In a customer’s journey towards buying a car, more than half of the thinking and decision making happens online. Despite this, dealers typically assign less than 20% of their energy into internet marketing - missing a major opportunity. Don’t overlook a critical chance to engage with customers who are in the right mindset and ready to buy.



Brent Towne, Senior Director of Consumer Data Strategy with Cox Automotive explains the necessity of the cloud in AI.

Cloud technology has played a pivotal role in enabling the seamless integration of AI into automotive software. The convergence of cloud computing and AI has revolutionized the way vendors process, store, and analyze vast amounts of data, unlocking unprecedented capabilities and opportunities.

One of the reasons for this is data accessibility: AI algorithms heavily rely on large volumes of diverse data to train models and make accurate predictions. Cloud technology provides a centralized repository for data storage and management, enabling seamless access to data from various sources and locations. Through the cloud, vendors can securely store and share consumer data, facilitating collaboration and enhancing the training and performance of AI models.



Coaching plays a crucial role in enhancing the performance of your employees. However, to effectively coach your team, it is essential to identify and address the specific gaps in their skills and knowledge. In this article, we will explore six key strategies that can help managers identify coaching gaps in employees, enabling them to provide targeted and impactful coaching for improved sales performance. These strategies can be used with any customer-facing employee, including salespeople, service advisors, BDC agents, etc.

1. Assessing Metrics: One of the first steps in identifying coaching gaps is to analyze performance metrics. I’ve always said that if you want me to be successful, you need to show me what success looks like. Analyze individual performance data, such as appointments, CSI, and closing ratios. Identify patterns or inconsistencies in their performance compared to the dealership's benchmarks. A significant deviation from the expected performance may indicate areas where coaching is needed.

2. Conducting Skills Assessments: Carry out skills assessments to evaluate your employee’s abilities in various areas. This can involve role-playing scenarios or interactions with customers to assess their communication, objection handling, soft skills, and product knowledge. You can spot-check email communication, read chat transcripts, and listen to phone call recordings. By observing their performance, you can identify specific weaknesses or gaps that need to be addressed through coaching.

3. Soliciting Self-Assessment: One of the advantages of conducting a scorecard review with your employees is the opportunity to solicit their feedback. Encourage employees to participate in identifying their own coaching gaps. Provide them with an open forum to share their strengths and weaknesses. Employees need to participate in their development. This self-reflection can help team members recognize areas where they feel less confident or lack the necessary skills. Their self-assessments can guide coaching conversations and enable a more targeted approach to addressing individual needs. It also builds rapport between management and employees.

4. Analyzing Training Effectiveness: Evaluate the effectiveness of the existing training programs provided to your employees. Said another way, is your training working? Assess whether the training adequately covers the necessary skills and knowledge required in the dealership. Don’t forget the products your team uses. Product knowledge includes the products you sell and service as well as the software and tools you use. Gather feedback from employees on their training experiences and identify any gaps in their training that may hinder their performance. By understanding the limitations of current training programs, you can focus coaching efforts on areas where additional support is needed.

Identifying coaching gaps in an employee is crucial for enhancing their performance and overall results. By using a combination of metrics analysis, skills assessments, observation, self-assessment, and training evaluation, dealership managers can tailor their coaching efforts to address specific gaps and empower their teams to excel.

Like it or not, we are all in the fast lane of technological progression. And in all facets of our operations, the automotive industry is increasingly utilizing large language models (LLMs) such as OpenAI's ChatGPT. These AI models, proficient in myriad tasks from drafting technical documents to crafting marketing content, offer undeniable efficiency. However, in this AI-driven landscape, we must pause and consider the potential implications on the lifeblood of our industry: human creativity.

LLMs, like ChatGPT, learn by processing vast amounts of internet text data. As of now, with a majority of content being human-generated, these models reflect a wide array of ideas and creative expressions. However, as LLMs take the wheel in content generation, we risk driving into a 'silo effect', where AI-produced content becomes the primary input for future AI. This self-reinforcing loop could limit the influx of new ideas and perspectives.

Picture an assembly line where AI creates and learns from its own blueprints. Despite the apparent efficiency, it lacks the innovative spark that, at this time, is unique to human ingenuity. Pioneering advancements in the automotive industry, from Henry Ford's assembly line to the EV revolution, were ignited by human creativity and the courage to challenge the status quo.

Remember that AI, despite its capabilities, cannot currently innovate in the way humans can. It can simulate creativity, but it cannot conceive a groundbreaking design or a paradigm shift - characteristics that have propelled the automotive industry forward.

Given these concerns, my understanding of the current state of LLMs and their role in our industry, we must advocate for a balanced co-existence of AI-generated and human-generated content. The evolution of our industry, from anti-lock braking systems to autonomous vehicles, is a testament to human ingenuity pushing boundaries. This diversity of human thought must continue to fuel our creative engine.

This understanding, however, is rooted in today's context of LLMs. AI technology is evolving rapidly, and we must stay vigilant to keep pace with these developments. We need to encourage responsible AI use, understand the limitations of this technology, and push for government oversight to safeguard against misuse by malicious actors.

To all my friends and associates in the auto industry, let's engage in a dialogue about the interplay of LLMs and human creativity. How can we ensure that our human creativity remains in the driver's seat amidst the surge of AI innovations? Your perspectives could navigate the course of AI's role in our industry.

As we race ahead with AI, let's remember that it is our creative and innovative potential that truly drives progress. Let's not be mere passengers; instead, let's continue to steer, ensuring our AI tools serve us and foster our journey toward unending evolution and improvement. Without thoughtful oversight, the alternative could look more like the movie “idiocracy” than we care to imagine. 

