Archive for category Opinion
Award Winning Dealerships
Today’s automobile dealership is a complex business. Management faces daunting challenges to operate sales, finance, fixed assets, human resources, inventory and regulatory requirements successfully. Smart executives take advantage of an ever-increasing variety of products and services made available to them by suppliers specializing in specific areas of expertise such as sales training, finance, human resources, security, loss prevention, insurance, and specialty equipment.
Even with all of the energy now being devoted to keeping a dealership running smoothly there are still some areas of day to day operations for which the appropriate solution, product or consultant has not yet been found. One such area is the use and control of dealer demo tags, a statutory requirement in most states, and long regarded by most dealers as a problem without any good solution.
Efforts have been made over the years by individual dealers to govern demo tags in a variety of manners ranging from:
Furnishing every salesperson with an never ending supply of tags in order to ensure that the unavailability of a demo tag does not compromise the continuity of the communication established between a salesperson and their customer. This solution results in the dealership owning far more demo tags than necessary. The dealer incurs higher acquisition and insurance costs, greater management requirements and added liability exposure. These are issues that managers as well as financial and insurance consultants find troublesome.Requiring salespeople to sign demo tags out and in, which, while reducing the overall number of tags required (a plus for managers, financial and insurance people) interferes with the flow of the sale and requires the time and attention of an employee. Signing tags out and in takes time that should and could be used more productively. Further, this method, as many dealers are finding out when doing dealer tag inventory checks, is not a foolproof system for controlling use and access to dealer tags.
Some dealers believe that by charging a large deposit to the salesperson the tag will not be abused or lost. However, a large deposit virtually insures that a prompt lost or theft report, which limits the dealer’s liability, is less likely to be made. Until a report is made, the liability associated with that demo tag remains with the dealer and not the person using or possessing the tag. Prompt reporting of lost or stolen tags is a very big issue with insurance providers.
While the problem of demo tag control appears intractable, there are solutions. The solutions take the form of dealer demo tag control systems and there are a number of providers in the market today.
One such provider is M-Tech, a company that is specializing in dealer demo tag control systems. M-Tech manufactures and markets the Securitag System. This “Smart Box” has been solving demo tag access control problems for nearly twenty years.
M-Tech’s biggest supporters are the dealers, managers and salespeople using the product. It is gratifying to be given such a vote of confidence.
Gambling With Your Dealer Plates
Posted by Bernard Boulé in Opinion on April 7th, 2009
“I’ll be back in an hour or so.” He said as he pushed his chair back from the table. “I’m going to run that pickup down to the mall and see if I can find a buyer. I’d sure like to move that thing tonight. If I can that will make three this week.”
“Is it OK if I come along?” She asked.” I could run in to the mall while you work and pick up a few things we need. It won’t take me more than an hour.” While she climbed into the passengers seat he slapped a demo plate on to the tailgate of the late model pickup and they headed to the mall.
“ Having these demo plates from work makes this easy. Without them it would be next to impossible to move these things around. I’m sure glad you were able to get a couple from the dealership.” He said smiling at her.
“ It was easy.” She said smiling back.
We don’t know what went on for the next hour or two. We don’t know what they bought, sold or traded that night. What we do know is that scenarios like the one described above are all too common today. Unlicensed dealers are not only stealing your business they are probably using your equipment in the form of your dealer demo plates to do it.
In conversations with dealers all across the nation I find that a large number of dealers have decided to “protect” themselves by charging their sales personnel large deposits for a demo plates, hoping or perhaps even thinking, that by doing so they are some how making the sales persons responsible for the demo plates. Sadly this is not the case. The dealer remains responsible for all of his demo plates regardless of who has them, when they have them, why they have them, how they got them, or how big a deposit they paid on them.
Unless they have been reported lost or stolen to the appropriate authority you the dealer are responsible for the demo plates and perhaps for any damages that might result from the use of those demo plates.
As a responsible corporate citizen you the dealer owe it to your community, to your dealership, to your family even to your nation to make certain that you know your demo plates are being used in accordance with State and local regulations. You might ask the question.” How can I ever be certain of where and how my demo plates are being used?” The answer of course is to control the demo plates. Once you have control of them then you can manage them. When you can manage them you can know who has them, when they have them, why they have them, even how long they have them. You can even know where they are when they are not being used on dealership business. The best way to get this kind of control is by utilizing a system designed specifically for the purpose, rather than one that has been adapted to it.
By putting off getting a demo plate control system, even for one more day, dealers are gambling with all their dealership’s assets.
