Latest / CBT Live / Mexico Tariff Talks, Ford Defends Its China Ties, Copart to Buy ACV (09.11.26)

Transcript

Mexico Tariff Talks, Ford Defends Its China Ties, Copart to Buy ACV (09.11.26) · CBT Live

0:00
SPEAKER_03: Hey everyone, and welcome into another edition of CBT Live, right here at the CBT Automotive Network.
0:05
SPEAKER_03: I'm Jim Fitzpatrick, and I am joined by my partner, Bridget Fitzpatrick.
0:09
SPEAKER_03: It is Friday, September 11th, a very, very special day, right?
0:14
SPEAKER_00: It is.
0:15
SPEAKER_00: So before we move on today with the headlines and our guests, Jim and I want to take a moment to recognize that today marks 25 years since the September 11th attacks.
0:24
SPEAKER_00: It's hard to believe that it's been a quarter of a century.
0:26
SPEAKER_00: And today, we remember the thousands of lives lost in New York City, at the Pentagon, and abroad and aboard Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.
0:35
SPEAKER_00: We remember the families whose lives changed forever, and the first responders who ran toward danger when everyone else was trying to get to safety.
2:01
SPEAKER_00: Yes, 25 years later, we remember that generosity and that sense of community.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: But most importantly, today remember we remember the people, the mothers, the fathers, the husbands and wives, the sons and daughters, the friends and coworkers, and first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice.
2:17
SPEAKER_00: Today we remember them.
2:19
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
2:22
SPEAKER_03: We also have a lot to cover here at CBT News.
2:25
SPEAKER_03: Uh it is such a special day.
2:27
SPEAKER_03: Um I remember I was running a Toyota dealership at the time, and uh when when it hit, when the first plane hit, and uh I was doing what most general managers do, giving a a meeting to the whole team at the time.
2:40
SPEAKER_03: Somebody ran in and said, you know, a plane just hit the World Trade Center.
2:44
SPEAKER_03: And uh it was just incredible.
2:46
SPEAKER_03: At the time, there were not as many TVs and showrooms then.
2:49
SPEAKER_03: So we did what everybody else did, I think, is go right to the uh customer waiting lounge and they're we're all hustled, huddled around the TV, um, consumers or shop or uh uh customers as well as uh staff members, and uh it was just amazing.
3:04
SPEAKER_03: Obviously, everyone most most everyone saw that second plane hit.
3:07
SPEAKER_03: We knew that this is a this is really, really terrible.
3:10
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and it's one of those moments everybody remembers what they were doing, where they were.
3:13
SPEAKER_00: I had just taken my son, who was five years old at the time.
3:16
SPEAKER_00: He's 30 now, he's in the control room right now.
3:18
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
3:18
SPEAKER_00: And um, so I had just taken him to school and got home and and what was able to see um everything unfold, and it was just yes.
3:26
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
3:27
SPEAKER_03: It's uh I I do want to uh point out um I was going through some content uh earlier today and I came across this clip that reminded me of uh what took place in the automotive industry.
3:38
SPEAKER_03: If you remember the president, uh President Bush at the time, uh George W.
3:42
SPEAKER_03: Bush got um key leaders of different companies together.
3:45
SPEAKER_03: Uh General Motors was one of them, and of course the leaders of the other auto manufacturers and said, Well, what can we do?
3:50
SPEAKER_03: Because we don't want to we don't want this to affect the total economy and shut us down.
3:56
SPEAKER_03: And if if that happens, then the enemy really did win, you know?
4:00
SPEAKER_03: And uh so they snapped into you know gear in a very quick way, and General Motors came out with uh Keep America Rolling, and they announced zero percent.
4:10
SPEAKER_03: I just want to show you this this uh commercial, which uh if you're old enough to remember this, uh there's many people that are 25.
4:17
SPEAKER_03: But uh yeah, take a look.
4:18
SPEAKER_03: Do you guys uh have that commercial?
4:26
SPEAKER_02: This country keeps rolling, it's not about to slow down, and neither are we.
4:33
SPEAKER_02: Interest-free financing from Japan continues from now.
4:37
