You don’t have time for BS, let alone another vendor-sponsored podcast. You need actionable insights from people who understand your business inside and out.
Welcome to the Used Car Dealer Podcast.
Hosted by industry veterans Zach Klempf and Steve McClory, Used Car Dealer Podcast is the ONLY show that’s 100% focused on YOU.
No sales pitches. No vendors-sponsored content. Just authentic, straight-to-the-point advice for used car dealers.
In each episode, Zach and Steve share tips on how to supercharge your business. You’ll hear interviews with industry experts, hot debates, and must-have news from across the industry.
Whether you’re in sales, F&I, management, or you run the whole show, you’ll love the Used Car Dealer Podcast. Subscribe today anywhere you listen to podcasts.
January 12, 2021
In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach interviews Alex Vetter the CEO of Cars.com in an insightful interview about small business, online presences, and the differentiation of Cars.com versus other auto marketplaces.
Some of the other topics they discuss include:
Q1) For those of us listening talk about how you got into Cars.com in the early days and eventually become the CEO?
Q2) It’s been a roller coaster of a year for dealers, talk to me about what you have observed from your lens at Cars.com and the way consumers have interacted and purchased vehicles from dealerships?
Q3) How has Cars.com’s strategy differentiated from other marketplaces like CarGurus or TrueCar?
Q4) What have you guys been working on with the Dealer Inspire brand in terms of digital retail and allowing dealers to interface with consumers online?
Q5) Talk about the amount of in-market shoppers that visit Cars.com monthly and how a small independent dealership can be competitive and be visible online (through Cars.com)?
Q6) What are your thoughts on online dealers like Carvana and Vroom who have taken public markets by storm and subscriptions for automotive.
Q7) What are some of your predictions for 2021 and what’s coming down the pipeline from Cars.com?
Q8) What is Cars.com doing that uniquely helps independent dealers compete in the ultra-competitive used car marketplace?
Youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sIAD_7tOFA
December 21, 2020
In this special episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast Zach and Steve talk with used car dealer owner and operator Michael Greer on the challenges and successes of 2020. This is the first retail dealer we have brought on the podcast and a very interesting episode. They discuss a variety of topics from vehicle acquisition and pricing during the pandemic to online car sales. Some of the topics they discuss include:
1. How Michael got into the car business and what's unique about his store
2. How has Michael's floor plan been impacted?
3. How has the way his store purchases inventory changed during the pandemic?
4. The impact technology has had on the way Michaels dealership operates
December 18, 2020
Zach and Jason discuss everything from the mistakes of new BHPH operators to the increased investment in the sub-prime marketplace.
On the episode they discuss:
- How Jason got into the car business and the fact that his father's BHPH store hired developers in the 1970s to build technology to create more efficiencies.
- What Jason has observed from his lens when it comes to BHPH sales during the pandemic
- How has technology (ex - software) evolved the way BHPH dealers operate their dealerships?
- What are the most common mistakes that a new BHPH operator makes?
- BHPH is becoming more and more compliance-driven, whether it’s battling with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) or litigation on a local level, what are some of the best practices from a compliance standpoint Jason recommends for BHPH dealers
- Jason's thoughts on new models like subscription and online dealers and whether they are trickling down to BHPH
- More funds and sophisticated investors have got into the BHPH space, what are your thoughts on the increased investment (over the last 5 years) into the subprime marketplace; what’s that mean for smaller BHPH operators?
Read the transcribed version here -https://blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/interview-with-jason-reaves-on-buy-here-pay...
December 3, 2020
Zach Klempf interviews Bob Lanham Head of Automotive Retail at Facebook on how used car dealerships can leverage Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Ads, and Facebook Messenger in 2020 and beyond.
Topics for the podcast include:
1) What Bob has observed from his lens at FB when it comes to used car sales during the pandemic
2) The latest for auto dealers in terms of Facebook offerings
3) The importance of being responsive on Facebook Marketplace and how that contributes to best in class customer experience
4) Most used car dealers are familiar with Facebook when it comes to FB Marketplace but they aren’t as familiar with FB Ads, Bob discusses ways successful dealerships are leveraging FB ads and what sort of campaigns are they running
5) Bob's thoughts about new models like subscription and the way Tesla sells EV vehicles online
6) A look ahead at 2021 and what Facebook has coming down the pipeline
7) What is the Facebook Auto Marketing Collective Group and why should dealers join it (Join here - www.facebook.com/groups/automarketingcollective)
8) Bob's advice for dealers when it comes to their online presence across Facebook, FB Marketplace, Instagram, and social media as a whole
Read the transcribed version here - blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/intervi…lace-and-ads
November 23, 2020
In this video episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach Klempf interviews the managing director at 700 Credit Ken Hill. They have a timely discussion on topics ranging from digital retail to prequalification.
