Frequently Asked Questions

NCM provides members with a secure, easy-to-use and operate, communication portal and group list. Communicating between meetings is just like sending an email through your preferred email platform.

axcessa integrates seamlessly with Reynolds and Reynolds, CDK/ADP, DealerTrack/Arkona, ACS/Dominion, DealerBuilt, and Procede/Excede DMS systems.

Once your ticket is issued, you have 24 hours to make changes without a penalty. After 24 hours, all tickets are non-refundable and subject to the airline’s change fee. We recommend that you review your ticketed reservation as soon as you get the confirmation, and let us know within 24 hours if any changes are needed.

NCM offers our Benchmark reports in print and digitally. Our Members Website is secure and offers a safe viewing module for your financial data and reports. Online viewing is not offered for one-time reports, but all our other products are available online for 24/7 viewing on-the-go. Give us a call at 800-756-2620 to order yours today.

Call us at 877-497-2363 or email [email protected] to schedule a consulting visit.

NCMi’s General Executive Management Program (GMEP) is an in-depth training program designed to best prepare high-potential managers to succeed in all areas of a dealership. Whether a single-point store or a dealer group, we can help you develop the next generation of leadership in your organization.

To learn more, give us a call at 866-756-2620. You can also read our GMEP vs Dealer Academy comparison here.

Yes, we can help you select the optimal transportation needs for your upcoming trip. To get started on a detailed itinerary, please call 800-242-3260 or email us at [email protected].

If you choose to stay at an NCMi preferred hotel, you will be located on the Country Club Plaza neighborhood of Kansas City, Mo. This area has multiple restaurants of various cuisines, shopping opportunities, movie theaters, art museums, parks/gardens, and more within walking distance.

Simply give us a call at 800-756-2620 to discuss the best product for your business needs.

Call us at 877-361-4961 for a complimentary quote!

20 Group pricing varies by the type of group and number of members. For a complimentary quote, call 800-756-2620 or email [email protected]. The membership fee (billed quarterly prior to the quarter start) covers monthly financial tools and the cost of the meeting. You also will be responsible for your travel expenses (flight, hotel, transportation, meals on your own, activities) and an allocation of the cost to cover group meals, meeting room expenses, and guest speaker costs.

Yes! NCM’s retail automotive consultants are happy to work with you on any area of your business, and each consultant session can be tailored to your needs. From departmental focus, to a complete overview of your operations, we can visit your business to help address any challenges you're facing, as well as any issues lurking below the surface. Call us at 877-497-2363 or email [email protected] to schedule a consulting visit today!

Click on the Person icon next to your name (top right). Under Site Access, type in your new password twice. Click Save Credentials.

Because each group is self-governing, the group decides how often to meet. Most 20 Groups meet for 1.5 days, 2 full days or 3 half days several times per year.

Yes! Most of our attendees come from out of town and may choose to check out of their hotel rooms prior to the last day of class. To help, we provide a secure space in our training facility to stow your luggage while you’re in class. Also, our classrooms are WiFi enabled and offer many outlets for laptop, tablet, or cell phone charging. We want you to feel comfortable while you train!

A 20 Group provides peer collaboration to receive feedback based on what you’ve already identified as areas of concern. Scheduling a retail automotive consultant to come to your store allows for a dedicated one-on-one, deep dive into your processes and conversations with department managers about their numbers and processes. Together, we'll build a specific action plan to drive improvements to your business. These consultations also encourage managers to commit to meeting in between recurring consulting visits.

Most NCM 20 Group members receive a group composite monthly that includes group and national benchmarks. Individual reports can be generated quickly, after receipt of your financial data, and can be repeated quarterly, monthly, or just once. Call us at 800-756-2620 to talk through the right product for your business.

Yes. Our travel consultants are well-versed in leisure travel and are ready to help you plan family vacations, weekend getaways, or once-in-a-lifetime experiences. No matter the destination or budget, NCM Travel Solutions will work with you to plan your perfect retreat. Give us a call at 800-242-3260 or email us at [email protected].

Our Benchmark reports utilize industry-specific national averages. Sample reports are available to be emailed to you via a PDF. If you would like to receive a sample Benchmark report, call us at 877-803-3631.

Yes, but only for the airline ticket. We charge $35 for a new airline reservation and $45 to make changes to an existing airline ticket.

Course levels one and two can be taken during the same week. Due to the amount of information provided, it's recommended that you spread out these course times to retain as much of the material as possible, and strive to implement some of the key learnings at your dealership between courses.

