By Ken Rock Does your dealership have a purchase order (PO) system? Often when I ask this question in dealerships the answer is, “Sort of.” When I dig deeper, I discover this could mean that POs are opened but never really closed out, or they’re attached to things but nobody has verified them. The worst-case […]

An open letter to our ‘Ohana from Auto/Mate President & CEO Mike Esposito: I have been at Auto/Mate for over 21 years and the time has come, as they say in baseball, to “hang up my spikes.” I will be retiring as of August 31, 2020. It has been a great run. This is my […]

A monthly summary of the latest news from Auto/Mate and DealerSocket. Publications Ward’s Auto For Car Dealers, Digital Retailing’s Future Arrives Early An Indiana car dealership puts the right tools in place and understands where and how to drive online traffic, with the help of DealerSocket’s PrecisePrice. AutoSuccess, pg. 28 6 Strategies to Increase Employee […]

By Tracey Van Allen, Accounting Support Specialist Does your dealership still reconcile bank transactions at the end of every month, using paper bank statements and Excel spreadsheets? Recently I visited a dealership that still used paper ledger books and pencils to reconcile. I understand that old habits die hard, but in today’s digital age it’s […]

By Melissa Maldonado, Director of Customer Support During tough times, it can be difficult for employees to stay positive and motivated. But if your dealership has a team-oriented culture, employees will have the attitude, “We’re in it together.” As Steve Jobs once said, “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done […]

Have you heard the latest news from Auto/Mate and DealerSocket? Stay in the know with our monthly roundup. Publications AutoSuccess 5 Reasons to Make Employee Engagement A Top Priority Employee engagement has become a top priority for 85% of executives. In this article Melissa Maldonado shares compelling reasons why every dealership should be prioritizing employee […]

By Melissa Maldonado, Director of Customer Support As published in the May issue of AutoSuccess magazine Employee engagement has become a top priority for 85% of executives, according to the Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends study. Across the country, dealerships are competing to win “best place to work” awards and creating great corporate cultures in […]

by Ken Rock, Customer Care Manager Recently I was in a dealership and heard a service advisor answer the phone. A customer called and asked about a problem with their vehicle. “What kind of noise…grinding?” the advisor asked. “Hmm, it sounds like it could be your CV joint…oh I’d say around $400 to $500, in […]

Auto/Mate has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2020 honor by The Times Union. The recognition marks the ninth year Auto/Mate has been named a top workplace by the paper. “This year, the Top Workplaces award means even more, as we merge Auto/Mate’s and DealerSocket’s employee-focused cultures,” said Dave Druzynski, VP of People and Culture at […]

Keep in touch with the latest news from Auto/Mate and DealerSocket with our monthly roundup. Publications Digital Dealer Less is More: Optimizing Websites Through Design When it comes to your website, it’s not about merchandising; it’s about providing a route for car shoppers to sort and filter inventory. Is your website optimized for this process? […]

We’re excited to announce that Steve Zadoorian and Dave Druzynski have both taken on new, expanded roles at DealerSocket! In their new positions, Steve and Dave will ensure that DealerSocket and Auto/Mate customers and employees continue to benefit from an emphasis on customer support and company culture. Steve Zadoorian has been named Senior VP Operations […]

By Melissa Maldonado, Director of Customer Support As published in Digital Dealer. If employee turnover is a top concern for your dealership, one of your top priorities must be transforming your workplace culture and leadership style. We traditionally think of leadership as a top-down, authoritarian hierarchy. Years ago, this was the typical structure in almost […]

by Mike Esposito, president and CEO, Auto/Mate As published in the March, 2020 issue of Dealer Magazine Auto dealership buy/sell activity remains brisk, according to the latest Blue Sky Report by Kerrigan Advisors. There were an estimated 231 acquisitions in 2019, up 7% from 216 acquisitions in 2018. In 2019, average dealership blue sky values […]

Auto/Mate is doing its part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by restricting travel for its team members and allowing them to work from home. We hope all of our employees and customers, along with their families, stay safe in these unprecedented times. Publications A Generational Shift is Boosting Buy/Sell Activity Digital Dealer A […]

Many dealers don’t have a good grip on their cash flow due to outdated bank reconciliation processes. If you’re still balancing your bank statement on a monthly basis using paper copies, you’re losing out on the many benefits of daily bank reconciliations using your dealership management system (DMS). With daily bank reconciliations, employee and bank […]