If it’s Autumn, it must be Survey season at The Cannata Report. And indeed, it is as we launch the first of our two Annual Dealer Survey issues. The second arrives in November. If you’re counting, this is our 39th Annual Dealer Survey.
What a relief to launch part one of the Survey after spending more than four months encouraging dealers to participate and another month tabulating the results and writing the analysis. For anyone who has never conducted a similar survey, this is a monumental task.
The second part of the Survey isn’t as intense, and the writing and analysis are more like a downhill sprint rather than an uphill slog. That’s probably more insider information than you need to know, but my point is that this is a time-intensive endeavor that provides rewarding results to the dealers and vendors who take the time to review the numbers and read our analysis.
Over the years, many dealers have told us how valuable it is to see how they compare to their peers in the industry and, as you will see next month in Part 2, the various vendor ratings. Likewise, the vendors appreciate seeing how the dealers view them and their competitors.
This month also happens to be cybersecurity awareness month. If your dealership offers IT services, I highly encourage you to read Kate Gragg’s article, “Why October Is Prime Time for Dealers to Strengthen Client Security.” This is an excellent way to promote your cybersecurity expertise and offerings to your customers. And because hiring and retention is an ongoing challenge for dealers, don’t miss Mark Vruno’s article, “Take This Job and Shove It: Why Office Technology Dealership Employees Are Walking Away.”
On to the Survey!
