The Six Degrees Of Autonomy Of Driverless Cars

In 2014, SAE International (Society of Automotive Engineers) published the concept of autonomy levels for automated driving systems, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already adopted. Here is a primer on the six degrees of autonomy:

Level 0 (No Automation): The human driver controls all of the driving actions, including acceleration, braking, throttle, and steering.

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Level 1 (Driver Assistance): Recent car models already have this kind of automation in forms of adaptive cruise control and park assist. The human driver can have the computer take control of either the steering or acceleration and braking, but never both.

Level 2 (Partial Automation): A level-two automated car can take over both the pedals and the wheels, given certain conditions. The human driver must still keep his eyes on the road and regain control of the vehicle at any time.

Level 3 (Conditional Automation): This degree of automation is similar to the previous one, however, the human driver does not have to monitor the situation that much. The vehicle is capable of deciding on its own whenever dynamic incidents occur on the road, but the human driver serves as the fallback system. Because this autonomy level can cause potential issues on liability, car manufacturers would rather skip this level.

Level 4 (High Automation): A true self-driving car, the vehicle can accomplish all driving tasks on its own. A steering wheel, pedals, and throttle are still installed, though, to allow the human driver to take control if he prefers to.

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Level 5 (Full Automation): Cars of this degree of autonomy cannot be driven by a human because there are no steering wheels and pedals.

Jeff Lupient is a hands-on dealership manager who has years of experience in the industry. Visit this website for similar articles on the automotive industry.

Your Money’s Worth:How To Get The Best Value For a Used Car

Used cars are not always the cheaper option. Depending on the model and its value, a used car may be more expensive than a brand-new one. But if the model is not relatively new and is not a vintage one, it should cost cheaper than a new car. There are many reasons for buying a used car. Here are some tips to get the best value for its price.

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Run a background check

Know the car’s record. Run a background check on it to know if it had been severely damaged, if the parts are still the original ones, or if it already had multiple owners before the sale. Run a vehicle history report and always consider a car that has a clean record.

Follow a checklist

Make a checklist of what to look for in a used car. Write a mechanical checklist to take note of which problems to look for, which parts are still good, and which part needs the most attention. Have a mechanic inspect the car. A professional would know how to look for car issues like leakages, and other electrical problems that can be hidden from the eyes of a buyer.

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Ask questions

Questions about financing and insurance should be asked to know if one is really getting the best value for a used car. A fair price should always be considered, and this can be achieved by comparing cars and their value for their cost. Ask the dealer if the car is a certified pre-owned vehicle. Tough questions should be asked to avoid issues once the car is bought.

Being a smart buyer prevents one from being tricked by dealers and even be tricked by the used car. Know what to look for and once convinced, have confidence in the purchase. After all, it’s the best value for its price.

Jeff Lupient, the CEO and President of MN-based Lupient Automotive Group, has been a leader in the car dealership industry for many years. For more on the car industry, click this link.

Finding focus in multitasking: Is it possible?

Multitasking is engaging in two or more tasks at once, switching from one to the other. Updating one’s personal social media account while replying to work related emails is considered multitasking. Cloud computing services meanwhile allow employees to have access to office data even when they’re out of the office or engaged in other activities. 

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Employees are often told to learn the art of multitasking. It is, after all, cost-efficient and boosts employee productivity. However, juggling two or more duties may lessen the quality of the output for each. Before desiring to develop multitasking skills, one must first learn how to stay focus on the main task given. If the additional tasks, however, hinder the completion of the main task, one should consider doing them after the primary task is delivered. 

If offered to choose which tasks to take on top of the primary task, pick the ones that are related to what is currently being done. Complex tasks may demand extra attention and effort from the employee. When encountering those, it would be best to focus on them first. After a complex task has been completed, switch back to the ones which can be done while doing other activities. 

An employee trying to do tasks simultaneously at the expense of their quality puts multitasking in a bad light. It may be hard to believe that one can find focus in multitasking, but being aware of one’s work capabilities can help in breezing through finishing a number of tasks with focus. 

There are no right or wrong ways to multitask, but they must always promote work efficiency and effectiveness.

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Jeff Lupient is the current CEO and president of Lupient Automotive Group in Minnesota. He is proficient in numerous skills such as new business development, process improvement, automotive dealership, and sales. For similar reads, subscribe to this blog.

Understanding The Relationship Between Sales And Marketing

It is easy to mix up sales and marketing because both activities are aimed at increasing revenue. And in small businesses, the same department or people fulfill sales and marketing responsibilities. In reality, there is a clear distinction between the two, but they go hand in hand if the organization wants to bring in more revenue.

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The role of salespeople is to “sell what is in stock.” There is already a set amount and specific types of products or services which the sales department aims to sell to customers. They develop means to ensure that they reach the target sales level, and these include fostering a relationship with clients and partners, learning how to communicate properly with customers, ensuring that the transaction goes smoothly, and other similar actions.

Marketing, meanwhile, aims to direct the organization toward the appropriate market segments and attract the customers (both new and current) to its products and services. They are also tasked with analyzing the market and industry, implementing pricing strategies, research, and much more.

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Sales is primarily focused on the “now,” making sure that there is business at present and in the near future. Marketing has a longer perspective to give the organization an idea of how to bring in sales in the future and build lasting relationships with customers and partners.

Jeff Lupient, CEO and president of Lupient Automotive Group, started in the industry when he was 15 years old, working for his family’s chain of car dealerships. He eventually went on to experience every position and job in the automotive retail business, leading to him developing top-notch skills in automotive sales. Visit this page for more information about him and his work.

