Beyond The First Pencil

In this episode, we dig into one of the most overlooked threats to dealership performance: ego-driven leadership. From plummeting morale to costly turnover and stalled growth, unchecked egos can quietly drain profits and poison culture. We’ll explore how to recognize the signs, shift from control to collaboration, and build a team environment where respect—not ego—drives results.

May 19th: Anniversary of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis’ death

Doc series: American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden

Got a question? Email either of us!

Desktop is Not Dead (and other marketing musings)

Mon, 12 May 2025 20:00:00 -0700

Dealership marketers, buckle up—things are shifting again. A new study reveals that desktop usage is making a surprising comeback, throwing a wrench in mobile-first assumptions. Meanwhile, Meta’s unleashing AI bots on Facebook that want to "befriend" your customers (creepy, right?) Google's latest Business Profile update is cracking down on image uploads, and Instagram’s user experience? Let’s just say... it’s seen better days. In this episode, we unpack what these changes mean, how they could impact your store's digital visibility, and what to do next to stay ahead of the chaos.

Twitter: Breaking The Bird documentary

Cyndi Lauper Doc: Let The Canary Sing

Got a question? Email either of us!

Likes Are Not Leads for Car Dealerships

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0700

Many dealerships pour time and money into chasing likes, comments, and shares — but what happens when all that engagement doesn't move a single unit? In this episode, we unpack the myth that social media popularity equals sales success. Learn why focusing on vanity metrics wastes resources and how to shift your strategy toward real-world results that actually drive dealership profitability.

Then, we talk about how in times of uncertainty, hesitation is more dangerous than a wrong decision. We dive into why true leadership demands decisiveness, how delays can cost the dealership its momentum, and why clear direction — even in imperfect conditions — builds stronger teams and better results.

Music+ segment:

HBO: White Lotus, The Righteous Gemstones
Lemmy and Motorhead
(you are going to want to see this one) Cher and Gregg Allman “Love Me”
SOSA Undercover

Got a question? Email either of us!

You Can’t Spell Tariffs Without FFS

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 20:00:00 -0700

Let’s talk about the scary stuff—aka uncertainty. If you’ve been in the car business for more than a minute, you’ve seen your share of storms. We’ve weathered recessions, inventory shortages, interest rate hikes—you name it. And we’ll get through this round too. But seriously... can someone hit pause on the madness?

Now, here’s something that’s been on Kathi’s radar lately: dealers who desperately need accounting help—cleanups, compliance fixes, the works—but hesitate when it comes time to pay experienced professionals what they’re worth. It's like calling the fire department, then arguing about the water bill.

Got a question? Email either of us!

Maximizing ROI in a Tightening Marketing Budget Era

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 19:00:00 -0700

Marketing budgets are getting tighter, but the pressure to bring in leads hasn’t let up. In this episode, we break down how dealerships can stretch their marketing dollars further, cut the fluff, and focus on what actually drives traffic and sales. Whether you’re a GM, GSM, or marketing manager, you’ll pick up real-world tips to boost ROI without blowing the budget.

Lily Ray on Twitter

The Pitt (HBO)

Hacks (HBO)

Got a question? Email either of us!

The High Cost of Brand Betrayal

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0700

New Order Power: Corruption & Lies

What happens when beloved brands make moves that contradict their core identity? In this episode, we dive into Southwest Airlines’ quiet removal of its “First Bag Flies Free” policy and Elon Musk’s increasingly controversial influence on Tesla. From customer trust to brand erosion, we unpack how decisions at the top can ripple through brand equity—and what it really costs when companies stop honoring what made them iconic in the first place.

Music segment:

Who’s listening to full CDs/Albums? We are! Are you?

Pearl Jam: Ten

Cher & Gregg Allman - Love Me (Old Grey Whistle Test, Nov 15, 1977)

Kathi’s must watch: The Righteous Gemstones

Got a question? Email either of us!

Does Great Customer Experience = More Car Deals?

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 18:00:00 -0700

Here’s the link to the CD player Kathi got

We are back from hiatus and Mike’s got a new job!

Kathi shares a story to introduce today’s topic around customer experience.

Mike tells us how one simple relationship turned into four car deals and counting.

He also shares a pretty epic real-time 5 star review story from a dealership non-customer.

Becoming Katherine Graham documentary on Amazon Prime

Paradise on Hulu

Blue Monday - New Order

Got a question? Email either of us!

