Automotive

Key Questions for Dealership Leaders – Walking in Your Shoes – Lessons in Real-World Dealership Leadership

It is easy to get buried in the day-to-day — stock levels, deliveries, CSI surveys, and the relentless pressure of targets. But every now and then, it is worth stepping back to ask a few deeper questions. Not to tick a box, but to recalibrate. We’ve both had those moments — sitting in an empty showroom on a quiet Tuesday, wondering why things that used to work do not hit the mark anymore. Here are some of the questions we have found most powerful in helping leaders reset and refocus: - Is the culture in your dealership one you’d want to work in? - Are your consultants clear on what a great customer experience actually looks like? - Does your team have clarity on what’s expected of them daily — and why? - Are you measuring the right things… or

Read More
Automotive

Lessons in Real-World Dealership Leadership – A New Market Reality

Let us be clear, today’s retail auto market is not broken. It has just evolved. What we are seeing now is a dealership landscape where pressure has become constant. Consumer confidence is shifting. Digital leads are rising. Margin compression is the new normal. And yet, many dealership teams are still operating without the structure needed to respond with clarity and control. This is not about effort. Most dealers are working harder than ever. It is about alignment. We have found that many dealerships are missing a unified, high-performance culture across departments. Process discipline has frayed; training is inconsistent or missing altogether. And when everything is moving fast, those gaps start to show quickly. So, what does success look like now? It is not about reinventing the wheel. It is about returning to core operational disciplines and executing them with excellence.

Read More
Automotive

Walking in Your Shoes – Surviving and Thriving in the Australian Auto Industry

SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN THE AUSTRALIAN AUTO INDUSTRY (And why doing “what we’ve always done” just doesn’t work anymore) Margins are tighter. Costs are rising. And with **more than 80 brands** now competing in the Australian market, the pressure is relentless. Many dealerships are running lean…but not necessarily smarter. Here’s what we’re seeing and hearing: ·      Staff turnover stripping away experience ·      Process discipline eroding ·      Sales, Service, and Finance & Insurance working in silos ·      Enquiries slipping through the cracks (despite having all the tech) But it’s not all doom and gloom. Tough markets force clarity. They strip out noise, and for dealers willing to re-anchor around the fundamentals, this is a chance to lead stronger than ever. That’s why we’ve launched Walking in Your Shoes – Lessons in Real World Dealership Leadership. Written by Derek McIlroy and Greg Officer, co-owners of Fusion

Read More
Automotive

Walking in your Shoes – An Introduction

Walking in your Shoes is a weekly blog for Australian motor dealers, written by former dealers who understand the real-world challenges you face. Each short post tackles ongoing and emerging issues—from margin pressure and rising costs to staff turnover and lost dealership expertise—with practical insights from people who have been in your shoes. In today’s changing market, staying ahead means staying grounded.

Read More