Answering the need to be more eco-friendly as far as their business operations are concerned, Team Honda, Team Nissan and Team Toyota have announced the launch of their first carbon neutral dealerships in Lithia Springs, Georgia. After starting out with their tire and oil recycling measures, the auto dealers are now focusing their attention on offsetting their carbon footprint to become the first carbon neutral dealers in Georgia.

The concentration now is to bring down their energy use, a practice that has drawn prices and queries from their customers on where they can get one for their own homes or offices as well. Additionally, employees are given thermal porcelain cups in lieu of the usual Styrofoam which itself is an eco-friendly hazard.

All AutoNation dealerships, Team’s parent company, make it easy for car buyers to shop for more fuel-efficient vehicles with its E-Vehicle program. The program identifies cars and trucks that produce at least 28 miles per gallon or deliver 10 percent better fuel efficiency than average for their class. AutoNation also singles out what they call “F-vehicles” with a yellow leaf logo; these are cars and trucks that use flex-fuel technology.

With the combined efforts of these popular auto dealers, the call to lower carbon emissions and the various practices to attain it should be something customers and employees will learn from. Hopefully they will be the catalyst to improve on the call for better green living needed these day.

(Source) Press

Tags: Auto Dealers, autonation, better fuel efficiency, business operations, car buyers, carbon emissions, fuel efficient vehicles, fuel technology, honda team, launch, leaf logo, lithia springs georgia, miles per gallon, more fuel efficient vehicles, oil recycling, porcelain cups, styrofoam, team honda, team toyota, yellow leaf

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Yesterday, we had posted that General Motors finally got approval for the transfer of assets to the “New” GM. And while many approved and disapproved that piece of news, GMAC issues a statement of their own regarding this development.

In conjunction with the closing of the sale, the contracts GM has with GMAC will be transferred to the new GM entity. GMAC is pleased to conduct its business operations with the new GM entity and to be part of the solution to stabilize and strengthen the U.S. auto industry.

Again this is bound draw some issues. What about the debts and liabilities? What fate does befall them? Technically, we have been talking about the assets or the so-called good sides of the deal. What about the other pieces of the GM puzzle that are totally clueless to date?

Well you can be assured that GM will be in the headlines once again from hereon. There are still some loose ends to cover.

(Source) Press

Tags: assets, auto industry, business operations, conjunction, contracts, court bankruptcy, debts, General Motors, GM, GMAC, headlines, liabilities, loose ends, puzzle, u s auto

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A new version of the Female Friendly Interactive Training Center program has been announced by AskPatty.com, a program that aims to improve online training meant for women on how to attract, sell, retain and increase loyalty among potential customers.

Through this program, women who successfully complete the program can go on and help build, develop and maintain an efficient workforce that should benefit auto retailers and dealerships in handling customers and the business operations more efficiently. At the rate that things are going on these days, it is apparent that such a training module is a big boost, particularly since it is something they can learn online.

“Our goal is to provide training for automotive retail locations that is beneficial to the entire staff to help women have a great experience with all aspects of the car buying and automotive ownership experience. By utilizing this web based platform we can deliver timely video training along with testing to provide the participants with the necessary tools to increase sales and customer satisfaction with women,” according to Jody DeVere, Founder and CEO of AskPatty.com.

(Source) Press

Tags: auto retailers, business operations, car buying, customer satisfaction, devere, interactive training, necessary tools, ownership experience, participants, retail locations, video training, workforce

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Facebook has become a great way to promote businesses and apparently Toyota of South Florida wants to check out what they can get if they try out the popular social networking site in relation to their business operations. Now, Toyota is offering its customers twenty-four hour accessibility through the use of social networks, Facebook and Twitter.

Toyota of South Florida is using social networks for more than just answering customers’ questions; they plan to use it as a way to build and foster ongoing relationships with its customers. Customers will be invited to join the member group through a Social Network Kiosk, found in the dealership show room. This move is a great way to build healthy interaction which can be later on used as a form of leverage in improvement and customer feedback and support.

