CATA News

Thanks to the CATA’s partnership with Dynatron, DriveChicago.com is now driving service traffic to CATA dealers. DriveChicago.com recently added a NHTSA Recall Search tool that allows site visitors to check for open recalls on their vehicles. If a vehicle has a recall, then the site visitor is presented with direct links to CATA Dealer member service departments to book appointments.

For CATA dealers, staying ahead of vehicle recalls can be challenging. Dynatron has solutions to keep dealers informed and proactive. Its MarketSmart Recall program uses the latest data to help dealerships connect with customers and turn recalls into revenue. Dynatron's data-driven approach ensures you're not just reacting to recalls but turning them into opportunities.

Don’t let outdated OEM programs hold you back—learn how we can drive more traffic to your service bays! Explore our full article to see how Dynatron can help you streamline recall processes and boost profitability.

The Chicago Automobile Trade Association will host the third annual Chicago Drives Electric EV education and test drive event on Oct. 3-6 at CATA HQ in Oakbrook Terrace. Dealers are invited to attend a morning session on Thursday, Oct. 3 from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. This exclusive event will provide CATA Dealer members one-on-one time with the latest EVs to gather driving impressions, create content, vehicle education and more. Below is the schedule for the morning.

Participating manufacturers for the media day include Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Fiat, Ford, GMC, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo. You can find a full list of vehicles here.

Thursday, Oct. 3

Register NOW for this free event.

[From NADA] NADA released its updated edition of A Dealer Guide to Federal Email and Telemarketing Restrictions. This guide updates and replaces the former Dealer Guide to Telemarketing Restrictions and has been expanded to include not only telephone marketing restrictions, but email, text message and fax restrictions as well.

This guide provides an overview of the key federal laws and regulations governing telephone, email, text message and fax communications, and provides compliance guidance to dealers. Compliance can be complicated, requiring careful consideration of context, recordkeeping, technology and communication methods. The guide focuses on four key federal statutes:

The Driven Guide, which was prepared with attorney Michele Shuster, Mac Murray & Shuster LLP, also provides FAQ documents and sample policies for dealerships’ use.

NADA will be conducting a webinar on the Driven Guide on Oct. 10. Please stay tuned for details and registration information.

A federal government program designed to help certain demographics find employment offers a tax credit to employers. The program incentivizes hiring certain veterans, recipients of supplemental security income benefits, formerly incarcerated, summer youth employees and vocational rehabilitation referrals. For more information, watch this informational video. 

[From Cox Automotive]

New Light-Vehicle Sales

Fleet Sales

Vehicle Pricing

In October, the Steve Napleton Group is spearheading an effort to raise significant funds in the fight against pediatric brain cancer, which claims the lives of more American children than any other disease. The cause for them is personal - in 2022, Steve Napleton lost his 3-year-old daughter Violet to an extremely aggressive brain tumor. In response, he and his wife founded the Violet Foundation for Pediatric Brain Cancer, which raises sorely needed funds for research and also supports families who have lost a parent's income while their child is fighting for their life.

Each October, Violet's birth month, they have fundraised at their dealerships. In 2022 they gathered the support of 60 dealerships, and last year that number grew to 120. This year, under a campaign named Driven for Kids, they are seeking to bring in even more dealers from around the country for this worthy cause.

Obviously, some things go beyond business. To find out more about how your dealerships can join, please visit https://www.violet-foundation.org/dealerships-united.  The hope is that, with our collective action, we can raise significant money where it’s sorely needed. The Violet Foundation is completely volunteer run so that 100% of funds raised go towards their grants, which have already benefited over 100 families in 22 states. Your dealership’s participation will be highlighted in press releases and social media, as well as personalized graphics that you can use on your website and in-store to show your customers.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has filed a trio of lawsuits alleging that discriminatory mistreatment in the workplace created illegal hostile work environments in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

EEOC v. United Airlines, Inc.

EEOC v. Epiq Food Hall Woodbridge, LLC

EEOC v. Rivers Edge Enterprises, LLC d/b/a River’s Edge Bar and Grill

These companies’ alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against employees who complain about unlawful conduct. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process in each of the three cases.

Last fiscal year, the number of charges the EEOC received involving harassment jumped more than 28% to 31,354, the highest since the Agency started monitoring harassment charge numbers in fiscal year 2010. Charges involving retaliation reached more than 46,000, a 31-year high.

Employers need to remain vigilant in preventing discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in the workplace. Employers must act promptly in investigating allegations and must immediately take steps to stop harassment and take appropriate disciplinary and remedial actions. SESCO has a long history of assisting employers with (1) training to ensure their workplace is free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; and (2) defending against administrative and court actions alleging they have engaged in discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

If any CATA Dealers have any questions or concerns, we recommend they contact us to ensure compliance.  For free assistance, contact SESCO at 423-764-4127 or by email at sesco@sescomgt.com.

Welcome, Green Payments, a new member of the CATA! Green Payments assists with merchant services and payment processing. For more information, contact Todd Combs at todd@greenpayments.io.

The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) is proud to renew its Preferred Partner relationship with Reynolds Document Services. Serving the vast majority of dealerships nationwide, Reynolds stands out as the most respected source for reliable, and affordable document services.

“The CATA is proud to continue our relationship with Reynolds Document Services,” said Jennifer Morand, CATA President. “Reynolds is the gold standard when it comes to providing the necessary documentation for dealers to transact with their customers. Like all CATA member benefit programs, dealers can be confident that Reynolds will deliver accurate and legally reviewed F&I documents at a fair price.”

Business Documents and Marketing Services

Reynolds Document Services has been helping dealerships with their document and marketing needs for nearly 100 years. Their extensive line of traditional products is unmatched in the automotive industry and is available to all dealers regardless of your DMS. Their key marketing solutions include a service reminder program focused on customer retention, direct mail, customized hang tags, and many additional products to promote your brand. Finally, they have local, dedicated Document Services Consultants who will routinely visit your dealership and strive to deliver the highest quality of products and services to you.

F&I Compliance

At CATA, one of our highest priorities is helping you manage your compliance risk by using legally reviewed F&I documents. Reynolds is the sole provider of the trusted and proven LAW® 553® Retail Installment Contract used by many of our dealers. Reynolds also offers the LAW F&I Library® for Illinois. This library consists of 37 documents, available in both pre-printed and electronic formats. Their industry leading team of in-house and outside legal resources regularly review these Illinois specific documents for legally required and best practice updates.

Managing Risk

To help with managing your compliance risk, Reynolds Document Services offers a FREE F&I Document Review. Using their experience in the automotive industry and expertise in F&I compliance, their team of compliance consultants will collect all of your F&I forms and provide an assessment of how you could reduce your risk. 

As increasing levels of litigation occur in our industry, we highly recommend that every dealer member has this document review completed to help mitigate any danger your business may face.

To take advantage of this unique opportunity, please contact your local Compliance Consultant, Brian Ray, at Brian_Ray@reyrey.com or (314) 960-0100. You can also visit LAW553.com for more information on F&I document compliance.

Have you seen the new Drive Chicago Radio Newsletter? Delivered to your inbox every Monday, our weekly newsletter serves as a quick-hitting recap of all the latest automotive news, new-vehicle reviews, and industry expert interviews covered on the Drive Chicago Radio show. Tune in to the latest episode here, and look out for next week's newsletter for a review of the new 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe.