RevDojo Founder and CEO Kyle Disher returns to Inside Automotive for a live test of dealership phone skills, putting real cash on the line to see whether salespeople can turn shopper inquiries into appointments. During three mystery-shop calls, Disher offered escalating cash prizes, reaching $1,000, but none of the salespeople secured an appointment or received a manager callback.

• What three missed appointments reveal about dealership call handling
• How salespeople can turn an unavailable vehicle into a showroom opportunity
• The call guide RevDojo uses to move shoppers toward an appointment
• Why order-taking can cause salespeople to lose control of the conversation
• How managers can help recover calls that end without an appointment
• Applying the same follow-up process to internet leads

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Protomiq CEO Jorge De Castro joins Inside Automotive to discuss the company’s evolution from TradePending’s trade-in widget into an intelligence-driven platform designed to help dealers turn digital customer signals into showroom opportunities. Now serving more than 5,000 dealerships across the U.S. and Canada, Protomiq combines data from multiple consumer touchpoints to help sales teams identify buyer intent, affordability and the right time to engage.

• Why TradePending rebranded as Protomiq
• How TradeIQ, PaymentsIQ and OfferIQ work together to identify buyer intent
• Using digital behavior to understand affordability and purchase readiness
• Why the closing window matters once a shopper engages
• How transparent pricing and trade values can build trust
• Protomiq’s plans to bring intent data into fixed operations

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David Spisak, CEO of Disruptive Growth Solutions, joins Inside Automotive to examine the compliance and legal risks emerging as dealerships rapidly adopt AI. From unsupervised chatbots and sensitive customer data to vendor selection and AI-ready infrastructure, Spisak explains why dealers need stronger safeguards before putting new technology into operation.

• Why dealers are adopting AI faster than they understand the risks
• How unsupervised AI tools can create legal and financial exposure
• The risks of entering customer and dealership data into external AI platforms
• Why dealers need a structured process for evaluating AI vendors
• What infrastructure and data access agentic AI actually requires
• Steps dealers can take to establish AI policies and controls

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Hunter Giambra of Hurricane IT Solutions and Andy Graff of ComplyAuto join Inside Automotive for the final installment of a three-part series on dealership cybersecurity and compliance. The conversation explores why compliance requires ongoing attention and how dealers can better manage employee activity, vendor access, data security and changing regulatory requirements.

• Why dealership compliance cannot be treated as a one-time exercise
• How recurring training and annual reviews help address evolving requirements
• The risks associated with vendor access to dealership customer data
• Data processing agreements and vendor risk assessments
• How employee activity can create cybersecurity vulnerabilities
• How dealers can evaluate their current IT and compliance environment

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Gary Ng Wai of CarJiffy joins Tom Jamali, President of Carhub Automotive Group, and Peter Heasty of Baker Tilly Dealer Acquisitions to examine how dealers can turn online shoppers into completed transactions. On Inside Automotive, the guests discuss how Carhub sold more than 60 vehicles online through CarJiffy in four months, generating approximately $2.9 million in incremental revenue, including deals completed after showroom hours.

• After-hours sales: How Carhub converted late-night website traffic into completed vehicle transactions.
• Digital transactions: Why moving beyond payment estimates and lead forms can shorten the path from online shopping to a deal.
• Dealer results: How Carhub used CarJiffy to sell more than 60 vehicles and reach customers as far as 3,000 miles away.
• Sales integration: How salespeople can use digital quotes, bills of sale, live chat, and video trade appraisals to support customers.
• Dealership value: Why digital transaction capabilities could become increasingly relevant to dealership operations and valuation.
• Omnichannel retailing: How customers can move between online and in-store steps without having to restart the buying process.

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David Christ, Group Vice President and General Manager of the Toyota Division at Toyota Motor North America, discusses the automaker’s product strategy, strong dealer demand, and expanding electrified lineup. On Inside Automotive, Christ covers the redesigned RAV4, Toyota’s multi-pathway approach to powertrains, affordability, tight inventory, fixed operations, and the role of digital retailing in the dealership experience.

