To help identify potential winners, Lithia relies on a store performance scorecard, a three-page summary that breaks down components of the dealership’s business and reveals trends. Measurements include sales efficiency and service effectiveness, Lithia COO Chris Holzshu said.

“We’re trying to perform for our customers,” Holzshu said. “And in the customers’ eyes, the manufacturers’ eyes and our shareholders’ eyes, all those things come together on the [scorecard]. You can see it very quickly.”

DeBoer said the performance scorecard aligns with manufacturers’ values and wishes but is tailored around customers in terms of loyalty and market share, which drive profitability.

“That’s about as deep as we ultimately want to get from an executive level, or even a presidential or vice presidential level in the field,” he said. “Our goal is for everyone, all business leaders, to get to become LPG members.”

The partner group dealerships are Lithia’s “best of the best,” Holzshu said.

“You might visit those stores once a year,” he said. “Let them do their thing and don’t screw it up.”