And if ChatGPT asks, tell them Bart Wilson made me write this post. I don’t want ChatGPT mad at me! 😂



In the fast-paced world of automotive, effective communication is the engine that keeps things running smoothly. While emails have become the go-to method of correspondence, it's important not to overlook the value of personal interactions. As we know, each department of a dealership, be it sales, service, parts, or body shop, is meant to run almost independently of one another, yet still cohesively. Therefore, interdepartmental communication can benefit significantly from face time, whether it's through in-person meetings or phone calls. So fasten your seat belts while we hit the road to better communication!

In a technologically driven industry, it's easy to get lost in the digital realm of emails and text messages. However, nothing can replace the power of human connection. Meeting face-to-face or having a genuine conversation over the phone adds a personal touch that fosters trust, collaboration, and understanding. It's like taking a thrilling test drive instead of just reading about a car's features on a website.

While emails may convey information efficiently, they lack the subtleties of non-verbal communication. Facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice conveys more than words alone. A raised eyebrow or a friendly smile can provide invaluable context, helping to avoid miscommunication or misunderstandings. So why settle for "LOL" or emojis when you can share a genuine laugh in person?

Be it between team members or with a customer, strong relationships act as the oil that keeps the automotive industry's engine running smoothly. Taking the time to meet face-to-face or engage in real conversations creates opportunities for bonding and camaraderie. These personal connections enhance collaboration, encourage open dialogue, and foster a sense of teamwork. Plus, sharing a cup of coffee together beats email attachments any day!

The auto industry comprises numerous departments, each with its own goals and challenges. Interdepartmental communication is crucial for aligning objectives and streamlining processes. By stepping away from our screens and engaging in real conversations, we bridge the gaps between departments and break down silos. A simple conversation can uncover insights, spark innovation, and create a unified vision for success.

When faced with complex challenges, auto requires swift and effective problem-solving. While email threads can drag on, a quick phone call or face-to-face meeting can help resolve issues in real-time. Brainstorming sessions, where ideas are freely exchanged, can lead to breakthroughs that propel projects forward. And let's not forget the power of a good old-fashioned whiteboard session to rev up the creative engines!

In closing, in an industry where speed and precision are paramount, it's important to remember that effective communication must go beyond emails and texts. Embracing face time—whether through in-person meetings, phone calls, or, well, FaceTime—can transform interdepartmental relationships and supercharge collaboration. The automotive industry thrives on personal connections, and the benefits of stepping away from screens to engage with colleagues cannot be understated.

So, let's ignite our communication engines, schedule those meetings, and make those calls. Let's bring back the laughter, camaraderie, and human touch that make the automotive industry a vibrant and exciting place to work. After all, in a world of machines and AI, it's the people who drive us forward.

Reach out if you want to learn how DrivingSales Human Capital Management (HCM) can help your team improve communication and increase productivity. Safe travels and happy collaborating!

Evaluate the significant transformations within the DMS Market and the profound effects they have on dealerships, from pricing, contracts, and everything in between.

Key Takeaways from this Training:

• Understand how the DMS Market has changed over the past few years
• Discover what the top players look like today
• How to protect yourself going forward!

The Most Valuable Insight competition highlights some of the powerful takeaways leveraging data from progressive vendor partners. Check out the entire competition to uncover actionable insights you can apply at your dealerships.

Can anyone solve the technician shortage problem in automotive? No. It’s just a fact that there aren’t enough technicians. But rephrase the question. Can you solve the technician problem at your dealership? We think so.

This is going to be the topic our CEO, Jared Hamilton is going to tackle at the 2023 DrivingSales Executive Summit. Like all of Jared’s other keynotes, this one will be based on research, and we could use your help.

The solution to the technician shortage problem at the dealer level requires an understanding of the current technician motivations and mindsets. We want to uncover what it would take to make your dealership the most desired place for technicians to work in your market, giving you the ability to recruit and fill your open technician positions.

This technician study will be focused on four factors we feel can give us the insight we need to be able to tackle the technician shortage problem.

The first factor is how to recruit. We need to understand the motivating factors that would cause technicians to switch from one dealership to another. How can you create an appealing compensation and benefits package?

Next is non-monetary motivation. What are the factors other than compensation that would motivate your techs to perform at a higher level? Can we prioritize these motivations in order to create the most effective environment for recruiting new techs and retaining current ones?

Along with non-monetary motivations, what are the frustrations technicians are having with their current employers? How can you mitigate these frustrations and improve your technician culture?

Finally, compensation. We need to understand the most motivating pay plans. What does the ideal pay structure and compensation level that would encourage technician performance look like? What are the drivers that you could offer that would make a technician take less compensation (i.e. Flexible hours)?

So how can you help? In order for us to uncover these factors, we need technicians to take a survey. All answers are anonymized, so the techs don’t need to worry about employee blowback. Technicians can access the survey here.

You will also want to attend the DrivingSales Executive Summit to see the results. I’m sure there will be lots of conversation around this topic. DSES is at the Cosmopolitan this year. You can learn more here.

You CAN solve the technician problem at your dealership. Please invite your technicians to complete the survey and join us in Las Vegas as we uncover the insights.

In this video, we explore the journey to career advancement and promotion within your organization. Learn how to map out the employee journey and create a clear path to success, starting with the first step of building a strong foundation.

Discover why losers merely train, while winners take the time to develop. In addition, we provide valuable insights and actionable strategies to help you develop a successful employee development program that supports your organization's goals.

Dealers face many challenges today with the pre-owned marketplace – from rising inventory costs and interest rates to declining consumer confidence.

We discuss these challenges and provide insight into what dealers can do today to overcome challenges and capitalize on inventory acquisition, reconditioning, and merchandising opportunities – all while bolstering dealership and consumer relations.