Who is innovating?

[Alex Snyder]

Since the acquisition years it seems to me that the DealerRefresh community has been a little quiet on the technologies out there. Is it a lack of innovations in comparison to times before 2015? Or are cards being held closer to the chest?

It is hard trying to write this without putting words in your mouth. What do you think is going on? Call me crazy too....that's a totally valid option

 

[john.quinn]

What actual dealer problems/issues are left to solve? (vs. technology-created problems...) Especially on the Variable side?

 

[Rick Buffkin]

What actual dealer problems/issues are left to solve?

Did you really just ask that question????

 

[Tallcool1]

For me, it is absolutely about keeping the cards closer to the chest. I am a tiny Independent, but I keep my strategies to myself. Some things I don't even tell my staff. When I get onto something that seems to work, I don't want anyone to know about it.

We recently attended a training workshop that our State Independent Dealers Association sponsored. Before we walked in, the three of us attending discussed and agreed that we would keep our mouths shut during the "idea sharing session".

 

[john.quinn]

Did you really just ask that question????

I did.

 

[Rick Buffkin]

What actual dealer problems/issues are left to solve? (vs. technology-created problems...) Especially on the Variable side?

@JQuinn, my personal opinion... Maybe 5% of the issues have been solved! The dealers digital arena is still a mess. Only difference is, now it's a bigger mess because there's more vendors in the game.

@Alex Snyder, Yes, I'm keeping my cards alot closer to my chest! Not just on here but, in general!

 

[Alex Snyder]

What actual dealer problems/issues are left to solve? (vs. technology-created problems...) Especially on the Variable side?

OMG John. There is an infinite number! There are of course the larger issues like breaking down the barriers between variable and fixed operations departments. And then there are the smaller ones of getting the appropriate message in front of the appropriate audience... this one being a few billion dollars a year.

Ultimately, there is the true innovation that we aren't even thinking about. The Steve Jobs kind of stuff. Or more closer to home: Dealertrack's changing of the finance process or vAuto's reshaping of used car perspectives.

 

[john.quinn]

Great convo starter then, Rich. Can we narrow it down a bit to:

1. Problems that are not created by the technology itself -- like Attribution -- Attribution doesn't solve actual dealer problems; it solves problems created by technology (see how I'm differentiating between dealer & tech problems?). Things like my inventory doesn't talk to my CRM which doesn't talk to my DMS are not what I'm talking about.
2. Big issues -- real dealer issues - things that connect Customers and Dealerships... tools that streamline connections between Customers and Dealerships -- what's not out there?

What should tech vendors be doing? What I'm positing is that there isn't a whole lot left on the Variable side -- only so much juice you can squeeze.

 

[john.quinn]

OMG John. There is an infinite number! There are of course the larger issues like breaking down the barriers between variable and fixed operations departments. And then there are the smaller ones of getting the appropriate message in front of the appropriate audience... this one being a few billion dollars a year.

Ultimately, there is the true innovation that we aren't even thinking about. The Steve Jobs kind of stuff. Or more closer to home: Dealertrack's changing of the finance process or vAuto's reshaping of used car perspectives.

I think I disagree. I think you're too far in the weeds. Too complicated. Websites, inventory, merchandizing, F&I, Advertising, CRM.... huge innovations over the last 20 years (all in Variable). You're splitting hairs in many of these categories -- technology problems.

 

[Alex Snyder]

I think I disagree. I think you're too far in the weeds. Too complicated. Websites, inventory, merchandizing, F&I, Advertising, CRM.... huge innovations over the last 20 years (all in Variable). You're splitting hairs in many of these categories -- technology problems.

Ummmm.... who started this thread and I can't even think of a way to respond here. It probably isn't worth heading down this path of rebuttals as we're certainly sliding away from my original intent. You do pose a fair question that, hopefully, others will chime-in on.