14 minute read
On The Cover: 2020 TIADA Virtual Conference & Expo Wrap Up
by TIADA Staff
Wrap Up
In August, well over 300 gathered online for TIADA’s first ever virtual conference and expo. The association welcomed industry experts, state lawmakers, dealers across the state, and nearly 50 sponsors. “While we look forward to seeing everyone in person, it was great to see such a diverse group of participants come together, exchange ideas and bring their own experiences to the table. This is what our conference is all about,” said Executive Director Jeff Martin.
In just four short weeks, TIADA transformed its annual conference and expo to a virtual event in order to offer TIADA members key education and a platform to network and share ideas regarding key issues impacting the industry.
“Thank you
TIADA for putting on
a conference. Period!
Would have been very
easy to throw in the
towel for the year as
I’m sure many other
associations have done.”
~ Brent Carmichael, NCM Associates
Legislators Still a Big Part of Conference
“If you can’t have a face to face meeting or hear them address our general assembly, this is definitely the next best thing,” said TIADA President Robert
Beck when asked about the legislative visits at this year’s conference. Having state legislators at the TIADA Conference has become a staple over the past five years. While legislators usually speak at the House of Delegates, opening general sessions and awards ceremonies, this year’s meetings looked much more like a Zoom call with smaller, more intimate groups. A special thanks to all the state legislators who agreed to be a part of this year’s conference:
Hon. Robert Nichols, Texas State Senator, District 3 Hon. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, Texas State Senator, District 20 Hon. Brandon Creighton, Texas State Senator, District 4 Hon. Oscar Longoria, Texas State Representative, District 35 Hon. Drew Springer, Texas State Representative, District 68 Hon. Will Metcalf, Texas State Representative, District 16 Hon. Stan Lambert, Texas State Representative, District 71 Hon. Cesar Blanco, Texas State Representative, District 76
The education was as strong as ever with over 20 hours of breakout sessions. Dealers heard from some of the industry’s leading experts and biggest names in the independent space. For those who missed the breakout sessions, education recordings are available through November 16, 2020. See page 28 for more details.
Both new and seasoned dealers had an opportunity to share a common space to exchange ideas and experiences through roundtable discussions and Q&As. “I was able to connect with a few dealers that I had not met before and made some new friends in the process,” shared Brad Kalivoda of Fiesta Motors in Lubbock. For Karina Saenz of Encore Motors in Houston, this was her first year attending the conference: “I was very pleased to have heard from other people’s experience and how willingly they were to share information to make my business better. All of their input was very appreciated and I hope that next year I can also help others as I was helped this year.”
Dealer attendees were also able to network with other participants throughout the conference via oneon-one messaging, group chat and live discussions. “When TIADA’s Executive Director calls you directly, this is a unique sign that you belong to the best organization advocating for your small business. We have been blessed since we joined TIADA two years ago,” said first-time attendee Cristo Mendoza of Mendoza Auto Sales in Donna.
Over the years, TIADA has worked diligently to grow the association’s political influence, and just like in past conferences, dealers were offered an opportunity to meet with lawmakers and state agencies to discuss policies affecting the used car industry. Following these meetings, Executive Director Jeff Martin met with dealers through live video chat at the TIADA booth to continue the discussion on legislative issues and other industry-related topics.
Behind the scenes, nearly 50 sponsors logged in from various cities across the country during the Live Expo to visit with dealers and provide key information on products and services. John Kamal of John Kamal Cars in Houston said about the Expo: “I enjoyed the virtual
(cont’d on pg. 25)
“Just know that I had a great
experience as did those on my staff
who participated.” ~ Chad Lancaster, Chacon Autos, Dallas
Virtual Conference Education Offered Live Q&A
“Our education lineup was fantastic, but I was most excited about the interaction between our attendees and presenters”, said TIADA Executive Director Jeff Martin. Below you will find a sample of the dealer Q&A that came from a few of the sessions at this year’s conference: (Dealers can still view the recorded presentations including the Q&As, see page 28.)
Q: How much budget should I allocate for Facebook advertising;
I sell between 15 and 20 cars a month? A: It is less about the number of cars you are selling as it is about the size of the population in your area. Everything in Facebook operates like an auction, so if you are in a smaller market you can make your Facebook advertising dollar stretch a little further.