“Social networks like Facebook and Twitter give us an opportunity to stay in contact with our customers beyond their automobile purchase. We want to see them enjoying their Toyotas on a day-to-day basis. Toyota of South Florida is always seeking new and improved ways to be accessible in ways that are convenient to our customers,” says Marc A. Kahn, President of Toyota of South Florida. “Social media is a natural choice for the new, tech-savvy generation of Toyota and Scion buyers.”

(Source) Press

Tags: accessibility, automobile purchase, business operations, customer feedback, facebook, interaction, leverage, member group, natural choice, network kiosk, relationships, Scion, social networking site, Toyota, toyotas, twitter, using social networks

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Ruff and Tuff Electric Vehicles Inc. has announced that the Wheego Whip LSV will be out in the market soon, adding another variant for the growing number of electric cars for consumer selection. The Wheego Whip LSV is touted to come out this July.

“The strategic needs of the two companies are very different. RTEV has an industry-best established product line and a great regional distribution network. But with the downturn in the economy and the pressure that power sport dealers are feeling with floor plan financing being nearly non-existent, RTEV needs to focus on cost reduction and selling deeper into its established territory markets, instead of expanding into new markets. RTEV has a cash flow optimization strategy,” Mike McQuary of RTEV explained.

Similar to the fate that most car companies are experiencing today, it is not purely about the sale but the management direction to define consistent business operations. And while they are still fresh, it would be best to look out and closely monitor the demand and other factors that could make or break this new electric car in the market.

And getting the lessons from the debacle of large and long existent auto companies, Wheego aims to learn from these and build on their new product line which is highly awaited in the automotive industry today.

(Source) Press

Tags: auto companies, automotive industry, business operations, downturn, electric car, electric cars, electric vehicles inc, floor plan, flow optimization, mike mcquary, optimization strategy, power sport, ruff and tuff, whip

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Today it is a matter of wise management to be able to get through the financial crunch of business. Such measures as this one undertaken by Advance Auto Parts should serve as a model for most auto companies, the need to address inventory management to avoid overstocking which may eventually lead to losses.

Similar to modern consumer products, the need to identify proper car parts as needed by consumers and car companies has to be addressed. Doing an analysis manually would be fine but why bother if you can get a software to help the auto parts business operate a wiser business model for proper inventory management and distribution of car parts.

Advance Auto Parts is using PASW Modeler (formerly Clementine) and PASW Collaboration & Deployment Services (formerly Predictive Enterprise Services) for market basket analysis and to help optimize its supply chain to accurately manage inventory at warehouses and individual stores.

Clearly, this is an important need in optimizing business operations. With the help of the SPSS Predictive Analysis Software, auto parts distributors can expect a reliable way of controlling their inventory and not overstock and encounter losses in the end.

(Source) Press

Tags: advance auto parts, analysis software, auto companies, auto parts business, auto parts distributors, business model, business operations, car companies, car parts, deployment services, financial crunch, inventory management, losses, market basket analysis, predictive analysis, software auto, supply chain, warehouses

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Today, they are awarded $100,000 for their ingenious business plans that may very well be used by Ford Motors. But as a whole, you have to wonder if this contest was really aimed to bring out the best business plans according to the eyes of yuppie entrepreneurs or a strategy that can be considered by Ford Motors to help enhance its business operations.

The next generation of business leaders took home top prizes at the 2009 Ford HBCU Business Classic in Atlanta, GA on April 17. The business plan competition was held at Clark Atlanta University and showcased the best and brightest minds from Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the country. Student teams from Florida A&M University and Howard University were awarded $100,000 in scholarship prizes for their groundbreaking business plans.

Students were challenged to test their entrepreneurial ambitions before a panel of judges, comprised of influential entrepreneurs from the business community. Each team was scored on the viability of their business plans, their overall presentation and the business plan’s potential benefit to the community.

