AI is no longer a “nice-to-have”—it’s a game-changer for dealerships that want to win in today’s competitive market. In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, I sit down with Lance Schafer, General Manager of Product and Technology at LotLinx, who’s been leading the charge in applying machine learning to the core areas where dealers often struggle most: inventory management, pricing, and customer experience.

Lance breaks down how traditional dealership strategies—like pricing based on gut feeling or managing inventory with old sales data—are being replaced with data-driven, real-time AI systems that help stores become more profitable and efficient.

We talk about:

• How AI shifts inventory strategy from reactive to predictive
• How dynamic pricing boosts both speed and profitability
• Using machine learning to match inventory with what customers actually want
• The biggest hurdles in AI adoption and how to overcome them
• What trends are coming next, and how to prepare now

Whether you’re just exploring AI or already testing tools, this episode will give you clarity on where the real impact is—and how to start modernizing before the market forces your hand.

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsor!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. 

In this rare and powerful episode, I sit down with Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America, one of the most progressive and people-first leaders in the automotive industry—and head of the third largest automaker in the world.

We dive into the state of retail automotive, how Hyundai and Genesis are breaking records, and why Randy’s leadership style has made him a dealer favorite (IMO) across the country. We talk tariffs, US production, economic development, and electrification strategies—including the IONIQ 9, new charging partnerships, and the company’s flexibility in responding to real-time consumer demand.

But what really makes this conversation powerful is our shared belief in relationships—that people are the true link to profitability. Randy opens up about his passion for mentorship, coaching NBA students, and why investing in people is the heartbeat of his leadership.

We explore how Hyundai is:

• Building major U.S. infrastructure (Meta Plant in Georgia, steel mill in Louisiana)

• Balancing innovation in fuel cell, EV, hybrid, and air mobility

• Reinforcing the dealer model and expanding service capacity

• Making car buying easier with online tools like Amazon Auto

• Always playing offense—with a simple mantra: “Sell, sell, sell like hell!”

This one’s packed with leadership gold, forward-thinking strategy, and the kind of authenticity that defines real success.

Don’t miss this episode with a powerhouse CEO who’s shaping the future of retail and proving why people still matter most.

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsor!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. 

Ever had a customer walk in, get chased for months, and your team still greets them like it’s Day One? Yikes. In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, we’re calling out the CRM habits that are quietly killing your deals—and showing you how to fix them.

Jen breaks down how internal notes create smooth BDC-to-sales handoffs, how to log objections and buying triggers that actually close, and why skipping CRM updates might be why your customer disappeared. If you want loyal buyers and not just new leads, it starts with smarter follow-ups, stronger recaps, and tighter processes.

Let’s make your CRM your best closer.

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsor!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. 

This episode is all about solving real dealership problems—right from the service lane. I sit down with my longtime friend and mentor, Ken Hicks, Dealer Principal at Rivera Toyota and Mariano Rivera Honda, who shares how he tackled major fixed ops pain points by building his own software—Retention 360—a tool designed to drive loyalty, increase service-to-sales conversions, and help advisors win. > https://retention360.info/

Ken started as a salesperson and rose to become a partner alongside Yankees legend Mariano Rivera. Over the years, he saw too many missed opportunities in the service department:

• No process to follow up on declined service work

• No TO when customers said “no” to repairs

• Weak communication between BDC, service, and sales teams

• Lack of personalization and preparation before client visits

• No recognition of customer loyalty level at check-in

• Undertrained advisors struggling to convert service traffic into car deals

So, what did Ken do? He built his own tool. He developed software that identifies loyalty levels, tracks declined services, pinpoints advisor weaknesses, and gives teams everything they need to turn service clients into lifelong dealership customers. He even tied incentives and a triple-pay structure to service-initiated car deals. Now, he's giving YOU access—free for 90 days.

We talk about his team’s exact process:

• Reviewing customer records before the appointment

• Matching loaner vehicles based on sales potential

• Creating warm handoffs between service and sales

• Proactively calling service clients with equity or loyalty triggers

• Training advisors to read the CRM like a playbook

If you’re ready to stop leaking opportunity in service and start creating real retention, check this one out!

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsor!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. 

What happens when a dealership fully commits to reinventing its service department? In this episode, Jennifer Suzuki chats with Andy Wright, Managing Partner at Vinart Dealerships, located just an hour from both Philly and NYC. Andy reveals how his team is solving the biggest challenges in fixed ops — from inconsistent traffic to advisor overload — by building innovative support teams and reshaping benchmarks.

