{"id":71319,"date":"2026-10-29T13:08:33","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T20:08:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=71319"},"modified":"2026-10-29T14:38:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T21:38:02","slug":"is-a-dac-for-me-motivations-temperaments-and-a-willingness-to-meet-halfway-are-key","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/feature-articles\/2026\/10\/is-a-dac-for-me-motivations-temperaments-and-a-willingness-to-meet-halfway-are-key\/","title":{"rendered":"Is a DAC for Me? Proper Motivations and a Willingness to Meet Halfway are Key"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It takes a certain type of person to participate in a dealer advisory council. It\u2019s not that one needs to exhibit Clara Barton-level altruism, but it helps to be able to compartmentalize motivation and recognize the opportunity to make a positive impact on the product and service blueprints of the manufacturer that thought enough of you to extend a DAC invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is incumbent upon the dealer to ensure he\/she is approaching the DAC opportunity in a manner that is for the good of the order and less partisan. The question then becomes: Is council participation a good fit for all? Theoretically, yes, but in practice\u2026probably not. As we wrap up our October State of the Industry report on DACs, we asked our dealer panel about the qualities and motivations that can make such groups beneficial for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sean Mummert,
The Office People<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Some frank introspection is productive in approaching the question, points out Sean Mummert, CEO of The Office People in North Charleston, South Carolina. It\u2019s not just bandwidth and the commitment of time. What is your level of caring? Everyone\u2019s moving-forward journey is different: some want to pass on their business to their progeny. Others seek to sell, while many are trying to find growth avenues. Wherever you sit on the ownership spectrum will go a long way toward assessing the value of such a commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you want to make a change, you care about the industry and your manufacturer, and you don\u2019t mind working with people that don\u2019t have the same opinion as you, then it\u2019s worthwhile,\u201d Mummert said. \u201cYou can\u2019t be afraid to share. A lot of the people in these groups don\u2019t want to share out of fear that they\u2019re going to lose a customer or some service base, that they\u2019re giving away a trade secret. If you\u2019re one of those people unwilling to share 100%, then it\u2019s probably not the right opportunity for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not unlike a regular peer group, he added. \u201cI don\u2019t want somebody to kiss my butt and agree with everything I say. I want to hear why you disagree with me, why you feel the way you do. When you cut through the BS and get down to the heart of what needs to be discussed, that’s when it becomes most effective for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Dawn Abbuhl,
Repeat Business Systems<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It helps to have a motivation that dovetails with the goals of the council, notes Dawn Abbuhl, president of Repeat Business Systems in Albany, New York. Another question to consider is whether you, as a dealer exec, can materially advance big-picture conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf there are things that they feel like they can contribute or they’re curious about; to me it has to be a mutually beneficial situation,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I don’t have enough knowledge or information, I don’t want to be there and take up a spot for someone who could really benefit the council more.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Dean Swenson,
The Swenson Group<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It does require a certain temperament to serve on a DAC. For Dean Swenson, CEO of The Swenson Group in Livermore, California, it requires equal parts diplomacy and candidness. Raising one\u2019s voice or resorting to personal attacks serves no beneficial purpose. The other end of the spectrum isn\u2019t productive, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve recruited certain members who are thought leaders and run really good operations, but they aren\u2019t willing to raise their hand,\u201d Swenson said. \u201cI remember starting out on a DAC, looking around the room and seeing $50 million and $100 million dollar revenue dealers. My first thought was doubting that I could bring value to the conversation. Then I realized we all have a lot of the same challenges and we all have certain goals. So if you are willing to be open, willing to share, willing to be challenged yourself as well as challenge others for the common good, it can be beneficial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt certainly takes time. I\u2019d hear dealers complaining about an issue, but I know I don\u2019t have any insights that can move the needle for them. But sometimes I can provide counsel and direction for a colleague as to how they can best achieve whatever they want accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Robert Woodhull,