New Study Reveals Car Dealers’ SEO Blind Spot: Google Business Profiles

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 15:00:00 -0800

This week, we circle back to a subject that is near and dear to us: Google My Business, aka Google Business Profiles. These profiles are super helpful in local SEO/search and adding photos regularly is a best practice. SearchLab has just completed a car dealer study and let’s just say, the industry is losing out on some powerful marketing by ignoring even the simple, easy tactics.

We also discuss the possible merger of Honda and Nissan. Something neither of us could have imagined ten years ago.

Music segment:

The Pogues Red Roses for Me 40th Anniversary in Dublin (Spider Stacy singing lead) The Pogues live at 3Arena, Dublin, 17 Dec 2024 — 'Dirty Old Town'

Documentary: Phil Collins: Drummer First

Got a question? Email either of us!

Is Social Media Still a Smart Investment of Your Time?

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 14:00:00 -0800

George Jones and Elvis Costello HBO Special (April 28th, 1981)

Instagram's recent decision to remove the ability to search by #hashtags marks the end of an era for social media users. In this episode, we reflect on the impact of losing this once-powerful discovery tool. We also explore a growing trend among tech companies — prioritizing features no one asked for, while phasing out the ones that users rely on most.

Music:

Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s chart dominance in 1984

Got a question? Email either of us!

Car Buyers Stick with the Brands They Love

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:00:00 -0800

How does a manufacturer create and sustain a vehicle brand that customers love?

Kathi and Mike discuss manufacturer brands and re-branding (ie: Jaguar + more) and how others have fared in the past (from a dealer and dealership management perspective).

Music:

The Pogues: FairyTale of New York w/Kirsty MacColl

American Murder: Lacy Peterson (documentary)

👉Sign up for Kathi’s newsletter here👈

Got a question? Email either of us!

Hey, Have You Heard About Video?

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 19:00:00 -0800

The Jam: About a Young Idea

Kathi and Mike are happy that more dealers are talking about the power of video, even if it’s nearly 15 years after we began urging dealers to welcome it.

Mike’s blog post: Sales Management by C.P.A.

“Modern music, emphasis on Mod. The Who kissed by Motown with a dash of the Clash.”

The Jam: Beat Surrender

The Style Council: Long Hot Summers documentary

Mystify: Michael Hutchence 2019 doc, RIP 11/22/97

Netflix: Tex Mex Motors

Got a question? Email either of us!

Social Media: Whose Feed Is It Anyway?

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 21:00:00 -0800

Kathi returns from a great Used Car Week conference and shares a few tidbits.

Then, we spend most of our time discussing this trend of companies forcing their staff to share and promote their employer on their personal social media feeds…without compensation.

Ed Zitron’s Web Summit Remarks: Ed Zitron - Why Are All Tech Products Now Shit?

Duran Duran: Duran Duran - EVIL WOMAN (Live from Madison Square Garden)

Jason Kelce and Stevie Nicks: Jason Kelce and Stevie Nicks have topped the iTunes holiday songs chart

Ted Turner docuseries: Call Me Ted

Got a question? Email either of us!

This Had to Be Said About Automotive Influencers

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 14:00:00 -0700

Oingo Boingo: Dead Man’s Party

Kathi and Mike take a detour from our regular topics to call out hate. Neither of us can stand what we witnessed at Madison Square Garden over the weekend and we feel we must speak up. Both of us were shocked to see a so-called automotive influencer on the stage spewing hate, whether or not he says he wasn’t does not change what we witnessed.

We’ve crossed a line, folks and it’s time to get back to civility both in our discourse and in how we treat our fellow humans. We are all in this together.

Music segment:

Oingo Boingo | Live at US Festival ’83 | May 28, 1983

Podcast recommendation: Politickin' with Gavin Newsom, Marshawn Lynch, and Doug Hendrickson
An unexpected collaboration: California Governor Gavin Newsom, Super Bowl Champion Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch, and their friend and agent Doug Hendrickson are Politickin’.

Gavin Newsom like you’ve never heard him and Marshawn Lynch exactly how you’d expect him.

Got a question? Email either of us!

Prabhakar Raghavan Killed Google Search As We Know It

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 19:00:00 -0700

Both of us are sad. The open web is no longer and while it’s not just his doing, Google’s Head of Search, Prabhakar Raghavan was certainly the catalyst to its demise. Organic traffic as we know it is gone. Yes, posts and information from actual experts has been replaced by SEO spam, spam bots and the “AI Overview” that is wrong 44% of the time on financial queries.

Ed Zitron wrote about Mr. Raghavan’s demotion and it’s worth your time.

Music segment:
The Specials: 45 year old October 19, 1979. Produced by Elvis Costello.

