The setting was magnificent and the golf was fantastic. Who could ask for anything more than 75 degree temperatures along the coast of sunny Southern California, a delicious lunch and a complimentary round of golf at the Monarch Beach Golf Links in Laguna Niguel? Not too many complaints. But for those of us who were there to learn about the latest in technology, from the worldwide leader in technology, we were left somewhat disappointed.

I say "somewhat" because there were a few highlights to the morning, including a presentation on "Winning in a global competitive market" by Stephen Girsky, Sr. Automotive Analyst for Morgan Stanley. Mr. Girsky outlined some of the challenges facing our industry, including the notion that 11 of the top 12 automotive manufacturers think they are growing, when data and projections suggest they are not.

Considering the challenges he outlined for the future, I posed this question to Mr. Girsky:

“Based on your presentation, it appears that it's even more important for retailers (dealers) to place an emphasis on their fixed operations departments as a more consistent source of revenue and customer retention. Would you agree with that?”

Mr. Girsky replied emphatically, "Yes!"

Another revelation from the conference was the unveiling of a new device for improving the mobile experience through a "connected car". A new device that Microsoft suggests is going to retail for about $100.00; it will provide the customer with a wealth of automated audio information (similar to On-Star but not live) at the touch of a button. There will be a monthly service fee but Microsoft will not control that aspect of the product.

So look for lower cost, and higher quality products, with more technology than ever before. But also look for changes in manufacturing and capacity strategies before any significant growth is seen in the industry. In the meantime, you can generate more "consistent revenue and customer retention" by taking advantage of the most powerful fixed operations process in North America. Just contact Auto University today to find out how!