Oh! Here they come. It’s 11:00 o’clock. They each have a car, a sporty little ragtop and a mid size SUV, both running on demo plates. Looks like he did some good business tonight. Do you know where your demo plates are?
Access Control Systems (ACS) and Your Dealership
Posted by Bernard Boulé in Opinion, WM 30 on April 1st, 2009
Reading through “Trade Publications” as I do on a regular basis I cannot help but think that the Automobile Dealership Business (ADB) has become technologically as complex and consequently as acronym ridden as the fields of engineering, aviation or the military. In which, you need to know the meanings of what seems like hundreds of Upper Case Letter Groupings (UCLG) in order to understand what is being discussed in any particular article. To make matters worse, it seems that anyone can add to the acronym body at anytime without warning or prior notification, so I was not surprised when I discovered that the Field Of Endeavor (FOE) in which I have been working for the past 20 years, the technology of Access Control Systems, has been “acronymized” as (ACS) technology.
By now, you are beginning to wonder what any of this has to do with you and your dealership’s day-to-day operations and the answer is simple:
- Increased Profitability
- Improved Security
- Streamlined Sales
- Increased Management Efficiency
- Reduced Overhead
- Lower Liability Exposure and perhaps even Lower Insurance Costs.
All of the above benefits can be realized through the utilization of ACS Technology. You may be wondering how ACS technology even fits into the dealership environment. Your question probably is: ‘ How does this apply to me and to my dealership?’ In response to this question I would say every dealership, regardless of its size or location needs to employ some type or types of ACS to limit access to everything from the shop supplies to the cash drawer. After all, you wouldn’t leave your cash drawer open exposing its contents to all of your employees and customers would you? So why would you leave your other assets like specialty tools, inventory, inventory keys, dealer tags or office supplies exposed? They are all valuable assets requiring some type of access control to make certain that only the persons authorized to have access to them actually have that access.
You probably already have some type of Access Control Systems at work in your dealership such as cash registers, locked tool rooms or secure office supply storage. You may even have a fenced and gated lot or lots, which limits access to your inventory. This is rudimentary ACS Technology working for you. Some of this may be manually controlled in which case it would probably require the time and attention of a manager or a specifically assigned employee and likely does not produce accurate records of access usage. Some may be automated, eliminating the need for direct supervision, and they may produce reliable access usage reports. The latter is the direction ACS Technology is heading today. Dealerships should be taking advantage of this emerging technology to control access to assets such as: inventory keys and dealer demo tags. Two areas of constant concern to dealers and managers everywhere. There are good, proven, reliable and affordable ACS specially designed to deal with these concerns.
With technology advancing at such a rapid pace now is the best time to jump in and find out exactly how ACS technology can benefit your dealership.
Security In and Around Your Dealership
Posted by Bernard Boulé in How To, Opinion on March 30th, 2009
- How important is it to you the dealer?
- How important is it to your managers and staff?
- How important is it to people who want to take advantage of you and your business?
- How important should it be?
Above are four questions that every automobile dealership, large or small, publicly owned or private, single dealership or member of a group of dealerships, even mega dealerships, should be working on, hard and fast, to find answers for. The fate of the entire automobile retail industry may depend on how serious today’s Automobile Dealers perceive the whole issue of security to be. We should be able to learn from the mistakes and shortcomings of others. Let’s take the airline industry as an example. In that industry there was a recognized need for security that had been established over a long period of time resulting from incidences of people taking advantage of low or non-existent security measures. The industry responded, raising the level of security by implementing security checks of people boarding aircraft as well as their baggage and cargo. However, it was common knowledge that security levels were not uniform throughout the industry and that common knowledge was taken advantage of with disastrous results, which we are all well aware of.
Today, automobile dealerships are large business operations, not unlike the airlines, with hundreds of employees selling millions of dollars worth of product every year. The pressure is on to perform, meet goals, maintain growth and stay competitive. Often times, for upper level management, the business of operating an automobile dealership is more involved with dealings with the factory, the banks, the insurance industry, state and local regulatory agencies and a host of other business related distractions than it is with the business of selling cars and trucks. The thousands of Dealer Principals who operate their own stores either have to allocate a disproportionate percentage of their time and energy to administrative tasks or delegate those responsibilities to various managers.
