Out with the Old/In with the New: Best Practices for Your Model Year Transition

New model year golf carts have a way of stealing the spotlight.

And rightfully so. Vibrant colors. Updated body styles. New technology with snazzy features customers suddenly can’t live without.

But before your team gets distracted by all that shiny new inventory, there is one important question to answer:

What are you going to do with last year’s carts?

Model year transition can be exciting, but it can also be daunting if sales, service, parts, accounting, and marketing are not working from the same information.

When departments rely on separate spreadsheets, handwritten notes, a whiteboard, or someone’s memory, carts can be incorrectly priced, advertised, customized, or promised for delivery. That’s where a golf cart dealer management system (DMS) comes in real handy.

Use these five tips with your DMS to move aging inventory, protect your margins, and make room for what is coming next.

1. Figure Out Exactly What You Have

Before deciding which carts to promote or discount, take a close look at your current inventory.

Use your DMS to run a golf cart inventory report organized by model year, acquisition date, and days in inventory. It should also show each cart’s recorded cost, current price, physical location, and status.

Classify every golf cart as:

• Available and ready to sell
• Available but needing prep
• Under deposit or pending
• Used as a demo, rental, or loaner
• Sold but awaiting delivery

Then make sure the information on file is accurate.

Compare each physical cart with its DMS record, website listing, deal record, open work orders, and accounting records. 

Serial numbers, colors, powertrains, battery types, seating configurations, accessories, locations, photos, and specifications should all match.

Pay close attention to carts that have been customized. Lift kits, wheels, tires, rear seats, lighting, audio systems, enclosures, and lithium conversions can add significant cost and value.

You don’t want to apply a clearance price based on the cost of a stock cart when it’s anything but.

Double-Check Your CRM for Missed Opportunities

Your next sale may already be sitting in your DMS’s CRM.

Model year transition is a great time to revisit open leads, unsold quotes, salesperson notes, trade-in conversations, and previous inquiries. Someone who was not ready to buy three months ago may be much more interested when the right cart comes with an end-of-model-year offer.

But customize that message based on previous discussions.

Utilize the CRM within your DMS to find hidden opportunities by creating targeted follow-up groups based on what customers said they want, such as:

• New or preowned
• Gas, lead-acid electric, or lithium
• Two-, four-, or six-passenger seating
• Stock or customized
• Personal, neighborhood, or commercial use
• Preferred price range

Assign each opportunity to a salesperson, establish the next follow-up date, and record every call, email, text, and response. 

This keeps opportunities from falling through the cracks and prevents two or three salespeople from contacting the same customer.

3. Make Sure Every Cart Is Actually Ready to Roll

A cart may look ready to sell from across the lot, but that doesn’t mean that it is.

Review the open work orders and preparation requirements attached to each cart. Confirm whether the cart still needs assembly, inspection, detailing, battery service, programming, warranty repairs, or accessory installation.

If the cart is being sold as street-ready, make sure the required equipment and applicable paperwork are also in order.

Designate a team member to move each cart through the delivery-readiness process. Your DMS should help your team assign the work, schedule it, and track the labor, parts, technician assignments, and completion status.

The goal is to identify problems before a salesperson tells the customer, “You can pick it up this afternoon.”

4. Know Your Real Cost Before Marking It Down

Discounting an aging cart can help free up cash and floor space.

Discounting it without knowing your complete cost can free you from your profit, too.

Use the cart’s DMS record to verify its original cost and every expense added since it arrived.

That may include:

• Freight and delivery
• Assembly and prep
• Batteries or battery upgrades
• Installed parts and accessories
• Customization labor
• Warranty repairs and reconditioning
• Floor plan interest and curtailments

Those custom wheels may help sell the cart, but they weren’t free.

Compare the complete cart cost with the proposed clearance price, available manufacturer incentives, and expected gross profit. Then consider how floor plan expenses impact the deal’s overall profitability.

Double-checking the numbers before approving a discount helps managers make decisions based on the actual cart in front of them instead of the stock configuration that originally appeared on the invoice.

5. Make Sure Your Website Matches Your Lot

Few things frustrate a customer more than finding the perfect cart online, going to the dealership, and discovering it sold three days ago.

If your DMS syncs inventory with your website, updated golf cart information should flow to your online listings. Still, take the time to verify that model years, colors, powertrains, seating, accessories, locations, prices, photos, and availability are correct.

Customized carts deserve extra attention. The photos and description should accurately reflect the wheels, lift kit, seating, lighting, battery package, and other upgrades included in the advertised price.

If your systems are not connected, regularly compare your website with the inventory on your lot. Remove sold carts promptly, update pending listings, and publish approved clearance pricing.

Your customers and sales team should always be looking at the same information.

Clear the Lot Without Creating Chaos

New models may get the attention, but last year’s inventory is potential cash money tied up on your lot. Moving those carts profitably requires accurate costs, targeted follow-up, up-to-date listings, and a shared view of every cart’s status.

A golf cart dealer DMS gives sales, service, parts, accounting, and marketing the information they need to make better decisions and avoid costly surprises. 

And that means, when the new carts come rolling in, you can confidently say, “HAPPY NEW (MODEL) YEAR!”

About BiT Dealership Software, Inc.

Founded in 1985, BiT Software provides a web-based dealer management system that helps golf cart dealerships operate more efficiently and profitably. Its comprehensive platform integrates sales, service, parts, and more, supported by a team dedicated to dealer success. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, BiT is surrounded by some of the most renowned recreational vehicle manufacturers in the world and a thriving outdoor recreation community.

Learn more at bitdms.com/golf-cart/

Contact:
Aaron Killian, Marketing Manager
865-686-6544 ext 104
[email protected]