Sisters of Mercy
Dave Vanian - The Damned
Will and Harper
Lincoln Lawyer new season

Got a question? Email either of us!

AI Mods, Restomods and The Beverly Hillbillies

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:00:00 -0700

Classic Cars of Beverly Hillbillies

Kathi and Mike discuss the latest issues with Threads’ AI moderation, which has gone “CRACKERS” and rings the same bell as the experience Kathi continues to have with Facebook/Meta ads. We are tired of billionaire tech-bros.

Social Selling is still a great way to generate your own leads.

George Barris: Car designer to the stars and to TV! Beverly Hillbillies, Monkeymobile, KITT, Batmobile, Munsters, Starsky+Hutch Torino, Natl Lampoon’s Vacation Wagon Queen Family Truckster and more!

Music segment:

Ultravox at Live Aid 1985: Vienna This is the most underrated performance from Live Aid, especially since he had to go on early in the morning! These vocals are incredible. Seen by 40% of the global population at the time.

Ultravox at Live Aid 1985: Reap The Wild Wind Midge Ure really does something wonderful. Sick with a high fever, he sings, among others, this piece all by himself doing even the backing vocals to the best of his ability.

Ultravox at Live Aid 1985: Dancing With Tears In My Eyes Another monumental song - underrated and underappreciated performance of Live Aid. A beautifully haunting song, thank you Midge Ure.

Got a question? Email either of us!

Building a Customer-First Culture in Car Dealerships

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 21:00:00 -0700

What did we do before social media to build a customer-centric culture? How did we get potential buyers to know about how unique the dealership was...and why customers should buy from us?

Mike shares a real-life experience (that’s totally doable today) of surprising and delighting a customer so much that her coworkers became customers!

Kathi shares the secret to her customer-first culture that grew the store’s business to #1 in sales, service, parts and CSI.

In the music segment:

45 years since Joy Division’s “Transmission”

Here’s a clip: Joy Division - Transmission [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]

Documentary: Will and Harper (major thumb’s up!)

Got a question? Email either of us!

Facebook Ads Support Black Hole: Where Help Goes to Die

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 17:00:00 -0700

We promised you an update in the ongoing Facebook ads issues that Kathi (and others) are having and while it’s utterly disappointing, you won’t be disappointed in the story/update. If you’re having ad issues, we’d love to hear from you.

Then, the Wordpress framework runs over 40% of the world's websites (including Kruse Control's and others that Kruse Control manages). WPEngine (a website hosting company) and Wordpress.org are wrapped up in a skirmish inflamed by Matt Mullenweg (CEO of Automattic, who also runs the nonprofit Wordpress.org) It turned into a pretty embarrassing unforced error for Mr. Mullenweg.

Music segment:
October 1984 had some great albums!
Also:
Kris Kristofferson On Dating Barbra Streisand | David Letterman
Bono recorded a tribute message in Kristofferson’s honor on the U2 Twitter account.

Got a question? Email either of us!

How Car Dealers Are Failing Customers

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 12:00:00 -0700

Not only are some dealers failing customers but they are failing themselves. The things we are witnessing now - the behaviors and lack of oversight - can only lead to trouble.

We went a little long on this episode but it’s a subject that is near and dear to us as car people.

Music segment:

Everything But The Girl - lead singers bday

“Take Me”

Stevie Nicks on SNL

Got a question? Email either of us!

The Approaching Wildfire of Car Loan Delinquencies

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 11:00:00 -0700

Kathi shares her experience fresh from evacuating the horse rescue after the Airport Fire got too close for comfort.

Then, we talk about the concerning data around car loan delinquencies, how we got here and what might be in store for banks, dealers and customers.

Music segment:

The Doors anniversary of getting kicked off Ed Sullivan The Doors - Light My Fire - Ed Sullivan Show 1967 (HD Remastered)

Docs:

Christopher Reeve documentary comes out Sept 21st in theaters. Streaming to follow soon after.

Got a question? Email either of us!

Google and Facebook: Diluted and Polluted

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 21:00:00 -0700

This week, Kathi and Mike cover the ground-shift that has happened and is happening with two of the largest companies on earth, Google and Facebook. Both platforms are under pressure to grow even bigger and all of us users are being left out in the cold, including millions of small business websites that have seen their traffic reduced by up to 94%.

Podcasts mentioned:
Adam Conover’s Factually: How Google Ruined the Internet
The Publisher’s Playbook: Google’s Helpful Content Update with Lily Ray

Music segment:
44 years ago: Jello Biafra/Dead Kennedys album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables.
California Uber Alles
Holiday in Cambodia
N*zi Punks F*ck Off

Got a question? Email either of us!

