Automotive News Webinar: How Dealerships Can Leverage AI for Success

Watch the full webinar here.

This week, Automotive News and DriveCentric hosted an insightful webinar titled “Learn How Auto Dealerships Can Leverage AI for Success.” Moderated by Emma Hancock, the session featured industry leaders Zack Caso (Internet Director at Riverhead Ford and GMC), Denny Eubank (Business Development Manager at Capitol Toyota), Tyler Burton (General Manager at Serra Automotive), and Steve Roessler (National Sales Director at DriveCentric). The discussion highlighted how AI is transforming dealership operations by increasing efficiency, enhancing customer engagement, and driving sales growth.

Tyler Burton opened the discussion with his experience implementing AI at Serra Automotive. Initially hesitant, Tyler emphasized how his team justified the investment by reallocating resources and rethinking their spending priorities. The impact was immediate—his dealership achieved record-breaking sales and improved team morale. Tyler noted that AI has shifted the culture, allowing salespeople to focus on building customer relationships while the technology handles repetitive tasks. “AI isn’t here to replace us,” Tyler shared. “It’s here to make us better at what we do.”

Denny Eubank built on this by detailing how Capitol Toyota uses AI to streamline lead follow-ups and appointment scheduling, ensuring no opportunities slip through the cracks. He highlighted how AI-powered insights enable personalized outreach, from notifying customers about expiring leases to sending service reminders. This targeted approach has significantly boosted retention and improved customer relationships. “AI acts as an extension of our team,” Denny explained, “delivering the right message at the right time.”

Zack Caso added another layer to the conversation, sharing the tangible results his dealership achieved with AI. Riverhead Ford and GMC saw their largest year-over-year engagement increase in store history—over 20%—and a 12% boost in car sales. Even in their slowest quarter, AI drove over 640 additional customer engagements, helping the dealership stand out as a regional leader in growth. As a one-man Internet department, Zack praised AI for enabling him to handle over 600 leads while providing rapid and effective customer responses. “AI works faster than any salesperson could,” he said, “and it ensures we don’t miss a single opportunity.”

A common theme emerged among the panelists: AI is a powerful tool for automating tasks that sales teams often overlook, such as birthday greetings, service reminders, and lease-end notifications. This not only frees up staff to focus on customer interactions but also improves response times and engagement rates. Zach summed it up perfectly: “Who cares who gets the engagement? AI ensures it happens, and that’s what matters.”

The webinar provided clear, actionable insights into the benefits of integrating AI into dealership operations. From driving customer engagement to improving sales and team efficiency, the panelists demonstrated how AI is reshaping the automotive industry. If you missed the session, be sure to watch the recording to learn how your dealership can leverage AI for success.