Talking Business with Mark and John

​In this video, we had the opportunity to sit down with Stuart Charity, the CEO of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA). With a 35-billion-dollar industry at stake, Stuart provides us with valuable insights into the Australian Aftermarket, shedding light on both the lucrative opportunities and the challenges that come with it. One of the major hurdles faced by the industry is t...

We talk to Ben Sullivan Head of Automotive Services at Potentiate and CEO Ad Clarity. Ben shares insight into how to understand and interpret automotive customer data. He delves into the need to better understand the customer data and the impact this can have on key decision making. He makes suggestions on managing the OMNI channel and the need to ensure online marketing and advertising is effecti...

In this video, we talk to Andrew Tyson, General Manager at CarZapp Operations Pty Ltd. CarZapp is a used car wholesale platform that connects car dealerships to facilitate the buying and selling of used vehicles. According to Andrew, the used car market is vast but fragmented. CarZapp aims to address this by providing a platform where car buyers and sellers can easily find each other. By fostering...

In this episode, we speak with Mike Sinclair, Director of Content and Editor in Chief at Carsales.com.au, about the world of automotive journalism. Mike discusses how the car industry has changed dramatically with the rise of social media, digital marketing, and influencers. He talks about the importance of traditional media providing honest and reliable information to car buyers. Mike goes into d...

Ms. McCartney outlines how real estate transactions have increasingly moved online, with customers conducting extensive research on properties before engaging with agents. However, she notes that many customers still prefer an in-person viewing before finalizing a purchase. She draws parallels to the automotive industry, where online research is common but test drives remain an important part of t...

In “Talking Automotive with Mark and John” Ep 29, Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair talk to James Voortman CEO of the AADA (Australian Automotive Dealer Association) and the services they provide to automotive dealers in Australia. James covers the canvassing the AADA do on behalf of dealers in Canberra at a political level. James also delves into agency, electric vehicles and protection for deale...

In “Talking Automotive with Mark and John” Ep 28, Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair discuss factors that are impacting the 2021 Australian New Car market and make some predictions, all things being equal. Mark shares with us major trends by vehicle sector and what this means for overall volume. He provides an in-depth analysis of the latest trends and the view for the full year. Overall, it looks...

In “Talking Automotive with Mark and John” Ep 27, Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair talk to Michelle Denogean CMO with Roadster. Michele shares with us major trends in omni channel and integration into automotive. She provides an in-depth analysis of the latest trends in omni channel automotive sales and why it is necessary to be across the latest tools to engage with the customer online. If you l...

In “Talking Automotive with Mark and John” Ep 26, Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair talk to Brett Stephenson Director of Business Consulting from Skyfii. Brett shares with us major trends of data intelligence and how it provides insights on customer behaviour. He provides an in-depth analysis of how to use data to measure efficiency in the lower sales funnel of walk-in traffic and passing traffic...

In the latest episode of "Talking Automotive with Mark and John," hosts Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair sit down with Marc Sibbald, Sales Director, to discuss the major trends shaping the tyre industry in Australia. Throughout the episode, Marc provides valuable insights into how the industry has been impacted by significant forces such as the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the ongoing Covid...

In the latest episode of "Talking Automotive with Mark and John", hosts Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair sit down with Andrew Harbison, Director and Chief Operating Officer of Isuzu Trucks Australia. With over 30 years of experience leading the Australian truck market, Andrew provides invaluable insights into the industry. The conversation begins with a look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has impac...

In Episode 23 of Talking Automotive with Mark and John, hosts Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair interview Mike Whitfield, Chairman of Nissan Africa South and Managing Director of Nissan Egypt, as well as the President of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM). With over 30 years of experience at Nissan Motor Corporation, Mike shares highlights from his global career in the auto...

In “Talking Automotive with Mark and John” Ep 22, Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair review their first twenty podcasts. They do a summary of Pre Covid and review the nine months of Covid. They dive into detail of what next and where they believe the opportunities will be out to June next year. They talk about the different customer segments and what could impact supply and demand. They provide an...

Join automotive experts Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair as they speak with Alexander Corne from Motorink Media about the art of storytelling and maximizing social media in the automotive industry. In this episode, Alexander provides insightful tips on developing an effective social media strategy that leverages your company's heritage and technology to drive engagement. He discusses best practic...

We sit down with Phillip Mance, a veteran in the automotive industry, to discuss what it takes to successfully run a car dealership today. Phillip shares his insights into navigating the challenges of operating a dealership in the new normal. Phillip stresses the importance of attracting and retaining top talent, especially in leadership and management roles. He discusses the difficulties of findi...

We're joined today by Steve Zanlunghi of Absolute Results to discuss how dealerships can mine the gold in their customer databases and build lasting loyalty. Steve has years of experience running private VIP sales events and shares his insights on what makes them successful. A key takeaway is that events should be an integral part of a dealer's marketing strategy, not just one-off promotions. Stev...

Join Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair in Talking Automotive Ep 18 as they speak with Desmond Hang, CEO and Founder of carbar, to debunk the myths around car subscription. Desmond provides an in-depth analysis of how car subscription works and how it differs from a financial lease. He explores the key differences between car share and car subscription, explaining where each model fits in the autom...

Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair talk to David Kain from Kain Automotive. David provides a masterclass of knowledge about automotive and how to make money and sell cars. David provides a historical perspective on the lead up to Covid19 and the state of play for the new and used vehicle market in the USA and delves into the challenges of dealer profitability. He explores the challenges and opportu...

In Talking Automotive with Mark and John Ep 16, Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair talk to Anton van der Walt, author, keynote speaker, HR expert and mentor. Having written two books “Leadership Through My Lens” and "The Transformational Leader” leads to an interesting discussion on leaders using courage to motivate and manage staff from home and the new normal. He shares how people are embracing t...

In Talking Automotive with Mark and John Ep 15, Mark Palavestra and John Sinclair talk to Gavin Houghton MD, Ron Kukler Chief Technical Officer and Howard Gerwin VP Product Development from RKLAB AG. They share insight into engine development and electric vehicles and the various challenges engine manufacturers are working with to reduce emissions. They discuss where electric vehicles can have suc...

We talk to Mat Prestney, Director from Plumfleet. Mat shares insight into the difference between a traditional car fleet and a grey car fleet. How customers in traditional car fleets turn their vehicles and cars over between 48 and 60 months and normally controlled by the employer, whereas with grey car fleet employees turn their vehicle on average at 7.8 years and controlled by the employee. He d...

We talk to Ben Sullivan at Potentiate. Ben shares insight into a wide range of customer satisfaction surveys critical to the industry, covering customer new car purchase surveys, car ownership surveys and dealership surveys. He talks about the customer satisfaction data and the importance of understanding the customer satisfaction data for marketing and advertising. He delves into some of the key...