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#132 The Hidden Hospitality Formula Behind Scaling to 40 Dealerships | Jeff Swickard, Dealer Principal of Swickard Auto Group
October 31, 2024 · 50 min
Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Jeff Swickard, Dealer Principal of Swickard Auto Group. We discuss the secret hospitality formula behind scaling to 40 dealerships, Serving 1M unique customers every year, the best customer service car brands, and his biggest challenges in replicating success in other dealerships. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: Edmunds - Premier is a solution from Edmunds that connects you with in-market shoppers when, where, and how they want to connect. Learn more at https://edmu.in/3C7x1pR Draiver - ​​Draiver is your go-to solution for seamless, efficient vehicle transport—moving vehicles up to four times faster than traditional options. From valet services to service pick-up and delivery, Draiver’s 20,000 contract drivers are ready to assist with your dealership’s unique needs. Learn more @ https://bit.ly/Draiver-Solutions OPENLANE - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes - all with lower fees. New dealers receive a $350 buy fee credit. Learn more at https://carguymedia.com/3YpkYvz Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:31) - Jeff’s background and career (00:06:13) - How did you get Open Points in your market? (00:11:48) - How have your margins trended since implementing a new customer-focused culture? (00:14:54) - How are you solving for the technician shortage? (00:19:23) - How do you implement this customer-focused culture with value brands? (00:22:37) - What’s it like having a dealership in Alaska? (00:22:52) - What department interests you the most? (00:29:13) - What brands are you excited about right now? (00:32:41) - What’s your used car strategy? (00:41:22) - Pursuing a mindset of continuous learning (00:44:24) - What advantage do dealers have over Tesla or DTC? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com