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September is often the moment when dealerships set their sights on the finish line. With Q4 around the corner and year-end targets in sight, every lever that moves inventory faster and protects profitability becomes more important. One lever that deserves more attention this month? Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs. Why CPO Matters Right Now The used market has been anything but predictable. Prices remain high, demand is holding firm, even outpacing supply, and buyers still want value, affordability, and peace of mind. Higher Used Vehicle Prices: The average price for a three-year-old used car has climbed back to over $30,500, up 2.3% from the same time last year. Trade-ins now average 7.6 years old, the oldest since 2019. Customers are paying more, and they expect more assurance in return. Aging Inventory on the Lots: Units are sitting longer, and older models carry greater buyer hesitation unless there’s proof of quality and protection. Refinancing Pressure: Longer loan terms from refinancing are slowing down trades, further tightening supply. For dealers, that means more aging units on the lot and certification becomes the tool to add value and protect profit. For dealers, the takeaway is clear: today’s retail lots hold more vehicles that once would have gone to wholesale. With higher mileage units, customer hesitation rises, and certification is what turns that hesitation into trust. What CPO Brings to the Table Certification does more than putting a badge on a car. It builds buyer confidence, protects margins, and makes finance conversations smoother. Dealers who lean into CPO this fall will find themselves with an advantage in four areas: Trust that closes deals: Certification reassures skeptical buyers, especially when vehicle prices remain high. Gross that holds: CPO units typically sell at higher margins per unit, compared to non-certified used. Loyalty that lasts: CPO buyers are more likely to return for service and their next purchase. F&I upside: CPO vehicles naturally remove buyer hesitation. With certification and coverage already in place, finance managers can position additional protection products as logical extensions, not hard sells. Additionally, with independent certification programs, dealers gain more control and higher reinsurance participation, meaning profitability continues long after the initial sale. The Limits of Traditional OEM Programs Not all certification programs are created equal. OEM CPO programs have brand recognition, but they often come with trade-offs: Narrow eligibility, usually limited to late-model vehicles. Fixed structures that cap profitability. Added costs and processes that slow down inventory turn. Little measurable impact on finance. For dealers under pressure to maximize every unit, these limitations can feel restrictive. What Modern CPO Looks Like This is where dealer-driven certification programs are changing the conversation. Take the example of PRO Consulting’s CPO solution: 160-point safety and mechanical inspection that raises buyer confidence. Complimentary certified powertrain coverage that simplifies the sales process. $1,500 higher margin on average, plus a 10% lift in VSC and stronger PVR. Dealer-driven flexibility and added reinsurance profit. Here’s a quick look at the difference: While some stores apply their own “Dealer Certified” label, in many cases those vehicles haven’t received much more than the standard inspection and prep that every retail car goes through. Without consistent standards, coverage, and pricing, it becomes harder to build buyer trust or justify premium pricing. A structured CPO program closes those gaps by combining credibility with flexibility, supporting stronger grosses, and giving customers greater confidence. Here’s how they compare: Most dealers keep a share of OEM-certified units to capture factory Co-op marketing funds, and that’s smart. The opportunity lies in what you do with everything else. With a structured CPO program, you can maximize your OEM benefits while building real value (and higher grosses) across your remaining used inventory. Why September Is the Moment This is the time to act. Here’s why: Year-end pressure is real. CPO helps you capture more gross per unit while retailing used cars faster. Customer expectations are high. Buyers want trust and protection, and they’ll pay for it. Incentives are shifting. As OEM programs change, dealer-controlled CPO creates stability in both margins and customer confidence. Why CPO Should Be on Your Radar CPO is more than a checkbox program. It’s a lever that helps you retail older inventory with confidence, protect margins when prices are high, and give customers the reassurance they need to move forward. With incentives shifting, trade-ins slowing, and older units tying up space, certification has become essential. Dealers using it are turning those cars faster, boosting PVR, and protecting their margins. Why settle for the same old program when you could get more? Let’s talk about how our CPO solution can give your store an advantage. Call us for a quick chat and see what’s possible.