Unsung Heroes: A Case for Service Advisor Appreciation + Training

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 19:00:00 -0700

Radiohead Perform "Creep" Live on September 14, 1993 | Late Night with Conan O’Brien

Carrying the subject matter over from last week’s pod, Kathi and Mike cite examples where appreciation, recognition and specific training can go a long way for service advisors, who are the “salespeople in the service dept.”

Music segment:

August 27th Anniversary of the B52s second album, “Wild Planet”
Private Idaho

Got a question? Email either of us!

She Knows Cars: Insights from a Female Service Advisor w/ Laurie Down

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 19:00:00 -0700

In this special episode, Kathi goes solo in a conversation with her long-time friend, Laurie Down, an amazing customer service manager (who is currently working as a successful Service Advisor).

If you’re in the car biz, especially in Fixed Ops, you’ll enjoy hearing Laurie's real-time stories that reveal her credo that guides her approach to customers and why it's essential to treat all customers respectfully. Don’t miss this one!

Got a question? Email either of us!

We Are Pretty Sure Facebook is Messing With Us

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 21:00:00 -0700

Elvis Costello - Peace, Love and Understanding (Live on the Letterman Show)

We explore the trials and tribulations of attempting to advertise with Facebook. Warning: the endeavor may make you cough with frustration (like Kathi).

Then, we discuss dealership customer experience, particularly in the Service Dept. How are dealerships going to succeed in competing with independent repair shops and chains like Valvoline?

Kathi shares an update on her Automotive CFO to Go FREE “Dealer Financials Self-Assessment.” Here’s a link.

Music segment:

Documentary series: Murder in The Heartland

Got a question? Email either of us!

From Spam to Showroom: Email's Role in Car Sales and Service

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 17:00:00 -0700

Kathi and Mike explore the advantages of email (hint: there are many) but only with a strategic, consistent approach. "Email blast" is a term we've all heard but it's effectiveness is dubious. Spamming has a totally different meaning today than it did even 2 years ago and it’s easy to waste resources. Let's do email right!

Then we share a few stories about our days in retail that seem timely. Let us know what you think?

Music segment:

Patti Smith https://youtu.be/y6Wz3i_BYUc?si=hLLG8b1seQOYl4xL

The Pogues: Rum, Sodomy and The Lash (two songs that are Kathi's faves but the whole album is iconic.

A Pair of Brown Eyes

Dirty Old Town

Mike's choice if you're looking for a good 80s Movie: Better Off Dead

Got a question? Email either of us!

Are Dealers Wasting Time on TikTok While Sales Suffer?

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 19:00:00 -0700

Do short skirts equal leads?

Does hiring actors to pretend they’re employees send the right message to car buyers?

Does anyone else think this trend is not worthwhile? (ie: Does it pencil??)

Kathi and Mike discuss the poorly-conceived trend of dealers posting on TikTok and Instagram going for “viral” clicks (while likely not considering important business metrics that are always crucial to any marketing campaign).

Tim Bartz “The Ford Video Guy” does it right. We’ve said it before and we’ll keep saying it. Tim simply provides quality information for car shoppers that translates to sales.

Dealer Marketing Magazine has reinvented itself and the first issue includes Kathi’s insights for beginners who want to use AI for marketing.

Music segment:

Olympics: French metal! Gojira (please excuse the nonsense commentary spoken over their performance)

Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True

Song: Red Shoes

Faye documentary on HBO

Got a question? Email either of us!

From Klout to Clicks: Navigating the Evolution of Dealership Digital Marketing

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 21:00:00 -0700

We miss Klout. Do you remember it? Social media nostalgia: it’s difficult to understand how we got here today, but boy, it sure used to be fun.
Discussing fake followers and reviews: Fact - It’s always a bad idea.
Highlighting Rand Fishkin’s insights on the decline of clicks, attribution, and traditional digital marketing methods. The way we've done digital marketing for 25 years is dying.
“In 7 minutes, I'm gonna try to show the future of what's working and why, combining 4 presentations I've been giving on stages the last few years into one comprehensive idea.”
Exploring the future of what's working and why, with a comprehensive look at digital marketing's transformation.
Finally, we discuss the resilience of email marketing amidst digital changes and its continued efficacy in reaching customers.

Music:
Queen - Save Me (Live at the Montreal Forum, 1981 Remastered)
US Festival at Glen Helen Park

Got a question? Email either of us!

When Google Search Fails, What Do We Do?