Woodhull LLC<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The best of DACs feature a collaboration driven by transparent conversations, and it\u2019s always better to glean dealer insights on the front end of a project, according to Robert Woodhull, president of Woodhull LLC in Springboro, Ohio. Council relationships in which the manufacturer provides a final decision and then asks dealers for their thoughts on it are counterintuitive. It\u2019s better, he said, to solicit input while programs, strategies or initiatives are still being developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEqually important is closing the loop. Dealers understand that not every recommendation can or will be implemented,\u201d Woodhull said. \u201cBut when a manufacturer comes back and says, \u2018Here’s what we heard, here’s what we changed, here’s what we couldn’t change and here’s why,\u2019 it creates credibility and trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUltimately, I think that’s the greatest value of a strong dealer council. It creates a structured environment where both sides can challenge each other, learn from each other and hopefully make better decisions together.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It takes a certain type of person to participate in a dealer advisory council. It\u2019s not that one needs to exhibit Clara Barton-level altruism, but it helps to be able to compartmentalize motivation and recognize the opportunity to make a positive impact on the product and service blueprints of the manufacturer that thought enough of you to extend a DAC invitation. It is incumbent upon the dealer to ensure he\/she is approaching the DAC opportunity in a manner that is for the good of the order and less partisan. The question then becomes: Is council participation a good fit for all? Theoretically, yes, but in practice\u2026probably not. As we wrap up our October State of the Industry report on DACs, we asked our dealer panel about the qualities and motivations that can make such groups beneficial for all. Some frank introspection is productive in approaching the question, points out Sean Mummert, CEO of The Office People in North Charleston, South Carolina. It\u2019s not just bandwidth and the commitment of time. What is your level of caring? Everyone\u2019s moving-forward journey is different: some want to pass on their business to their progeny. Others seek to sell, while many are trying to find growth avenues. Wherever you sit on the ownership spectrum will go a long way toward assessing the value of such a commitment. \u201cIf you want to make a change, you care about the industry and your manufacturer, and you don\u2019t mind working with people that don\u2019t have the same opinion as you, then it\u2019s worthwhile,\u201d Mummert said. \u201cYou can\u2019t be afraid to share. A lot of the people in these groups don\u2019t want to share out of fear that they\u2019re going to lose a customer or some service base, that they\u2019re giving away a trade secret. If you\u2019re one of those people unwilling to share 100%, then it\u2019s probably not the right opportunity for you.\u201d It\u2019s not unlike a regular peer group, he added. \u201cI don\u2019t want somebody to kiss my butt and agree with everything I say. I want to hear why you disagree with me, why you feel the way you do. When you cut through the BS and get down to the heart of what needs to be discussed, that’s when it becomes most effective for you.\u201d It helps to have a motivation that dovetails with the goals of the council, notes Dawn Abbuhl, president of Repeat Business Systems in Albany, New York. Another question to consider is whether you, as a dealer exec, can materially advance big-picture conversations. \u201cIf there are things that they feel like they can contribute or they’re curious about; to me it has to be a mutually beneficial situation,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I don’t have enough knowledge or information, I don’t want to be there and take up a spot for someone who could really benefit the council more.\u201d It does require a certain temperament to serve on a DAC. For Dean Swenson, CEO of The Swenson Group in Livermore, California, it requires equal parts diplomacy and candidness. Raising one\u2019s voice or resorting to personal attacks serves no beneficial purpose. The other end of the spectrum isn\u2019t productive, either. \u201cI\u2019ve recruited certain members who are thought leaders and run really good operations, but they aren\u2019t willing to raise their hand,\u201d Swenson said. \u201cI remember starting out on a DAC, looking around the room and seeing $50 million and $100 million dollar revenue dealers. My first thought was doubting that I could bring value to the conversation. Then I realized we all have a lot of the same challenges and we all have certain goals. So if you are willing to be open, willing to share, willing to be challenged yourself as well as challenge others for the common good, it can be beneficial. \u201cIt certainly takes time. I\u2019d hear dealers complaining about an issue, but I know I don\u2019t have any insights that can move the needle for them. But sometimes I can provide counsel and direction for a colleague as to how they can best achieve whatever they want accomplished.\u201d The best of DACs feature a collaboration driven by transparent conversations, and it\u2019s always better to glean dealer insights on the front end of a project, according to Robert Woodhull, president of Woodhull LLC in Springboro, Ohio. Council relationships in which the manufacturer provides a final decision and then asks dealers for their thoughts on it are counterintuitive. It\u2019s better, he said, to solicit input while programs, strategies or initiatives are still being developed. \u201cEqually important is closing the loop. Dealers understand that not every recommendation can or will be implemented,\u201d Woodhull said. \u201cBut when a manufacturer comes back and says, \u2018Here’s what we heard, here’s what we changed, here’s what we couldn’t change and here’s why,\u2019 it creates credibility and trust. \u201cUltimately, I think that’s the greatest value of a strong dealer council. It creates a structured environment where both sides can challenge each other, learn from each other and hopefully make better decisions together.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":71321,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1650,82,87,1638],"tags":[2258,3142,1011,359],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71319"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71319"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71319\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71356,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71319\/revisions\/71356"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71321"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}