How a Full-Service Auto Dealership Reduced Compliance Costs and Risks with KPA

Client Profile 

A family-owned and operated full-service automotive dealership has been a regional leader for over 80 years. With 340 employees, the dealership offers a diverse range of services, including vehicle sales, leasing, rentals, body shop services, general repairs, and commercial vehicle sales through a major automotive brand. 

Despite its success, the dealership faced mounting challenges in managing compliance amid California’s complex regulatory environment. The leadership team recognized that staying ahead of EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety), Advertising, Sales, and Finance compliance, and Privacy and Safeguards regulations required expert support. 

 

Challenge

Navigating Compliance for a Large, Multi-Location Dealership 

Operating an auto dealership in California comes with a host of regulatory challenges. The dealership needed a trusted compliance partner to help navigate ever-evolving consumer privacy laws, data storage requirements, and safety regulations. 

“The government keeps throwing consumer privacy and data storage requirements at us. It’s hard to run the business and also do all of those things,” said a Chief Operating Officer at the dealership. “So, you need a trusted vendor who can handle multiple areas of responsibility, one with a reputation you can count on.” 

Additionally, the dealership was committed to reducing costs associated with workplace safety and compliance violations while ensuring seamless employee training. 

 

Solution

KPA’s Comprehensive Vera Suite Simplifies Compliance

The dealership originally turned to KPA nearly a decade ago based on a recommendation from an automotive dealer association. Over the years, KPA’s Vera Suite has become the dealership’s all-in-one compliance solution, covering: 

✅ EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety) Compliance Solutions – Helping the dealership proactively manage workplace safety and reduce injury-related costs. 

✅ Advertising, Sales, and Finance Compliance – Ensuring all advertising, sales processes, and finance activities comply with state and federal regulations. 

✅ Privacy and Safeguards – Protecting customer data and preventing regulatory fines related to consumer privacy laws. 

✅ HR Compliance and Training – Automating and tracking employee training, reducing manual effort, and ensuring all required education is completed. 

At one point, the dealership briefly evaluated a lower-cost, off-the-shelf EHS solution. However, they quickly returned to KPA after realizing the alternative system required manual training tracking, making compliance cumbersome. 

“A less expensive service lured me away, but it didn’t have KPA’s training portal,” the dealership’s COO explained. “It was a manual process to determine who got training and who didn’t. I had to keep records in a file somewhere, which meant I didn’t know when trainings were coming due.” 

“With Vera Suite, I just log in, and it’s all there.” 

 

Result

Cost Savings, Improved Compliance, and Easier Management

📉 Significant Reduction in Workers’ Compensation Costs 

• Before partnering with KPA, the dealership had a workers’ comp experience modification rate (EMR) of 1.0—meaning they paid industry-standard rates. 

• Today, their EMR has dropped to 0.4, meaning their workers’ comp costs are less than half of what similar-sized dealerships typically pay. 

📂 Stronger Compliance Oversight 

• The dealership now proactively prevents compliance violations, reducing exposure to litigation and regulatory penalties. 

• “We are compliant well above the industry average, which keeps us below the radar of regulatory agencies, all the way from the local fire department to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC),” the COO shared. 

🔄 More Efficient Safety Management 

• The dealership now closely tracks safety incidents, reviewing: 

• Whether the employee completed required training. 

• Whether supervisors were aware of the risks. 

• Whether response actions kept the incident at a first-aid level. 

⏳ Reduced Compliance Workload for Leadership 

• With KPA’s platform, dealership leaders spend far less time researching legal compliance and more time focusing on business growth. 

• “Working together, we’re bulletproof,” the COO said. 

 

Looking Ahead

A Continued Partnership for Compliance Success

By fully integrating KPA’s Vera Suite compliance solutions, the dealership has transformed its approach to safety, legal compliance, and risk management. With fewer administrative burdens, reduced legal risks, and major cost savings, KPA has become a trusted partner in ensuring long-term operational success. 

Key Benefits of KPA for Auto Dealerships 

✅ Lower Workers’ Compensation Costs
✅ Seamless Employee Training & Compliance Tracking
✅ Easier Safety Data & Privacy Management
✅ Higher Compliance Ratings, Reducing Legal Risk
✅ User-Friendly Platform, Saving Leadership Time