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 17:00:00 -0700

Oingo Boingo live at The Ritz NYC 1985

Kathi and Mike share our insights on the latest of several disappointing changes to the Google Business Profile platform. Google Places > Google Maps > Google Local > Google My Business > Google has failed us all.

Google has a new core update coming in a “couple of weeks.” Let’s hope it corrects the myriad of issues created by the last two.

Then, we rant a little about Google search results, what’s causing the severe downturn in traffic to small business websites that produce high-quality content, what some are doing about it (hint: there’s not much to do except rant).

And finally, we laugh about the quality of AI images.

Link to Ed Zitron’s podcast: Better Offline

Link to Adam Conover’s podcast: Factually

Music:

Stewart Copeland’s birthday

Oingo Boingo at US Festival

Got a question? Email either of us!

Are Leads and Sales the Only Metrics?

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 19:00:00 -0700

“The AI Bubble is Bursting w/ Ed Zitron” Factually Podcast with Adam Conover

Kathi and Mike talk about the micro-actions we take everyday on social and other platforms that provide value to others. Dealers tend to only care about leads and sales, which are uber important, but there are other metrics in mix that can guide where we spend our resources.

Also, we are in the midst of an AI bubble. When will it burst? Who will be left without a clear path to utilizing the best parts of it?

Here’s the Podcast we reference in the discussion:

Music:

Blondie Apollo Theatre "Dreaming" 1979

Australian 60 Minutes Interview - Deborah Harry & Chris Stein 2010

Alison Moyet’s (lead singer of Yaz in the 80s) new song - Such Small Ale (Radio 2 Piano Room)

Got a question? Email either of us!

Here’s a recent interview with Debora Iyall of Romeo Void

The CDK Fallout and Who It’s Falling On

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 15:00:00 -0700

👉Get Kathi’s ebook: “A Beginner’s Guide to AI for Automotive Retail 👈

This week, Kathi and Mike cover:

The CDK fallout and who it’s falling on: updates on what’s happening in real time with the real people on the front lines
Zero-Click Search: what it is and what it really means for anyone who isn’t a big brand.
Google Business Profiles - are they still relevant?

Here’s a link to the SparkToro Zero Click Report. For every 1,000 searches, 360 go to the open web (ie: yours and other websites)

Music:

Romeo Void “Never Say Never”

Watch Raton 3 - Debora’s new band

Got a question? Email either of us!

The CDK Cyber Attack Debacle Did Not Have to Happen

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 21:00:00 -0700

👉Get Kathi’s ebook: “A Beginner’s Guide to AI for Automotive Retail 👈

At our core, we are car people. We are upset to witness what’s happening to our fellow car people at CDK dealerships. This fact is the driver for this week’s episode.

While the CDK cyber attack is causing major disruption to sales, service and parts, there will be even more challenging times ahead for the accounting departments at each store. They will be tasked with booking all the transactions, making them balance and collect all the monies owed.

Let this be a lesson for all the large vendors that don’t have their cybersecurity house in order. Lessons seem to repeat themselves in the car business and we hope this will be one time when actions will be strong enough to avoid anything like this happening again.

Kathi’s post she references in the pod: The CDK Cyber Attack Recovery Will Fall Squarely on The Accounting Office

Music segment:

Podcast: Three Castles Burning: Red Roses For Me with Spider Stacy and James Fearnely (from The Pogues)

Got a question? Email either of us!

Gaining More Control Over Online Ratings

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 16:00:00 -0700

👉Get Kathi’s ebook: “A Beginner’s Guide to AI for Automotive Retail 👈

This week we chat about Kathi’s trip to Vegas for NIADA where she spoke about online reputation management.

Then we share our thoughts on the CDK outage debacle and what it means for dealership personnel. (of course, the debacle was not over at the time of taping)

Mike recommends a Hulu documentary.

Kathi recommends a Netflix documentary series.

Got a question? Email either of us!

Has Google Lost Its Mind?

Thu, 30 May 2024 19:00:00 -0700

👉Get Kathi’s ebook: “A Beginner’s Guide to AI for Automotive Retail 👈

Let’s talk about the recent changes Google is making to search. It’s a wild ride and it’s not at all over yet.

Music segment:

Siouxsie Sioux B-day

Beach Boys documentary (thumbs down)

100 ft Wave documentary

👉Get Kathi’s ebook: “A Beginner’s Guide to AI for Automotive Retail 👈

Got a question? Email either of us!

5-Step Plan to Welcome Female Customers Into the Service Department

How To Welcome Female Customers Into the Service Department

Tue, 14 May 2024 17:00:00 -0700

👉Get Kathi’s ebook: “A Beginner’s Guide to AI for Automotive Retail 👈

Why women dislike service departments = Failure to meet their needs

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence states that women represent between 65% and 80% of automotive service customers. This means the female customer experience is directly related to service department revenue.

