Most of you know what a Save-a-Deal meeting is—even if you don’t use it. And it still amazes me how many dealers skip it altogether.

So… what’s Save-a-Car?

Before I answer that, let’s talk about what really happens in most dealerships when it comes to getting cars through recon. A lot of dealers have a recon tool that—at least in theory—is supposed to speed up time to the front line. And to a certain extent, it does.

But here’s the truth:

Recon tools are at their best when they help you identify bottlenecks. That’s the real key. Fix the bottlenecks, and your time to the front line improves. Ignore them, and nothing changes—no matter how good the software.

Now, there’s another major piece that gets overlooked every single day:

Accountability.

“The squeaky wheel gets the grease” was first quoted in 1870, and it’s still dead-on today.

Your Save-a-Car meeting should be held every Tuesday and Thursday. In the room: your recon/service team and your used-car management team—including the GSM and GM, depending on your structure.

This is where you ask the hard, specific questions about cars stuck in recon.

Example:

“At our meeting this past Tuesday, you said the part was being overnighted for the 2024 F-150, stock #3425. Why are we still showing that unit waiting on parts two days later?”

Save-a-Car forces clarity. It forces accountability. And it forces movement.

If you truly want to improve time to the front line, light a fire.

How?

Ask questions. Lots of questions. Every time.

That’s all I’m gonna say.