There’s no sign above the showroom floor that says, “This is how we treat each other here.” But the message still comes through loud and clear. Culture is not a slogan painted on a breakroom wall. It’s what your team picks up when they watch how their manager reacts under pressure, how conflicts are handled, and what gets rewarded, not just with bonuses, but through recognition and opportunities for growth. In dealerships, where the pace is fast and the focus often falls on the numbers, culture can quietly become a set of behaviors and attitudes no one meant to teach, but everyone learns. Let’s talk about what your dealership might be teaching, and what’s possible when you teach something better. What Gets Mimicked, Multiplies Culture is shaped in small moments, a dismissive comment that goes unchecked, a high achiever who’s not held to the same standards as the rest of the team, a new hire who never gets coached because they’re “figuring it out.” If your top salesperson consistently bends the truth to close deals and is praised for “getting it done,” don’t be surprised when others start doing the same. That’s culture at work. Moreover, people don’t just follow policies. They follow patterns. Especially the ones they see leaders repeat. And while it’s tempting to focus on fixing the lowest performers, culture work often starts with the highest-ranking. Because the team takes its cues from them. What’s the Real Cost of a Lopsided Culture? Turnover that never stops turning. Culture fatigue is a real thing. People don’t always quit because they “can’t handle the job.” Often, they’re worn down by an environment that feels indifferent, disorganized, or transactional. Customers notice more than we think. Culture isn’t just an internal thing. Customers pick up on tension between departments, disjointed experiences, or employees who are clearly disengaged. Training that never sticks. You can run a top-tier sales workshop, but if the floor manager shrugs it off the next day, your team will too. Culture is what makes training stick or slide right off. Building Stronger Teams (Without the Pep Talks) Here are a few ways dealerships we work with are creating culture on purpose, and seeing the payoff in retention, performance, and customer experience. 1. Build micro-habits into leadership routines Culture doesn’t need a quarterly workshop. It needs daily reinforcement. Here’s something worth a try: Start every day with one positive touchpoint like a thoughtful question, a high-five, a quick note of thanks. End every week with a team huddle that’s not about sales goals, but about something you learned from a team member that week. Small, intentional habits from leadership build a baseline of trust that spreads. 2. Define ‘excellence’ out loud Your team might be clear on what numbers matter, but are they clear on how you define professionalism, teamwork, and integrity? Write down the 3 to 5 behaviors that define “doing it right” at your store. Not vague words like “accountability” or “respect.” Actual actions. Share it. Reinforce it. Recognize it when you see it. Here are some examples: Sales and service team members greet every customer within 30 seconds, even if it is not “their” customer. All team members arrive prepared for every meeting with one observation or idea to share. Employees follow up with internal teammates with the same care and responsiveness shown to customers. Sales and service staff document one learning or takeaway in the CRM after each deal or customer interaction. This clarity removes the guesswork and gives your team something to live up to. 3. Give middle managers more than a clipboard Your frontline managers are your culture carriers. But many of them are promoted for performance, not leadership readiness. Offer them tools to lead not just track results. Peer coaching sessions. Quick roleplay refreshers. A “coaching vs micromanaging” consistent refresher training once a quarter. When you train them well, they raise the bar for everyone else. 4. Create safe, casual collision zones Not all breakthroughs happen in the conference room. Set up low-pressure spaces where departments can overlap like a rotating lunch-and-learn, or 10-minute “What You Wish Sales Knew” between F&I, sales, and other teams. It lowers the silo walls. And over time, it builds more cohesion and empathy into how your teams work together. 5. Measure what matters to culture Track things like: Internal referrals: If your team isn’t recommending friends to apply, ask why. First 90-day retention: Culture shows up early. Training-to-execution gaps: Are they using new skills? You cannot fix what you do not track. So, what’s the ROI? The return on a strong culture is measurable, and it shows up where it matters most. Productivity goes up. 76% of employees say workplace culture strongly affects their job performance. A healthy culture boosts engagement, which Gallup has linked to an 18% increase in sales productivity. Performance goes up. Teams with high psychological safety, in other words, when people feel safe asking for help or admitting a miss, consistently outperform others. Sales go up. Service drives faster. CSI scores climb. Conflict goes down. When expectations for behavior are clear, miscommunication drops, and more time goes toward moving the business forward. Commitment to ethical behavior. 70% of employees agree that a strong culture builds commitment to ethical behavior, a critical driver of dealership reputation and long-term customer loyalty. Final Thought Your culture is always teaching something. The question is: Is it teaching what you actually believe in?  You do not need a full rebrand. You need a few clear behaviors, shown daily, starting with leaders, including, a place where doing it the right way gets just as much spotlight as doing it the fast way. And you need to know culture is contagious. Make it worth catching. At PRO Consulting, we partner with dealerships across every department, helping not just to lift the numbers but to embed the skills, systems, and training that drive lasting performance, higher productivity, and a culture that supports both your people and your bottom line.

