Frequently Asked Questions

Principal Advisory Group provides dealership owners with an additional layer of executive oversight, identifying missed opportunities, operational weaknesses, and areas where performance can be improved.

We spend four to five consecutive days on site, observing dealership operations, evaluating existing processes, and identifying opportunities to strengthen performance across departments.

Drawing on experienced dealership executives and department specialists, we identify opportunities to increase sales, strengthen F&I and service performance, reduce financial leakage, and improve management accountability.

We then establish measurable priorities and work with ownership and leadership to implement improvements, supported by 90 days of ongoing oversight.

Before: We align with ownership on the dealership’s goals, and review historical sales, service and financial information Much of this information can be collected in advance, minimizing disruption to the dealership.

During: We spend four to five consecutive days on site, concluding Saturday. We observe daily operations, evaluate existing processes, and meet with management and department personnel to identify opportunities for improved performance.

Afterward: Following our onsite evaluation, we complete a comprehensive analysis and meet with ownership and the GM by video conference to present our findings, quantify identified opportunities, and establish measurable priorities for improvement. We then work alongside dealership leadership to implement stronger processes and accountability. Over the following 90 days, we provide ongoing oversight, review progress, and help ensure improvements become part of the dealership’s daily operation.

No. Your GM remains responsible for running the dealership. Principal Advisory Group provides an experienced layer of operational oversight, working alongside ownership and management to identify opportunities, improve processes, strengthen leadership, and establish greater accountability.

Our goal is to help your existing management team operate more effectively, give ownership greater visibility and confidence in the business, and ultimately increase dealership profitability—whether you operate one store or several.

If you want the real answer, take a minute to read this through.

High turnover, particularly among managers, is often less a hiring problem and more a sign that managers haven’t been properly developed or given the structure, processes, and expectations they need to succeed.

If every dealership could simply hire an A+ general manager, sales manager, or service director, they probably would. But those people are expensive, difficult to find, and often financially unrealistic outside high volume operations.

The better answer is often to develop the people you already have. (And that’s a challenge we help with)

What some may classify as a “weak closer” or an inexperienced service director can become very effective with the right structure, processes, daily routines, training, and accountability. If they have the right attitude and willingness to improve, we can work with the rest.

The important part is, that same structure directly benefits their team and their team’s income. Better-managed salespeople and service advisors receive clearer direction, stronger support, and greater accountability—helping them perform at a higher level, and making good employees more likely to stay.

Constantly replacing managers and employees is expensive and rarely fixes the underlying problem.

Sometimes you don’t need different people. What you need, is to get more out of the people you already have.

Yes. Every engagement is handled with discretion. Operational findings, financial information, management discussions, and concerns shared by ownership and are treated as strictly confidential and are never disclosed to outside parties without authorization.

Each engagement is structured around the dealership’s needs and scope of work. Our objective is to identify opportunities that substantially exceed the cost of service.

We believe the investment should represent a fraction of the financial opportunity identified, with a goal of recovering the engagement cost and considerably more within the first 90 days.