Dealers: Plan Now for a Cybersecurity Attack
High Tech Doesn’t Always Win Over Consumers Maximizing Revenue Potential
DIRECTOR FEATURE
Washington Auto Dealerships Gear Up for Holiday Sales Amid EV Rebate Program Challenges and Legislative Concerns
How Dealers Can Focus on Best Practices, Financial Stability PLUS!
6 Tips for Creating Engaging Social Media Content for Used Car Dealerships
The official magazine of the WASHINGTON STATE Independent Auto Dealers Association
707 Auburn Way South | Auburn, WA 98002 T: 253-735-0267 staff@wsiada.com | WSIADA.COM
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Badie Darwazeh, Board President Seattle Auto Haus | President@wsiada.com
Randy Fletcher, Board Vice-President In-N-Out Auto Sales | VPresident@wsiada.com
Emil Scarsella, Board Treasurer Town & Country Auto Sales | Treasurer@wsiada.com
J.T. Curry, Board Secretary Motors Northwest | Secretary@wsiada.com
Wasim Azzam, Chairman of the Board All Right Auto Sales | Chairman@wsiada.com
CHAPTER PRESIDENTS
Tony Bonnallie – North Cascade Mission Motors | NoCascade@wsiada.com
Denis Costin – North Sound Independent Motors | NoSound@wsiada.com
Vacant Position – South Sound SoSound@wsiada.com
Rachel Frankel - Vancouver Top Auto Brokers | Vancouver@wsiada.com
Vacant Position – Yakima Yakima@wsiada.com
Vacant Position – Tri-Cities Tri-Cities@wsiada.com
Vacant Position – Spokane Spokane@wsiada.com
AT-LARGE BOARD
Ken Williamson, Board President (Emeritus) John’s Auto Mart, LLC
WSIADA STAFF
Rick Olson, Director of Operations
Mila Froman, Membership Manager
Mary Walton, Accountant
Lane Schulz, Retail Associate
Production Editor
Professional Mojo
2 WASHINGTON AUTO DEALERS GEAR UP FOR HOLIDAY SALES AMID EV REBATE PROGRAM CHALLENGES AND LEGISLATIVE CONCERNS
Washington auto dealerships are preparing for a holiday sales push amid rising sales numbers, challenges with the state’s electric vehicle rebate program, and ongoing legislative concerns affecting the independent auto industry.
4 DEALERS: PLAN NOW FOR A CYBERSECURITY ATTACK
Experts discuss recent incidents and how dealers can protect their businesses.
6 HOW DEALERS CAN FOCUS ON BEST PRACTICES, FINANCIAL STABILITY
Achieving a high level of customer satisfaction requires that every department within the dealership understands and supports the F&I process.
8 MAXIMIZING REVENUE POTENTIAL
Amid economic uncertainty and market volatility, auto dealerships are increasingly focusing on F&I products and wealth-building programs to diversify revenue
streams, enhance profitability, and strengthen consumer relationships, making them crucial for long-term success in the evolving automotive industry.
12 WASHINGTON TRUCKING INDUSTRY URGES STATE TO RECONSIDER ELECTRIC VEHICLE TRANSITION RULES
Washington’s trucking industry is urging the state to reconsider its aggressive EV mandates for commercial fleets, citing concerns about infrastructure, high costs, and limited truck availability, and is instead advocating for the more gradual EPA standards.
13 HIGH TECH DOESN’T ALWAYS WIN OVER CONSUMERS
Many people value handson technology rather than advanced driver-assistance systems and don’t like passenger display screens, deeming them unnecessary and hard to use.
14 6 TIPS FOR CREATING ENGAGING SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT FOR USED CAR DEALERSHIPS IN WASHINGTON
To boost sales and build trust, used car dealerships should enhance their social media presence by showcasing inventory, sharing customer testimonials, providing tips, promoting special offers, engaging with audiences, and leveraging user-generated content.
15 CHECK THIS
A compliance checklist allows a dealership to identify and address issues in a deal file and to note training opportunities.
17 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
20 READ & RESPOND QUIZ