Session: TxDMV is Here to Help
Q: If I want to open a new location in Humble and my current dealership is in Houston, do I have to get a new P number, or can I use the same one? A: There are some instances when you can add a supplemental license if you are in the same city. However, in this instance you would need to apply for a separate license since the location will be in a different city.
Session: Remote Sales, Internet Sales, Appointment Only & Curbside Delivery — Know the Legal Minefields
Q: What if I just offer a three-day money back guarantee on all sales, does that bypass all the rules? A: I wish that were true, but there is no magic bullet. A three-day rescission, or any recission, will not allow you to bypass the FTC rules, language that must go into the contract and oral disclosures.
Q: Where is a good place for me to start when communicating with my customers? A: I understand some of the concepts we discussed are way out there or may not fit the size of your staff and your technology, but consumers are looking for some way to shop on their own terms. I would start with leveraging your current staff to determine what you can do in your day-to-day operation. It may just be as simple as allowing your sales staff to text with customers. Start slow and add tools or features as they logistically make sense for your dealership.
Q: Is there anything related to COVID that dealers should be thinking about regarding accounting? A: The biggest thing I see currently that is not being reported properly, and I had to make a couple of adjustments for dealers, is how to record that loan. A lot of people have just automatically placed that loan proceeds and recorded that as income, and that is not the case. You have not gone through the process of the forgiveness loan application. So, what we have been doing is having dealers set up an actual loan balance account under general ledgers. Set up two accounts: a cash account, depending on if you have segregated or you have a separate account that you put those proceeds in and you are tracking what you are spending that money on. And then also, set up a liability, like what we talked about before.
A line of credit, loan from SBA or wherever you got those funds from. Once you go through the loan forgiveness process you can decide how you want to allocate those dollars, after you visit with your accountant or CPA.
Thank You to the moderators who helped with the live Q&A of the Breakout Sessions:
Brent Carmichael NCM Associates
Jay Rose Global Training Solutions
Richard Hudson Ignite Consulting Partners Kenny Atcheson Dealer Profit Pros
experience—similar to the in-person conference, I had the option of gathering information from different booths and putting it in my backpack, to take a look at it later. The interaction with everyone at the booth allowed me to learn what questions other dealers had—this helped guide me on how to best utilize their products or services.” Having started in the independent auto industry at the age of 19, Kamal added,“I would have not gotten where I am now if it weren’t for HIADA and TIADA. Through workshops and conferences like this one, you get to connect and learn from a community of dealers who have been in the industry and want to see young dealers grow— and that is valuable.”
The ever-popular booth prizes and giveaways were also back this year. Collectively, dealers walked away with over $5,000 in booth prizes and giveaways courtesy of our fantastic sponsors. A huge congratulations to TIADA’s ten $500 cash prize winners!
Participating in a virtual conference was undoubtedly a new experience for many, but our members’ willingness to dabble with new technology, work through several unknowns, and adapt to a
“Really enjoyed the breakout
this morning.” ~ Chris Donnelly, Your Car Store, Conroe
virtual experience demonstrated an unyielding resilience to the changing landscape and a commitment to the association and industry as a whole. “We all were quite nervous of what to expect, but I have to say that everything came together and worked well. I can officially say that I have worked at a Digital Booth in a Virtual Show,” said Chuck Helmer of AutoZone, a Gold Sponsor. “While TIADA strives each year to produce an optimal experience for both our dealer attendees and sponsors, this year’s first virtual experience fell short of our expectations and what we envisioned for our sponsors who experienced varying levels of success at this year’s event,” shared Martin. “However, at the end of the day, TIADA is fortunate to have support of its sponsors. Thanks to
TIADA Announces the Winner of This Year’s Marvin
Norwood Scholarship
This year’s winner, Madison Elkins, just graduated from Mansfield Legacy High School and will be attending Texas State University this fall, majoring in General Studies. Madison plans to further her education by later attending law school with the hopes of fulfilling her dream of becoming a Family Legal Attorney. Madison’s grandfather founded his independent used car dealership in the Dallas-Fort Worth area almost 40 years ago and at one point or another all of Madison’s family has worked there including herself. For the past several years Madison has assisted the family business in various duties as needed including filing, customer service, collections, transporting and taking pictures of the cars for the company’s website. Congratulations Madison Elkins, the 2020 Marvin Norwood Scholarship recipient. the hundreds of you, including our fantastic sponsors, who took this journey with us—we did it, and we did it together.”