(Source) Press

Tags: ambitions, black colleges, business classic, business leaders, business operations, business plan competition, business plans, community source, ford motors, panel of judges, scholarship prizes, showcased, top prizes, viability, yuppie

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Until their deal with Fiat has been closed, it looks like Chrysler has gotten some sort of a break as the U.S. Bankruptcy Court yesterday gave interim approval to Chrysler for $4.1 billion of Debtor-In-Possession (DIP) financing, funded by the U.S. Treasury and Export Development Canada, and the use of $400 million of cash collateral, enabling the company to meet its working capital and general business needs going forward.

Approval of Chrysler’s DIP financing provides the company with resources to continue “normal course” business operations pending approval of the sale transaction with Fiat.

The Chrysler Chapter 11 case was filed on April 30, 2009, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York. The case number is 09-50002, with the Honorable Arthur J. Gonzalez presiding.

(Source) Press

Tags: bankruptcy court southern district of new york, business operations, case number, cash collateral, Chapter 11, Chrysler, course business, debtor in possession, Fiat, general business, interim approval, reprieve, working capital

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In a move that is expected to change the fortunes of their business operations, Nissan has reportedly made some new management and operational structure changes for the Americas designed to capitalize on synergies across the region while focusing on individual market and consumer needs.

The company has strategically consolidated its operations across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean to leverage the collective expertise of this diverse economic zone. The Management Committee-Americas is now a streamlined group of executives making strategic decisions for the region.

In addition, two new operations committees have been established for North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Each is charged with tactical, market- and performance-focused decisions aligned with the overall regional strategy. This new organizational design will drive future growth in the region.

Manufacturing, purchasing, supply-chain management and logistics will be tightly allied, because their functions are similar throughout the region. Sales, marketing and support operations will be managed more locally, since they need to respond to local-market needs.

Nissan will launch a battery electric vehicle in the United States and Japan in 2010. Two years later, Nissan EVs will be made available to the mass market globally.

(Source) Press

Tags: business operations, collective expertise, economic zone, electric vehicle, management changes, management committee, sales marketing, strategic decisions, synergies

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Unlike some companies who are waiting for some action from U.S. President Barack Obama, Turning Wheel RV Center announced that “After a comprehensive review, we have taken what we believe are bold steps to restructure the Company’s balance sheet and reformulate its business strategy,” stated Marco Martinez, Turning Wheel RV’s President.

One such bold step is that on April 9th, 2009, the Company voluntarily entered into an agreement with its Floor Plan financing lender, which allows for the Company to completely reduce its inventory and avoid the cash drain related to operating its business using Floor Plan financing. Floor Plan financing is a loan under which RV dealerships typically borrow money from lenders to purchase inventory from manufacturers for sale to RV buyers.

Floor Plan financing can create significant cash shortages for RV dealers due to the requirement to pay down the loan on certain aged units in their inventories despite dwindling sales. As a result of the agreement with its lender, Turning Wheel RV is now positioned to rebuild its inventory without the use of Floor Plan financing. “We believe the agreement with our lender significantly strengthens our balance sheet,” Martinez added.

Like most other RV dealerships in the U.S., Turning Wheel’s business operations have been significantly affected by the severe economic climate. However, unlike some RV dealerships that have simply given up or others that are bleeding financially while waiting around for the benefits of President Obama’s stimulus package and the economy to rebound, Turning Wheel RV decided it had to take bold action to secure its position in the current challenging environment.

Earlier this year, the Company engaged the New York-based investment banking firm The Reid Group LLC as advisors to assist the Company with a restructuring and to reformulate its business strategy.

(Source) Press

Tags: Barack Obama, bold step, bold steps, business operations, business strategy, cash shortages, economic climate, inventories, rv buyers, rv center, rv dealers, rv dealerships, stimulus package

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