Send us a text

Carol Marshall unpacks how culture, trust, and hospitality can supercharge your dealership.

In this episode, Paul, Kyle, and Michael sit down once again with the ever-insightful Carol Marshall, COO of ActivEngage, to talk about the power of intentional hiring and world-class hospitality. Carol shares the secret sauce behind her company’s team-building approach—spoiler alert: it involves “hiring for attitude,” a heat-packed conference room, and a pair of brown shorts. Drawing inspiration from industry classics like Be Amazing or Go Home and The Speed of Trust, she dives deep into how great workplace culture and thoughtful recruiting aren’t just HR buzzwords—they’re how you build a business with staying power.

From making ASOTU CON attendees feel like VIPs to setting up dealers for lead-gen success, Carol and her team aren’t just talking the talk—they’re walking it (in comfy shoes, ready to help). The trio reflects on what it means to really show up for your industry, how customer experience starts well before the sale, and why “fit” can trump even the best qualifications. This one’s got real takeaways for leaders, operators, and anyone who’s ever tried to build a team worth trusting.

Books Referenced In The Interview

• Hiring for Attitude by Mark Murphy 
• Be Amazing or Go Home by Shep Hyken
• The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey

Timestamped Takeaways:

0:00 Intro with Paul J Daly, Kyle Mountsier and Michael Cirillo

2:41 Carol Marshall joins to talk growth at ActivEngage and what makes team expansion exciting—and tough

4:58 Why hiring for attitude beats hiring for skill, and how Carol’s team smells out drama before it starts

10:52 Behind-the-scenes of how ActivEngage owned hospitality at ASOTU CON with cross-functional team support

13:48 Productizing service: from sticky website chats to flip-to-text, ActivEngage is all about real customer connection

17:18 A fresh client wins big: 8 appointments, 8 sales—how quality conversations can drive real ROI for dealers

Learn more about Carol Marshall:

• Carol Marshall on LinkedIn
• ActivEngage

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

We have a daily email!

https://www.asotu.com

✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture.

🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts:

1. The Automotive Troublemaker
2. ASOTU CON Sessions
3. In the Dirt w/ ASOTU