Chuck Seguin

Ontario

Columnist at Canadian Auto Dealer

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Articles

The importance of team

2 weeks ago | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

In my previous column, I highlighted that 2025 will be anything but normal. With businesses in general, and dealerships in particular, facing so much uncertainty, the only thing that we are in control of is how we perform day in and day out. We are entering a period where there will be no shortage in contrasting opinions, both public and private. As such, as dealers, we will be required to navigate the noise created, be it fact or fiction.
Mr. Magoo is back in town

1 month ago | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

For as many years as I can remember, the dawn of a new year was normally greeted with much anticipation and excitement. Customers and businesses alike were eager to see what the new year would bring. Plans were made, goals set, and tactics finalized. The game plan was set, the teams prepared, ready and waiting at the starting gates to race forward with great expectations. A new season was dawning, and many predictions of winners, losers and improvers were made. Excitement reigned supreme.
Learning to live with confusion

Nov 4, 2024 | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

Canadian interest rates declined another quarter point this morning, with hints of more declines likely in the coming year. This is good news for Canadians who are on the paying end of residential mortgages and consumer debts like vehicle loans. As interest rates decline, consumer affordability and buying power, in theory, increases. It is widely anticipated that many consumers will enjoy a positive impact on their monthly cash flow.
Challenges abound for dealers

Oct 1, 2024 | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

There are mixed signs in the market, and some dark clouds dealers need to keep their eyes on. Looking back over the years, the job of a dealer used to be quite simple: unlock the doors, and the customers either walked into your showroom or drove into the service department. That was followed by a period of hyper-competition, during which new brands and dealer locations shot up right across Canada.
Small steps could lead to big gains

Jul 29, 2024 | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

As I look back over the articles and reports of the past few years, many of the predictions and observations about the future of our industry are unfolding right before our eyes. We are living through a herculean industry transition that is anything but smooth. Since early 2020, we have faced significant challenges that have reshaped our industry, governments, customers, and employees. Two of the most significant, in my opinion, are vehicle availability and vehicle affordability.
Living with uncertainty

Jun 3, 2024 | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

The challenges facing automobile dealers are increasing at an alarming rate. The forces of nature that historically impacted automobile dealership operations are giving way to a wider array of uncontrollable factors. For example, gone are the days when new inventory was readily available and dealerships were able to conduct normal and somewhat predictable business activities. Dealerships no longer appear to control their destiny.
Why momentum matters

May 2, 2024 | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

Is your dealership experiencing momentum? Momentum is a term generally used to describe forward physical movement. its effects, however, can apply to many different aspects of our lives. For example, in sports, we often describe a dominant in-game swing as a shift in momentum. In the dealership world, momentum is simply moving positively toward accomplishing documented objectives. It can describe progress in key aspects in any department and for the dealership overall over various lengths of time.
AI and customer impressions

Mar 30, 2024 | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

I really like this time of year. It’s when pundits from many walks of life opine on where our automotive business is headed. Dealers are bombarded with off-the-wall ideas from seemingly credible well-funded ventures. In many ways it’s like a high school science fair for business masterminds. This year, like years before it, started off with the Consumer Electronics Show (“CES”) in early January closely followed by NADA.
Cautious optimism leaning into 2024

Mar 1, 2024 | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

Let me start by saying that generally we are still a year away from possibly experiencing significant upward shifts in our retail automotive businesses in Canada. Some months back I wrote an article entitled stay alive until 2025. There are many factors that still must align, and I believe that 2024 will be the continuation of the alignment that started at the tail end of 2023. There is still, however, a long way to go.
Will 2024 be a return to normal?

Dec 27, 2023 | canadianautodealer.ca | Chuck Seguin

Often when I speak with folks from auto retail, I often get the question “when do you think things will be back to normal?”My answer to this seemingly simple question is not simple at all. If you are waiting for 2016 or 2017 to return, then you are going to wait an awfully long time. If you are referring to an environment of constant change like we have had for the past 20+ years, then I’d say we are already there.