It takes an obscene amount of cash to run a car dealership. Not “a lot” in the way you might describe your cousin’s sneaker collection, but a lot in the way you’d describe Mount Everest. Cash isn’t just king here, it’s oxygen. Without it, the store wheezes, sputters, and eventually passes out. Lately, the subject […] The post Dealership Cash Flow: From Panic to Strategy appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc
Month-end in a franchise car dealership is a bit like hosting Thanksgiving dinner. You think you’ve got everything under control until you realize the turkey’s still frozen, the cranberry sauce is missing, and Aunt Linda has arrived two hours early asking why the table isn’t set. For controllers, it’s the same kind of scramble: dozens […] The post Month-End Checklist for Franchise Car Dealership Controllers appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc
Every dealership has its version of “everything’s fine.” It’s usually said just after someone asks a financial question that doesn’t have an immediate answer. The phones are ringing, the sales team is caffeinated, and the service dept has customers in the drive. On the surface, it looks like a well-oiled machine. But behind the office […] The post The Warning Signs of a Dealership Financial Crisis appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc
When I walk into a dealership for the first time, I never know what I’m going to find. Sometimes there’s a friendly receptionist and a fresh pot of coffee. Other times, it’s a makeshift accounting office in what used to be the broom closet, where the “controller” is a former parts runner with a R+R […] The post The Joys of Internal Controls for Franchise Dealerships appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc
If there’s one thing dealers and GMs hate it’s discovering that the money they thought they made last month has quietly evaporated. Not stolen, exactly,| Kruse Control Inc
I’ve spent what feels like a lifetime managing car dealerships as a CFO or GM, and I’ve worked nearly every job in the car business, save for the one that requires grease under your nails. I’ve even led my own business for a good stretch. But through it all, I’ve always viewed every bit of […] The post The Great Dealership Controller Disappearance (And Why You Should Care) appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc
Poor leadership practices cost companies millions of dollars each year by negatively impacting employee productivity, staff retention, and customer| Kruse Control Inc
Running a car dealership without understanding your financial statement is like driving blindfolded—you might keep the engine running, but you won’t know when you’re about to crash. Whether you’re a dealer principal, GM, or department manager, understanding how to read your dealership’s financial statement is one of the most powerful tools you have for making […] The post How to Read a Dealership Financial Statement: A Practical Guide appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc
There’s a certain kind of paralysis that sets in when everything feels like it’s falling apart—like when your phone pings with a “low storage” warning and your accountant texts, “Can we talk?” So I almost didn’t write this post. It felt indulgent, like rearranging throw pillows during a house fire. But then, a few things […] The post Top 10 Financial Concerns Keeping Dealers Up at Night appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc
This week, I spoke with a potential client struggling with dealership cash flow—an issue that should be top of mind for every dealer, especially given today’s economic uncertainty. Having been in this business through the ’90s, early 2000s, and the Great Recession of 2009, I’ve seen firsthand how market shifts, consumer behavior, tighter flooring rules, […] The post 7 Top Cash Drains in Auto Dealerships appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc
Car dealerships have an accountant problem. Namely, they are running out of them. Over the past two years, I’ve been writing about the growing shortage of dealership controllers, and the situation has only deteriorated. Not only is it increasingly difficult to find knowledgeable controllers, but the crisis extends to dealership accounting talent as a whole. […] The post Car Dealerships Face an Accountant Crisis appeared first on Kruse Control Inc.| Kruse Control Inc