StrategicSource launches program to help dealers cut costs and improve bottom line
Doug Austin noticed car dealers were struggling with slowing sales and increasing expenses, and decided to do something about it.
Austin, the founder and chairman of StrategicSource, came up with the Dealer Profit Alliance, a new program designed to show dealers how StrategicSource’s resources can help them increase revenue.
“Interest rates have decreased but they still won’t be hitting the auto industry for a while,” Austin said in a news release. “I knew it was time to offer a new approach to dealers that saves time without sacrificing custom analyses and crucial benchmarking data.”
This program, which will launch Nov. 11, includes monthly virtual meetings that StrategicSource said will discuss more than 200 ways dealerships can save money, covering multiple expense categories each month and using benchmarking data to cut expenses and put money back into the bottom line.
The meetings will be moderated by Brian Marshall, co-founder of DriveLine Automotive Advisors, a provider of outsourced CFO and consulting services to the auto retail industry. StrategicSource said Marshall, a CPA, brings more than 20 years of experience as a small business owner and as a senior financial executive for large dealership groups.
“As someone with an extensive background in the auto industry, I understand why dealers are getting frustrated,” Marshall said. “That’s why we’re so excited to give this low-cost option to the industry. Benchmarking data is not something dealers have access to, and it’s a huge game-changer for cutting costs.”
The Dealer Profit Alliance is geared toward dealers who overspend by 25% on indirect expenses, which StrategicSource said can total tens of thousands of dollars lost per year. By building a community of dealers facing similar issues, the company said, groups can share information and solutions, promoting creativity, education and practical solutions.