Kathi and Mike the subscribe to the philosophy of awesome car dealer, Carl Sewell: “Treat every customer as if they are a guest in your home.”

We talk about the ways to make female customers feel good about coming into the store for service. With the data from the latest JD Power survey showing that customers are more and more turning to the large chains for quick maintenance needs, it’s never been a better time to introduce initiatives in the workplace to welcome female customers back.

Music segment:

It’s Ian Astbury’s (from The Cult) birthday

The Clash: Combat Rock Album

Documentaries:

Rather

TLC Forever

👉Get Kathi’s ebook: “A Beginner’s Guide to AI for Automotive Retail 👈

Got a question? Email either of us!

Buried in Your Trade, And You’re To Blame 🎵

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:00:00 -0700

Beyond the obvious homage to Bon Jovi in this episode's title - in honor of the new Bon Jovi documentary - Kathi and Mike discuss the fallout/repercussions of the last 3-4 years of dealer markups. Of course the market often required markups due to supply chain issues and low inventory, but what comes next is that customers who want to get into a new car are finding themselves buried in their trade. Are there any solutions for these customers now? What effect will this have on new car sales? Let’s get into it.

Go check out the documentary on Hulu and let us know what you think? (Kathi gives it two thumbs up)

Music segment:

Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart

White Stripes on SNL: Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground

Desert Sharks: Deeper

Got a question? Email either of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Genuine Care and Kindness Leaves a Lasting Impression

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:00:00 -0700

Metallica: Funeral For a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding

Kindness is the oil that takes the friction out of life. It can also be the difference between you and the competition.

Kathi and Mike share some real time stories about employees that have gone the extra mile, and in the process made themselves memorable. We also share some examples of what happens when poor management, lack of training and a culture that doesn’t put the customer first is left to its own devices.

In our music segment:

Ultravox: Reap The Wild Wind

Ultravox: Vienna (Live Aid)

Got a question? Email either of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Spring Forward: Refreshing Vendor Relationships, Sprucing Up Operations and Financials

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 15:00:00 -0700

Spring is always a good time to review and reflect on what’s working for you, what’s not, and what needs more attention. Kathi and Mike share a few “Spring Cleaning” stories and best practices at the dealership.

Music segment:

Alanis Morrisette on David Letterman: You Oughta Know

Milli Vanilli documentary The bizarre untold truth behind the greatest con in music history

Got a question? Email either of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Social Media Login Security + Website Traffic Study

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:00:00 -0700

This week, Kathi and Mike share insights on Rand Fishkin’s SparkToro’s website traffic sources study. Some surprises, great data.

Then we talk about the valuable company assets known as social media business pages. It’s no longer simple or easy to retrieve them if you don’t have login credentials so we share our best practices for how to never find yourself in that position.

Weekend social media for good: Rand Fishkin’s wife, Geraldine DeRuiter is a James Beard award-winning blogger and author. Last Friday, she posted on Threads that her new book was given a terribly negative (even personal!) review by a New York Times critic. Then, over the weekend, something magical happened. It’s a fantastic example of how social media is still great for coming together to support someone and turn a bad review into a bestseller.

Geraldine on Threads (if you’d like to see how it all unfolded):

Geraldine’s book: If You Can’t Take the Heat (Kathi ordered it and her blog and first book are amazing)

Geraldine’s blog: The Everywhereist

Music:

The Jam’s last album “The Gift” released March 12, 1982: A Town Called Malice

March 1985: The first full album from a fav of Mike’s, The Sisters of Mercy was released.

Got a question? Email either of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Running on Empty

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 15:00:00 -0800

The Midnight Special TV Show

As we witness every social media channel changing and shifting, so goes the user experience and behavior on each one.

Kathi and Mike try to make sense of the current state of social platforms, how to navigate the changes and what we can expect for the foreseeable future.

One thing that doesn’t change? The need for outstanding, relatable, educational content.

Music:

Got a question? Email either of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

An Introvert Walks Into a NADA Convention

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 18:00:00 -0800

Mike gives us a breakdown of the goings-on at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention from his view as an exhibitor.

As introverts, we both share certain traits (that are completely normal BTW) that make large groupings of people (like conferences, conventions) sometimes hard to navigate and are often draining.

In our music segment:

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominations were announced!

Mike and his wife went to see the movie about the Pet Shop Boys: Dreamworld

Check out Gary Janetti on Instagram.