They discuss on the episode:
- Observations from Ken on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail auto dealers as it relates to credit - How has credit and compliance adapted for automotive digital retail and what role does pre-qualify play in that?
- Compliance mistakes that used car dealers make that could get them into legal trouble
- A checklist of compliance tools and credit tools from pre-screen to income verification, what Ken suggests every used car dealer needs - A peek ahead at 2021 and what 700 has coming down the pipeline
Read the transcribed version here - blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/intervi…t-700-credit
November 16, 2020
In this video episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach Klempf interviews the executive editor at KBB/Autotrader Brian Moody. They have a timely discussion on topics ranging from digital retail to consumer trends during the pandemic.
They discuss on the episode:
- Observations from Brian on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on retail auto dealers as well as the impact on the Autotrader and KBB marketplace
- How are consumers shopping differently during the pandemic?
- The new monthly best deals list for car shoppers and other resources KBB/Autotrader provides consumers
- How does Autotrader differentiate itself versus other marketplaces? What has your team done on the SEO front?
- What’s your opinion on EV vehicles and the rise in the popularity of Tesla? What about the Hummer EV?
- Give me a peek ahead at 2021 and what guys have coming down the pipeline?
Read the transcribed version here - blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/intervi…b-autotrader
November 5, 2020
In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach Klempf interviews the VP of Sales at Cox Automotive David Foutz who oversees teams at Kelly Blue Book, Dealertrack DMS, and Xtime. They have a timely discussion on topics ranging from margin compression to trends in automotive retail.
They discuss on the episode:
- Margin compression considerations for auto dealers during Q4 and beyond
- Retail auto dealer adoption of digital retail as well as advancements in the service drive
- Future discussion on EV's and automotive retail
- We close out the episode with a peek ahead at 2021 and what are some of the key trends to protect profitability at the dealership.
Read the transcribed version here - blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/intervi…ore-for-2021
October 26, 2020
In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach Klempf interviews SVP of Product and Engineering at Cox Automotive James Maynard. They have an insightful and in-depth discussion on technology and trends in automotive retail. They discuss on the episode:
- Digital retail adoption during the pandemic and how it can make the smaller used car dealer model more scalable
- Efficiency in communication in both the sales and service processes at dealerships
- Innovations in Xtime, Dealer.com Digital retail, and other upcoming products at Cox
- Complexity of integration in dealer software and why sometimes they may take longer than a dealer may consider
- Future discussion on EV's and the automotive subscription model
- Zach and James close out the conversation with a discussion around Cox's strategy of viewing software products less as in there's own silo and more of an integrated platform
October 14, 2020
In episode #15 Zach has an in-depth interview with Senior Economist at Cox Automotive Charlie Chesbrough, they discuss hot topics like:
1) What does an economist do and how does one become an economist at Cox Automotive
2) Charlie's perspective on the economy from March to present (auto-focused)
3) Wholesale prices on used inventory and impact of manufacturers stopping production earlier in the year
4) 84-month interest rates and stimulus-driven automotive marketplace
5) Online auto retailers and automotive subscription model
6) Discussion on futures and EV vehicles
October 5, 2020
In this episode, Zach interviews Ed French and we discuss the following:
1. We discuss the changes from March/April when COVID-19 first started to take mindshare to now as well as the concept of MWBA
2. Inventory management is a hot topic in today’s marketplace; what should dealer operators be doing to set themselves up for success in sourcing inventory in today’s marketplace?
3. Many used car dealers are running with smaller teams and furloughed or fired employees during the pandemic. Owners and operators have had to make tough decisions; what advice from the management perspective do you have for operators during the pandemic, and as we finish off the rest of the year?
4. When most used car dealers think of the word “capital,” they think of the funding needed to acquire inventory and run the business. There’s also human capital, and in an industry where there’s historically very high turnover, what is the importance of human capital when it comes to a dealership?
5. Why should/or shouldn’t a used car dealer operator consider a service component to their business model? (More so Pro’s/Cons)
August 28, 2020
In this episode Zach and Steve interview Dale Pollack who's the Founder of vAuto which is one of the most well-known inventory management products in the industry.
Dale's career in the automotive industry spans more than two decades. As a former dealer, technology entrepreneur and best-selling author, Pollak has helped over 10,000 automotive dealers in North America make dramatic improvements in their new and used vehicle operations.
