#554 - 🖤🛍️🖤 Get Tee'd Up

TOGETHER WITH

Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Hit reply and let us know.

We’re doing a little Black Friday sale at ASOTU, but since we have no retail storefront locations, it’s more like “Cyber Friday.”

Sometimes, telling it like it is is the mother of innovation. 🤷

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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BUSINESS

Getting Down to Business

VW Hikes Wages

• Volkswagen increases salaries for Chattanooga plant workers by 11%.

• The wage increase will be effective beginning in December, with faster wage progression starting in February.

• Why? UAW's successful negotiations with Detroit Three automakers have influenced other non-union companies.

• Honda and Toyota also raised wages for non-union U.S. workers, and Hyundai announced a 25% wage increase over four years for workers in Alabama and Georgia.

Companies are recognizing the need to offer more competitive pay and benefits to attract and retain skilled workers. This shift underscores the importance of staying attuned to industry standards and employee expectations, especially in a competitive labor market.

Toyoda Steps Down

• Akio Toyoda is retiring as chairman of JAMA, Japan’s Automobile Manufacturers Association, which represents 5.5M employees from 14 automakers.

• Masanori Katayama of Isuzu Motors to succeed Toyoda on January 1st, 2024. It will be the first time a truck company leader heads Japan's automotive industry association.

• Toyoda led Japan’s automotive industry for three terms since 2012.

The appointment of Masanori Katayama as successor signals a broadening of perspectives at the helm of Japan's auto industry. We’ll have to wait to see what that change means for the US.

New Car Sales on the Rise

• U.S. new vehicle sales are expected to rise 10.2% this month.

• Retail inventory levels in November are expected to increase by 7.5% from last month and 43.7% year-over-year.

• The average transaction price of new vehicles fell 1.9% to $45,332.

• Despite falling per-unit profits, dealer profits remain above pre-pandemic levels.

• The 2024 forecast remains at 92.3M units, up 3% from 2023.

The projected increase in new vehicle sales and inventory levels points to a recovering market with robust consumer demand and more affordable prices, despite the recent struggles (looking at you, UAW strike).

TOGETHER WITH VEHICLES FOR CHANGE

Be The Change

Vehicles for Change is about more than cars in a big way. They’re reshaping lives and the industry through transformative training, support, and employment. 

By championing those re-entering society post-incarceration, Vehicles for Change paves the path to reinvigorated families, decreased recidivism, and new opportunities.

Every graduate enters the hiring pool with top-tier auto tech skills and an average of three ASE certifications. Vehicles for Change makes it easier for many dealers to boost their teams, uplift their community, and craft a brighter tomorrow.

Contact Vehicles for Change and be the change you wish to see! 🌟

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Wyler's Golden Anniversary Bash

Jeff Wyler Kings Nissan in Ohio just hit a huge milestone, celebrating 50 years in the biz with a festive luncheon. 🍴

It's been half a century of top-notch service, all thanks to their stellar team. They showed their appreciation with a special Thanksgiving lunch, tipping their hats to the hardworking folks who've been the backbone of their success.

But that's not all – they're also giving back big time by donating $1,000 each to SPCA Cincinnati and PAWS Animal Adoption Center. It's their way of saying thanks to a community that's stood by them from day one.

Cheers to the next 50 years of employee appreciation and community support, Jeff Wyler crew! 🥂

TIE CUTTERS

2024 TIME Dealer of the Year Nominee:
Michael Puetz

Michael Puetz of Sugar Loaf Ford Lincoln and Crysler Winona has been selected as one of the 49 nominees for the prestigious TIME Dealer of the Year Award. Representing the Minnesota Automobile Dealers Association, he stands out among over 16,000 dealers for his commitment to his employees and the community, particularly for those with limited resources.

Recognized for fostering an employee-centric culture, his dealership won the Best Place to Work 2022-23 award. Actively involved in his community and the promotion of the automotive industry as a career, Puetz contributes significantly to local education and community events.

Congratulations on the well-deserved recognition, Michael! 👏

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Coming Soon

• FEBRUARY 1 - 4, 2024

  NADA 2024 in Las Vegas

  Are you going to NADA and itching for some eye-catching media coverage? We're your dream team for content creation.

  🎥 Let’s link up 🎥 
   

• MAY 14 - 17, 2024

  ASOTU CON 2024 in Baltimore

  Next year, we’re elevating the focus on context, connection, and dynamic conversations. Unlike traditional conferences, we’re going beyond a passive listening experience, turning every attendee, speaker, and exhibitor into a crucial part of the larger dialogue.
  🤝 Partner with us 🤝

Quick Hits

• Sam Altman has been re-instated as CEO of OpenAI. ⏪

• BBC announced it’s putting the brakes on the British auto entertainment show Top Gear "for the foreseeable future.” ⚙️

• ChatGPT's voice chat feature is now available for all free users. 🗣️

You already love people more than cars; let us help you show it, and we will double your investment with a dope buy-one-get-one sale on tees and hats.

Update your Christmas List now and get ready for our Black Friday sale 🔥👊

Kicks off at midnight Thursday and runs until Monday!

PS: These make epic dealership-wide gifts for the holidays. 😉

History

• 1896: First US absentee voting law enacted by Vermont. 🗳️

• 1969: Apollo 12 returns to Earth. 🚀

• 1973: An oil crisis prompted the government of West Germany to impose a national speed limit on the Autobahn of 62 mph (but it only lasted four months). 🐢