Regardless of your particular situation, in the day-to-day business of doing business, important issues, which do not have near term deadlines, tend to be left off from meeting agendas in deference of more pressing matters. This is normal. We all understand that time in meetings is precious; the critical issues are dealt with, while items considered to be less critical are deferred to subsequent meetings, or given to committees to evaluate and report on later. From experience we also know that this committee work often remains uncompleted from meeting to meeting. Committee members usually have other responsibilities, which of necessity take priority, and they only work on committee matters when time permits. The truth is that if you have not actually taken the issue of dealership security and assigned a high priority to it, you will likely never actually deal with it. The sheer scope and complexity of the matter virtually guarantees that. The result will likely be an ineffectual, uncoordinated collection of antiquated equipment, practices, policies and procedures, which will leave you and your business virtually unprotected.
In today’s world of shady business practices, color coded terrorism threat level indicators and federally mandated security measures for some industries, the issue of security in, of and around your dealership should now be very close to the top of your list of priorities. In virtually all of the dealer interviews I have read recently when the dealer is asked to what he/she attributes the success of their business, the response is:
- Dealing honestly with their customers and employees.
- Up-to-date training for sales and management personnel.
- Attention to business practices and procedures.
We all know that it is of paramount importance to deal honestly with our customers and employees. No business will survive for very long if they do not follow this advice. Most dealers have come to the realization that a well trained sales and management team will make more sales than untrained uncoordinated salespeople and managers. However, some dealers have not yet come to the conclusion that they need to up-date and in some cases change or improve some or all of their old business practices and procedures. They are still attempting to operate their dealership the same way they did it 10, 20 or more years ago. We all know that ‘the times they are a changin,’and we have to change with them or we’ll be left behind.
One of the changes all dealers need to be making today is a serious revision of the security systems, practices and procedures used in and around the dealership. Dealers actually need to encourage each other to take these steps, for the good of the automobile retail industry as a whole. The cost of taking the initiative and implementing adequate security systems and procedures to protect all aspects of the business, while not insignificant, is likely not as high as would be the cost of complying with some form of federally mandated security requirements. Just ask any airline executive. Such federal mandates would likely be the result if the assets of an automobile dealership were utilized in some sort of incident like what we saw in Oklahoma or more recently in New York, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon.
Decisions to make the kinds of commitments to security systems, practices and procedures that will be required to keep your dealership and it’s assets safe, secure and profitable will not happen by accident. You will have to be proactive, ‘take the bull by the horns’! Make it happen!
So, the answers to the four questions regarding how important security in and around the dealership should be:
- For you the dealer; Top priority. Urgent.
- For your personnel and management; High priority. Very important for the continued success of the dealership.
- The level of security at your dealership is the most important factor in their planning and decision making in so far as your dealership is concerned.
- There is probably nothing more important that you can do today, for the future of your dealership and the automobile retail industry, than to make certain that you have done everything within your power to ascertain that you have adequate security systems, practices and procedures in place and functioning.
Who Needs Dealer Plate Control?
Posted by Bernard Boulé in Opinion on March 17th, 2009
I’ve just returned from what you might call a whirlwind tour of the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. A trip from the Canadian border to the southern part of Florida and back in 10 days. During that brief time I was able to visit with some of the automobile dealers along my route and I certainly saw the facilities of hundreds more. Some very impressive installations to be sure!
On a trip like this by car, in my case a very nice 4X4 crew cab pick-up truck (I prefer trucks), one has a lot of time to think. I spent that driving time thinking about you dealers and your need for dealer demo plate control. I looked at the beautiful stores knowing that they were at risk with every dealer demo plate that was out on the road because as in a line paraphrased from an insurance industry publication, “A demo plate represents the entire assets of the dealership when it is on the road.” I was also comforted by seeing many whose names were very familiar to me knowing that they were using a demo plate control system that significantly reduced their liability exposure. I wondered how I could convince each and every one of you, large and small, that you need to have some form of demo plate control for your own protection. Certainly, if you all decided to purchase the product that my company manufactures it would be very good for my business, but in the overall scheme of things if every dealership had some form of demo plate security and control system it would be even better for the automobile retail business.
Did you know that 70% of all money paid out by the insurers of automobile dealerships is directly related to claims arising from the use of demos? If something could be done to reduce the amount of money paid out by insurers, costs would surely come down as would risk. Well, something can be done. Every dealership, regardless of size, or location, regardless of state requirement or regulation, needs to implement some form of reliable, proven and effective dealer plate security and control system. There should be industry standards for such equipment. Industry experts should be working with state and national dealer associations and insurance industry consultants should establish these standards. With these standards in place, dealers could purchase dealer plate control systems and equipment with confidence, knowing that the system met at least minimum security and control requirements.
