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People & Profits

Professional Development: How to Be a Better Coach (Part 2)

Discover how active coaching can be a vehicle that drives performance and accountability in your dealership.
By George Russell and Erik Thompson posted on July 16, 2015 | Posted in Department Management
In Part 1 of this two-part article, we discussed the purpose of coaching, how effective coaching strengthens accountability and how asking “coaching questions” challenges people to own and expand their capacity.

Part 1 • Part 2
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People & Profits

Professional Development: How to Be a Better Coach (Part 1)

Discover how active coaching can be a vehicle that drives performance and accountability in your dealership.
By Erik Thompson and George Russell posted on June 11, 2015 | Posted in Department Management
A coach’s job is to foster one-to-one relationships that challenge people to rise to higher levels of competence and responsibility. This article will discuss three key characteristics of an effective coach.

Part 1 • Part 2
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George Russell
Technology for Profit

Monetizing 'Dealership Wisdom'

By George Russell posted on April 9, 2015 | Posted in Operations & Finance
What is the value of the knowledge, experience and analytical ability (or troubleshooting) that your dealership has developed in order to sell and support your customers? This ability, which has been developed over time and exists in the minds of you and your employees can rightfully be called dealership wisdom.
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George Russell
Technology for Profit

Article Rewind: What We’ve Covered So Far

By George Russell posted on March 12, 2015 | Posted in Best Practices
I began writing a regular column in 2009 under the banner “Planning for Profits,” which focused on ways progressive farm equipment dealers can improve their bottom lines. In early 2012, the editorial focus changed to “Technology for Profits” — that is how dealers can and should use technology profitably. This list responds to dealers who have asked for copies to previously published articles.
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George Russell
Technology for Profit

Automating the Service Department of the Future

By George Russell posted on February 1, 2015
Service is without a doubt the most expensive department to operate. It occupies the most space in the dealership so it has the highest occupancy costs (heat, light, power, rent/amortization, etc.); it also employs the most people, and has the highest operating costs.
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George Russell
Technology for Profit

10 Things to Ask Your Business System Supplier

By George Russell posted on January 1, 2015
This column will provide you with questions you need to ask the business software provider(s) about the future capabilities of the system you use to run your dealership. These questions are not unreasonable because all of the capabilities discussed are already available in some form in farm equipment dealerships today. So to use a trite but true statement, “The future is now!”
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George Russell
Technology for Profit

How Technology Affects Your Parts-to-Labor Ratio

By George Russell posted on August 26, 2014
Do you use parts-to-labor ratio as a key benchmark in your operation? This important rule of thumb maintains that for every dollar of labor sales, your dealership should generate one dollar of parts sales. Both parts and service should be your dealership's most profitable departments and this ratio helps drive profits in both areas.
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George Russell
Technology for Profit

Why the Big Switch from PCs to Tablets?

By George Russell posted on July 1, 2014
The impetus for this month's column started with a comment from a dealer in one of our Currie Management Dealer Groups. At a recent meeting, he remarked, "Look around the room. Isn't it interesting that everyone who used a laptop computer a year ago now uses a tablet?"
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