Micah Tindor, Senior Director of Strategy at KKBB ICO joins Jade to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming dealership operations – from inventory acquisition and pricing to CRM follow-up and consumer personalization. Drawing on real-world examples and dealer feedback, Micah shares how AI can help your teams work smarter, respond faster, and close more profitable deals.
Guest Expert: Micah Tindor Senior Director of Strategy Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer
Top Takeaways:
AI adoption starts with culture, not technology – Dealers must first get buy-in from their teams by showing how AI improves efficiency, sales, and customer satisfaction.
Inventory pricing is getting smarter – Tools like AI-adjusted competitive sets and common issue detection help dealers price vehicles more accurately and avoid costly misses.
Predictive personalization drives higher close rates – Cox Automotive’s data ecosystem tailors listings to consumer preferences, improving engagement and conversion by up to 30%.
CRM follow-up is now AI-powered – AI-generated responses help sales teams reply with relevance and speed, reducing missed opportunities and improving customer experience.
Start small, measure impact, and iterate – Micah recommends beginning with CRM automation, tracking results, and expanding adoption gradually to build momentum and success.
Timestamps:
0:00 – 1:18 – Introduction
Jade introduces Micah and explains the importance of the conversation on AI’s role in automotive retail.
1:18 – 3:17 – Culture First: Why AI Adoption Starts with People
Micah explains why team buy-in is essential and how change management can and does impact success.
3:17 – 5:23 – AI in Inventory Acquisition and Pricing
New AI tools can help dealers detect mechanical issues and adjust pricing based on real market data.
5:23 – 7:50 – Predictive Personalization and Consumer Targeting
Micah shares how Cox Automotive data powers smarter listings and advertising to connect with ready-to-buy shoppers.
7:50 – 11:02 – CRM Automation and Real-Time Relevance
Hear how AI-generated messaging helps sales teams respond faster and more accurately, improving close rates.
11:02 – 13:36 – Closing the Loop on Missed Opportunities
Micah and Jade discuss how AI helps dealers avoid common mistakes and improve follow-up quality.
13:36 – 15:12 – Where to Start with AI
Micah recommends beginning with CRM tools and measuring impact before scaling adoption.
15:12 – 16:53 – Final Advice and Closing Remarks
Micah encourages dealers to pilot AI tools, embrace experimentation, and learn from peers.
Anya Schlesener, AVP of Operations at Cox Automotive, joins Emma Hancock to discuss rising repair costs and how dealers can leverage technologies, including AI, to address these consumer fears, make the service experience more convenient, and adapt to maintain profitability in these difficult market conditions.
Key Takeaways
Consumers are shifting their loyalties to prioritize convenience, communication, and transparency in the service experience.
Service technologies can empower dealerships to proactively reach out to consumers and win back their loyalty, while also improving the service scheduling process and overall efficiency of the service experience.
AI is a true efficiency driver for dealership service departments. The combination of cutting-edge AI capabilities and rich consumer data can be a game changer for service departments.
Hosted by Jade Terreberry, Senior Director of Strategic Planning at Cox Automotive, and featuring Noah Lee, Senior Director of Product Consulting at Cox Automotive, the recent For the Road Forward podcast episode explores how first-party data and AI are reshaping the car-buying journey. Below are a few highlights on how Dealer.com customers can activate these insights to drive more efficient, profitable, and connected experiences.
To watch/listen to the full episode, check it out HERE.
Dealer.com-Centric Takeaways:
Click to Close Is a Journey, Not a Moment: Our tools at Cox Automotive can help you track and optimize every micro-interaction—from ad click to final signature—ensuring a seamless path to purchase that reflects how consumers actually shop.
First-Party Data Is Your Competitive Advantage: Dealer.com empowers you to activate your own data— website behavior, advertising data, and email engagement—to deliver hyper-relevant marketing and follow-up strategies that resonate with today’s car shoppers.
Omnichannel Expectations Are the New Standard: Consumers expect a frictionless experience across digital and physical touchpoints. Dealer.com’s integrated digital retailing solutions reduce repetitive steps and unify the journey from online to in-store.
AI-Powered Personalization Drives Results: Dealer.com’s AI capabilities offer real-time insights, predictive recommendations, and automation that enhance both shopper engagement and staff productivity.
