GNYADA August 2017 Newsletter

WardsAuto Previews “Dealerships of Tomorrow” 16

ponder trends experts see as less likely, yet which still have potential to shape the future of car-buying. One example is the prospect of “build-to-order” (BTO) dealerships where customers digitally configure a vehicle to their exact specifications and then await delivery as their product is constructed. Readers may access the article on wardsauto.com.

their operations, dealers will remain vital to the car-buying process. In the article, Mr. Mercer predicts service departments emerging as a dominant source of dealership profit. Specifically, dealers will have more satellite service facilities, allowing them to offer service closer to where their customers live. The piece also addresses the advent of autonomous vehicles. Mr. Szakaly notes that, given the number of miles autonomous cars will be asked to travel, these vehicles will require regular maintenance at dealerships. Finlay broadens the article’s scope to

A recent feature in WardsAuto’s Big Story examines developing trends in automotive retail and speculates how they will affect dealerships a decade down the line. The piece, titled Dealership of the Future , offers instructive takeaways about the evolving dealer business model in an increasingly digital age. Author Steve Finlay speaks to experts, including NADA’s chief economist Steven Szakaly, researcher/analyst Glenn Mercer, and other stakeholders in the auto retail space. Experts project that while mobility and online shopping will indeed cause dealerships to revamp

Automotive High School Students Get an In-Depth Dealership Tour

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warranty parts, and customer service. “Every different department they took us to opened students’ eyes to differ- ent areas in the field,” said Miguel Sierra, Automotive Instructor at Thomas Edison, who joined for the visit. “Not all of them will go on to be technicians, so it’s valuable for them to see how many doors are open to them at a dealership.” At the day’s conclusion, Rallye staff provided each Thomas Edison student with a job application and invited them to attend the job fair at Rallye Mercedes-Benz in Roslyn. “The career opportunities that Rallye exposed our students to supports the future we’re all working for as teach- ers and students,” continued Sierra. “This visit got them thinking about the next steps they need to take in order to be successful in a job at a dealership.”

Students from Thomas A. Edison Technical High School with GNYADA Chairman / Rallye Group Vice President, Nick Toomey.

Rallye BMW on Long Island wel- comed a group of 25 students from Thomas A. Edison Technical Education High School in Jamaica, Queens. The purpose of the field trip was to expose the students to the inner workings of a large dealership and show them the vast job

opportunities open to them in the automotive industry. GNYADA Chairman Nick Toomey, Owner and Vice President of the Rallye Group, took students on an extensive tour of each dealership department, including sales, service,

Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association • www.gnyada.com

The Newsletter • August 2017

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