I’m ready to get to work on this to improve security and reduce risk all across the nation. It’s not a small job and will doubtless require a great deal of time and effort but I’m convinced that the result will be worth the effort. Dealers will be able to profit from reduced costs and improved efficiency. I fear it will take a long time to get the work of creating industry standards done so I would suggest that you not put off securing your plates while you wait for the standards to be established. Every dealer already knows what is required and with a little effort can verify the capabilities of the few offerings presently on the market. I would recommend that you check them all or seek the endorsement of a dealer you know who is using a product you are interested in. Who needs dealer demo plate control? You all do.
Use Dealer Plate Control to Ease Your Managers’ Workload
Posted by Bernard Boulé in Opinion on March 12th, 2009
Spring is right around the corner, I really wanted to be able to write something up beat and optimistic with some suggestions of how you can utilize better access control systems to improve efficiency, lighten work loads on managers, lower operating costs, reduce liability exposure and improve sales.
I just returned from a short road trip where I was able to meet and speak with many general managers and sales managers at several different locations. I am always amazed when I see how hectic their day is. At one point, I was in the managers office of a busy store along with four other people, all wanting to speak with him, all expecting him to solve some problem or approve some part of a negotiation or provide an answer to some question. We were all waiting while he was on the phone dealing with another situation. Does this scenario seem somehow familiar? Kind of like Déjà Vu all over again? You bet it does.
Easing the workload of a busy manager will allow the dealership to run more smoothly.
I was there to talk to him about Dealer Demo Plate Control since I had been told that it was his responsibility to ascertain that all demo tags at this dealership were properly accounted for. I wanted to explain to him how a good Demo Tag Access Control System could lighten his workload; that by installing and implementing a proven, client driven Access Control System such as “Securitag” from M-Tech a manager can reduce the number of tags required to operate the store efficiently through ‘controlled sharing’. Controlled Sharing is managed completely by the ACS (Access Control System) and the manager can visually appraise the status of the system and the disposition of the demo tags it controls at any time thereby knowing if any tags are lost or missing almost instantly. Being able to identify and report lost, missing or stolen tags belonging to the dealership in a timely manner is very important to the dealership, the dealership’s liability insurance provider and to law enforcement and public security authorities.
I waited for a break in the action and when he finally looked quizzically up at me as if to say ‘and what do you want?’ I did my very best to make my presentation as quickly and concisely as possible, it only takes about five minutes, but we were interrupted at least three times by people who had to speak to that manager about important dealership business matters. When the presentation was concluded, the manager thanked me, apologized for the interruptions and assured me he understood the advantages of having a Dealer Demo Tag Access Control System. I’m still working on that sale. I know that manager, like so many others, needs to reduce his workload. I know that the dealership, like every dealership, really needs the control and I know that a good Demo Tag Access Control System can fill both these needs. I wonder how long it will take, or what disaster will have to occur before owners and managers will make the decision to install an ACS to secure their Dealer Demo Tags and take some of the load off those busy managers?
Keys to a More Successful Dealership
Posted by Bernard Boulé in How To, Opinion on March 11th, 2009
How much longer will you continue to rely on the same security practices and procedures you used 15, 20 or more years ago to ensure the safety and security of your dealership? These measures, which at that time were probably sufficient, are likely to be seriously inadequate in today’s technologically advanced environment. Every dealership’s management realizes the need for various types of security equipment, practices and procedures in the dealership.
However, all security is not created equal. There are good security systems, practices and procedures and there are bad security measures. The good ones result in a smoother running, more productive, efficient, safe and secure place for your people to work. The bad ones only provide the appearance of the real thing while leaving your dealership exposed to an untold variety of potential hazards. The real danger is that you are relying on these bad security systems, practices and procedures to protect your business. A task they may be unable to perform.
Management has many responsibilities; one of them is to make certain that the assets of the business are properly protected. It’s up to you to test your current security systems to find out if they are actually working. Check each system to make sure it is fully functional and that it still meets your requirements. Review practices and procedures and if necessary make changes to bring them up to date. Often good security measures fail to meet objectives simply because your personnel have been allowed to settle into a comfortable routine. Routine is the enemy of security. It is your responsibility to make sure your personnel are aware of the importance of security at the dealership at all times.
One of the next things you can do is examine the method you use to manage your dealer demo plates. Dealer plates are one of your strongest selling tools and as such they should be readily available to personnel who need them. They should also be one of the main security concerns in any dealership. A dealer plate is more than just a piece of metal you get from the State. It represents the entire assets of your dealership when it is on the road. Should you trust everyone in your dealership with access to your demo plates 24 hours a day 7 days a week?