Kathi highly recommends Ozark on Netflix if you haven’t seen it.

Check out Smartless podcast - we can all use a laugh and they deliver every single episode.

Got a question? Email either of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

AI Oh My: Practical Uses for AI in Car Dealerships

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 18:00:00 -0800

Kathi and Mike are back with an episode to catch you up on what’s hip and what’s not in the world of using AI. We both come from dealerships so our perspective is different from that of a vendor’s. There’s a lot to learn and say about this exciting new tool but for now, here’s what we’re seeing as a practical way of incorporating AI to enhance operations without feeling overwhelmed by it all.

Netflix Documentary: The Greatest Night in Pop

Got a question? Email either of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Everything Still Comes Down to Customer Experience

Thu, 21 Dec 2023 16:00:00 -0800

The 2023 Cox Automotive Service Study reveals a significant shift in consumer preferences regarding vehicle service providers and customer experience. While dealerships historically led as the preferred choice, they are now facing increasing competition from general repair shops. This change is driven by a decline in consumer trust towards dealerships.

Music:

Mikes favorite Xmas song: The Waitresses: Christmas Wrapping

Remastered Joy Division Oct 1979 Apollo Theater Manchester UK

Got a question? Email either of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Ten+ Years Later: Value of Building Online Profiles

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 16:00:00 -0800

We’re back after a short hiatus. Thanks for listening!

In this episode, Kathi and Mike reminisce about their journey through automotive social media and online reputation management.

Music:

RIP Shane MacGowan/The Pogues

FairyTale of New York (1988)

The Dubliners and The Pogues (1987)

The Irish Rover

Here’s one with Joe Strummer (The Clash) (1987)

I Fought the Law

Documentary: Crock of Gold - A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan

RIP Geordie Walker/Killing Joke

Eighties

And Mike’s favorite: Love Like Blood

Got a question? Email either us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Twitter is Dying, What’s Next?

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:00:00 -0700

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Mike just got back from the Digital Dealer Conference in Las Vegas. We have thoughts.

Twitter, the platform we’ve loved for 14+ years, is officially dead. While both of us are still there, we are down to about 5% of the amount we used to be. Many sane users have been looking for a place to go. We’ve tried most of the new platforms and we think one has the best potential.

We also touch on AI prompts (ie: where the magic happens). This article is super helpful.

In our music segment:

Mike recommended this book: The Art of Darkness: The History of Goth

Kathi reflects on Club Lingerie, a small club on Sunset that was ground zero for a generation of music fans.

Got a question? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Have We Lost All Focus on Customer Delight in Automotive?

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 17:00:00 -0700

For some reason, Kathi and Mike have both been witnessing a lot of disturbing customer treatment lately. This week, we share a few stories and then discuss how that’s a losing proposition in today’s retail environment.

Then, we discuss why it’s important to have a written social media policy and some training to mitigate online crisis management.

And finally, Google Business Profiles are giving users another way to connect with their customers.

Music segment:

Midnight Special: Rick Derringer and Edgar Winter Group

Got a question? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Listen to Your Customers Before They Listen to Your Competition

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:00:00 -0700

One of the most important parts of social media strategy is to monitor comments. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes out of your day to review comments and respond where appropriate, or advanced as using online marketing and data analytics tools. All of it will provide valuable insights into customer sentiment, customer experience and perception of your brand.

In our music segment:

Bowie 11/16/73 on The Midnight Special youtube channel:

Space Oddity

Jean Genie

Duet with Marianne Faithfull: I Got You Babe

Got a question? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Stuck in Neutral: How Resisting Change Shackles You

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:00:00 -0700

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We can all agree that change is hard, right? It’s super easy to retreat into the comfort of old habits (we’re all guilty of it!). Change is often accompanied by uncertainty, discomfort, and even fear and so resisting seems like the easier route. But when we view large and small shifts as opportunities rather than setbacks, new worlds open up.

Kathi shares a bit about what’s happening on America’s public lands and the wild horses who live on them. If you’d like to know more and/or get involved, get in touch with Kathi (email below or via social media). No matter how small, your action helps save lives.

Our music segment:

Suburban Lawns

Janitor

Gidget Goes To Hell

Unable (live)

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you.

Got a question (or two or three)? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Pitfalls to Avoid with Social Media Vendors

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0700

The YouTube Effect (documentary)

You should consider your social media profiles as company assets. Don’t run the risk of losing them by giving outsized access to vendors. You wouldn’t give a vendor keys to the store so they can work on the vending machine, right?

Mike got a new mic!