August 6, 2020
Zach interviews Bob Hollenshead, the largest independent wholesale operator in North America and an automotive serial entrepreneur. Bob has deep expertise in the used marketplace as it relates to wholesale and auctions. His data companies have also powered some of the leading trade applications including TrueCar Trade and Autotrader.ca.
In this episode Steve and Zach revisit Carvana (Episode #2) post-COVID-19 and discuss the following:
1) Carvana at $20B market cap, Vroom IPO, and disruption
2) Steve's experience w/ Carvana
3) Digital Retail for used car dealers and sourcing inventory
4) Where do we go from here?
Like, Subscribe and keep fighting the good fight!
June 16, 2020
In this episode, Zach interviews serial entrepreneur Matt Watson. Matt was the Co-Founder and CTO of Vin Solutions CRM which was an automotive SaaS company he bootstrapped and sold for over $135M to Cox Automotive.
May 12, 2020
In this episode, Zach interviews Andrew Gordon, who's the founder of DealerScience which was a digital retail product acquired by TrueCar (Nasdaq: TRUE)in December 2018. Andrew discusses digital retail as well as his journey as an entrepreneur in automotive software.
May 5, 2020
In this episode, Steve and Zach discuss topics top of mind for dealers selling through the COVID-19 marketplace including inventory management, software, changing messaging for COVID-19, and more!
April 15, 2020
The guest for episode #7 is Steve Greenfield, the Founder & Ceo of Automotive Ventures. Steve has over 20 years in the automotive retail/software space and has overseen over $1B in acquisitions in auto software including vAuto and Vin Solutions.
March 24, 2020
In episode #6 Zach and Steve have a dynamic conversation with Cox Automotive's Director, Enterprise Dealer Partnerships (EDP) Sales Strategy Amardeep Kumar. Amardeep shares his story of how he got into the automotive industry as well as his thoughts on digital retail, used cars, and recommendations for dealers to whether the COVID-19 economy of today's market.
March 18, 2020
In episode #5 we have a special and timely episode on COVID-19 aka Corona Virus and our thoughts on what dealers can do in these times and commentary on our experience of the COVID-19 virus while out in Asia earlier this year.
January 9, 2020
In this episode, Zach and Steve discuss some of the trends from 2019 including digital retail and Facebook marketplace. Steve also gives his perspective on inventory management and benchmarking in 2020 and beyond.
October 14, 2019
One on one interview with Tom Hampton who is a 3rd generation car guy. Tom has been going independent dealer to independent dealer with his team in Texas and has logged over 50,000 hours with his team over the last 13 years.
September 20, 2019
The second episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast featuring Zach Klempf and Steve McClory; the only podcast out there for used car dealers!
Key topics from this episode include:
1) Introduction to Carvana
2) What does Carvana mean for used car dealers
3) How can dealers combat Carvana
4) Digital Retail
August 30, 2019
The first episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast featuring Zach Klempf and Steve McClory; the only podcast out there for used car dealers!
The podcast is vendor-free and sale pitch free on principal. Whether you're a salesperson, f&i manager, gm/owner, we want you to have actional takeaways from this podcast.
Key topics from this episode include:
1) Introduction to Steve and Zach
2) Buying Software for your Dealership - Pitfalls to avoid
3) Should I invest in Inventory Management Software?
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with Alex Vetter in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
Zach: Hello, Zach here, and we have a great guest on the podcast today, Alex Vetter, who is the CEO of Cars.com,...
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with Michael Greer in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with Jason Reaves in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
Zach: Alright! Hello, it’s Zach here and we have a great guest on the podcast today for Episode #21, Jason Reaves who’s the...
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with Bob Lanham in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
Zach: Hello, Zach here, and we have an awesome guest on the podcast today for episode 20, Bob Lanham who's...
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with Ken Hill in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
“It’s a great time to be a car dealer,” declared Axios recently. The Washington, D.C. publication isn’t wrong. They could have added that it’s a fascinating, intriguing, and even exciting moment for American car dealers. For many, the COVID-19 pandemic and challenging economy not only hasn’t hurt their bottom line, but in some ways, has helped tech-enabled...
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with Brian Moody in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with David Foutz in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
Zach: Hello, It’s Zach and another episode of the Used Car Dealer podcast, and we have a timely...
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with James Maynard in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
In this blog post, we have transcribed the UCDP interview with Charlie Chesbrough in written format. You can listen to the original podcast here.
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