🚗 Merry Monday

TOGETHER WITH

Monday before Christmas, and we’re feeling merry!

We know you have feasts, ugly sweaters, and warm drinks going around. Send us some pictures of your week’s merriment so we can share the 🎄 V I B E S 🎄 with you and our great big automotive family.

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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Today's Email

• 📊 Data Wars, EV Recycling, and Tesla’s Turbulence

• 📈 Webinar Recap: Data-Driven Strategies for Scala …

• 🥊 Quick Hits: Spending, Drones, and Mufasa

• 🔁 Today in History: Retire, Gifts, and Kidney

BUSINESS

📊 Data Wars, EV Recycling, and Tesla’s Turbulence

Senators are putting automakers on blast for hoarding repair data while selling customer info—because why stop at making cars when you can moonlight as a data broker?

Toyota’s recycling game is strong, with a DOE grant and a sleek new van in Japan that screams “eco-innovation.”

Rivian’s union whispers and Amazon van milestones prove the EV industry loves a good subplot.

Meanwhile, Trump is gunning for Biden’s climate legacy, aiming to steer EV incentives off a cliff.

Over at Tesla, they’re recalling cars (again), dabbling in Austin’s robotaxi scene, and juggling Cybertruck drama while their stock plays hopscotch.

Cadillac’s Vistiq enters the luxury EV market with all the bells, whistles, and a price tag that’ll make your wallet sweat.

Find more on these stories here.

TOGETHER WITH AUTOMOTIVEMASTERMIND

📈 Webinar Recap: Data-Driven Strategies for Scalable Service-to-Sales Processes

Transforming a service drive into a consistent sales machine sounds like a lofty goal—until you hear how Shane O’Hanrahan and Wendy Engelhardt made it a reality. On December 18th, ASOTU teamed up with automotiveMastermind to spotlight the secrets behind Chapman BMW Chandler's success, turning a once-overlooked area into a 35-45 sales-per-month powerhouse.

Shane, Chapman BMW’s GM, kicked things off by sharing his vision of an “upgrade center,” a space where service customers are invited to explore trade-in opportunities without the dreaded four-hour sales grind. Forget donut bribery; this is about genuine value, backed by predictive analytics. Wendy, Regional Group Manager at automotiveMastermind, outlined how their data solutions pinpoint high-value opportunities, breaking down silos between service and sales teams.

Highlights from the discussion included:

• Innovative Problem-Solving: Chapman faced classic service-sales friction. The solution? A dedicated space and staff embedded within the service department to create seamless, conversational customer experiences.

• Smart Data, Smarter Conversations: AutomotiveMastermind’s tools forecast customer readiness, from behavior prediction scores to service history insights. Knowing who’s likely to buy—and why—helped the team craft personalized, low-pressure pitches.

• Real ROI: Turning negative equity challenges into win-win scenarios isn’t magic; it’s methodology. Shane and Wendy demonstrated how a collaborative, data-driven culture pays off.

The secret sauce here isn’t just data—it’s how you use it. Want to cut six years off your learning curve? Shane’s advice: build trust, implement scalable processes, and lean into tools like automotiveMastermind for game-changing results.

Missed the webinar? No worries. Catch the full recording here and start rethinking your service drive today. After all, why let untapped potential stay, well, untapped?

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

🗓️ Coming Soon

⚜️ January 23-26th, 2025 — NADA Show in New Orleans

• Psst…

  • Are you planning a party for NADA and want more people to know?

  • Are you looking for a party at NADA?

  • OR, would you like to party with ASOTU at NADA?

    • Check out NADAParties.com 

🦀 May 13-16th, 2025 — ASOTU CON in Baltimore, Maryland

🥊 Quick Hits: Spending, Drones, and Mufasa

• U.S. consumer spending rose 0.4% in November, with benign inflation, higher income, and a 4.4% saving rate dip. 💵 

• AI-powered drones will pose greater threats as they evolve to identify targets autonomously, with fiber-optic technology advancing drone capabilities. 🤖 

• A new “Mufasa: The Lion King” clip debuted on GMA. 🦁 

🔁 Today in History: Retire, Gifts, and Kidney

• 1783: George Washington resigns as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Maryland. ✌️

• 1923: Woodrow Wilson received a customized Rolls-Royce, highlighting his love for cars and advocacy for U.S. road-building. 🎁 

• 1954: First successful kidney transplant is performed by J. Hartwell Harrison and Joseph Murray. 🧑‍⚕️ 

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