#690 - 🚗 Alabama Ballots

TOGETHER WITH

Serving customers is really easy if you think about it. Just think about all the negative experiences you’ve ever had as a customer and do the opposite.

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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BUSINESS

A Few Minutes With The News

We review 40+ sites a day, looking for news that speaks to us. We usually find it and are able to pull a single thread through multiple topics so the anecdotes, data, news, and announcements say something.

Sometimes, that something is in a language we don’t speak, but it says something all the same.

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Moving Cars Around

Thanks to imports, a new car may travel more miles before you drive it than in the first few months of ownership. 

BMW Imports Banned Material

A recent Senate report revealed that BMW imported 8,000 Mini Cooper vehicles into the U.S. with components from a banned Chinese supplier. The legislation, passed in 2021, aims to prevent goods produced with forced labor from China's Xinjiang region. BMW has continued using these parts until at least April 2024.

BYD Production Hits Mexico

Meanwhile, BYD unveiled its new Shark PHEV truck in Mexico. This hybrid truck, starting at $53,440, boasts an impressive range of over 500 miles and is set to compete with established models like the Ford Ranger. BYD plans to expand production to Mexico, emphasizing the importance of the region in its growth strategy.

Italy Arrests Cars

In Italy, police seized 134 Fiat Topolino cars for displaying the Italian flag despite being manufactured in Morocco. This violation of a law against misleading indications of origin forced Fiat to remove the flag to release the cars.

Bama Benz Ballot Ballet

Mercedes-Benz workers in Alabama voted against joining the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, with 56% rejecting the proposal. This outcome deals a setback to UAW's organizing efforts, especially after their recent success at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee. 

Despite the loss, UAW President Shawn Fain expressed pride in the workers' efforts and emphasized the union's commitment to ongoing organizing and addressing unfair labor practice charges against Mercedes-Benz and other automakers.

Volkswagen Draws New Lines

Volkswagen is shifting from an all-electric vehicle strategy to include more plug-in hybrids due to slowing EV sales.

• The company has faced setbacks, including delayed model releases and falling behind in the Chinese market.

• VW has also paused plans for a €2 billion EV factory in Germany and is seeking leniency from European regulators on emissions.

• Despite the changes, VW is partnering with Xpeng Inc. and planning new EV models to regain market share.

Electric Caterpillar. Electric Butterfly? 

Caterpillar and Vale are partnering to test a 240-ton electric haul truck and other decarbonization technologies at Vale's Brazilian mines. This initiative aims to reduce Vale's carbon emissions by 33% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The tests include battery-electric trucks, V2G/V2x systems, and dual-fuel solutions.

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Seems like the roof is the most important part of the house, but if it doesn’t have walls, it is just a hard-to-walk-on floor. So maybe value is a direct reflection of the quality of a relationship. 🤷

TOGETHER WITH REYNOLDS & REYNOLDS AND GUBAGOO

Celebrating Our Partners

ASOTU CON just wouldn’t have been the same without the incredible support from our co-presenting sponsors, Reynolds and Reynolds and Gubagoo. Dedicated to creating calm from the chaos of data management and the customer journey, these companies showed up in full-force this year to provide an unforgettable experience. 

Plus, a special shout-out to Greg Uland (VP of Marketing at Reynolds and Reynolds) for his Pitch Tank participation, Caleb Torello (Product Supervisor at Gubagoo) who led an insightful panel on "How To Build Smoother Communication Flows From Online To The Sales Floor," and AJ McGowan (President of AutoVision) for his main stage session on “How to Think Outside the Box of Used Car Market Based Pricing Strategies.”

Miss out and want to learn more?

Reynolds and Reynolds is renowned for helping dealerships thrive. Their all-in-one Reynolds Retail Management System unifies workflows and seamlessly shares customer data, reducing errors and costs while boosting team efficiency, customer service, and profits. They also build strong partnerships with manufacturers, state associations, and industry advocates – driving the industry forward together.

Likewise, Gubagoo helps bridge the gap between dealers and customers with their leading retail experience platform. Their Virtual Retailing solution eliminates common online-to-in-store pain points, enhancing the car-buying experience. Gubagoo’s ChatSmart service ensures instant connectivity with customers across various platforms, transforming online visitors into confident buyers.

Explore more about why Reynolds and Reynolds and Gubagoo are our trusted partners by checking out their website today!

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

ASOTU CON Photo Dump

If you’re already reminiscing on last week like we are, re-live all the excitement with photos from ASOTU CON 2024 here! 📸

CULTURE

Heads Up Indeed

GM is working on a windshield size HUD (Heads Up Display) for vehicles to keep drivers aware and “undistracted” by pesky things like looking at your speedometer.

Essentially, the device would visualize what driving assistance tracks while you drive: Animals trying to cross, potential braking hazards, pothole-type obstructions, etc.

Of course, having your gauges and infotainment info on the lookin’-window may be in some small wall… ALSO distracting? maybe?

What do we know, we don’t even change the radio unless we are at a red light.

Quick Hits

• Y’all ate too much shrimp. Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy. 🦐

• ChatGPT’s 4o saw the company’s biggest spike in revenue. 🤖

• Critics hated it, but the Cannes audience gave a 7-minute standing ovation to Kevin Costner’s new western, Horizon. ⚖️

History

• 1932: Amelia Earhart became the first woman to make a solo air crossing of the Atlantic. ✈️ 

• 1992: Johnny Carson performed his last Tonight Show. ✌️

• 2017: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performed their final show at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. 🎪

Thanks for reading, friend! Not everybody gets to make something for their community every day, but we do, and we are grateful for the opportunity.