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Business Briefs: New proposed rules for Section 125 cafeteria plans
If your dealership offers a cafeteria plan - generally referred to as a flexible spending plan - under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Service, take note: the IRS has issued new proposed regulations that can affect you. The proposed regulations, expected to become effective for plan years beginning Jan. 1, 2009, may be relied upon until the rules are finalized. And you need to make sure you get in compliance soon.

You Make the Call: Business pays workers comp claim once, then has to pay again
The Appellate Court of Illinois recently reversed a trial court decision, making an employer liable for a $200,000 worker's compensation claim it thought it had put out to pasture. That claim comes on top of its $800,000 settlement with the same employee for the same issue. (Maxit, Inc. v. John Van Cleve and Kelley Van Cleve, No. 05-L-1058, filed Sept. 27, 2007)

Active reservists serve dealerships as well as their country
If you hire active military reservists, you'll have to schedule coverage during their monthly training weekends and a couple of longer training sessions each year. You must hold their positions until they return from deployment - and comply with other requirements of USERRA, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. And they could be worth every administrative challenge.

Aftermarket opportunities are calling new car dealers. Are the dealers listening?

Automobile dealers have the tools to become bigger players in the parts and accessories industry. Will they make their move?

As Car Dealer Insider pointed out before, when it comes to untapped profit opportunities in franchised car dealerships, the potential to bring in impressive revenue lies in the parts and accessories area. Although dealers have been slow to embrace these ugly ducklings of fixed operations in the past, that could be changing as dealers scour the landscape for new revenue sources.

Auto group tackles tough biz conditions head on
General Motors dealers breathed a sigh of relief when the United Auto Workers union strike was halted after just two days in late September. And it's nice to not have to dwell on all the "what ifs" had it continued. But ask yourself this: how prepared is your dealership to handle business circumstances beyond your control? If the economy continues to flounder, how will you remain profitable?

Calculating the return on vehicle inventory investment
When I speak with dealership managers or address large groups about vehicle inventory management, I often ask whether or not they have any investments in the stock market. For those who answer yes, I then ask, "how often do you look at your personal portfolio and the associated key performance indicators"? Most respond, "every day." So why should they use less scrutiny on their other major investment - vehicle inventory?