Our 20 Group model has been empowering businesses to learn from each other since 1947. Everyone benefits from the overview of financial and operational data and processes. Shared discussions of best practices generate solutions that you can take home for implementation. Monthly financial composites allow you to compare, in detail, every facet of your operation with some of the top business operators in the country.

To create and/or manage log-ins, start by clicking on the Settings tab, then select Manage People. To add an employee, select Add New Person. Complete the required entries and select a role. Click Add Person to save. If the employee is to be a user, click Set Up Site Access. Complete the Username and Password fields. Click Save Credentials.

Nope! Let us customize our services to fit your needs, however large or small they may be. Our automotive retail consultants are available to help relieve your dealership woes and uncover the source of any issue. Call us today at 877-497-2363 or email [email protected] to schedule a visit.

Yes! When you sign up for recurring visits, you receive two profit trend analysis reports monthly, and one management composite book monthly, with the submission of financial data. In addition, you receive access to our online-only products such as the Heat Map and Meeting in a Box. Call us at 877-497-2363 or email [email protected] with questions or to schedule a visit.

Simply complete a 20 Group application or email us at [email protected]. For any questions, please contact our Client Engagement Center at 800-756-2620.

You can designate one or more people in your organization to have administrative privileges to the axcessa software. These admins will provide internal support and be axcessa advocates who will assign log-ins, reset passwords, and generally help users get acclimated to the tool. The time investment will be negligible for these admins, especially after users become familiar with axcessa.

Renting a car for NCMi training is completely optional. If you stay at the preferred NCMi hotel, you will have a shuttle available each day to take you to and from class. Travel arrangements from the airport to your hotel can be made with the help of our travel department, Travel Solutions, at 800-242-3260.

It is recommended that you arrive two hours prior for domestic travel and three hours prior for international travel.

Call 800-756-2620 to discuss any concerns you have about your NCM Benchmark report.

Due to the highly-customized nature of our Benchmark reports and the wide variety of offerings, we will need to speak with you to provide an accurate quote for the product that best meets your needs. Give us a call at 877-803-3631 to get a free quote.

We recommend that you make your reservation at least 21 days prior to your first travel day. Booking earlier for travel around special occasions, such as Christmas and spring break, is highly recommended as those flights fill up quickly. Ready to travel? Call us at 800-242-3260 or email us at [email protected].

During a full-day class (8:30AM to 4:30PM), we provide a catered buffet lunch and an afternoon snack. During half-day classes (8:30AM to Noon), lunch is available if you’d like to partake prior to jetting home. Sodas, bottled waters, and Keurig coffee are also available throughout each classroom.

Upon receipt of our simple month-to-month agreement for axcessa, and a quick set-up questionnaire, we can begin the installation process. We will handle all the related mapping, reconciliation, and building of the application for your enterprise without disrupting anyone in the dealership. The set-up and installation process is approximately 60 days in length and comprehensive professional training will be included as part of your launch.

An NCM 20 Group is a group of peers from non-competing markets who discuss their businesses in detail, with the expressed intent of improving sales and growing net profits using Benchmark^® data. Each member agrees to invest in their peers’ success, offers honest feedback, and creates genuine accountability. All 20 Group members receive a monthly financial composite, which allows for side-by-side comparisons between peer organizations. Comparative statistical composites are an excellent accountability tool for owners and managers alike, providing a detailed review of your business.

Every situation is different, and we want to ensure we provide you with the most accurate quote possible for your business. Give us a call at 877-497-2363 and we can develop a free quote based on your specific needs.

We offer recurring visits (monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly) as well as the option to schedule a single, non-recurring visit with one of our consultants whenever the need arises. Simply call us today at 877-497-2363 or email [email protected] to schedule a visit.

You can set up scheduled emails from the Settings tab by selecting Report Email Setup. You will need to have this option added to your special permissions by an admin, if you don’t already see it listed.

Locations are selected by 20 Group members. Many groups schedule meetings in a member city to conduct an onsite review and critique of the hosting company’s operation. This popular practice proves as valuable to the visitors as it is to the host. Additionally, many 20 Groups meet in destination locations and bring their spouses and families. Some groups even schedule special activities for their families.

NCM provides many different types of Benchmark reports. From single- or multi-dealership composites, forecasting and trend reports, to profit analysis reports, NCM can produce a custom tool to help you analyze and improve your business. Call us at 877-803-3631 for more information or to order a product.

Yes! The NCM Institute offers custom training programs for auto groups who are looking to tailor training to their specific dealership needs.

