CARY, N.C. -

As part of Used Car Week's Pre-Owned Con next week, Cherokee Media Group will recognize honorees in the annual Used Car Awards, a program presented by KAR Global. 

That includes our annual Independent Dealer of the Year, which this year goes to Kevin Condon, who is general manager of Auction Direct USA in Raleigh, N.C.

Below is a Q&A with Condon, which is available to CMG Premium subscribers now and to all readers in the upcoming December edition of Auto Remarketing.

Auto Remarketing: What was your first job in the car business and what did you learn from it?

Kevin Condon: When buying a used Geo Storm from a family-owned Chevrolet/Oldsmobile dealership in a small town in upstate New York, the sales manager involved in the deal recruited and convinced me to work on his sales floor, selling new and used vehicles. I knew nothing about the business, so I did what I was told without exception — even if I didn’t believe in the instructions, I followed them to the T.

During my seven-year sales consultant stretch, I was able to build a significant book of repeat and referral business. To this day, I’m grateful to my hiring sales manager, Tom Rosati, for his influence and sport metaphors during moments of self-doubt. I learned you can never stop learning if you want to keep the odds in your favor. I learned that I can’t be afraid to fail if I wanted to keep trying, and I learned that this business can only be fun if you don’t take yourself too seriously. And by the way, I still have a lot to learn.

AR: What do you enjoy most about the car business today?

KC: What I enjoy most about the car business today is training and development. Every business, no matter the industry, is only as good as the people and practices that our customers experience. Proactive approach with individuals and departments to identify stress or bottlenecks in process or people can seem daunting if not addressed fist hand to better understand the best remedy for positive results.  I enjoy seeing customers and employees exceed their expectations.

AR: How has automotive retail changed the most since your started?

KC: As much change as I’ve seen over the years, I never expected people willing to buy used vehicles without seeing, touching and driving them first. Online interaction has gone from “when can you come in to see us?” to “when can we deliver your car?”  Our industry is changing faster than the resources needed to keep up. To evolve in this new age, innovative minds is a prerequisite. 

AR: How has COVID-19 impacted the way your store does business, and how have you adapted?

KC: Special thanks to all the men and women of the NIADA and NADA for their part in the automotive industry categorized as essential throughout this national pandemic with thoughts and prayers to the businesses that are still struggling due to reasons outside their control.

The impact of COVID-19 has affected us all in many different levels. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have only one of 79 employees test positive post COVID-19. Our 100% compliance to CDC protocols helps make our customers and employees feel safe to perform their jobs with minimal risk. 

AR: Outside of COVID, what are some top challenges facing independent dealers in the used-car space? And what are some major opportunities?

KC: Being an independent used-car dealer gives us the freedom to sell any make and model but does leave us dependent on the franchised dealer for recalls and warranty repairs; consequently, customer experience is out of our control and vulnerable for unnecessary upsell. Having a good relationship with local franchised dealerships can make all the difference.