In the fast-paced, competitive world of the automotive industry, success is not just about driving revenue or increasing units in operation. It is about building a business that runs smoothly without you, stands out in the market, and holds its value whether you plan to keep growing, transition leadership, or sell.
That is where the Build Stage of the Value Acceleration Methodology’s Five Stages of Value comes into play. After understanding what your business is worth today (the Identify Stage) and uncovering the gaps between where you are and where you want to be (the Protect Stage), the Build Stage is all about taking strategic action to grow and enhance your company’s value.
Why Does This Matter for Automotive Business Owners?
Whether you are running a dealership, a repair shop, or a parts distribution company, the Build Stage helps you create a business that is not just profitable but sustainable, scalable, and eventually transferable. In other words, it is about making your business work for you, not the other way around.
At Twelve Points, we work closely with automotive business owners who are looking to take that next step. We understand the unique challenges you face, from razor- thin margins to the constant need to keep up with technology and customer expectations. That is why we guide our clients through the Build Stage by helping them design a roadmap that not only increases value today but protects it for the future.
What Happens During the Build Stage?
It starts with answering some key questions:
- What are your long-term business, personal, and financial goals?
- How involved do you want to be in the business moving forward?
- What do you want the business to look like if you step away?
Once you have set that vision, it is time to define, develop, and document the systems and processes that will get you there.
In the automotive space, that might mean:
- Streamlining service operations to increase dollars per repair order;
- Developing a strong leadership team that can take the wheel when you are not in the shop;
- Documenting sales and customer service protocols to ensure retention and consistency;
- Building strong supplier and financing relationships to protect your margins;
- Leveraging technology to improve workflow, reporting, and the customer experience; and
- Developing acquisition criteria and a pipeline of potential targets
Do Not Forget the People
At Twelve Points, we always remind our clients that a strong business starts with a strong team. From the service tech to the sales floor to your back-office staff, creating a culture where people feel empowered, trained, and invested in the company’s future makes a massive difference in long-term value. We worked with a dealership that wanted to create a stronger, more consistent customer experience by building culture into its business. Together, we helped the dealership define core values like transparency, trust, and accountability. From there, the dealership put those values into action, integrating them into their hiring process to ensure new team members were a cultural fit, holding regular team huddles to reinforce the values in day-to-day operations, and creating recognition programs to celebrate employees who went above and beyond. By making culture part of their daily workflow, the dealership not only improved employee morale but also saw a noticeable boost in customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty.
Why Should You Care About the Build Stage Now?
Because value does not appear overnight. It is not something you can slap together when you are ready to sell or retire. Value is created through intentional, consistent actions taken over time. By focusing on the Build Stage today, you are not just preparing for a future exit; you are creating a stronger, smoother, and more profitable business now. With the right guidance, whether that is from your internal team or experienced advisors like us at Twelve Points, you can build a business of real significance that serves you, your family, and your community for years to come.
Twelve Points Business Advisors is proud to announce that we have joined the Massachusetts State Automobile Dealers Association. An insightful article written by our very own Dave Clayman will be featured in the official monthly publication of Massachusetts Auto Dealer every month. Jump to page 28 to view his insight in the April edition.