Does your current method of demo plate management provide you with the access control and security you require while keeping the number to demo plates at a minimum?
Does it allow you to follow the number of demonstrations given by your sales staff?
Does it keep sales persons from spending valuable time searching for lost or missing dealer plates?
Does it prevent them borrowing demo plates from other salespersons?
If the answer to these questions is NO then you need to change your current system.
A good dealer plate control system makes plates available to sales persons whenever they need them. They can stay focused on selling. This allows them to maintain the continuity of their presentation. A good presentation equals more sales. More sales equal larger profits. Remember sales people are trained to make sales. Their training probably does not include the course on ‘how to care for a dealer plate’. There are several dealer plate control systems available on the market today. Take the time to evaluate them before you make your selection and remember you are looking for a system that provides you with both security and access control. Function, not cost, should be the motivating factor in your selection.
Once you have checked everything and removed bad systems and procedures that didn’t provide your business with an adequate level of security and you have implemented good security systems, practices and procedures designed to handle the security requirements of your dealership today, you should be all set to move forward confidently. Some training will doubtless be required and any good security system will expose those most in need of this training. It is possible that it will also reveal the presence of persons on your staff who do not, or cannot, respect the rules and regulations in place. Under the previous systems and procedures it may have been possible for these individuals to remain unnoticed while taking advantage of your faith and trust. With a good system in place these individuals cannot remain invisible. It is security’s job to expose these problems. It is management’s job to decide how to handle the situations.
Good security systems, practices and procedures work invisibly in the foreground. If they do their job properly, no one even knows they are there. While the cost of good security is not insignificant, the cost of bad security or no security has the potential to be unlimited. The ultimate goal of every dealership is to sustain growth and operate profitably. The return on your investment in good security is assured as your dealership profits from increased sales by a more confident, efficient, focused and honest sales force working in a stable secure environment benefiting from lower overhead and reduced liability exposure. These are the keys to a more successful dealership.
Code Orange!
Posted by Bernard Boulé in Opinion on March 6th, 2009
Or maybe by the time you read this Yellow or perhaps Red. The point is that regardless the level of threat, there is a threat and we must all, each and every one of us, do everything in our power to combat this threat. Not even one of us can expect our friend or neighbor to do our part and feel truly secure.
When everything goes smoothly, Security did not seem to be an issue; but, we do not have to look far into the past to find an occasion when all did not work smoothly and lack of security was immediately blamed for the unwanted result. Lack of security at the airports, lack of security at the flight schools, lack of security at the INS and in general lack of security and awareness in the population were all cited. They were all Dots, we were told later, that should have been connected by dot connectors and that the connected dots would have drawn a plan that would have enabled our law enforcement officials to prevent the attacks of September 11th.
Well, great strides have been taken to improve security in all the areas identified as having been insufficient as a result of those terrorist attacks. The Department of Homeland Security has been created with sweeping powers in an attempt to thwart enemy plots against the USA, and for all we know it is working because for more than a year now no new terrorist attacks have occurred on US soil. That’s the thing about good security; when it works really well, you hardly even know it’s there. When it fails everyone knows immediately.
The Department of Homeland Security tells us that they are expecting enemies of the USA to attempt attacks against “Soft Targets”. That is to say things or places that might not normally be considered a dangerous place to be or a likely spot for an attack. These “Soft Targets” are less likely to be guarded and therefore more easily attacked. This is where you come in. As a citizen and business leader, it is your responsibility to do everything in your power to help prevent any future terrorist attacks. There are things you can do; be more vigilant, be aware of your surroundings, take notice of unusual activities and report unusual or suspicious behavior to authorities. Review security procedures and control measures at your dealership. Make certain that you know who has access to stock keys and dealer tags and that these items are being used and controlled according to State regulations. Dealerships that operate in States that do not require the use of demo tags for demo drives should institute a system that controls which vehicles are out on demo rides and who is with those vehicles, to maintain some control of inventory.
Remember, terrorists don’t need your cooperation to succeed in their plans; they just need your complacency. Don’t let your dealership become a Dot in some future plot!
