In this episode of Rising Stars Speak, Susanne Hegglund, Head of Global Offer at Volvo, and Markus Winkler, Executive VP at Capgemini, discuss the evolving EV landscape, marketing strategies, and what’s needed to accelerate the transition.

It’s no secret that automobile dealerships face a persistent challenge in finding employees – the service bay, for sure, but also on the sales floor and other departments. Every generation has its own perspective on pay and perks.

Buying a car dealership is a complicated and complex process, even for experienced dealers. But it can be especially daunting for first-time buyers, who must navigate a gauntlet of challenges–including some that often are overlooked.

The automotive industry’s rush to vehicle electrification has lost its charge. Sales are rising, but not as fast. And the federal government’s enthusiasm has petered out with the arrival of a new administration. What can give the EV transition a jolt? Raman Ram, EY Americas Aerospace, Defense & Mobility Leader, sheds light on the current state of EVs and how the market can regain momentum.

As the automotive market returns to normal after the post-pandemic heyday and the subsequent affordability and credit squeeze, dealers are now facing a familiar challenge. They need to find ways to make their non-factory-certified used inventory stand out while competing against other dealers' factory CPO programs. As market experts predict more stable used vehicle prices and better inventory levels ahead1, dealer focus returns to showing value and staying competitive.

In this exclusive NADA edition of In The Driver’s Seat, host Emma Hancoc speaks with Ahmed Iqbal, Head of Industry - Automotive at TikTok, and Drake Baerresen, Co-Founder & CMO at TurnKey Marketing, as they break down how Tiktok’s new Automotive Ads for Inventory tool is transforming the way dealers connect with car shoppers.

The strategies dealers use to purchase used cars directly correlate to profitable sales. But due to dramatic shifts in various market forces, it’s more challenging to acquire and sell used cars at good margins. Dealers can minimize those challenges by following some basic guidelines outlined here by Phillip Battista, the President of Dealer Technologies and Head of Modern Retailing at J.D. Power.

As Amazon enters the automotive retail market and offers online automotive shopping through Amazon Autos, it’s understandable that dealers may be concerned about competition from the retailing giant.