ACERTUS, an omnichannel automotive logistics platform, today was named the preferred vendor for vehicle logistics by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA). This new, strategic partnership brings ACERTUS’ comprehensive technology to thousands of NIADA members nationwide – giving independent automobile dealers access to enhanced services to seamlessly move, store, recondition, title and home deliver vehicles to compete in today’s market.

Providing necessary technology to small and independent dealers is paramount to leveling the automotive retail playing field, allowing every auto dealer, no matter the size, to easily sell vehicles nationally and meet customers where they are without logistics or title and registration being a roadblock. The new dealermallUSA by NIADA provides association members access to a range of affiliated products and services supporting the needs of small and independent dealers, including ACERTUS’ proprietary Transportation Management System (TMS), VINlocity. Through ACERTUS’ platform, members can instantly connect to capacity of more than 7,400 carriers, 1,000 drivers, 66 hub and home delivery prep locations and title and registration processing capabilities in all 50 states, as well as get quotes, place and manage orders.

“Automotive retail has a long tail of small and independent dealers critical to meeting the current unprecedented demand for inventory,” said Trent Broberg, ACERTUS CEO. “Through this strategic partnership we can deliver technology to thousands of dealers, empowering and enabling them to expand the markets in which they can sell and acquire inventory, meet expectations for faster fulfillment and upshift the customer experience all on our logistics platform.”

The partnership kicks off during the 76^th annual NIADA National Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada bringing together independent dealers to learn the latest strategies, best practices, and emerging trends from the industry’s top minds, subject matter experts, and peers.

“Independent retailers are disproportionately feeling the effects of industry disruptions and inventory challenges,” NIADA CEO Bob Voltmann said. “NIADA members are calling for a solution to navigate these challenges and address the current gap between the independent dealers and the top 150 dealers and large digital retailers. ACERTUS provides a unique blend of technology, infrastructure and experience to empower our members to remain competitive.”

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ACERTUS, an omnichannel automotive logistics platform, today was named the preferred vendor for vehicle logistics by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA). This new, strategic partnership brings ACERTUS’ comprehensive technology to thousands of NIADA members nationwide – giving independent automobile dealers access to enhanced services to seamlessly move, store, recondition, title and home deliver vehicles to compete in today’s market.

Providing necessary technology to small and independent dealers is paramount to leveling the automotive retail playing field, allowing every auto dealer, no matter the size, to easily sell vehicles nationally and meet customers where they are without logistics or title and registration being a roadblock. The new dealermallUSA by NIADA provides association members access to a range of affiliated products and services supporting the needs of small and independent dealers, including ACERTUS’ proprietary Transportation Management System (TMS), VINlocity. Through ACERTUS’ platform, members can instantly connect to capacity of more than 7,400 carriers, 1,000 drivers, 66 hub and home delivery prep locations and title and registration processing capabilities in all 50 states, as well as get quotes, place and manage orders.

“Automotive retail has a long tail of small and independent dealers critical to meeting the current unprecedented demand for inventory,” said Trent Broberg, ACERTUS CEO. “Through this strategic partnership we can deliver technology to thousands of dealers, empowering and enabling them to expand the markets in which they can sell and acquire inventory, meet expectations for faster fulfillment and upshift the customer experience all on our logistics platform.”

The partnership kicks off during the 76^th annual NIADA National Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada bringing together independent dealers to learn the latest strategies, best practices, and emerging trends from the industry’s top minds, subject matter experts, and peers.

“Independent retailers are disproportionately feeling the effects of industry disruptions and inventory challenges,” NIADA CEO Bob Voltmann said. “NIADA members are calling for a solution to navigate these challenges and address the current gap between the independent dealers and the top 150 dealers and large digital retailers. ACERTUS provides a unique blend of technology, infrastructure and experience to empower our members to remain competitive.”

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TIP #1 OPTIMIZE YOUR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS PAGE

Many business owners search for their own businesses and are surprised to find that they aren’t in the top handful of businesses listed, let alone page one. What’s worse, they aren’t found in the all-important #Google search “local 3-pack” which is in that map box just above the fold on the results page. Some can’t even find themselves in #AppleMaps, #Waze, #Siri, or any other typed or spoken search apps that provide directional and listing information. It drives many business owners mad.

What makes matters worse is that if you’re not on page one, you are virtually and literally cloaked. Few people searching for businesses make it past the first page of search, and 89% of them are ready to buy when in search mode. YOU HAVE TO BE ON PAGE ONE! There are several reasons for lack of ranking, but over time and at a relatively low cost, you can become visible north of the fold in the Google 3-Pack search block.

