Let me take you back to a time before cell phones. If you remember phones that were attached to a wall and had a cord, you probably know what I’m talking about. Or how about the era before the Internet was a “thing”? Some of you may be thinking, “What? Hasn’t the Internet always been part of our lives?” While it may be shocking, the answer is no.

You may even remember when some dealers scoffed at having a website, thinking it just wasn’t a necessity when it came to running and promoting their dealership. Some were firmly in the camp of saying they didn’t need, and wouldn’t have, a website. For those who took this stance, it’s HIGHLY likely they’re no longer in business, unless of course they came around and realized their short-sightedness. 

My, oh my, how times have changed. But the reality is, technology offers us numerous advantages and in many regards, it’s made our lives easier, ultimately making us more efficient. Today, we can easily connect with others through that device we all carry around – the smartphone. It makes it so easy to call, text, email, and post.

And most of us use the resources available – the technology – to interact with friends, family, colleagues and customers. It’s part of who we are and how we do business. But the speed of tech, and keeping up with it, can be overwhelming if we let it be.

In this issue, we highlight several different developments, from digital tools, to advanced fuels, to events that can help us keep up with what’s happening in the Commercial Vehicle ecosystem. Hopefully, you’ll find at least an article or two that will help you with the future of your business by putting technology to work for you.    

Steve Henning, Editor