As TIADA wraps up this year’s conference season, the association looks forward to seeing you July 25-27 at the Kalahari Resort & Conventions in Round Rock for the 2021 TIADA Conference &
Expo — save the date!
Thank You TO OUR
Sponsors
PLATINUM SPONSORS AVP - Assured Vehicle Protection, Inc. • Berkshire Risk Services CLA – CliftonLarsonAllen • CP Insurance Associates Frazer DMS • Goldstar by Spireon • Manheim
GOLD SPONSORS ACV Auctions • AGORA Data, Inc. • Alliance Auto Auction Ally SmartAuction • AutoTrader, Inc. • AutoZone Buckeye Dealership Consulting • DealerCenter • Ituran USA Inc. LGT - Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC • Mullen Insurance Agency Inc. PassTime • PrimaLend Capital Partners • REPAY Spartan Financial Partners • STARS GPS • Texas Dealer Solutions
SILVER SPONSORS AFS Dealers, LLC • ARS - American Risk Services • CARWAVE • O’Reilly Auto Parts • Podium • SecureClose • Texas Lone Star Auto Auction – Lubbock Williams and Stazzone Insurance Agency, Inc.
BRONZE SPONSORS Advantage GPS •Auto Master Systems, Inc. • AutoAction • AutoRaptor Autotrader BHPH Center • AutoZoom • BlytzPay • First Texas Auto Credit Ignite Consulting Partners • Neo • PFS Auto Finance • SiriusXM
Buy Recordings Access the Top Dealer Education Now!
The heart and soul of the TIADA Conference is our education – over 20 hours’ worth. While the quantity is impressive, attendees always leave talking about the quality. From owners and GM’s to your newest greenhorn staffers, the TIADA Conference has something for everyone.
•When a Pandemic Forces Us to Revisit the Basics
BRENT CARMICHAEL • NCM Associates The Accelerated Future of Car Shopping and Buying
JESSICA STAFFORD • Autotrader & Kelley Blue Book HR Considerations During a Pandemic
JOE RIVERA • Naman Howell Smith & Lee TxDMV Is Here to Help CORRIE THOMPSON & DAVID GEORGE
Texas Department • of Motor Vehicles Ad Copy Cures: Set a Positive Tone in Advertising
Post-Pandemic
LINDSAY SHEARON • Dealer OMG One on One with Tricolor Founder and CEO Daniel Chu
DANIEL CHU • Tricolor Disruptive Innovation: Threat or Opportunity?
TIM KINTZ • The Kintz Group Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Other CARES Act
Tax Planning
DAVID WIGGINS
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) • Remote Sales, Internet Sales, Appointment Only and
Curbside Delivery — Know the Legal Minefields
ERIC JOHNSON &
ANDREA COTTRELL • Hudson Cook, LLP Amplifying SEM for a Measurable Sales Lift
RON MORRISON • Pureinfluencer, LLC Finding the Right Financial Partner for BHPH — The Post
Pandemic Sequel
KEN SHILSON • Subprime Analytics & NABD Effective Communication Leads to More Sales and More Referrals
JAY ROSE • Global Training Solutions Is the TIADA CPO Right for You? MARK JONES
Mike Carlson Motor Company • (MCMC) Tax Audits: What to Expect and How to Stay Compliant
JANITA JASTER • Texas Comptroller Survive and Thrive by Understanding the Evolving
Customer Journey
ALI FAWAZ
Reputation.com
•In-Depth Q&A with Two Masters of Collections
BRENT CARMICHAEL
NCM Associates
JAY ROSE • Global Training Solutions One Size Doesn’t Fit All: A Dealer’s Guide to
Facebook Ads
DANE SAVILLE • Reunion Marketing How to Build It, Grow It, Protect It and Die Happy
MARK BURKHOLDER • Peachtree Planning Stay Legal and Compliant — Repos, Bankruptcies,
Disclosures
MICHAEL W. DUNAGAN • Jameson & Dunagan, P.C. BHPH Unplugged • National Dealer Panel Discussion Going Back to Basics — Keeping Your Accounting Records Clean
KEVIN ROY • CPA Exams: During and After COVID
HUFFMAN LEWIS
Office of Consumer Credit
Commissioner
4 22 Presentations including Panel Discussions 4 24-Hour Access on Desktop & Laptops 4 For You and Your Co-workers https://tiadaannualconference.com/buy-recordings/