I Did it Because I Could
Posted by Bernard Boulé in Opinion on March 5th, 2009
‘Because I could.’ was the response given by former president Bill Clinton when asked by news anchor Dan Rather why he had become involved with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. I heard that news just days after I had written the article for the July issue of Dealer Marketing in which I had suggested that there were just two basic causes which lead otherwise good employees to commit dishonest acts. They are: (1) Opportunity and (2) The belief that they can get away with it. When these two conditions exist simultaneously employees will commit dishonest acts, just because they can. Hearing the former president’s explanation for his actions, so simply stated, confirmed to me what I had known for years but only recently understood. Simply eliminating either one or both of the basic causes can stop employee dishonesty of almost any type, including misuse and abuse of dealer demo plates.
Now I don’t pretend to know enough to advise anyone how to eliminate either or both of the a fore mentioned causes in many of the aspects of the complex operations of a modern dealership, but I am certain that if they were eliminated or at least controlled to some degree, the losses due to employee theft would be dramatically reduced.
However one aspect of dealership operations in which I have had more than twenty years of experience working with dealers is in controlling use and access to demo plates. When it comes to solving problems with demo plates I can assure you that the implementation of a quality demo plate control system which has been designed specifically for the purpose of controlling demo plates can and does eliminate both the opportunity to misuse or abuse the use of demo plates as well as the belief that such abuse or misuse could go undetected. When employees realize that demo plates are constantly accounted for and that they can no longer have a demo plate without anyone knowing who has it, where it is or when it was last seen, they understand that they can no longer take advantage of a dealer’s assets for their own benefit.
Some dealerships have experienced serious problems caused by uncontrolled demo plates. In one case a dealer’s insurers refused to renew unless measures were taken to rein in uncontrolled demo plates. In another case a dealership had more than 100 demo plates unaccounted for and was at risk of being audited by the state. Installing and implementing a demo plate control system solved both of these dealerships’ problems.
In virtually every instance where a control system has been implemented, which did not rely on some person, employee or manager for the integrity of its operation, the ‘games’ with demo plates in the dealerships have stopped immediately. Our information shows that most sales persons that have worked in dealerships that used a demo plate control system preferred having such a system to not having one. Many sales persons and managers, when moving to other dealerships, encourage their new employers to install demo plate control equipment. These employees realize that their time is too valuable to use babysitting dealers demo plates. They want to stay focused on selling because that is how they and their dealer earn their living.
Don’t wait for problems to find you, take control of your demo plates now, by investing in a quality Demo Plate Control System today.
An Ounce of Prevention
Posted by Bernard Boulé in Opinion on March 3rd, 2009
‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ I used to hear this old saying from my elders, you know, the ones we were taught to respect, when I was just a kid, but I haven’t heard it for a long time. I used to wonder what prevention was and how much of it would make an ounce. At that time I had a real good idea of what cure was and the huge amount of it that would be needed to make a pound. In those days cures weren’t sugar coated or flavored to taste like mint or wild cherry or strawberry. I knew that I had no desire to have to take a pound of any cure I had been exposed to up to that point in my life so I was really interested in learning about prevention.
I guess those early lessons stuck with me over the years and as time passed I realized that prevention didn’t only apply to illnesses and medicine. I learned, in the school of life, that the cures for almost any problem were considerably more costly and therefore more distasteful than were the measures that could have prevented the problem in the first place.
A simple example that everyone can understand is changing the engine oil in a car. Everyone knows that if the oil is changed regularly at the recommended mileage intervals and checked at least at every fill-up of the fuel tank we can expect to use our cars for several years and often for hundreds of thousands of miles without having to deal with the problems of engine failure on the highway, towing, delays in reaching our destination, unplanned hotel expenses and costly repair bills. All of which leave, what is commonly referred to as, a bad taste in our mouths (like what we used to get from those cures mentioned earlier).
There are preventions for almost every kind of problem; exercise, proper rest and diet for good health. Regular oil changes for extended engine life. Door locks for home and business security. Insurance for protection against catastrophic loss and as a man that I have known for more than twenty years who heads the loss prevention department of an insurance company based on the coast recently told me, loss prevention measures to help keep insurance rates affordable and business costs under control.
The list of course goes on but let’s focus here on loss prevention as it applies to problems managing dealer demo plates. The prevention needed is a good demo plate control system that has been designed for the purpose. A reputable provider will be able to tell you exactly what prevention is needed and how much it takes to make up that ounce that will equal the pound of cure. They can even tell you how much the prevention you need will cost so you can allow for it in your business plan. What no one can tell you, and what you can’t allow for is the cost of the cure for a problem involving a demo plate for which you have not provided adequate security. That cure could leave a bad taste in your mouth for a long time.
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