#SocialOrdeals has mastered the technique for business ranking using a suite of products in their platform that SMBs from Veterinarians to Car Dealers, Restauranteurs to Attorneys, Carpenters to Retailers, Franchisers and Associations of all shapes and sizes can utilize to grow their business’ visibility and sales volume. There are other companies out there that offer platforms with a similar suite of services but few are as affordable and for lack of a better description, credible in the execution as is Social Ordeals.

Tip #1: Google My Business is responsible for 25% of your ranking in search. The days of a dominant webpage are over. It’s Google’s plan to control as much of the web as they can and want you on their property for as long as possible – so we need to play by their rules.

Step 1: Claim the page as your business and make sure all information on it such as Business Name, Address, Telephone #, and Web Address are 100% correct. Google will send you a postcard verifying the location at the outset of claiming your GMB page.

Step 2: Load it up with your businesses specialties so people can see what differentiates you from competitors. If you’re a medical specialist, make sure prospective patients can see what you focus on, laser therapy, surgery, MRI machine on premises, etc. I suggest the most profitable products and services be spotlighted. If your a restaurant, post some of your specialty dishes, so on and so forth. Post pictures of the facility as well, along with smiling employees and customers if they oblige but not in the business’s products and services section.

Step 3: Pre-load popular questions and answers in the appropriate section given so the public can research you right then and there, and click to call instantly. The Q&A section is public so if you don’t answer any questions that come up without warning, someone from the public will, and you may not like the response. Keeping a vigil on this section is crucial because it’s so forward facing to a public likely in buying phase. Putting revised hours of operation here is a good idea because so many governments are vacillating on who opens and who doesn’t. Some only offer curbside so…you get the idea.

Step 4: Drive as many positive reviews to your GMB as possible. Reviews account for 15% of your search ranking score so make sure to have a review generation and reputation management strategy bought and paid for before you open your doors OR, get one in place if you currently aren’t employing one. Almost everyone looks at business reviews before making a decision. If you aren’t pulling 4.5-5.0, you are a B business in the eyes of the public. But it’s not just high scores that count, rather the volume of reviews that will lift you on any of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) of which Google gets 70% of the traffic.

Step 5: Drive all of your social media posts to your GMB page. Consider it a crucial social media element to your businesses positive visibility to the public. After all, the GMB page is one click away from the customer’s search engine operation so put your best content forward. Hashtag all of your social media posts (as well as your specialties) as you would on any social media platform because those hashtags WILL help you rank in search on Google. It may be a lesser known fact, but we’ve seen it applied.

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Increasing battery pack energy densities holds the key to future vehicle design

BOSTON, MA., NOVEMBER 12, 2020: Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are poised to be the future of the auto industry. Looking toward the future of BEVs, a new report from Lux Research, “Electric Vehicle Lightweighting 2030,” analyzes the future of vehicle lightweighting and necessary BEV success factors over the next decade.

In the past, lightweighting – or purposely designing more lightweight cars specifically for fuel efficiency – has been a key tool for improving the fuel economy of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. However, the transition from ICEs to BEVs changes both the goals and the design considerations around lightweighting. Anthony Schiavo, Senior Analyst at Lux, states, “BEVs are overwhelmingly more efficient than ICE vehicles due to regenerative braking and more efficient motors and are increasingly outgrowing the issue of limited range. Materials companies need to start planning for a fully mature BEV space.”

Lux predicts that battery pack energy densities will increase by roughly 15% over the next decade. This increased energy density can be used to either extend the range of a vehicle by keeping battery size the same or reduce cost by shrinking the size of the battery pack. In its analysis, Lux modeled both scenarios and calculated a lightweighting benchmark. Lux determined that in order for lightweighting to be a cost-effective solution against batteries by 2030, it will need to cost, on average, less than $5 per kilogram of weight saved.

“This benchmark is not the only thing guiding lightweighting decisions,” cautions Schiavo. “To find adoption, materials companies and manufacturers will need to find solutions that save on both weight and cost.”

https://bit.ly/3lfFXeq“We predict vehicle structure will be an opportunity for high-strength steel and aluminum, as they provide weight reductions at minimal cost,” Schiavo continues. “Bumpers are expected to benefit from design advancements that utilize glass fiber, carbon fiber, and thermoplastics. Other material priorities, such as sustainability, durability, and end-of-life issues, however, will take priority over lightweighting by 2030.” Lux found that there’s far more risk of disruption from improving energy storage technologies – which could substantially outstrip forecast improvements by 2030 – than there is from novel innovations in materials. For the full article: https://bit.ly/3lfFXeq

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