Artificial intelligence is changing automotive retail quickly. But the biggest opportunity isn't simply using AI to send more messages. It's using AI to help dealerships communicate smarter.
During the Fixed Ops Roundtable special event at Paragon Honda, David Lampel joins Brian Benstock, Ted Ings and Sarah Vantine to discuss how AI can change dealership communication and customer engagement.
Dealerships already possess tremendous amounts of customer intelligence:
- Vehicle ownership
- Purchase history
- Repair-order history
- Maintenance activity
- Declined services
- Open recalls
- Customer lifecycle information
- Previous communication and engagement
When that information is accurate and properly organized, AI can help dealerships better understand: who should be contacted, why they should be contacted, what message is relevant, when the communication should happen, which customers represent the greatest opportunity.
David brings a unique perspective to the AI conversation. As a former dealer and automotive industry veteran working today with more than 1,000 dealerships nationwide, he evaluates technology through the lens of actual dealership results.
The objective isn't AI for the sake of AI. It is using technology to help dealerships improve efficiency, customer retention, Fixed Operations opportunities and the ownership experience.
But there's an important prerequisite: AI Cannot Fix Bad Data. Duplicate customers, incorrect vehicle ownership, outdated contact information and incomplete service histories can undermine even the most sophisticated AI platform. AI is only as effective as the data behind it. That means dealerships need to focus on the foundation first.
Dealer resource
Is Your Dealership Ready for AI?
Before investing more heavily in AI, find out whether the customer data powering it is ready.
About David Lampel
David Lampel is an automotive industry veteran, former new car dealer and President & CEO of Dealerwing. Today, David and the Dealerwing team work with more than 1,000 dealerships nationwide, helping dealers improve customer retention, Fixed Operations marketing and the use of customer data and emerging technologies. David is a frequent contributor to automotive industry discussions on dealership data, AI, customer communication and Fixed Operations growth.