Music segment:

The Cure

Elvis Costello

Got a question (or two or three)? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

When Shady Comes to Shop: Dealing with Tricky Customers

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 11:00:00 -0700

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Kathi and Mike believe delivering the very best customer experience is crucial to dealership profitability. When it comes to selling cars, not all customers are created equal. Some approach the dealership with a lack of trust and the expectation of an adversarial buying experience. Sometimes, people are just shady, which happens in any business that deals with the public. We share our insights on how to mitigate issues with tricky customers.

Kathi shares her latest update on the Facebook/Meta ads experience. It ain’t good.

In our music segment:

Belinda Carlyle’s birthday

Anniversary of New Order’s album Substance

Kathi’s hot movie tips:

Mark Cavendish: Never Enough (documentary on Netflix)

Painkiller (Netflix)

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you.

Got a question (or two or three)? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Creative Content Ideas for Dealership Service Depts

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 16:00:00 -0700

Kathi and Mike are car biz veterans. We strive to make the car biz a better place.

Mike shares his less-than-5-star dealer service experience and as with all things dealership customer related, we are inspired to share content ideas for service dept personnel and the marketers who love them.

Kathi shares her experience running the Hanaeleh horse rescue’s Hay Fundraiser on social media. She conducts these fundraisers three times a year and every time there are more changes that create obstacles for a successful result.

In our music segment:

RIP Paul Reubens AKA Pee-Wee Herman

Danny Elfman and Oingo Boingo

A Classical composer experiences Emerson, Lake and Palmer for the first time.

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you.

Got a question (or two or three)? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

ABC: Always Be Connecting

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:00:00 -0700

Throughout this podcast, Kathi and Mike have shared techniques and tips on how to make social media effective throughout the entire sales process. It works well in building a pipeline, nurturing leads, giving and getting referrals and achieving sales goals.

The more things change, the more they remain the same. You can’t close the sale without connecting first.

Valuable content (that customers need and appreciate) is still at the forefront of getting noticed online. Kathi and Mike share why content is still so important and illustrate that fact with an awesome real-time example.

In our music segment:

RIP Sinead O’Connor. Sinead sang at Shane MacGowan's 60th birthday party in 2018. This comment on the video says it all: "She sings from the inside, and never cheats a single note. Her spirit transcends all that is common, small, and mean." It gives you the chills!

The Rob Squad reacts to ELP Karn Evil 9 Pt 2

Here’s JayveeTV getting emotional about The Seekers and their harmonizing. (It’s so nice to see!)

Here’s the Automotive News article on Autonation’s Q2 results.

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you.

Got a question (or two or three)? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Empathetic Ears: The Power of Listening to Your Customers

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:00:00 -0700

Car prices are coming down and dealers’ vehicle supply is going up. The problem now is that loans are harder to come by. Millennials and Gen Z can’t afford their car loans and it seems to be getting worse.

Delinquency rates on auto loans are hitting record highs: in May 2023, the number of severe delinquencies matched that of 2006, when Cox Automotive first started tracking these. All of this will cause major shifts in the way we’ve been doing business for the last 10+ years. Kathi and Mike provide insights and share the opportunities they see coming.

As operations change, the one constant is customer experience. It’s what will differentiate you from “just another car dealership.” Everything old is new again. Carl Sewell said in his book, “Customers for Life”: “Find out what the customer wants and give it to ‘em.” Kathi shares a story that illustrates the importance of listening to the customer.

Here’s more info on auto loan delinquencies.

In our music segment:

Jack White purchased the first Elvis recording at Sun Records. Here’s his Instagram post about it.

Dogstar at The Roxy this week (features Keanu Reeves on bass). Videos thanks to Pamela Chelin, writer for Billboard, Spin, LA Times and more. Follow her on Twitter @PamelaChelin

Dogstar Video one

Dogstar Video two

Lollapalooza 1991 (the first one was in Tempe, AZ but then it came to Irvine Meadows in So Cal)

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: kathi@krusecontrolinc.com

Mike: mikethecarguy@outlook.com

Imposter Syndrome: The Struggle is Real

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 17:00:00 -0700

Now that many of us are starting from scratch on a few new social networks, Kathi and Mike discover that when you’re forced to start over with a clean slate, it’s easy to lose sight of the exceptional talents each of us have. “Stinkin’ thinkin’” gets the better of all of us sometimes so we wanted to share our own tips and tricks for not letting imposter syndrome get the upper hand.

In our music segment:

Live Aid happened on this day, July 13th, in 1985. It’s amazing how many bands contributed and wow, thank goodness they televised it so that we can bask in its glory all these years later, amirite?