Tag: dealerships

  Recordkeeping is often essential to business operations and automobile dealerships are no exception. Many auto dealerships use the Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) method of inventory accounting. Although the LIFO method can provide significant tax benefits, you must be careful to meet certain tax law requirements. One such requirement that is often overlooked is the need to maintain comprehensive records. There are different LIFO methods for new and used vehicle inventories. For new vehicle inventories, dealerships electing to use the alternative… Read more ›

As business owners, reliance on employees and vendors to help your dealership run smoothly is par for the course. Sometimes, those vendors and individuals take advantage of situations to increase their profits. Vendor fraud involves payments made to actual or fictitious vendors for personal gain. It is a lucrative industry that can take tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars off your bottom line. Types of Vendor Fraud There is a good chance your dealership has experienced some form of… Read more ›

One estate-planning tool that can protect your family and the partners in your dealership is a buy-sell agreement. This legal document may give owners the first shot at buying an interest in the company if another owner pulls out, becomes disabled or dies. Ideally, these contracts are drawn up when a business is launched, or acquired from other owners, but they can be entered into later. Don’t wait too long. If you die or become disabled without an agreement, it… Read more ›

Automotive dealerships are no strangers to strict measures surrounding customer data security. They have been complying with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act’s (GLBA) Safeguards Rule for more than 20 years. But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) amended the 2003 Safeguards Rule on October 27, 2021, to require additional controls for existing security compliance processes to better combat increased data breaches and online security risks. While the revised rule took effect on January 10, 2022, certain requirements, such as the appointment of a… Read more ›

Undoubtedly, your dealership is aware of the challenges it faces on the front-end of the business. Competition in the marketplace is stiff. That is why the focus is increasingly being shifted to the back-end. Ask this question: Is your dealership doing everything it can to maximize profitability in your service department? For many dealers, the answer is “no.” Significantly, you can begin to rely on your service department to pick up some of the slack. In other words, it can… Read more ›