http://www.autodealermonthly.com/channel/dps-office/article/story/2...

PLEASE READ: Alpha Dawg Jim Zieglers Article: "Helter Skelter: An Industry on the Brink of Revolution"

This is a discussion I've been wanting to have for quite some time with fellow industry pros. The recent article from Jim Ziegler has been on my mind since it came out. In his article, Jim foreshadows his terrifying prediction that the industry is on the brink of a major revolution (not in a good way) by likening it to the radical changes of the 1960's as sung about by The Beatles in their song "Helter Skelter".

This seismic shift has been underway for quite some time. It's been on my mind for years (CarMax's 'wal-mart' type model put the fear into me years ago). I believe it is very closely related the industry wide VENDOR DATA THEFT issues that Jim also has talked about in his Data-Wars discussions.

Some automotive vendors seem to have the ultimate goal of taking your dealerships data, so as to figure out how to cut your retail dealership out of the equation and sell direct to your customers...They are already shifting their advertising schemes to plant and nurture a poisonous seed of 'just-under-the-radar" disdain and dis-trust for your dealership by your customers.

It is my opinion that Elon Musk of Tesla, could very well be leading (quite intentionally) the start of the end of the franchise system in the U.S. I grew up in Detroit, most everybody in my life and family were involved in the car business in one way or another, I took my first sales job at a Chrysler Dodge Jeep store in Michigan 6 days after I turned 18 years old. The dealership world is 100% who I am. The manufacturers would not necessarily be harmed in such a transition, the dealers and their employees absolutely would. I am enraged at these Vendors (TrueCar, CarFax etc), but I am not the one paying them to steal from me and portray my company as a criminal enterprise.

Would love to hear from some of our dealers about this...