By the time a lead hits your CRM, that customer has already been busy comparing models, checking out other dealerships, reading reviews, and maybe even scheduling a test drive somewhere else. That is a lot of ground covered before you ever get the chance to say hello. Here is what it comes down to. Fast follow-up still wins deals, but only if you know who to follow up with and why. By tapping into shopper behavior across digital touchpoints, dealers are getting earlier visibility into who is in the market and what they are looking for. With timely insight into who is shopping, follow-up becomes faster, more relevant, and more likely to close the deal. No guesswork. Just smart, data-powered visibility that gives your store a real edge in a competitive space. Curious what this technology looks like in action? Read on. Or connect with us for a quick walkthrough. Real Leads. Real Fast. One Powerful Solution There is a big difference between a casual browser and someone who is actively on the hunt. But without clear insight, it is hard to tell which is which. That is where even great teams miss opportunities, not from lack of effort, but from limited visibility. Understanding what buyers are looking for, how soon they are planning to act, and what matters most to them helps you focus time and effort on where it counts. That is exactly why many stores are turning to innovative technology to reveal serious shoppers earlier in the journey. Here is what that tool makes possible: See when a customer enters the market (often within 24 hours of their journey starting) Understand what vehicles they are considering, what they are comparing, and why Measure shopping intensity to guide your approach—text, call, or targeted offer Identify preferences based on online behavior and research patterns Layer in demographic insights to fine-tune timing and message Connect anonymous browsing behavior to real people, not just data points You are not just following up; now you are showing up with the kind of message that makes them think, “They get what I am looking for.” Fast Follow-Up Is Not Just for Sales Anymore It is easy to focus only on the showroom, but here’s the twist: it is also critical to know where your existing customers are showing up. That includes uncovering which ones are getting their vehicles serviced elsewhere, so you can step in before loyalty fades. Imagine knowing: Which customers just had service done at a competitor What kind of service it was How long has it been since their last visit with you Then imagine sending them a targeted offer that aligns with their vehicle’s needs and brings them back to your service lane. That’s not a lost opportunity anymore. That is reclaimed revenue. When Shoppers Move Fast, You Should Too With the uncertainty around tariffs and pricing in the news again, there is more urgency than usual on the shopper’s side. According to a Cars.com survey, about half of U.S. shoppers said they planned to move up their vehicle purchase to avoid potential price hikes. This is where speed becomes a profit. When you can identify and engage serious buyers as soon as they hit the market, you are not just increasing your odds; you are saving time, effort, and money. What This Means for F&I Bringing shoppers in is just the start. The real opportunity is in being ready when they are ready to say yes. With more customers accelerating their purchase timelines to avoid pricing uncertainty, your F&I process needs to move just as fast without losing the personal touch. Be ready with: Protection options that reflect today’s buyer concerns (longer ownership, resale value, repair inflation) Smart bundling that simplifies decisions and supports faster close times Clear, confident conversations that match where the shopper is in their journey When Sales, F&I, and Service all run on the same insights, the experience feels seamless, and your results speak for themselves. Less Guessing. More Closing. By the time a shopper fills out a lead form or clicks ‘call us,’ they might already be out the door physically or mentally. But when your team has access to real-time market insight and behavioral data, you go from reactive to ready. You see the shopper first. You act with precision. You bring in more of the right people faster. And when your competitors are still fumbling with stale leads and spray-and-pray emails, you are already shaking hands in the showroom or welcoming them back to your service drive. Want to drive more foot traffic and bring meaningful leads into your store? Connect with us and we’ll help set up a quick demo to show you what this can do for your dealership.

