Car Dealership Guy Podcast

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast! In this episode, I’m joined by Tina Tasche, Head of Innovation & Tech at Van Horn Automotive Group. We dive into how to build the next-generation dealership BDC, Her AI features wishlist for the call center of the future, and why the traditional lead form is dead. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: 1. Podium - Turn every lead from website, email, text or phone into more sales for your dealership. Podium’s AI BDC converses directly with customers to schedule test drives, answer inventory questions and even make sales with context from your website and customer hi story. And you’ll never miss a lead again, as Podium’s AI BDC is available 24/7, day or night. Text CDG to (385) 293-3461 or learn more @ https://bit.ly/3BLeM9N 2. Access Point Consulting - Access Point Consulting is a consulting firm that specializes in providing strategic solutions to enhance business performance and drive organizational success. Learn more @ https://accesspointconsulting.com/ 3. CDG Recruiting - Building on the success of my industry job board, I’m launching CDG Recruiting— a more hands-on, white-glove automotive recruiting service. Our team has decades of experience and has successfully placed over 1,000 roles in the automotive industry. So if you’re ready to find your next rockstar employee, try CDG Recruiting today. Lean more @ cdgrecruiting.com Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:00 Intro 00:16 How did Tina begin her journey in the car business? 03:34 What diverse roles has Tina held in the automotive industry? 05:01 What are Tina's current responsibilities as Head of Innovation and Technology? 06:28 What is Van Horn Automotive Group’s tech stack, and who are their key partners? 15:39 How is AI being implemented in dealership operations? 20:58 How has AI improved training and efficiency? 22:08 What opportunities does AI integration create for the future? 25:36 What strategies are used to generate and convert leads? 38:23 What is Tina’s vision for the future of dealership operations? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ / guydealership Instagram ➤ / cardealershipguy TikTok ➤ / guydealership LinkedIn ➤ / cardealershipguy Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershi... Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. #automotive #technology #innovation #carsales

Welcome to The Weekly—your go-to roundup of the top five auto industry headlines. This week's top stories:  1. New vehicle sales forecasted to surge in 2025 after successful Q4 2. Used car price drops slowing down, hovering around $30K 3. Wholesale used car prices hold steady so far this month 4. Mobile vehicle service is key to winning back customers 5. Honda in talks with Nissan over possible merger Have a tip for our editorial team? Send us your scoop at insights@cardealershipguy.org. This episode is brought to you by: Upstart — Join Upstart’s Keishawn Batts at NADA for a look at how AI-powered financing could help your dealership approve more car buyers to move more metal. He’ll share how AI makes the financing process faster, simpler and ultimately creates more opportunities to sell more vehicles while increasing profitability. Don’t miss out—learn more at https://carguymedia.com/upstart Prefer to read? Take a look at the companion newsletter for this episode here: https://news.dealershipguy.com Have a tip for our editorial team? Send us your scoop at insights@cardealershipguy.org. Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to The Breakdown—your go-to source for deep dives into the trends, strategies and shifts shaping automotive retail. Today’s Big Story: How Dealers Quietly Outsmart Their Competition This episode is brought to you by: Dealer Pay – A dealer-specific payment acceptance solution designed to boost productivity and enhance customer retention. With over 25 years of experience, Dealer Pay is a trusted partner for dealerships across the U.S. Learn more at dealer-pay.com or contact Julie, CEO of Dealer Pay, directly at julie@dealer-pay.com. Prefer to read? Take a look at the companion newsletter for this episode here: https://news.dealershipguy.com/t/CDG's-Market-Pulse Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I’m speaking with Brice Englert, CEO of TradePending. We discuss how car dealers are cracking the customer retention code, insights from competing with car-buying giants like Carvana, and how consumer loyalty is shifting in the age of hybrids. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: TradePending - TradePending makes dealers' websites convert better with their trade-in tool and payment calculator on steroids, makes it easier for sales teams to sell with video and digital vehicle brochures, and helps grow your service business with video for service departments and service offers management that turns your website into a service marketing machine. And they do it all under one roof. Check ‘em out in Booth 851 at NADA! Learn more @ https://tradepending.com/ Tax Max - The Tax Max “File and Drive” Sales Event is a simple tax season program that will help your dealership boost down payments and get more customers approved. Tax Max files the customer’s tax return, the dealer gets the down payment and the customer gets the car. Use coupon code: CARGUY and receive 25% off the Tax Max VIP package. Learn more @ https://www.taxmax.com/TaxMax/car-dealer-overview.aspx DLRdmv - With DLR50, your dealership now has 24/7 portal access to calculations, pre-filled forms, checklists, inquiries, plus white glove processing and specialist support. You can even acquire duplicate titles in all 50 states directly through the DLR50 platform! Learn more @ https://www.dlr50.com/ CDG Job Board - The #1 platform for connecting automotive professionals with job opportunities in the car dealership industry. Explore industry-specific roles and advance your career @ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/. Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:00 Intro 00:07 How has the past decade shaped Brice Englert? 00:26 What were the early startup days like? 01:00 How did Brice enter the automotive industry? 03:22 What role does technology play in dealerships? 05:08 How did OEM involvement shape TradePending? 06:12 What sparked the launch of TradePending? 10:41 Why is retention so crucial? 14:00 How does personalized communication build trust? 19:26 What’s next for independent market competition? 23:39 How is digital retailing evolving? 29:50 How can selling be made easier? 35:34 What insights shape acquisitions and growth? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ / guydealership Instagram ➤ / cardealershipguy TikTok ➤ / guydealership LinkedIn ➤ / cardealershipguy Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershi... Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. #AutomotiveIndustry #DealershipRetention #CarValuation

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with Ernie Garcia Jr., Co-founder and CEO of Carvana. We dive into topics like the greatest comeback story of any public company ever, lessons from selling millions of cars, the future of the automotive wholesale business and much more. This episode is brought to you by: DealNow - The safe and simple way to avoid fraud, sign documents, and instantly transact any vehicle online. Learn more at https://dealnow.com/ CDG Recruiting - Building on the success of my industry job board, I’m launching CDG Recruiting — a more hands-on, white-glove automotive recruiting service. Our team has decades of experience and has successfully placed over 1,000 roles in the automotive industry. So if you’re ready to find your next rockstar employee, try CDG Recruiting today by visiting cdgrecruiting.com Effectv - Reach car buyers across all screens with precision. Effectv offers a full suite of multiscreen TV solutions that puts you in front of your customer—whether they’re browsing for their next car or ready to make a purchase.   Learn more at https://www.effectv.com/industries/automotive/   Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:39) - Did you believe you could recover? (00:03:19) - How do you keep the train on the tracks when there’s all this turbulence? (00:06:20) - How has your relationship with your father changed? (00:06:43) - Who helped you stay focused? (00:10:14) - The inspiration for starting Carvana (00:14:19) - What have been the most significant changes since the stock recovered? (00:18:05) - Was there any reason you slowed down on acquisitions? (00:20:35) - Hiring philosophies (00:22:16) - How do you future-proof and evolve your business? (00:36:31) - Carvana’s margins (00:48:09) - Acquiring ADESA (00:56:57) - Thoughts on AI in Carvana (01:01:34) - Closing thoughts and the future of Carvana Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to The Weekly—your go-to roundup of the top five auto industry headlines. This week's top stories: 1. Amazon officially starts selling new Hyundai vehicles online 2. Prime auto loan borrowers lean toward the used car market 3. Wholesale used car prices up year-over-year in November 4. Dealer reputations improve online, but customers still have gripes 5. CDK Global fires back at Tekion’s anti-trust lawsuit Have a tip for our editorial team? Send us your scoop at insights@cardealershipguy.org. This episode is brought to you by: Upstart — Dealers, if you're looking for a smarter way to connect your customers with financing, Upstart has you covered. They partner with over 100 banks and credit unions, leveraging advanced AI models to provide superior credit products. From automotive retail loans to refinance options, Upstart’s platform is designed to meet the needs of your business and your customers. Learn more at upstart.com or click the link in the show notes below. Prefer to read? Take a look at the companion newsletter for this episode here: https://news.dealershipguy.com Have a tip for our editorial team? Send us your scoop at insights@cardealershipguy.org. Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to The Breakdown—your go-to source for deep dives into the trends, strategies and shifts shaping automotive retail. Today’s big story: 3 hard-hitting auto market realities from the dealership floor—and what it could mean for 2025. This episode is brought to you by: OPENLANE - The leading online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more at https://www.openlane.com/ Prefer to read? Take a look at the companion newsletter for this episode here: https://news.dealershipguy.com/t/CDG's-Market-Pulse Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast! In this episode, I’m joined by David Donaldson, SVP at DLRdmv, for an insightful conversation about the technology helping dealerships sell cars coast-to-coast. We discuss the daily challenges dealerships face when managing out-of-state sales, explore why banks are holding the stopwatch for vehicle titling, and unpack the infamous "Montana loophole" and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: DlrDMV – With DLR50, your dealership now has 24/7 portal access to calculations, pre filled forms, checklists, inquiries, plus white glove processing and specialist support. You can even acquire duplicate titles in all 50 states directly through the DLR50 platform! Learn more @ https://www.dlr50.com/ OPENLANE – The world’s leading online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more @ https://www.openlane.com/ Effectv – Reach car buyers across all screens with precision. Effectv offers a full suite of multiscreen TV solutions that puts you in front of your customer whether they’re browsing for their next car or ready to make a purchase. Learn more @ https://www.effectv.com/industries/automotive/ Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:00 – Intro 00:36 – What challenges hinder dealership growth? 01:48 – How did Dealer DMV start? 03:07 – What are DMV and titling issues? 04:48 – What solutions does Dealer DMV offer? 06:34 – How did COVID affect retailing? 07:27 – How does out-of-state titling work? 11:13 – What’s the future of car sales? 16:26 – How do EVs impact taxes? 18:25 – What is the Montana registration loophole? 20:31 – How does Dealer 50 improve operations? 23:55 – How do lenders support dealerships? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. #DLRdmv #DealershipSolutions #CarRegistrationProcess

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Nathanael Greklek, Corporate Brand Director at Mohawk Auto Group where we discuss: How he's hacking the game of dealership attention by creating viral videos for his dealership, Getting on General Motor's radar and landing one of the biggest cameos in automotive, and his next big idea for automotive content. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: Edmunds - Premier is a solution from Edmunds that connects you with in-market shoppers when, where, and how they want to connect. Learn more at https://edmu.in/49xHsQg Dealer Pay – Designed to increase, productivity and customer retention, Dealer Pay is a "dealer-specific' payments acceptance solution with over 25 years of experience as a trusted payments partner for dealerships across the US. Contact Julie today - julie@dealer-pay.com or 636-442-4901. Car Dealership Guy News - The #1 source for concise and unbiased car industry news. Stay informed with the most relevant and interesting stories by visiting https://news.dealershipguy.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:00:45) - Catching up with Nathanael (00:06:42) - Nathanael’s background and career in content (00:12:02) - How do you measure the success of your content? (00:16:26) - Do you put any paid spend on your content or is it all organic? (00:17:57) - How do you execute on creating content? (00:20:21) - How do you measure the success of short and long-term campaigns? (00:24:17) - At what point does a dealership need to bring on a content person? (00:25:38) - Do strive to go viral in your content? (00:29:56) - Has there been a specific campaign that’s been disproportionately successful? (00:32:10) - Creating a ‘The Office’ spoof for a Dealership (00:44:46) - What are the biggest mistakes dealers are making in the content game? (00:48:34) - What’s on your mind these days? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to Industry Spotlight, a new show on the Car Dealership Guy Podcast hosted by Sam D'Arc. In each episode, Sam highlights the most compelling dealerships and innovative companies in automotive, diving into key trends, best practices, and insights from those shaping the future of automotive retail. Today, Sam sits down with Ross Tinkham, GTM Leader at Podium, and Alex Lawrence, CEO of EV Auto, to discuss how dealers are leveraging AI to cover busy showrooms and sell more cars. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Podium. Podium - Podium has transformed customer interactions with cutting-edge conversational AI and real-time messaging solutions. Its innovative tools provide dealerships with seamless communication, increased efficiency, and enhanced customer satisfaction. Learn more @ https://www.podium.com/car-dealership-guy/ Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:00 - Intro 00:32 - Who is Alex Lawrence the EV dealer? 00:56 - How did EV Auto first start? 02:53 - What challenges has Alex Lawrence faced? 05:03 - What is unique about EV service? 06:41 - How profitable is remote EV service? 09:56 - How does EV Auto create unique experiences? 12:13 - How is AI used at EV Auto? 17:55 - What is the future of AI in dealerships? 21:39 - How is AI’s sales impact measured? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/ Threads ➤ https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. #EVDealership #AIinAutoSales #MobileEVService