Know Your Blind Spots—And Eliminate Them: Dealer.com’s analytics suite helps you move beyond outdated website and advertising metrics. By tracking every step of the customer’s journey, you gain transparency and actionable insights to improve ROI.
Guest Marketing Expert, Scott Desgrosseilliers joins Jade Terreberry to unpack the real-world impact of multi-touch attribution (MTA) has on EVERY industry and why it’s no longer optional for businesses who want to protect their spend and grow market share. From lobster sales to car buying journeys, Scott shares how tracking the full funnel leads to smarter decisions, better conversions, and fewer blind spots.
Guest Expert: Scott Desgrosseilliers CEO Wicked Reports
Ad platforms can’t be your source of truth: Relying on Meta or Google to measure success is like letting the fox guard the henhouse—dealers need unbiased attribution tools.
Start with the top of the funnel: Understanding how shoppers first engage – before they submit a lead or visit the store – is key to driving conversions.
Use the “Scale, Kill, or Chill” framework: Scott’s three-pronged strategy helps marketers decide where to invest, where to pause, and where to maintain spend.
Focus on key conversion points like test drives: Tracking how shoppers get to high-impact moments like test drives can reveal which channels are truly working.
Lead volume alone is misleading: Dealers must stop using antiquated ways to analyze what’s working (such as cost per lead) and instead measure conversion rate by source to identify which channels are delivering real results.
Timestamps:
0:00 – 1:21 – Introduction
Jade introduces Scott and previews the conversation on multi-touch attribution.
1:21 – 4:13 – Wicked Reports and the Lobster Story
Scott shares how tracking delayed conversions helped a lobster business turn losses into 10X ROI—and how that applies to automotive.
4:13 – 5:29 – Why Cox Automotive Commissioned the White Paper
Jade explains the motivation behind the marketing measurement study and its urgent recommendations for dealers.
5:29 – 8:48 – Why Ad Platforms Can’t Be Trusted for Attribution
Scott explains why dealers need independent tools to track the full customer journey and the advantages they can expect to have.
8:48 – 9:36 – 62 Touchpoints and the Click-to-Close Journey
Jade shares white paper findings and Scott introduces his “Scale, Kill, Chill” strategy.
9:36 – 11:06 – How to Start with MTA
Scott recommends starting with one or two key touchpoints making a real difference and building from there.
11:06 – 13:16 – What to Track and Why It Matters
Focus on the full journey of touchpoints and overlay paid activity to understand what’s driving conversions.
13:16 – 14:39 – Final Advice for Lead-Only Dealers
Scott urges dealers to stop using cost per lead vs. actual conversion rate by source to stop wasting spend.
14:39 – 16:20 – Closing Thoughts
Jade wraps up with a call to action to download the white paper and connect with Scott.
Sending customers text messages throughout the service process with real-time status updates and then request payment via text is not only convenient for customers, but it also saves a lot of time for both service advisors and techs. With the launch of new Xtime texting features – many of them suggested by dealers – it’s easier than ever to keep customers continuously informed.
I recently demonstrated these new features during a webinar in our 2025 Fixed Ops Focus Series: Texting & Communications Enhancements. In this article, I’d like to call out some best practices and tips that came out of that session.
Start Strong with an Arrival Text
Here’s a best practice from some of our highest performing dealers: As soon as an RO is created, you can have the system send a welcome text message that lets the customer know they can text back at any time during their visit. The Message Center will show “Welcome Message” in the Conversations column for the first contact with each customer checked in. These messages are customizable, and your performance manager can help you get started and adjust the messaging to meet your needs.
Filter and Search in the Message Center
You can always access the Message Center from the message icon on the top right navigation bar. This is where you can send service status updates and other messages. You’ll see all the current message threads there with an alert flag by each unanswered message. To read a message, just click.
There are many ways to filter the messages to find the ones you need with status buttons to filter by:
Advisor/Team,
RO Status,
Conversations (unread, unanswered, read), and
Appointments (scheduled/not scheduled).
The “not scheduled” status is important because now you can text customers who don’t have an appointment.