You’ll hear how they:

• Took appointment setting off the advisor’s plate and built a pre-write support team
• Raised the RO benchmark from 12-15 to 18-20 per day by removing admin burdens
• Use video and transparency to retain more service customers
• Launched a technician apprentice program to solve staffing shortages
• Run monthly in-house training sessions in a 50-person dedicated space
• Lean on AI tools like LeadVantage, CallRevu, Madator  to assess conversations and improve processes
• Envision a near future where AI handles inbound calls and outbound calls

This is a must-listen for dealer principals, fixed ops directors, and anyone serious about scaling consistency in the service lane.

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. 

ActivEngage.com messaging seamlessly integrates into your dealership operations to attract, engage and convert more online shoppers with live people 24/7!

You did the hard part. Now finish strong.

You led the call with value. You gave them confidence in you. But if you’re not setting the appointment—you’re leaving money behind.

This episode is a deep dive into how to confidently sell the appointment, lock in commitment, and increase your show rate with real-world strategies I teach live every week in my dealership classes.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How to roll into the appointment ask without sounding pushy
• Why “What time is good for you?” is secretly ruining your schedule
• Phrases like “You’re in good hands” that increase trust
• How to text, confirm, and stand out with credibility
• A next-level email confirmation that helps you sell the car before they arrive
• Why creating obligation on the call gets you less negotiation and more deals

This is how top performers get paid in 2025. You’ll walk away with fresh tactics, real talk, and a powerful reminder: Car sales is not for the weak—it’s for the ones who do more.

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability.

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In this episode, I share one of my biggest secret weapons for converting more Internet leads — selling yourself first. It's not about hard selling the car; it's about showing the value in doing business with you and your dealership. I dive deep into tactical strategies for prepping before the first call, leveraging past customer history, using community connections, and showcasing dealership value the right way — with real-world examples from inside the showroom.

You'll learn how to position yourself as the obvious choice, how to talk about your digital retailing tools to save buyers time, and even how to use ChatGPT to help you craft powerful, memorable value statements that stick. If you want to close more Internet leads and feel more confident doing it, this episode is for you!

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. 

ActivEngage.com messaging seamlessly integrates into your dealership operations to attract, engage and convert more online shoppers with live people 24/7!

In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked—but powerful—skills in phone sales: your tonality. It’s not just what you say. It’s how you say it.

I share how I intentionally changed my voice, volume, and energy over time to sound more exciting, engaging, and attractive to buyers—and how you can do the same. We dive deep into why first impressions, tonal shifts, and “helper vibes” are what pull people into real conversations and help you move leads into the buying cycle fast.

This episode is packed with real examples from live calls, opening lines that create trust, and techniques to uncover buyer motivation early. If you're tired of sounding like every other monotone advisor, this one’s for you.

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability.

ActivEngage.com messaging seamlessly integrates into your dealership operations to attract, engage and convert more online shoppers with live people 24/7!

Staying hyper-focused on internet lead handling...

In this episode, I break down how to actually improve your follow-up process so you win more customers—starting with your emails, videos, and mindset. Let’s face it: most emails still look like outdated templates, and subject lines that scream “dealership” get ignored. I’m showing you how to change that.

I walk through my current process using ChatGPT to write custom, engaging subject lines and value-based messages that feel like they were made just for the customer. I also dive into how to create short welcome videos that build trust and show off your energy—because people buy you, not just the car.

You’ll also get a real-world strategy for the first 72 hours of follow-up (yes, that includes GIFs, articles, and creative touchpoints that stand out). If you’re ready to stop sounding like every other salesperson in their inbox and start actually converting, this one’s for you.

Key takeaways:

• Subject lines that get opened
• First sentences that hook
• Videos that build trust fast
• A 30-day follow-up game plan
• Creative tips to stay top of mind and fun

This isn’t theory. These are the tactics I use in dealerships today—because basic won’t win anymore.

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. 

ActivEngage.com messaging seamlessly integrates into your dealership operations to attract, engage and convert more online shoppers with live people 24/7!

In this episode, I’m getting real about the grind of internet leads—the ones with no phone numbers, the ones who ghost you, and the ones who drain your time asking for information only to disappear into the void.

I've been there. I’ve sold cars. And now I work these leads live during my dealership sales training sessions. I'm in the trenches with you—setting same-day appointments with tough leads while coaching teams to win. That’s why I care so deeply about helping sales pros and BDC reps level up.

You’ll hear:

• Why urgency is non-negotiable when working internet leads

• How to stand out in a crowded inbox

• The power of a well-timed phone call vs. a lifeless text chain

• Voicemail strategies that actually spark engagement

• How ChatGPT can help you write customized, value-packed follow-up messages

• What mindset it takes to thrive in today’s high-competition digital battlefield

Whether you're struggling to convert leads or just want to refresh your game with 2025 tactics, this episode is packed with real talk, real examples, and strategies that actually work.

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥

LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. 

ActivEngage.com messaging seamlessly integrates into your dealership operations to attract, engage and convert more online shoppers with live people 24/7!