LinUs® Defined
In the independent dealer space, access to data isn't the real challenge--knowing how to interpret it and apply it effectively is.
Dealers have plenty of internal data to cipher through, but without meaningful external data comparison, they’re left operating in a silo with no clear benchmark for what truly matters or performs well.
That reality is what led ARC to build LinUs®, a proprietary data and benchmarking platform designed specifically for ARC Dealer 20 Groups. At the center of LinUs® is one goal: deliver accurate, transparent, actionable insight that helps dealers make better decisions.
To better understand how LinUs® works and why it has become such a cornerstone of ARC 20 groups, we spoke with Howard Bullock, ARC’s Partner Ambassador and official LinUs® Specialist.
Meet Howard Bullock: The Man Behind the Data
Howard Bullock has spent 37 years in the automotive industry, giving him a rare perspective on how dealerships operate in practice, not just on paper.
At ARC, Howards’ role includes:
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- Ensuring dealer data is entered accurately and on time
- Interpreting results and identifying anomalies
- Generating composite reports for every ARC Dealer 20 Group meeting
- Working directly with ARC’s coding and development team to maintain performance, resolve issues, and evolve the platform
In short, Howard doesn’t just manage LinUs®, he safeguards its integrity.
Why Was LinUs® Originally Created
When ARC was founded, our founder and CEO, Justin Osburn wanted to create a true, unmatched 20 Group experience for independent dealers. This required something essential: accurate, dealer-specific data to compare.
“You can’t have a positive, professional and forward thinking Dealer 20 Group without real data. We needed a way to generate, accumulate, define, and report our comprehensive data correctly,” Howard explains.
LinUs® was born out of that necessity.
The 2023 Turning Point: Building for the Future
LinUs® officially entered development in 2021, but by late 2023, ARC made a critical decision to update the system extensively—recognizing the need to expand its capabilities and deliver deeper insight across more areas of dealership operations.
In 2023, ARC transitioned to a new development team using current, forward-compatible coding language, allowing LinUs® to scale, have flexibility, and be positioned to host advanced analytics and future enhancements.
That shift marked transformation for LinUs™ from a reporting tool into a long-term strategic platform.
Dealer-Driven Evolution: Built With the Group, Not Just for It
From day one, LinUs® evolved through receiving direct dealer feedback from our members. So we listened.
ARC Dealer 20 Group members were seeking:
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- Greater detail
- Clear percentages
- More meaningful comparisons
- Better insight into how their store stacked up against true peers
Today, LinUs® allows dealers to measure performance against:
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- Actual group averages in their respective 20 Group (real stores, real numbers)
- Broader group benchmarks built from ARC’s nationwide dealer base
This dual approach—group-specific averages plus industry-relevant benchmarks—is one of the most powerful differentiators with LinUs®.
What Makes LinUs® Different From Traditional Dealer Reports
Most dealers already have internal dashboards. What they don’t have is verified, peer-reviewed, real-world comparison data.
In LinUs®:
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- Dealers input their own numbers
- Accuracy matters because the group depends on it
- Data inconsistencies are flagged and reviewed
- Benchmarks are built from actual dealer performance, not theoretical targets
“There’s accountability,” Howard notes. “Dealers understand that if their data doesn’t make sense, it will be reviewed, analyzed, and questioned extensively.”
That accountability is what makes ARC’s Dealer 20 Group meetings and discussions so productive and honest.
Inside the LinUs® Report: What Dealers Don’t Know (But Need To)
Each LinUs® report spans approximately 60 pages, covering everything from operations and revenue to inventory and expenses. Below are some additional KPI’s you will find inside the report:
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- Sales performance and PVR
- Front-end and back-end metrics
- Inventory efficiency
- Lead and advertising ROI
- Expense structure
- Year-over-year operational trends
- Fixed Operations performance and breakdowns
- Frozen Capital
- Holding Costs
Howard estimates that well over 50% of the data in a LinUs® report is information most dealers have never seen or never fully understood.
Some dealers know their numbers and some don’t. What LinUs® reveals is how those numbers work together and where profit, efficiency, or opportunity is being left on the table.
It’s no coincidence that nearly every dealer who sees LinUs® firsthand chooses to join an ARC Dealer 20 Group. They tell us it’s because of how different ARC’s meetings are and what they get out of ours vastly outweighs the benefits compared to other national dealer 20 group programs.
Fixed Operations: The Great Unknown
One of the most eye-opening areas for independent dealers is Fixed Operations.
Many dealer principals come from a sales background, not service or backend. LinUs® brings clarity to areas of the service department often overlooked, including:
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- Labor rate effectiveness
- Technician productivity and turnover
- Unapplied labor
- Reconditioning and inventory turn times
- Gross profit per labor hour sold
- Repair order mix by business segment
- Policy control
This level of insight allows ARC 20 Group members to treat Fixed Ops not as a mystery but as a controllable profit center for dealerships.
Why LinUs® Is Exclusive to ARC 20 Group Members
LinUs® is limited exclusively to ARC Dealer 20 Group members, and for good reason:
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- The data is confidential
- The benchmarks rely on participation
- Accuracy is mandatory
Members agree to:
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- Attend every meeting
- Submit data by the 20th of each month
- Maintain accuracy and timely input of data or risk removal from the group by their peers
This commitment ensures the integrity of the data and the value of the group.
Always On: LinUs® Beyond the Meeting Room
While LinUs® plays a critical role in powering ARC 20 Group meetings, its value extends far beyond the meeting room. Once a dealer becomes a member, LinUs® is available 24/7/365, giving dealers on-demand access to the same high-level insights used during group sessions.
LinUs® generates insight dealers want to see like current performance data, historical reporting, group comparisons, benchmark metrics, and the ability to generate custom reports as needed.
The objective is simple but powerful: ensure dealers have the right information at the moment decisions are being made, not weeks later when opportunities may have passed. By providing continuous access to accurate, peer-validated data, LinUs® helps ARC 20 Group members operate more efficiently, respond faster, and make confident, informed decisions throughout the year.
One Sentence That Sums It All Up
When asked to summarize LinUs®, Howard put it simply:
“LinUs® is a real game changer that delivers accurate, unparalleled data which is typically unknown or unavailable to many independent dealers.”
Partnering with ARC Nation: Built by Dealers, for Dealers
ARC invites dealers to learn more about our full suite of solutions. From industry-leading Warranty and Reinsurance programs to Dealer 20 Groups, Training, and Consulting services. Built to provide the tools, expertise, and peer-driven accountability dealers want, ARC is designed to help drive sustainable success.
