CDK Global

Today, many auto dealerships across the U.S. are debating whether some or all of the new vehicle sales process should be moved online. Data suggest a hybrid sales approach, may be best. Let’s break down which tasks are better suited for online versus those that should remain part of the in-person shopping experience.

It’s essential to make a good first impression with a car shopper, as those initial minutes set the tone for your entire interaction. CDK regularly conducts research across the industry, and in a study of over a thousand car shoppers last year, we asked how much those crucial first moments matter to the overall experience.

The results showed that shoppers were almost equally likely to be greeted when they arrived on the lot (44%) or upon entering the store (40%). But 16% of those CDK surveyed said they weren’t greeted at all and had to seek someone out.

A winter storm may have shut down flights around the country during the last week in January but it didn’t shut down NADA 2025. True to form and the ever-resilient nature of the automotive retail industry, dealers, vendors and industry partners showed up and hit the trade show floor in New Orleans.

Unfortunately, many weren’t able to attend and that’s why CDK is offering both on-demand content and virtual webinars to make sure everything that was delivered at NADA finds its way to our customers.

There are two ways to catch up on everything that happened at NADA:

Inflation is hurting everyone. According to a recent Gallup poll, more than 40% of Americans named inflation as the top financial concern for their family. This is up considerably from the 2010s, when only 15% of consumers had inflation on their minds.

Tire sales represent an opportunity to drive additional Service revenue and highlight the convenience and quality of work performed at your Service center. All vehicle owners will need tires at some point. In fact, according to CDK’s latest Service Shopper Study, tire needs are the second most common reason for service, coming in behind oil changes. Over 50% of respondents specified tire rotation, repair or replacement as the vehicle service they received most recently.

If you have it, they’ll come — the right car that is. Car dealerships run on inventory and without it, shoppers aren’t likely to visit. Car buyers say the number one reason they visit a specific dealership is because it has the specific car they're looking for on the lot. 

Customer expectations are at an all-time high in the post-pandemic automotive retail industry. Shoppers want more screen time and less wait time during the car-buying process. That’s why dealers around the country are laser focused on upping the customer experience from devices to the showroom.

The Finance and Insurance department — better known as the F&I office — is where customers finalize financing, sign auto loan paperwork, and are walked through the F&I menu of supplemental products before the buyer leaves the dealership with their new vehicle. It can be both a major source of revenue for car dealers and an important stop for shoppers seeking a little extra coverage for their vehicles.

Your Service department is likely accustomed to auto parts delays that stretch far longer than in days past. While many supply chain issues have been resolved, there are still plenty of companies struggling to deliver in a timely manner. But your customers are likely unaware of the current state of affairs when it comes to parts. While there’s little you can do to speed up a shipment or a backlog of repairs, you can do a few things to appease frustrated customers while they wait.