Max Zanan

Max Zanan

New York, New York, United States
13K followers 500+ connections

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About

Max Zanan is an accomplished entrepreneur and consultant with a strong background in the…

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Experience

  • Dental Protection Group Graphic

    Dental Protection Group

    United States

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    Jersey City, New Jersey, United States

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    Pennsylvania, United States

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    United States

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    Pennsylvania, United States

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    Hauppauge, NY

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    Greater New York City Area

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Education

Licenses & Certifications

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Publications

  • Definitive Guide to F&I

    JETLAUNCH

    Every dealer sells F&I products, and most dealers understand the importance of the F&I department in terms of its contribution to the bottom line. Unfortunately, F&I is not a regulated profession; meaning one doesn't need any type of state license to practice and because of that there is very little formal education available. There is plenty of sales training focusing on HOW to sell F&I products and there is compliance training as well. However, the actual management of the F&I department…

    Every dealer sells F&I products, and most dealers understand the importance of the F&I department in terms of its contribution to the bottom line. Unfortunately, F&I is not a regulated profession; meaning one doesn't need any type of state license to practice and because of that there is very little formal education available. There is plenty of sales training focusing on HOW to sell F&I products and there is compliance training as well. However, the actual management of the F&I department, product selection, and different types of participation programs are largely ignored. Most dealers, general managers, and finance managers must figure out these aspects in real time, on the job.

    This book is written for the senior management team (dealer principal, general, manager, finance director, and finance manager) so they can improve profitability of their business. Setting up the finance department the right way will generate significant profit for the dealership and build generational wealth for the dealer principal. GM's, finance directors, and finance managers will benefit from understanding certain management practices while the dealer principal will gain an in-depth understanding of various participation programs such as retro, reinsurance, and dealer owned warranty company.

    See publication

  • Effective Car Dealer

    JETLAUNCH

    This is my fourth book on the auto industry, and I have written it because this business is complicated, sophisticated, and ever-changing. Automotive retail is changing slowly, and one of the main reasons for that are the franchise laws. I want to urge you to operate as though franchise laws don’t exist to protect you. Carvana is not going anywhere and neither is Amazon. At some point they will join forces. Also, OEM’s such as Tesla, Rivian, and many more are going to go directly to the…

    This is my fourth book on the auto industry, and I have written it because this business is complicated, sophisticated, and ever-changing. Automotive retail is changing slowly, and one of the main reasons for that are the franchise laws. I want to urge you to operate as though franchise laws don’t exist to protect you. Carvana is not going anywhere and neither is Amazon. At some point they will join forces. Also, OEM’s such as Tesla, Rivian, and many more are going to go directly to the consumer, bypassing the dealer network altogether. At the end of the day, awesome customer service, whether in sales, service, or parts, will keep your customers coming back for more. Poor service and a cumbersome sales experience will drive them elsewhere—Carvana, CarMax, Tesla, Jiffy Lube, Firestone, Good Year, Valvoline, NAPA Parts, Pep Boys, etc.COVID-19 is already having a profound effect on consumer behavior and the way in which we buy and service cars. I predict that there will be two types of dealers after this pandemic abates—the first will change their business operations, adopting frictionless digital and showroom retail; the second will hope that things go back to normal and that nothing needs to change. Unfortunately, the second type of dealer will be out of business. It is ultimately your choice whether to accept change. Consumers will continue to purchase cars. The only question is: Will they will be buying from you?

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  • The Art and Science of Running a Car Dealership

    JETLAUNCH

    This book is the pocket guide I wish I had when I first became a general manager of a Mitsubishi dealership in New York. Honestly, I am not the brightest star in the sky and made every mistake anyone could’ve possibly made. Unfortunately, I see dealer principals/general managers/general sales managers making the same mistakes today. The only difference is the time and consequences of these mistakes. I got my first GM gig in 2004. That was in the beginning days of the Internet, before…

    This book is the pocket guide I wish I had when I first became a general manager of a Mitsubishi dealership in New York. Honestly, I am not the brightest star in the sky and made every mistake anyone could’ve possibly made. Unfortunately, I see dealer principals/general managers/general sales managers making the same mistakes today. The only difference is the time and consequences of these mistakes. I got my first GM gig in 2004. That was in the beginning days of the Internet, before millennials joined the workforce, and way before any viable disrupters entered the market space. It was a lot easier to get away with mistakes then. I don’t think you could get away with making the same mistakes now. The stakes are too high. Automotive retail profit margins are tiny. According to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), automotive net profit margin as of March 31, 2019 was merely 1.38 percent. As a result, every misstep makes it harder to stay in business.The car business desperately needs better leadership skills, understanding of social media, inventory management, fixed operations, and so much more. There is no educational barrier to the entry into car business, and there are only a handful of universities offering a major in car dealership general management, such as Liberty and Keiser. On top of that, only a tiny percentage of dealer principals and general managers attend the National Automobile Dealer Association University. That means that a vast majority of general managers receive training on the job, even if we took business-related classes in college. The auto business is a different animal. General information will only carry you so far. That is exactly why general managers make the same mistakes year after year. My goal is to break this vicious cycle and provide as much information as possible to ensure that automotive retail survives the disruptions we are witnessing today.

