Pensacola, FL, January 20, 1998— When Dennis Brough founded
the original automobile brokerage business in 1979, he knew he was on to
something. By the time he sold the company to Cincinnati Reds owner Marge
Schott in 1985 his record had proven him right. National AutoFinders was one of
the fastest growing used car companies in the industry, adding more than 20 new
franchises a month at its peak. Using Brough's innovative sales approach,
member dealers found they had vastly expanded inventories, increased sales,
more customer traffic, and new revenues from the registration, sale and
reconditioning of top quality used cars to be sold on their lot.
Now Dennis Brough is bringing his vision and expertise to AutoList, the auto brokerage company that he says is taking advantage of new technology to do things tighter, better and more efficiently than National AutoFinders ever could.
AutoList founder and CEO Robert Smith revitalized the
National AutoFinders concept, forming a company dedicated to building a brand
name for used cars the public can trust. Brough hit on the idea of forming a
brokerage company for used cars when in 1979 he learned that upwards of sixty
percent of the used cars sold in the United States were sold privately.
"People sold their own cars," he said. "They wouldn't be doing
this if the used car business had been what it should have been." That
realization inspired him to design a system much like the one Century 21 used
to revitalize the real estate industry-- a system Robert Smith improved on when
he developed AutoList.
By serving as a broker for the sale of a privately owned used
car, the AutoList dealer eliminates the expense of purchasing the car up front,
and in fact profits at every point in the transaction. He is paid an $85.00
listing fee for listing a vehicle for sale, is hired by the owner to
recondition the car prior to sale, makes a commission when the car sells,
and often profits on finance
and insurance agreements. The car owner is satisfied with the service because
he earns a fair price for the car without the substantial hassle and
uncertainty of trying to sell it himself. At the same time, the car buyer can
shop with the confidence and trust he traditionally brings to the person to
person market, only with a vastly improved level of service and choice.
Brough believes that AutoList is in a position now to surpass
the achievements of his original company. The nationwide, Internet accessible
AutoList System (ALS) (http://www.autolistcars.com) provides instant access to
a database of thousands of used cars, and typically increases foot traffic
within a dealership by about 30 percent. Used cars sold through ALS gross an
average of $1,400-$1,800 and often result in the sale of another
vehicle to the owner of the car
sold on consignment. As a result, some AutoList dealers have improved their
bottom line by $250,000-$750,000 per year, after expenses. Combined with a team
of telemarketers working with each dealer to add customers in his area, and a
national television advertising fund, AutoList is poised to become a nationally
recognized
brand name for used car sales
in the United States.
Brough's role with AutoList will draw on his unique
experience in the auto brokerage business. Smith believes that his expertise
will be critical to facilitating the growth of the company. "He'll be
responsible for working directly with the dealers-- setting up the brokerage
department, providing training, and answering any questions the dealer has.
He's here to make sure that the relationship between each dealer and the national
office is strong, smooth and profitable."
Will Perkins says that's what Brough does best. A past
president of the Chrysler Dealer Advisory Committee, and owner of Perkin's
Motor City Dodge in Colorado Springs, Perkins has spent 53 years in the auto
business. Since he started working with Brough in 1997 his auto consignment
department has grossed upwards of $30,000 a month, and he attributes the
consignment service with
generating increased walk-on traffic and overall sales. "Dennis was the
pioneer and innovator in the consignment business," he says. "He
really makes consignment work."
He's making it work for AutoList. The combination of
experience, service and technological innovation has put AutoList in a position
to rival the explosive growth of National AutoFinders in the early 80's. With
Brough as national sales manager, the company is bringing AutoList to an
widening market and capturing a proportionally larger market share. Predictions
are for AutoList to double it's sales base from 20 stores to 40 stores by the
close of 1998, becoming a powerful new force in the used car industry.
AutoList. Changing the way America buys and sells cars.