• Product momentum: How the redesigned RAV4 is contributing to Toyota’s strong retail performance and tight inventory.
• Electrification: Why Toyota continues expanding its mix of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, BEVs, and fuel-cell vehicles.
• Affordability: How Toyota is maintaining lower price points across its lineup as vehicle affordability remains a challenge.
• Inventory: What tight supply looks like across Toyota’s lineup, including high-demand models such as the RAV4 and Grand Highlander.
• Fixed operations: Why an aging vehicle fleet could create additional opportunities for dealership service and parts departments.
• Digital retailing: How Toyota’s SmartPath technology connects online vehicle research with the in-store buying experience.

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Dealerships face growing cybersecurity and compliance demands, but Hunter Giambra of Hurricane IT Solutions and Andy Graff of ComplyAuto explain why having policies and technology in place does not always mean a dealership is protected. In part two of a three-part Inside Automotive series, they examine common security gaps, why dealerships attract cybercriminals, and how IT security and regulatory compliance can work together.

• Security vs. compliance: Why dealerships need to address both their technical defenses and regulatory obligations.
• Everyday vulnerabilities: How unsecured documents, shared passwords, unlocked terminals, and personal email use can expose customer information.
• Cybercrime risks: Why dealerships are attractive ransomware targets and how operational disruptions can affect critical store functions.
• Integrated protection: How Hurricane IT Solutions and ComplyAuto divide responsibilities between technical security and regulatory compliance.
• Employee training: Why ongoing education and required compliance training are important parts of a dealership’s security posture.
• Management visibility: How disconnects between dealership leadership and day-to-day practices can leave important vulnerabilities unnoticed.

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Slow showroom traffic does not have to mean a slow sales day. Sean Gardner, Instructor and Sales Trainer at the Joe Verde Group, shares four ways automotive salespeople can create opportunities when the floor is quiet. On Inside Automotive, Gardner explains how to make every showroom opportunity count, convert leads and phone calls into appointments, reconnect with hot unsold prospects, and activate existing customers in the CRM.

• Maximizing opportunities: How salespeople can tighten their process and avoid pre-qualifying shoppers.
• Converting leads: Why sending a price alone may not be enough to turn internet leads and phone-ups into showroom visits.
• Working unsold prospects: How following up with customers who recently left without buying can generate additional sales.
• Activating the CRM: Why existing customers and orphan owners can represent a significant source of future business.
• Changing the mindset: How salespeople can stay proactive and create their own opportunities when traffic slows.

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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David Spisak, President and CEO of Disruptive Growth Solutions, examines the growing debate over Chinese automakers entering the U.S. market and the forces shaping that possibility. On Inside Automotive, Spisak discusses the loss of affordable new vehicles, rising monthly payments, connected-vehicle security concerns, and why dealers could have an interest in expanding access to lower-priced products.

• Vehicle affordability: How rising prices and financing costs have created a widening gap for consumers seeking affordable new vehicles.
• Chinese competition: Why lower-priced Chinese vehicles have attracted attention as consumers look for alternatives.
• Security concerns: How connected vehicles, data collection, and cybersecurity complicate the possibility of Chinese automakers entering the U.S.
• Regulatory hurdles: What manufacturers may need to address around data privacy and security before competing in the U.S. market.
• Dealer opportunity: Why some dealers could see additional affordable inventory as an opportunity if Chinese vehicles become available.
• Industry strategy: How manufacturer pricing and product decisions have contributed to the changing competitive landscape.

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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Hunter Giambra, Founder and President of Hurricane IT Solutions, explains why dealership IT security requires more than simply purchasing security hardware or meeting compliance requirements. On Inside Automotive, Giambra discusses what real-world IT audits can uncover, from cybersecurity vulnerabilities and network configuration issues to significant technology overspending across multi-store groups.

• Security vs. compliance: Why meeting compliance requirements does not necessarily mean a dealership is fully secure.
• IT vulnerabilities: How improperly configured security tools, shared passwords, and unlocked workstations can expose dealerships to risk.
• Hidden IT costs: Where outdated networks, hardware, and service agreements can create significant unnecessary spending.
• Network performance: Why some dealerships may be paying for internet speeds their existing equipment cannot support.
• IT staffing: How external IT partners can supplement in-house teams with monitoring, coverage, and compliance support.
• Proactive audits: Why evaluating a dealership’s IT infrastructure before a breach or compliance audit can reveal opportunities to strengthen security and reduce costs.

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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