If you have issues with your flight schedules, NCM’s Travel Solutions has 24/7 support to help you arrange a new travel plan. Once your flight is booked, Travel Solutions will be able to provide you with this number in case of emergencies.

NCM’s Travel Solutions has over 60+ years of travel industry experience to help you book flights, hotels, transportation, activities/excursions, and more. Our experts will ensure your business travel is simple, convenient, and within your budget. To get started, give us a call at 800-242-3260 or email us at [email protected].

Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend you register as far in advance as possible, to ensure there is still space in your preferred class. Register here!

There is no limit to the number of users who can access the software. An axcessa license includes unlimited reports, for unlimited users, across unlimited dealership rooftops. You can customize user access to control which reports each user sees and limit accessibility to the key information your team demands.

20 Group members determine which topics comprise the agenda. Generally, groups elect an executive committee or meeting chairpeople who work with the group’s moderator to create the meeting agenda and choose meeting locations, restaurant options, and activities.

NCM’s professional moderators are industry veterans with real-world, in-depth retail leadership experience, who facilitate each 20 Group meeting. Selected members of each group act as the meeting chairperson on a rotating basis.

You will have access to our free and unlimited training expertise. Whether you need technical assistance or guidance on how to interpret your axcessa reports, we’re standing by to help you take advantage of everything axcessa offers. Call 877-361-4961 for assistance. Onsite custom training is also available for a small fee.

The axcessa system updates your automotive group or dealership data multiple times throughout each day to ensure that your reports and employees are always up-to-date.

If a class is sold out, we may have a waitlist available for that class. Please call us at 866-756-2620 for more information!

NCM Community is a propriety communication platform developed by NCM for its 20 Group members and is offered as a complimentary, value-added service. Accessible via the Members Website, clients enjoy an industry news feed, micro-blog activity stream, and online chat to keep the great dialogue going outside the meeting room.

The micro-blog allows for secure file sharing for the exclusive benefit of the 20 Group, including the ability to post pictures and web links. The chat feature shows who's online and provides instant discussion partners, if desired.

If you have questions, please contact your 20 Group moderator or coordinator.

We are pleased to offer a variety of 20 Groups including: franchise- and regional-specific, proprietary (auto groups) & mega-dealer, fixed ops, variable ops, used vehicle, service, parts, internet/BDC, digital marketing, controller, and a variety of other specific 20 Groups for your business. To find the perfect 20 Group match for your dealership, contact our Client Engagement Center at 877-803-3631.

Typically, a full day of class runs from 8:30AM to 4:30PM. Our half-day classes begin at 8:30AM and end at noon. If you’re unsure, please call us at 866-756-2620 for a full course agenda with specific class times. 

axcessa is designed to be extremely user friendly for all types of users. From accessibility of the program, to reports automatically delivered to team members at specific times, axcessa works with your workflow.

The email reports do not link directly to the website because they may be sent to multiple users with different access levels. Each user has security settings based on their specific role. For example, you wouldn’t want a service advisor who only has limited access to be able to see the same reports as the retailer or controller. That is the reason for the log-in process and why the link will expire after 48 hours.

NCMi offers training courses in 25+ different areas of the dealership, including fixed, variable, and executive operations. Click here to see all the classes available.

The iMedia composite is created monthly when we receive your financial statement data. NCM will create an iMedia composite within 24 hours of the receipt of your data. This composite will then be available on the 20 Group Members Website and will contain your data, the data from those members that have also submitted, the group averages, and the NCM Benchmarks. The iMedia composite will be continuously updated and available until the final composite is posted.

If you see a blank or numbered field instead of a name, then your employee's DMS ID needs to be tied to the name of the appropriate employee. After logging into axcessa, you can manage your employees by clicking on the Person icon next to your name. From here, you can add the employee to axcessa by selecting Add New Person. Enter the employee’s name, DMS ID number, and role. Entering these fields allows axcessa to pull the employee’s name into the reports; however, you may still need an admin to give the employee their login access. If you need additional assistance, give our axcessa team a call at 877-361-4691.

All classes are held at our headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., unless otherwise noted in the course catalog. If you’re unsure about the location of your class, please call 866-756-2620 for assistance.

NCMi has secured discounted rates with nearby hotels. Breakfast and daily shuttle service to and from the class are included with these discounts. Please contact our travel department, Travel Solutions, to book hotel rooms, make transportation arrangements, and secure flights.

In some classes, yes, there will be homework. If your course instructor chooses to assign homework, a notification will be emailed to you via the email address we have on file, three weeks prior to your first day of class for completion before your course start date. There will not be homework given for completion between class days.