Customized Text Chat Bubbles
Your chat window has three rounded buttons or “bubbles” labeled Vehicle Ready, Call, and Status. They’re designed to be set up with standard messaging you use all the time so you can send routine updates to customers with a click. Many dealerships change the Vehicle Ready bubble to Payment Available, allowing you to send customers a link to pay as their repair is being finished. We strongly encourage dealerships to customize the chat bubbles to fit your own processes. You can reach out to your performance manager or in-store admin to make the changes that work best for you.
Sending and Receiving Photos & Video
Customers find it incredibly helpful when technicians send photos and videos to explain the work they’re doing. A customer can also send photos and videos to help establish the services they’re going to need while they’re making their appointment. In both cases, the result is improved communication.
Bulk Text Sends
What if there’s a big storm and you have to close early? Your admin can use bulk texting to contact all affected customers and send them a text notification from the Message Center or mobile app. It’s important to note the difference between bulk messaging and group messaging. When you send bulk outbound messages, each recipient receives their own individual SMS, directly between you and that customer. Any customer response will appear in that person’s individual conversation thread in the Message Center.
One note of caution: this feature is specifically designed for transactional texts as opposed to marketing texts. State laws vary but in general, you must have explicit written consent to send marketing texts, such as that secured by the Invite solution.
Any Questions?
For more guidance on using these feature enhancements, contact your Performance Manager. Not an Xtime customer yet? Schedule a demo to see how texting and other features help make your fixed ops processes more efficient and cost-effective.
Whether you’re trying to get more eyes on your inventory, make your listings work harder, or figure out where your ad dollars are really paying off, Autotrader is built to help you do more with every listing.
We connect you with serious buyers you won’t find anywhere else, equip you with smarter tools to close deals faster, and back it all with expert support and performance insights. And in our latest eBook, From Search to Sold: The Autotrader Advantage, we break down exactly how dealers are turning these advantages into real results.
Here are five ways Autotrader helps you grow your reach, close more deals, and drive more profit – no matter the size of your lot.
#1 Access Audiences You Can’t Reach Anywhere Else
It’s essential to connect with shoppers in meaningful ways that drive real results. And with 69% of Autotrader shoppers not visiting a leading competitor’s site1, dealers who aren’t listing on Autotrader are missing out on a massive audience of ready-to-buy consumers they won’t reach anywhere else.
With over 28 million unique monthly visitors2, Autotrader connects you with high-intent shoppers who are actively searching – and ready to engage. These aren’t casual browsers. They’re serious buyers, and they’re using Autotrader to find their next vehicle.
#2 A Smart Car Buying Experience.
Nearly 7 out of 10 vehicle shoppers want to complete some, if not all of, their car-buying purchase online.3 Autotrader’s smart search filters and budgeting tools keep shoppers engaged in the process, so the leads you get are ready to close.
And with digital retailing tools like Accelerate My Deal that integrate directly with your Dealertrack F&I solution, ready-to-buy shoppers can submit deal terms, credit applications and other documents 100% online, so all you have to do when they walk in is close the deal.
Accelerate My Deal leads close 60% faster with $288 higher gross profit per deal.4
#3 Better Leads That Close
Not all leads are created equal. That’s why Autotrader focuses on connecting you with shoppers who are further along in their journey. In fact, 42% of Autotrader leads are enhanced with multiple purchase steps already completed.5
And it pays off, too. Autotrader delivers a 30% higher close rate and 29% more gross profit per lead than the nearest competitor.6 With Autotrader, your team can spend less time chasing cold leads and more time closing real deals.
#4 A Dedicated Partner and Powerful Tools to Guide Your Strategy
Behind every great platform is a great team. Autotrader’s Client Success Managers work closely with you to understand your goals, optimize your strategy, and ensure your listings are performing at their best.
Paired with nVision, our industry-leading performance dashboard, you’ll gain access to predictive insights and real-time reporting that show you what’s working and where you can adjust to maximize your ROI. And for franchise dealers, many Autotrader products are eligible for OEM co-op, helping you stretch your marketing dollars even further.
#5 Auto Intelligent Integrations
When your tools work together, your results multiply. Autotrader’s impact grows even stronger when paired with the broader Cox Automotive ecosystem. From inventory management to digital retailing and advertising, our solutions are designed to work seamlessly across platforms.
This connected approach unlocks what we call Auto Intelligence – a data-driven advantage that helps you close faster, earn more, and deliver next-level customer experiences across your dealership.