You Cannot Convert What You Cannot See Subaru’s rise to the top in online lead follow-up is more than just a brand win. It is a clear sign of what works. Fast, personal outreach can be the difference between earning a customer and losing them to the dealer down the street. And the reason is simple: most shoppers begin their vehicle search online. They compare reviews, explore options, and narrow their choices before they ever step foot in your showroom. That is why identifying high-intent online car shoppers early puts you in a stronger position to earn their business. Subaru’s performance makes the case. Their dealers connect with online shoppers through email, phone, and text 71 percent of the time, well above the 49 percent industry average. That kind of responsiveness gets noticed. Dealerships that shift from delayed or minimal follow-up to consistent, thoughtful outreach can see up to 50 percent more sales from the same pool of leads. That’s a significant lift, with no additional traffic required. But here is something to consider, you cannot follow up with people you cannot see. Knowing who is actively shopping and what they are looking for is the first step toward turning online interest into real conversations and real sales. Turning Online Car Shoppers into Real Opportunities Every online car shoppers leaves a trail. What are they browsing? When did they enter the market? Which features are they focused on? The challenge is turning that activity into something useful. It is not about collecting names. It is about identifying who is truly in-market and understanding what drives their decisions. That is where a tool like the Active Shopper Network comes in. It helps you stop guessing and focus on the people who are most likely to buy, including those who may have never contacted your store directly. What You Can Find with the Active Shopper Network: Identify active online car shoppers as soon as they enter the market. See who is researching vehicles and what they are considering, often within 24 hours of their activity beginning. Gauge shopper intent and engagement level. See how actively they are browsing, which helps your team understand how close they are to a decision. Utilizing that insight to tailor your outreach, whether it is a helpful follow-up with more info, a personalized offer, or an invite to visit the showroom. Get access to more than basic contact info. View names, emails, phone numbers, current vehicle ownership, and even details on where they are getting their vehicle serviced. Bring back service customers. Know when your existing customers are going elsewhere for service so you can reconnect with timely and relevant offers. This is not about sending more messages but showing up at the right time with something that resonates. Why This Matters for Your Team When your team knows who they are talking to and what that person cares about, conversations feel more natural and productive. There is no need to open with a general sales pitch. If someone has been researching hybrid SUVs, your team can skip straight to what matters most. For current customers, this kind of insight creates a chance to rebuild the relationship before it fades. If someone has started servicing their vehicle at another shop, a well-timed message can bring them back. With fewer dead ends and better context, your team can spend more time having the right conversations and less time chasing leads that go nowhere. What This Means for Your Store Subaru’s success shows what is possible when dealers respond quickly and personally. But identifying the right people to reach is what truly unlocks better performance. Furthermore, the Active Shopper Network gives your store a clear advantage. It allows your team to focus their energy on real buyers, personalize their outreach, and move faster with better information. It also helps you make smarter use of your marketing dollars. Many brands approve these efforts for co-op, which means you can stretch your budget further and attract high-intent shoppers without increasing your ad spend. More foot traffic, higher ROI, better closing ratios, and fewer wasted opportunities. Often, the difference between a missed lead and a closed deal is not about effort. It is about timing, relevance, and knowing who to reach. The right shoppers are already in your market, actively looking. With the Active Shopper Network, you can connect with them sooner, engage them smarter, and close with more confidence. Connect with us for a quick demo and see how this can benefit your store right away.

