Stellantis reviews U.S. advertising accounts for Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, Alfa and Fiat
The review comes as the automaker is under dealer scrutiny as sales slump. The Jeep brand is not involved in the review.
F&I tip: Make a connection before you start your pitch
Finance and insurance managers should try to get to know the customer before they start selling, said Jimmy Magee, general manager of Audi Turnersville in New Jersey.
“You can find out what the most important things will be to them by having a short 10- to 15-minute conversation about that person, about life and who they are,” Magee said.
Every dealership has the same vehicles and types of F&I products for sale, Magee said. F&I managers need to find out which products make the most sense for each individual customer to make a sale in today’s competitive market, he said.
“I might not need the tire-and-wheel package, but somebody else may need it because they are always in the city,” Magee said. “Sitting down and learning and talking to customers, that’s the biggest part.”
Have a good auto finance and insurance tip to share? Email Automotive News F&I reporters John Huetter at john.huetter@crain.com and Paige Hodder at paige.hodder@crain.com. See more F&I tips at autonews.com/topic/fi-tips.
Union accuses Brightline of obstructing organizing bid, asks U.S. DOT to block future funding
A union seeking to organize onboard Brightline workers in Florida is accusing management of hindering the effort, and has asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to consider blocking future federal funding for the high-speed railroad.
In a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the Transport Workers Union of America alleges the company has “repeatedly and aggressively blocked these workers from exercising their right to freely be represented by the union of their choice. Brightline Florida has engaged anti-union law firms to delay a vote to organize and they are actively pressuring workers to oppose unionizing.”
The letter, dated Sept. 19, is signed by John Samuelsen, the TWU president based in Washington. The union says it represents 155,000 workers in the airline, railroad and other transportation-related businesses.
In August, a majority of 104 onboard service workers employed by Brightline Florida requested to form a union. The railroad employs an estimated 600 workers. The service workers include lead attendants and on-board attendants who sell food and drinks and assist passengers with amenities. Their hourly wages range between $20 and $23 an hour, a TWU spokesman said.
Kissimmee commissioners feel turbulence over landing fee at city airport
Kissimmee is drawing fire from pilots, students and aviation experts over plans to raise revenue for the airport by charging a fee to land planes there — something that has been free since it opened in 1940.
Kissimmee Gateway Airport would charge $3 per 1,000 pounds of aircraft weight for each landing by a transient plane — one not based at the facility. The fee is projected to generate $400,000 to $500,000 in revenue annually based on airport landings in 2023.
Despite pushback from more than a dozen people during public comment Sept. 17, city commissioners unanimously adopted the ordinance to assess a fee. However, they delayed implementation and will hold another public hearing Oct. 1.
Opponents argue it sets a dangerous precedent across the state that could lead to safety issues and decrease traffic at the airport.
Pilot Johnny Baize told commissioners the fee might push pilots to use airports which, unlike Kissimmee, don’t have control towers — a factor that contributed to the crash that killed his son.
Ford CEO: Being kind not ‘natural to me'
Ford’s CEO, at a dinner honoring the 2024 Automotive News Rising Stars, gave advice on identifying talent, managing time and improving himself.