS CITY

KCI AUTO AUCTION

15511 Adesa Drive Belton, Missouri 64012 (816) 525-1100 (800) 950-2350 Fax: (816) 525-4714 General Manager: Kevin Rhoads Tuesday 9:30 a.m.

ADESA MINNEAPOLIS

18270 Territorial Road Dayton, MN 55369 763-428-8777 763-428-8701 General Manager: Jay Fahrendorff Sale: Tuesday, 10 a.m. www.adesa.com

ADESA SIOUX FALLS

GREATER ROCKFORD AUTO AUCTION

11101 N. Congress Kansas City, MO 816-502-3318 816-801-8565 (f) Doug Doll Consignment Sale: Thursday, 9:30 a.m. www.kciaa.com

LINCOLN AUTO AUCTION, LTD

11909 US HWY 6 Waverly, Nebraska 68462 402-475-5500 www.lincolnautoauction.com Ryan Durst, Vice President Weds. 10:00 a.m.

MANHEIM ARENA ILLINOIS

46893 271st Street P.O. Box 218 Tea, SD 57064 (605) 368-5364 Fax: (605) 368-2808 General Manager: Bob Holm Wednesday Sale 10:00 a.m. IAAI SALVAGE SALE EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY – 8:30 A.M.

200 West Old Chicago Drive Bolingbrook, Il 60440 (630) 759-3800 (630) 759-9668 General Manager: John Olejniczak Dealer Sales Manager: Louis Palermo Tuesday 9 a.m.

ADESA ST. LOUIS 7858 Highway 61-67 Barnhart, Missouri 63012 636-475-9311

20401 COX AVENUE MATTESON, ILLINOIS 60443 815-806-4222 Mike Cesta, General Manager

ADESA WISCONSIN

W 10415 State Road 33 Portage, WI 53901 608-742-8245 608-742-4415 (f) Tony Manwarren, general manager Sale: Thursday, 9:30 a.m. www.adesa.com

CARMAX AUCTION – DES MOINES

10315 Hickman Road Urbandale, Iowa To Register: 888-804-6604 In House Auction – Every other Monday 9:30 A.M.

DEALERS CHOICE AUTO AUCTION, INC.

503 South Wapello Road Mediapolis, Iowa 52637 319-394-3510 (888) 771-6810 319-394-3511 (fax) www.dcaa.com President: Monte Delzell Nationwide Transportation: EZ Auto Shippers Steve Miller: 866-310-5936 Sale Every Tuesday – 6:00 p.m.

DES MOINES AUTO AUCTION

1530 S.E. McKinley Road Des Moines, Iowa 50320 (515) 285-8911 Fax: (515)256-9161 FRIDAY AT 9:30 A.M. Todd Givant, General Manager

MANHEIM CHICAGO

MANHEIM KANSAS CITY

3901 North Skiles Road Kansas City, MO 64161 (800) 247-7163 Fax: (816) 452-2393 General Manager: Victor Ferlaino Wednesday 9:30 a.m.

MANHEIM MILWAUKEE

561 South Highway 41 - 27th Street Caledonia, WI 53108 (262) 835-4436 (800) 662-2947 Fax: (262) 835-2684 General Manager: Dennis Worthy Dealer Sales Manager: Kimberly Schure Wednesay 9 a.m.

MANHEIM NORTHSTAR MINNESOTA

4908 Valley Industrial Blvd. North Shakopee, MN 55379 (952) 445-5544 (888) 445-2277 Fax: (952) 445-6773 General Manager: Scott Maybee Open Sale: Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

MANHEIM OMAHA

9201 S. 144th Street Exit 440 off of I-80 Omaha, NE 68138 (402) 896-8000 (800) 218-4192 Fax: (402) 896-6758 General Manager: Steve Robinson Assist. Gen Manager: Korey Grell Thursday 9:30am.

CODE OF ETHICS

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13813 St Charles Rock Road Bridgeton, MO 63044 (314) 739-1300 (800) 533-5414 Fax: (314) 298-3347 General Manager: Jason Blake

We will have a general duty of integrity, honor and fair dealing toward the general public.

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We will comply with all city, county, state and federal laws and shall endeavor to keep ourselves informed of those laws governing our business.

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We will not intentionally injure the business reputation of another member or competitor.

MID-STATE AUTO AUCTION

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We will employ truth and accuracy in advertising and selling.

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We will stand behind any guarantee given with the sale of a motor vehicle.

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We will not perform any act, which would bring disrepute to the motor vehicle industry.

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We will expose or halt, where found, any scheme designed to deceive or defraud the automobile buying public and aid in prosecuting those guilty of such acts.

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We will constantly strive to improve business methods to the end that the public will be better served.

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We will encourage the American system of free enterprise.

MANHEIM ST. LOUIS

100 Bach Ave. New York Mills, MN 218-385-3777 218-385-3232 (f) Rob Thompson, president Sale: Friday, 10 a.m. www.msaanym.com

PLAZA AUTO AUCTION, INC.

320 Highway 30 West P.O. Box 147 Mt. Vernon, IA 52314 (319) 895-6232 Fax: (319) 895-6727 www.plazaaa.com Owner: Mark Greb Office Manager: Debbie Welsh Sales Manager: Becky McGinty Consignment Sale every Wednesday at 6:30pm. Fleet/Lease/Repo Sale Wednesday at 7pm.

TRI-STATE AUTO AUCTION

Jct. Highway 11 & 80 P.O. Box 735 Cuba City, WI 53807 (608) 744-2020 (608) 744-3418 (800) 356-0625 Fax: (608) 744-7425 Owners/Managers: Gerald and Helen Brogley Thursday 6:30 p.m.

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association, the only national not-for-profit organization representing the independent motor vehicle industry, is to promote, educate and advance the independent motor vehicle dealer by: •

Accumulating, processing and disseminating information relative to the motor vehicle industry;

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Developing, compiling and providing to the consumer, information which will promote a better understanding of the independent motor vehicle dealers’ place in the economy;

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Providing relevant information to regulatory and lawmaking bodies so that they may have a better understanding of the possible effects of proposed laws, rules and regulations on the consumer and the motor vehicle industry;

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Assisting in the promotion and organization of local, state or regional independent motor vehicle dealer associations; and

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Anticipating, recognizing and responding to current and future issues and needs of the independent motor vehicle industry and the consumer.

MANHEIM MINNEAPOLIS

8001 Jefferson Highway Maple Grove, MN 55369-4924 (763) 425-7653 (800) 622-7653 Fax: (763) 493-0310 www.manheim.com General Manager: Tom Saldutte Assistant General Manager: Felix Hernandez Commercial Accounts Manager: Jennifer Etnier Open Sale Sale every Wednesday; 9am Ford Credit, 9:30 TD Auto Finance, Select Lane and Fleet/Lease/Rental Groups, 9:45am Dealer Consignment. Ford Factory Sale bi-weekly Wednesdays at 12 Noon; Fiat Chrysler Factory Sale bi-weekly Wednesdays at 12 Noon Total Resource Auction/Insurance Sale weekly, Tuesdays at 1:00pm.

HISTORY OF NIADA

NIADA was founded in 1946 to lobby for the repeal of rationing of tires and automotive parts after World War II. The efforts put forward by the organization under the leadership of founding President Charlie Hillard resulted in the successful repealing of those wartime restrictions by the end of 1947.

WWW.IOWAIADA.COM JUNE/JULY 2019 STREET SMART

STREET SMART JUNE/JULY 2019 WWW.IOWAIADA.COM