More and more customers are asking the same question: “How do I drive what I want without blowing up my budget?” Prices are up, and while loan rates have dipped slightly from last year’s peak, they are still much higher than what buyers were used to just a few years ago. It is getting harder to make the math work. And the pressure does not stop at the sale Today’s car buyers are facing it on every front: Auto loan rates are still high—even prime buyers are seeing 6.40% APR on new cars, while subprime buyers are facing over 13% as per Experian. Insurance premiums have jumped 44%, driven by higher vehicle prices. Routine maintenance and repairs now cost 13% – 16% more, due to labor shortages and pricier parts. Per F&I Showroom. Inflation continues to stretch household budgets not just during the buying process, but throughout ownership, making buyers more hesitant and more likely to delay purchase decisions. That is where leasing becomes a smart alternative Vehicle leasing dealership strategy does more than drive results for the store. It also solves real pain points for today’s buyers. Furthermore, leasing gives customers a way to drive newer models without the long-term debt, keeps monthly payments in check, and opens the door to F&I and inventory opportunities for your store. For customers trying to avoid long-term risk, leasing offers a practical way to sidestep many of these financial stressors. Lease payments are typically lower than traditional financing, which keeps monthly expenses in check. The shorter term means buyers are not locked into a 6–7-year loan with a high interest rate on a depreciating asset. On top of that, leased vehicles are newer and under warranty, so rising maintenance and repair costs do not hit as hard. In a time when buyers are looking for flexibility and predictability, leasing delivers both, making it easier to close deals. For dealerships looking to move inventory without racing to the bottom on price, leasing offers a meaningful solution. Bridging the Gap: Helping the Customers See the Value Not every customer comes in excited about leasing. Some still see it as giving up ownership, or worry it limits their options. That hesitation is real—but so is the opportunity. Most customers do not need a hard sell—just a clear explanation of how leasing fits their needs. Whether it is explaining how mileage caps really work, how they can roll into another lease early, or why they will not be stuck with a car that has lost value, the conversation matters. When your team takes the time to guide instead of just pitch, customers often discover that leasing offers more freedom. Real Example: How Today’s Market Conditions Affect Tomorrow Trades Let’s take a real-world example. Right now, GM trucks and SUVs equipped with the 6.2L V8 engine are under recall due to a defective engine that can lead to a loss of power or even complete engine failure. The recall affects the 2021 to 2024 model years and, in many cases, would require a full engine replacement. With over 720,000 units impacted, replacement parts are limited and repair timelines uncertain. So, what happens when your customer wants to trade it in? You guessed it—the value takes a hit. Suddenly, that proud truck owner is upside-down, frustrated, and stuck. Even worse? When a risk like this suddenly hits, underwriters have to adjust fast. That same unit is now seeing a $1,000 surcharge per VSC to ensure coverage is properly reserved. A clear sign of how serious exposure has become. Here is the kicker: if that customer had leased, it would not be their problem. No negative equity, no value hit and no stress. Leasing is peace of mind in real dollars. Why a Strong Vehicle Leasing Dealership Strategy Is a Game-Changer for Your Store With used car prices holding strong and quality trade-ins getting harder to come by, lease returns give your team a reliable source of well-maintained inventory. No guessing on history, no auction markups, no waiting on transport. You control the pipeline, which means better CPO opportunities and stronger front-end margins. It also brings rhythm to your pre-owned strategy. Every lease return is a predictable moment to engage a customer, evaluate reconditioning, and get ahead of inventory planning. Leasing brings structure, margin, and consistency to your operation, and it keeps the customer coming back. This is why, in today’s market, a smart vehicle leasing dealership strategy is about more than monthly payments—it drives retention and profitability. What Vehicle Leasing Dealership Strategy Means for Every Department Sales: Easier monthly payments = more opportunities to close. Leasing is often the most workable solution for everyone at the desk. F&I: Look at lease buyers for opportunities. They want protection too. Maintenance plans, appearance protection, wear-and-tear coverage, and safety products—like Express5, PermaPlate, and Brake Plus are still in the play, just with a different approach. F&I managers who adjust their pitch are seeing real returns. Service & Fixed-Ops: Leases come back to you. That means reconditioning opportunities, CPO candidates, and smoother inventory cycles. Bonus: Customers who lease are more likely to stay loyal to your service lane. Here’s Something to Think About – For dealerships, leasing is more than a financing tool, it is a strategy. One that can: – Shorten trade cycles – Feed your pre-owned inventory – Open new F&I opportunities – Keep your service bay full – Build long-term customer relationship – Want to future-proof your dealership? Start with how you present leasing. Highlighting the unknown benefits, keeping the conversation simple, and meeting customers where they are. Our PRO Team brings proven, profitable strategies to support your dealership teams and bottom line. Connect with us anytime. We will be sharing more ideas on what is working in F&I and how teams are positioning lease deals with clarity, helping dealerships become the clear choice for today’s value-focused buyer. Until then, keep watching what matters, and keep leaning into what works.