On average, dealers who integrate Autotrader with other Cox Automotive tools see a 43% boost in VDP views 7, 32% more used cars sold per month8, and 25% more new cars sold per month.9 It’s a strategy built for scale, efficiency, and results. Now that’s what we call Auto Intelligence!
Ready to Get More from Every Listing?
Whether you’re looking to grow your reach, capture better leads, or streamline your sales process, Autotrader is built to help you succeed. Explore our new eBook, From Search to Sold: The Autotrader Advantage, to see how smarter tools and better leads can drive real results for your dealership.
1: Comscore data June – Nov 2024; top competitors based on monthly site visits
2: Comscore data January – December 2023 avg., Autotrader and KBB.com traffic combined.
3: 2024 Future of Car Buying Study from Cox Automotive.
4: Days from lead creation to sale comparison versus other internet leads. Data sourced from VinSolutions CRM dealers from January – August 2024. Analysis performed October 2024. Gross profit comparison versus other internet leads. Data sourced from VinSolutions CRM dealers from January – August 2024. Analysis performed October 2024.
5: Based on avg. Autotrader and KBB.com lead data, July to December 2023.
6: Based on average close rates across Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book compared to sales across other third-party listing sites, VINSolutions, January – December 2023.
7: Cox Automotive Pixall data, July-December 2023. Comparing 150 dealers with only Dealer.com sites against 123 dealers with both Dealer.com sites and Autotrader listings subscriptions.
8: Cox Automotive Client Master data and vAuto customer data, July 2023 – February 2024. Listings customers defined as dealers with any vehicles listed on Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book platforms during a particular month.
9: Cox Automotive Client Master data and vAuto customer data, December 2023 – June 2024. Listings customers defined as dealers with any vehicles listed on Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book platforms during a particular month.
Nathan Jordan, Client Success Manager for Major Accounts at Autotrader, joins host Jade Terreberry to break down how top-performing dealers are ditching outdated lead metrics and embracing multi-touch attribution. He shares real-world insights on how visibility gaps, CRM blind spots, and old-school thinking are costing dealers sales and what to do instead.
Guest Expert: Nathan Jordan Client Success Manager – Major Accounts Autotrader
One in three car sales happen with no lead – Shoppers are skipping forms and calls – dealers must adapt to invisible buyer behavior.
CRM data is not an ROI tool – With 92% of sales not showing up correctly in CRMs, relying on it for marketing decisions is a costly mistake.
Top dealers are ditching lead volume for conversion data – Progressive groups are using tools and services to track all 62+ touchpoints and optimize spend based on what actually drives sales.
Multi-touch attribution is the new standard – First-and last-click models are outdated—dealers need full-funnel visibility to understand what’s working.
If you’re still measuring by leads, it’s time to stop – The findings and advice is clear: stop using lead volume as your KPI and start focusing on gross, sales, and profitability.
Timestamps:
0:00 – 2:12 – Introduction & Personal Update: Jade welcomes Nathan back and introduces his newborn daughter to the audience.
2:12 – 3:44 – Why Nathan’s Perspective Matters: Nathan shares his experience working with major dealer groups and how they’re leading the way in marketing transformation because they are embracing the shifts that have already happened.
3:44 – 5:01 – One in Three Sales Happen Without a Lead: Consumer behavior has changed, and traditional lead tracking misses the mark.
5:01 – 6:22 – Marketplace Engagement and Marketing Spend: Discussion on how 48% of shoppers start on marketplaces and why dealers must follow the data, not assumptions.
6:22 – 8:13 – 62+ Touchpoints and the Power of Attribution: Nathan shares a real example of a buyer with 89 touchpoints and how top dealers are using attribution tools to track them.
8:13 – 10:09 – First and Last Click Are Not Enough: Using a football analogy, you’ll hear why dealers need to evaluate the entire buyer journey—not just the beginning and end.
10:09 – 13:38 – CRM Blind Spots and What to Watch For: With 92% of sales missing from CRMs, four CRM categories to question are outlined and how to fix the visibility gap.
13:38 – 14:55 – Final Advice: Stop Measuring by Leads: Nathan urges dealers to stop using lead volume as a success metric and start focusing on conversions and profitability and outlines the difference he’s seeing when you do.