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  • Car Business 101

    KDP

    Automotive retail is at crossroads--either it gets better or becomes extinct. Consumers are dissatisfied with the sales process in brick and mortar dealerships and that is the driving force behind the rise of Carvana and other industry disrupters. However, it is not too late to fix the way car dealerships operate and improve their reputation. Car Business 101 highlights irrational and counterproductive behavior that car dealers engage in on a daily basis. If you own or work in a car dealership…

    Automotive retail is at crossroads--either it gets better or becomes extinct. Consumers are dissatisfied with the sales process in brick and mortar dealerships and that is the driving force behind the rise of Carvana and other industry disrupters. However, it is not too late to fix the way car dealerships operate and improve their reputation. Car Business 101 highlights irrational and counterproductive behavior that car dealers engage in on a daily basis. If you own or work in a car dealership it will be easy to recognize insanity that goes on in Sales, F&I, BDC, HR, and Parts & Service departments. This book offers a fresh perspective and plenty of practical solutions that should be implemented as soon as possible. It is informative and entertaining at the same time. It is a must read for dealer principals, dealership employees, and vendors that service car dealers.

    See publication

  • Perfect Dealership

    KDP

    The auto industry has changed. This book is your guide to the new reality of retail car sales. Written by Max Zanan, a 20+ year veteran of the automotive industry, Perfect Dealership is your complete guide to succeeding in the new world of car dealership management.

    To succeed in 2018 and beyond your dealership needs:

    • A robust compliance strategy
    • Strong F&I products and management
    • A profitable parts and service department
    • Aggressive digital…

    The auto industry has changed. This book is your guide to the new reality of retail car sales. Written by Max Zanan, a 20+ year veteran of the automotive industry, Perfect Dealership is your complete guide to succeeding in the new world of car dealership management.

    To succeed in 2018 and beyond your dealership needs:

    • A robust compliance strategy
    • Strong F&I products and management
    • A profitable parts and service department
    • Aggressive digital strategies on your website, social media, and more
    • Sales managers following an optimized process leveraging modern tools
    • And much more!

    A PRACTICAL MANUAL FOR AUTOMOTIVE RETAIL SUCCESS
    Perfect Dealership is not a “motivational” sales guide or a rehashing of platitudes. This is a practical, modern, proven guide to growing your dealership, becoming more profitable, hiring and training the right team, implementing effective compliance strategies, and more. This is a guidebook not a novel, and the strategies included in this book have been proven by dealerships all across the country who have relied on Max Zanan’s consulting to build better dealerships.

    Reading this book will give you immediate tangible tactics you can apply to operating your dealership today, as well as long-term vision for future success in an industry that is poised to change.

    ADAPT OR DIE
    History is filled with businesses that failed to predict the future, failed to adapt to change, and ultimately failed altogether. Consider Blockbuster movie rentals, retail book stores, music publishing and retail businesses, and many others. The automotive industry is poised for a tectonic shift over the next 5 years that will separate the fast-movers and winners from the dinosaurs.

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  • Auto Sales Increase, So Do Regulatory Fines

    WardsAuto.com

    This articles examines increased FTC and OSHA fines that car dealers are facing and stresses the importance of instilling the culture of compliance.

    See publication

  • The way we buy cars is bound to change. How?

    The Boston Globe

    This article highlights the transition of automotive retail sales from offline to online.

    See publication

  • How F&I training can add ‘prestige’ to job

    AutoRemarketing.com

    This article addresses the need for professional education for Finance Managers.

    See publication

  • Top social media sites for buying or selling vehicles

    The Business Journals

    This article examines various social media platforms and their relevance to auto sales.

    See publication

  • Digital Dealer

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    This article highlights the importance of an active walkaround in the Service Drive.

    See publication

Courses

  • AFIP Master

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  • Financial Accounting

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  • Parts Department Management

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  • Service Department Management

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Projects

  • F&I Compliance Training

    - Present

    Learn how a comprehensive compliance program in F&I helps reduce fines and penalties and improve customer experience.

    See project

  • E-Menu Rollout at Bay Ridge Honda

    Rollout of Maximtrak F&I menu to improve product penetration, PVR as well as compliance.

    Other creators

  • Grant Cardone Training for Finance Managers at Atlantic Auto Group

    Set up a 2 day Grant Cardone training at Huntington Hilton for 75 finance managers at Atlantic Auto Group. Grant Cardone review product knowledge, sales techniques, and motivated to achieve greater sales excellence.

    Other creators

  • Product Penetration at Atlantic Auto Group

    Instituted product penetration requirement for Atlantic Auto Group that resulted in tripling production of retention based F&I products. Conducted training session on a regular basis to refresh product knowledge, sales techniques as well as compliance issues.

    Other creators

  • F&I Product Training at Plaza Auto Group

    Successful training on variety of F&I Products such as Tire&Wheel, Key Replacement, Total Loss Protection, DrivePur, Personal Concierge. Training was conducted on regular basis to increase product penetration and customer retention.

    Other creators
    • Kevin Weekes

  • Used Car Procurement

    Procured used automobiles for an entire auto group in extremely tough market conditions. Enterprise supplied a pipeline of cars therefore saving the auto group all auction related expenses.

    Other creators

  • Traver Technologies BDC at Five Towns Mitsubishi

    Set-up a BDC department using Traver Technologies software and training that resulted in increase in the length of the phone calls, appointment/show ratios as well as closing ratio.

    Other creators
    • Traver Technologies

  • Organizing The Perfect Dealership Conference

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    Perfect Dealership Conference is automotive retail thought leadership forum fostering collaboration at the intersection of retail, technology, employee, and customer experience.

    See project

Honors & Awards

  • Number 1 in Sales Volume Nationwide

    Mitsubishi Motots North America

    Achieved status of Number 1 Mitsubishi Dealership in sales volume in the United States in May of 2005.

Languages

  • Russian

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Organizations

  • Association of Finance and Insurance Professionals

    Certified Member

    - Present

  • Greater New York Automobile Dealer's Association

    Member

    - Present

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