Buyer energy is high—and the numbers back it up. The used-car market picked up speed in March, with retail used-vehicle sales climbing over 9% from February, with 1.66 million units sold across franchised and independent lots. Certified pre-owned sales rose even faster, jumping 21% month over month and 6.4% year over year. The surge in tariff and tax refund car sales is driving this momentum—some buyers are making the most of their refunds, while others are acting early to avoid potential price hikes tied to tariffs or supply chain shifts. Whatever their reason, one thing is clear: people are ready to buy but they need the right support to feel confident doing it. This is where the expertise of the Sales and F&I teams could make a positive impact. Customers are not just seeking vehicles; they are looking for clarity, stability, and wise choices in a changing market. The opportunity lies in offering steady guidance, real solutions, and conversations rooted in their needs not pressure. Let us explore how to lead with value, address price sensitivity, and turn today’s urgency into long-term trust. 1. Price Sensitivity Is Real, So Is Value With vehicle and parts prices rising steadily, most buyers are laser-focused on keeping monthly payments manageable. But that does not mean they are unwilling to invest. It means they need to see how that investment benefits them. When coverage aligns with how they drive, what they value, and the risks they want to avoid, it starts to feel less like an add-on—and more like a smart move. What to do: Present products like GAP, VSC, and prepaid maintenance as proactive safeguards against real risks. When positioned as part of a well-rounded ownership strategy, they become essential tools, not just add-ons. Customers do not just want protection—they want predictability, peace of mind, and long-term savings. Focus on how these offerings address today’s real concerns: extended loan terms, higher repair bills, and complex tech in modern vehicles. Highlight how the value of coverage outweighs the cost of going without—especially when vehicles are financed over 72 months or more. The longer the loan, the greater the exposure to unexpected expenses. 2. Simplify the Message, Maximize the Moment: Navigating Tariff and Tax Refund Car Sales Today’s buyers are navigating a fast-moving market. Between shifting prices and new incentives, it is easy for them to feel overwhelmed. Your role is to cut through the noise by showing them what makes sense right now. The clearer your message, the more confident they will feel. What to do: Keep the conversation focused on what your dealership is offering now. Emphasize the support, protection, and flexibility available today. Focus less on what is driving pricing changes and more on how you can help them take advantage of current opportunities—like employee discounts, if available. Reinforce the value of timing—when customers understand what they can gain by acting now, the decision becomes easier. 3. Confidence Comes from Clarity Confidence is contagious. The more clearly your team presents options and educates buyers, the more empowered they feel. When customers understand their choices and how each fits their needs, they are far more likely to say yes to the right products—not just the cheapest option. From picking the right vehicle to choosing the right coverage, clarity and trust are key to helping buyers make confident decisions. What to do: Ensure you are helping customers be aware of their needs. If customers do not see the problem, they will likely view the solution as optional, no matter how well you present it. Use questions to guide them toward relevant options— How do you typically use your vehicle day to day? How long do they plan to keep the vehicle? What repairs have they dealt with in the past? Position yourself as trusted advisor—not just salesperson. When buyers feel guided rather than sold to, they are more likely to engage, trust the process, and say yes. That trust creates space for a consultative conversation that focuses on their needs. 4. Support Urgency Without Pressure Spring momentum is real. Many customers are arriving with a sense of urgency—driven by tax refunds, fresh inventory, the desire to beat future price hikes, or make use of limited-time incentives. The rise in car sales impacted by tariff and tax refund reflects that urgency. But urgency still needs direction. The goal is not just to close quickly but to guide buyers through a value-driven conversation that leads to decisions they will feel confident about long after the deal is done. What to do during tariff and tax refund car sales season: Encourage them to lock in today’s pricing and coverage while it’s available, especially if incentives or employee discounts are in play. Present F&I products as tools to help keep future costs predictable, especially as repair and part prices rise. Share real examples of how products like theft protection, maintenance plans, or GAP coverage have helped recent customers. Customers Need Your Expertise More Than Ever Today’s buyers are not just shopping for vehicles—they are looking for a steady, informed partner to help them make a smart decision. Sales and F&I teams who lead with clarity, strategy, and a spirit of partnership are the ones who turn urgency driven by tariff and tax refund car sales into trust, helping buyers feel confident in their decision. That also means surrounding yourself with the right support—collaborating with trusted industry experts who align with your goals and offer proven strategies and product support to help drive profitability. Just as important is investing in your own growth. Ongoing training and development keep your conversations sharp, your knowledge relevant, and your impact strong. The more prepared you are, the more confident your customers will be. And in today’s market, that level of preparation is what sets top-performing dealerships apart.