In this thought-provoking ASOTU CON 2025 session, David Spisak of Disruptive Growth Solutions sits down with Daniel Govaer to tackle one of the most pervasive operational issues in automotive retail: shiny object syndrome. With over two decades of experience in retail automotive, Daniel breaks down how impulsively chasing new tech leads to stalled implementations, team confusion, and ultimately, failure to launch.

Together, they discuss the critical importance of identifying real problems before chasing tools, why vendors must stop selling solutions to unprepared clients, and how involving frontline stakeholders in decisions drastically improves adoption. Govaer emphasizes that buying software doesn’t solve problems—utilizing it does. Dealers will walk away with a fresh perspective on vetting their tech stack, auditing utilization, and empowering their teams to drive transformation from the inside out.

Learn more about SpaceAuto at https://space.auto/

⏱️ Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro

1:06 Shiny object syndrome begins at the dealer level

2:54 Stop buying tools—start solving actual problems

4:14 Decision makers must not be the only champions

6:06 Leadership often abandons implementation too early

7:04 Dealers must regularly audit their bloated tech stack

8:20 Too many tools disengage frontline staff

9:37 Friction-filled tech leads to friction-filled CX

11:08 Associates deserve better solutions, not more complexity

13:06 Audit how easy it is to sell something—start there