Driving Customer Engagement

The retail auto industry has always been about people. The handshake, the test drive, the deal—it’s relationship-driven to the core. But as customer habits shift toward digital-first everything, AI isn’t just some shiny tech toy—it’s becoming a real tool dealers are using to meet people where they are and keep deals moving.

The dealerships winning right now aren’t just talking AI. They’re plugging it in.

From Follow-Ups to Real-Time Replies: The New Engagement Normal
Back in the day, “customer engagement” meant a sales rep with a call list and a strong coffee. But today’s buyers expect instant, personalized everything—text updates, helpful nudges, and yes, 2 a.m. chatbot convos.

And AI is filling in those gaps. Not with gimmicks, but with automation that actually works.

5 Ways Dealers Are Using AI to Drive Real Results

1. Qualify Leads Without Burning Out Your Team
Some stores are using tools like VinSolutions’ Connect CRM or Brooke.ai to triage leads in real-time. Instead of having a rep chase every form fill, AI filters the tire-kickers from the serious buyers and flags the ones who are ready to talk. It’s a digital BDC that doesn’t sleep.

2. Personalize Follow-Ups That Don’t Feel Creepy
Using tools like Fullpath or Outsell, dealers are crafting follow-up messages based on actual behavior—site clicks, past visits, lease timelines. So that “Just checking in!” email becomes “Saw you looked at the CX-5 again—want to drive it this weekend?”

3. Instant Answers = Fewer Lost Leads
Most customers browse after hours. AI chatbots (like CarNow or Gubagoo) handle questions about inventory, pricing, and trade-ins while you sleep. One dealer we spoke with saw a 40% drop in form abandonment after launching a 24/7 bot.

4. Scheduling That Feels Like a Favor, Not a Chore
Forget the email ping-pong. AI schedulers let customers lock in test drives or service appointments from a text thread or website visit. Some platforms even suggest alternate times if a slot fills up.

5. Smarter Trade-In and Finance Conversations
AI-driven tools like TradePending and Darwin are helping shoppers understand trade-in value and financing options early in the process. That means fewer pricing surprises at the desk—and faster closes.

What’s Next: From Buzzword to Backbone
This isn’t future-speak. AI is already in the building. And the next wave is deeper: predictive inventory tools, voice assistants baked into the car, hyper-targeted marketing that feels like magic.

If you're still asking “Should we try AI?”—you’re behind. The question now is:
Which parts of your process are still running on fumes when they could be running on data?