14:55 – 17:02 – Closing Thoughts: Jade wraps up with a call to action to download the white paper and adopt smarter, data-driven strategies.
Automotive Marketing Platform (AMP) keeps you in front of your customers, making connections before they even submit a lead. AMP leverages data to drive smarter marketing, delivering personalized, relevant marketing to the right customers at the right time.
Join us for a 45-minute webinar where we’ll teach you how to implement winning AMP strategies, understand AMP sales influence, and connect with customers more effectively to close more deals.
Whether you’re new to AMP or looking to sharpen your approach, this webinar will give you the tools to elevate your marketing game and boost your bottom line.
Learn how to:
Leverage Buying Signals: See how AMP taps into proprietary Cox Automotive Buying Signals to entice ready-to-buy customers with personalized messages based on their shopping behavior.
Implement proven campaign strategies: Hear how a top-performing dealer uses AMP to run effective seasonal, service, and re-engagement campaigns that drive measurable results.
Follow-up smarter with AI: Discover how generative AI can help your team craft personalized, data-driven responses that boost engagement and efficiency on AMP leads.
Uncover hidden ROI: Learn how AMP influences sales behind the scenes, including indirect leads and overlooked CRM touchpoints that often go unnoticed.
Our expert panel includes diverse perspectives on AMP best practices so you can choose the strategies and tactics that work best for your dealership. Bring your top AMP questions for our interactive Q&A session. Exclusively for VinSolutions users!
Elizabeth Stegall, Senior Director of Client Retention at Autotrader, joins host Jade Terreberry to unpack how dealers can close blind spots in their marketing strategy by shifting away from the antiquated model of first and last touch attribution, sharing how new tools like the weighted engagement and multi-touch attribution are helping dealers optimize spend, drive ROI, and better align with how consumers actually shop.
GUEST EXPERT:
Elizabeth Stegall Senior Director of Client Retention Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book
See the full findings on how to improve your marketing strategy
Top Takeaways:
Most dealers only track 3% of the buyer journey: Relying on CRM data alone leaves out 60+ consumer touchpoints, leading to missed opportunities and misinformed decisions.
Weighted engagement reveals what actually drives sales: Top dealers and organizations are using this formula to identify high-, mid-, and low-funnel activity and adjust their strategy in real time.
Marketplace influence is significantly underreported: Data revealed a surprising stats that hit home – Autotrader influenced 55% of sales in a 1.2M transaction dataset, yet most of those interactions never showed up in the CRM.
Lead volume doesn’t equal profitability: Dealers are shifting away from cost-per-lead metrics and focusing on quality engagements that convert.
Start by expanding your data sources: Dealers are warned to stop treating their CRM as a marketing tool and begin integrating third-party dashboards and website analytics if they don’t want to lose marketshare.
Timestamps:
0:00 – 1:06 – Introduction
Jade introduces the episode and welcomes Elizabeth Stegall to discuss the findings from the Cox Automotive white paper.
1:06 – 2:37 – The 3% Visibility Problem
Elizabeth reacts to the stat that most dealers only track 2 out of 62 shopper touchpoints and explains the risks of relying on CRM data alone.
2:37 – 4:07 – What Dealers Miss Without Multi-Touch Attribution
Discussion on how blind spots affect ad strategy and why marketplaces are central to the consumer decision journey.
4:07 – 6:15 – Weighted Engagement vs. Cost Per Lead
Elizabeth explains how top dealers are using weighted engagement to identify what’s working and pivot quickly.
6:15 – 7:20 – Strategic Shifts in Ad Spend
Dealers are beginning to align their spend with marketplace insights and real-time data, moving away from lead volume.
7:20 – 9:07 – Autotrader’s Undervalued Influence
Clairvoy data shows Autotrader influenced 55% of sales, yet most of those interactions weren’t captured in CRM systems.
9:07 – 12:19 – Where to Start: Building a Better Attribution Model
Elizabeth shares practical steps for dealers to begin shifting away from first/last touch and toward a more complete view of the buyer journey.
12:19 – 13:13 – Final Advice
Elizabeth urges dealers to open their minds, examine their own CRM gaps, and start learning how to see the full story.
13:13 – 14:25 – Closing Remarks
Jade wraps up the episode and encourages listeners and viewers to access the full white paper.