The Possible Effects Of Autonomous Vehicles On Automotive Retailers

Since the 1930s, vehicles that are driverless or that have mechanical autopilots were already being conceptualized. One century later, partially or fully autonomous vehicles are finally expected to arrive. Depending on how legislation and consumers respond to this new technology, it could take just 10 years or less before driverless or self-driving cars are seen coasting every road or street in the country.

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The entry and commercialization of these autonomous vehicles have various implications on retailers, such as the following:

Shift in customer segmentation

The market segment that would probably adopt the autonomous technology the quickest is the business segment because families are less inclined to purchase an autonomous car for they would most likely be concerned about control and their safety, especially the children’s.

Businesses, particularly logistics companies, would not have the same concern. Driverless freights or cars can even bring additional advantages, such as lower costs, additional resources that can be spent on interacting with customers, and reduced risk to human life.

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Car ownership

Autonomous vehicles would obviously cost much more than regular cars. There is then the possibility that that new-car sales could be reduced, which could make car sharing or fractional ownership more attractive to private buyers.

Minnesota-native Jeff Lupient is the current president and CEO of Lupient Automotive Group. Before assuming the post, he has worked in different positions in his family’s chain of car dealerships. For more about the automotive industry, check out this page.

How To Deal: The Challenges Faced By Car Dealerships

Car sales are rising, and this has been the trend for the past decade. They are not, however, clear indications of peachy times ahead for the industry. The automotive industry, while reposing on growth, is a vast one. As such, it is bound to hit many snags in various channels.

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Car dealerships, for instance, directly feel the brunt of fluctuating demand and changing consumer expectations. Their experience of the automotive industry is different from that of automotive manufacturers in that they’re the ones grappling with the variety and sheer volume of models and preferences. Indeed, brands and car manufacturers can insist on a single track when releasing models and innovations that integrate in-demand trends. Car dealerships must consolidate these choices in the segments in which they specialize. The larger ones, meanwhile, must expand their inventory to cater to diverse tastes.

Technological turnovers are also unrelenting. Car dealerships must equip themselves with knowledge of such, and effectively disseminate this to their sales forces. Car buyers nowadays rarely understand what goes on in engines and the other minutiae of car makes. They want to be told what they’re buying into, and in ways that can be demonstrated through a simple road test.

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Online shopping is also forcing changes in the operations of car dealerships. Whereas before the car-buying experience tended to be an interrogatory, loitering affair in showrooms, nowadays, potential buyers turn to Google for research and save the walk-in for the actual buying. This leaves little room for sales representatives to make convincing pitches. On the other hand, they can use the online shopping trend to leverage their offerings.

Jeff Lupient is the president of the Minnesota-based Lupient Automotive Group and a reputable name in the sales industry. For more reads on the automotive industry, visit this blog.

Three Tips To Develop Multitasking Skills

Having multitasking skills is a requirement in the workplace these days. While some are natural task-jugglers, there are those who might need help when the responsibilities pile up. How can an employee develop multitasking skills and become efficient in all his responsibilities?

1. Keep track of progress by making a to-do list.

A to-do list can be simply written on a notepad or entered in a smartphone. What’s important is the person succeeds in doing all the tasks. With this list, a person can give his full attention on one task before he moves on to the next. Multitasking isn’t necessarily about doing two things at the same time. It’s about juggling multiple responsibilities and fulfilling them all efficiently. With a to-do list, a person can set times for specific tasks and decide which ones must be prioritized.

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2. Take only what can be done.

The problem with undertrained multitaskers is that they take a lot of tasks that they cannot fulfill. For those who are just getting used to having a lot of things on their plate, they can take on three tasks and then increase the number once they have mastered focusing and succeeding on the three items. Multitaskers also know how to say no because they value the quality of their output more than other matters in the office.

3. Learn to switch gears.

Some people in the workplace have tasks that are too different from each other. When this happens, it’s important for a person to focus on the task at hand. For example, a person who just finished accounting work needs to set his mind to do the next thing on his to-do list, which might no longer require crunching numbers. This way, there will also be enough time to focus on the next tasks.

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There will come a point in an employee’s life when he would need to take on different roles in order to prove his worth in business. It’s important to gain a wide range of skills and be able to multitask without sacrificing efficiency in the workplace.

Jeff Lupient is the current president and CEO of Lupient Automotive Group. He is highly skilled in automotive sales, customer retention, and process improvement. He learned and mastered these skills through the many years he served in his family’s chain of car dealerships. For more business management tips and updates, follow this Twitter page.

The Art Of Motivating Oneself To Hit Sales Targets

Motivation is an often disregarded matter in the things that lead up to the fruition of an accomplishment, but truly, it can be a strong force if people only learn to take it seriously. Some people even consider self-motivation as an art in itself. Below is some advice.

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No matter what pay grade a sales employee is in, success is always measured in terms of lifestyle. Everyone surely wants something that money can buy. It can be a house, a car, a new entertainment console or even a holiday in a beach paradise. Choose the object of your motivation and measure it in terms of what it would cost you to achieve the goal.

From there, make an accurate computation of money to be had in terms of commission that you get from the products or services that you are selling. This will give you an idea of how far off you are from your target. If for instance, it takes you to sell three condominiums to get the car you’ve always been dreaming of, then that gives you a number to work with.

Of course, success will become a function of what you want to buy and the potential money to earn that comes with your sales venture. No matter what you intend to purchase and no matter what you are selling, your success will always be anchored on a number, which allows you to set your sights clearly so you may do your work accordingly.

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It is beneficial to think in terms of a conditionality which tells you that if you sell X number of items, you will reach your objective. You’ll get your prized item, and surely, you’ll hit your target too.

Jeff Lupient is the president of the Minnesota-based Lupient Automotive Group. Because of his vast experience in the corporate world, he is one of the most respected personalities in sales. For more information, follow this Twitter account.