Filed under: Going Green | Tags: dealership, environment, going, Green, marketing
Let’s play word association – I say “green” and at least some dealers might say “climate change” and then something very nasty about Al Gore. Other dealers when they hear “green” in context to dealership operations think the following:
- The need for energy independence
- ROI – by lowering of ongoing dealership expenses
- A marketing opportunity to differentiate your store from the competition
There are also some additional practical reasons to check out the “green/sustainable” movement slowly taking place at many stores:
Recruiting Gen Y: Most dealers struggle with recruiting a younger generation of employees; whether you feel they are right or wrong, they are very sensitive to the damage they feel has been done to their environment. Research says Gen Y’ers gravitate to work – and buy – from companies that have a track record of good environmental practices. For this generation that grew up with recycling and a true concern about the air they breathe, the “green” topic is not a debate, but a value. Ignoring or discounting the largest generation that will be buying your vehicles for as long as you’re a dealer is a perilous decision.
Check Your Inventory: By the end of 2012 OEM’s will have 80 alternative energy vehicles available for sale (hybrids; electric; fuel cell). Demand for fuel-efficient vehicles will also remain high as gas prices will invariably rise, government pressure to achieve higher CAFÉ standards will only continue, and a crop of customers who demand high mileage vehicles due to their environmental beliefs will continue to grow. So, you’ll be selling “green”, but will you be acting “green”?
Differentiating Your Dealership: For those of you who have built or significantly remodeled a facility during the last three years, you’ve added “sustainability factors” that you probably wouldn’t have dreamed of a few years ago. The decision to build a “greener” facility was probably a combination of expense reduction and good citizenship. The tough part, building a new facility, is done. Now that you’ve made the investment in “green technologies”, have you developed a marketing plan to further differentiate your store (s) from the competition? This is particularly important with the advent of Internet shopping – allowing you to move beyond “commodity pricing” through differentiation. Green Dealer Support provides the tools and help to customize communications that dealers can use to differentiate themselves by focusing on their “green” operations. Click here to learn more about what we do.
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Green Dealer Support 
Good points and well written.
Comment by Rick Prather August 6, 2012 @ 7:16 pm