Tuck The Octopus: A Better Vantage Point For Dealership Risk And Compliance

Running a successful professional dealership is complex, complicated, and perpetual!

Keeping operations running profitably, securely, and legally can feel like trying to tuck an octopus into bed at night while the tentacles keep flopping all over the place!

Tuck The Octopus will show you how to build a compliance program successfully and flag the important types of risks to consider to safeguard your stores. As regulatory enforcement and lawsuits against dealerships increase, owners are feeling pressure ratchet up, and they understand the increased need for administrative and compliance excellence. Companies appreciate now more than ever a governance, risk, and compliance program is necessary to protect their assets.

With Tuck The Octopus, the author, Thomas P. Kline has created a compendium of essays written and guided by his 30+ years of real world wisdom in retail automotive. Tuck The Octopus will serve as a “primer” to shift and change your thinking as it relates to how to run your dealership.

Here’s a partial list of topics which Kline discusses:

• Risk mitigation and risk management
• Starting a compliance program
• Consumer protection rules and regulations
• Enterprise risk and your exposures
• Corporate governance
• Regulatory authorities and how they function (i.e. FTC, CFPB, Attorneys General)
• New compliance definition and paradigm
• F&I menus
• Astroturfing
• Dealership insurance
• Gramm Leach Bliley Act (GLBA)
• Satisfying customers and concluding their complaints
• Prohibited practices
• Emotional intelligence
• Regulatory fines against dealerships
• Total cost of risk, and
• Compliance monitoring

“Tom’s experience and knowledge from the retail side will guide you not only to be the most compliant operator, but also to do better business, sleep better at night, protect your assets, and help you keep the money you make.”
BRAD MOWRY, Owner
AutoGiants

“Up until I met Tom Kline, I would triage every situation into three categories; the right way, the wrong way, and the way we had always done it. This was time consuming and I still may not have selected the best option. Thanks to Tom’s risk mitigation perspective we only select the proper choice to ensure we are protected, and we have valuable peace of mind with all of our insurance demands. Tom’s ongoing training and relevant advice have both proven to keep us on the best path to guarantee our doors remain open.”
RYAN SODIKOFF, General Manager & President
Steven Automotive

“I’ve worked with Tom Kline on compliance issues for quite some time. As a former car dealer, he brings a refreshing perspective to the rules we must follow in our business. In addition, he has a wealth of knowledge in risk management and brings that talent to the table.”
MIKE UFFNER, President
AutoTeam Delaware

THOMAS P. KLINE is a third generation “car guy” and former dealership owner with more than thirty years of experience. Kline is the Lead Consultant & Founder of Better Vantage Point, a specialty consulting firm focused on protecting and safeguarding dealers by employing targeted risk transference, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation techniques. Additionally, Kline works with both tech and start-up companies and routinely provides expert witness testimony to defend dealerships against lawsuits. Kline’s writing and ideas have been featured in multiple prominent national publications, such as the Wall Street Journal and Automotive News. Kline works with both publicly-held and private dealerships, routinely
speaks at national conferences and 20 Groups, and frequently presents webinars on current events. Tom has received various trade group endorsements and is a sought after podcast guest.