In the automotive world, the difference between a vendor and a partner isn’t semantics — it’s a daily, measurable impact on your bottom line. I live in this world every day, and I can tell you with certainty: a true partner will save you money, drive results, and build trust. A vendor? Often the exact opposite.
So let’s talk about the difference with examples that every dealer will recognize (and probably feel in their gut).
🚩 Vendor Red Flags: What Bad Vendors Do
Here are real examples I’ve experienced firsthand. If any of this sounds familiar, you’ve got a vendor problem — not a partner.
- Fabricated Rankings: One vendor told a dealer they were ranking #1 for high-intent keywords like “SUVs for sale near me” and “OEM repair shop.” Reality? Their average positions were 16.1 and 41.5. When we showed the data, they dismissed Google’s own metrics and claimed we didn’t understand SEO.
- Unprofessional Behavior During Cancellation: A dealer clearly stated a Zoom-only meeting. The vendor showed up at the store anyway, ambushed them, and spent two hours berating everyone involved, even saying “you won’t like us for the next bit” after the cancellation was confirmed.
- Missing Deliverables, No Accountability: From SEO that never happened, to Amazon ads that never ran, to vendors charging integration fees for products that never worked (for six years!), these vendors gaslight the dealer and deflect blame instead of taking action.
- Misreporting Spend: Agencies claimed $6K in ad spend, but only $3K actually ran. Others spent 50% of the budget on branded terms, traffic the dealer would’ve received organically but now were paying for it.
- Geographic Targeting Errors: I’ve seen campaigns running in the wrong states or cities, completely disconnected from the dealer’s market area. Not only is it wasted spend, it drives irrelevant traffic that never converts.
- Suspicious Placements: One group was directing the majority of paid search traffic to spammy or suspicious sites.. The dealer had no idea their brand was showing up in those places.
- Incomprehensible Invoicing: Many agencies intentionally make their billing so convoluted it requires a Rosetta Stone to decipher. They bury fees under vague line items and inflated service bundles, making it impossible to know what you’re actually paying for.
- Sky-High Spend, Low Transparency: I audited an agency billing a group over $80K/month per store for SEO and SEM. Once we peeled back the layers, only 50% of the spend was actually going toward ads, the rest went to third-party tools and internal agency fees they never disclosed.
- Data Hijacking: Some vendors remove or delete website content and restrict access to GA4 or Google Ads upon cancellation.
- Legal Threats for Telling the Truth: One vendor issued a cease and desist just for sharing the real metrics with the dealer.
More Real Stories: When Vendors Gaslight Instead of Deliver
One agency charged premium rates for CPC, Paid Social, and other campaigns, with no increase in traffic, sales, or service. In fact, Organic traffic was being pushed down, cannibalized by over-aggressive paid ads targeting branded and SEO terms.
When the dealer wanted to pull back spend, the agency insisted they couldn’t and that competitors would ‘eat their lunch.’ None of the data supported this fear-based advice.
Many agencies push budget increases every month, dismiss the value of SEO, and bury the dealer’s organic results beneath paid campaigns.
“Crushing It” – Vendor Speak That Should Raise Eyebrows
You’ve heard the spin:
- “We’re killing it!”
- “You’re up 10% month over month!”
- “We’re absolutely crushing it. Let’s increase the budget!”
- “You can’t stop now, your competition will catch up.”
But behind the scenes? Traffic is flat. Leads aren’t improving. GA4 tells a different story. Real partners don’t spin data, they show the full picture and collaborate.
What True Partners Do Differently
- They Own Their Mistakes: Partners admit errors fast, fix them faster, and credit the dealer — no excuses.
- They Embrace Transparency: They invite collaboration with other vendors, knowing the client comes first.
- They Act Even When It’s Not Their Job: They step up during urgent issues, even outside their scope.
- They Collaborate Across the Board: They welcome feedback, accountability, and joint problem-solving.
What It All Comes Down To
The goal is simple:
📈 Sell more cars
🧰 Drive more service lane revenue
🤝 Build trust across every department
When everyone rows in the same direction, results follow. However, vendors hiding data or inflating performance? They’re sabotaging your business.
Final Thoughts: Demand More
You deserve vendors who act like partners. Partners who collaborate, take responsibility, and treat your business like it’s their own. If you’re not getting that now, it’s time to rethink who’s in your corner.