SPEAKER_02: Through January 2nd, most new cars, trucks, and SUVs.
4:43
SPEAKER_02: One country, one way.
4:47
SPEAKER_02: America.
4:52
SPEAKER_00: And yeah.
4:53
SPEAKER_00: So that and the story that we just mentioned makes me so proud to be in this industry of such giving people.
4:59
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no question about it.
5:01
SPEAKER_03: It brings me right back to those days, you know.
5:03
SPEAKER_03: In fact, that was the first that we saw uh zero percent.
5:06
SPEAKER_03: Um, and then of course, I think all of the other manufacturers f of uh all of the other manufacturers followed suit and said we'll we'll do zero percent Ford and everyone else.
5:15
SPEAKER_03: And and I will tell you that people then were buying cars just to keep America rolling.
5:21
SPEAKER_03: You know, I spoke to a number of consumers, we sold cars to them, that said, well, I I wasn't ready for six months or maybe a year, but I'm gonna do my part.
5:28
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
5:28
SPEAKER_00: It's great.
5:29
SPEAKER_00: Great industry that we are in.
5:30
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
5:31
SPEAKER_03: For sure.
5:31
SPEAKER_03: No question about it.
5:32
SPEAKER_00: All right, coming up later in the show, we'll be joined by Adrian Gonzalez, General Manager of Payne Edinburgh, CDJR in South Texas.
5:39
SPEAKER_00: And we'll also welcome Greg Ulan, Vice President of Marketing for Reynolds and Reynolds, who also happens to be our sponsor, which I will would like to thank.
5:48
SPEAKER_00: When AI tools are siloed, lost data, double entries, and confusion are inevitable.
5:54
SPEAKER_00: And Spark AI, the industry's only unified AI data layer from Reynolds and Reynolds, ensures your solutions are making life easier and working at their highest capacity.
6:03
SPEAKER_00: It's AI done differently.
6:05
SPEAKER_00: You can learn more at rayray.com backslash spark dash AI.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Reynolds, and we'll talk to Greg a little bit later in the show.
6:12
SPEAKER_03: It's always great catching up with him.
6:13
SPEAKER_03: Great guy.
6:13
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
6:14
SPEAKER_00: I do have a few news stories to get to, um a little more news today than yesterday, so that's good.
6:18
SPEAKER_00: So um Copart has agreed to acquire ACV auctions in an all-cash deal valued at$1.9 billion.
6:26
SPEAKER_03: Jeez.
6:27
SPEAKER_03: Everything's a billion these days.
6:28
SPEAKER_03: I was thinking I'm like, it was now we think of a billion.
6:33
SPEAKER_03: Oh, only one billion?
6:34
SPEAKER_03: Oh, okay.
6:34
SPEAKER_03: I mean we hear everything's a billion, but that's that's a big that's a big acquisition.
6:39
SPEAKER_00: Um Copart will pay ten dollars and fifty cents per share for ACV, representing about 45%, uh 45% premium over ACV's previous closing price.
6:49
SPEAKER_00: So um, and that their shares even jumped after the announcement um 40%.
6:53
SPEAKER_00: So that's yeah.
6:54
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, the B the B word is being thrown in a lot more than used to.
6:58
unknown: Yeah.
6:59
SPEAKER_00: That is for sure.
7:00
SPEAKER_00: So the next story is developing this morning.
7:03
SPEAKER_00: Uh the auto industry is right in the middle of it.
7:05
SPEAKER_00: The United States and Mexico are are reportedly racing to reach an interim trade agreement ahead of the November midterm elections.
7:14
SPEAKER_00: One of the biggest issues in the negotiations is automotive tariffs.
7:18
SPEAKER_00: Now, vehicles from Mexico currently face a 25% U.S.
7:22
SPEAKER_00: tariff under Section 32232.
7:25
SPEAKER_00: Reuters reports that several automakers believe Mexico could ultimately be offered a framework similar to the one previously discussed with Canada, potentially lowering the tariff to 15 percent with an additional reduction tied to U.S.
7:39
SPEAKER_00: materials or content.
7:41
SPEAKER_00: So in return, U.S.
7:42
SPEAKER_00: is pushing for more American materials in vehicles coming out of Mexico, like engines and electronics and software.
7:48
SPEAKER_00: Trevor Burrus, Jr.
7:49
SPEAKER_03: Is this to penalize Canada for not doing the deal?
7:52
SPEAKER_03: We're gonna go to Mexico.
7:53
SPEAKER_03: Right.
7:53
SPEAKER_03: It's funny to see Trump all of a sudden loving Mexico.
7:57
SPEAKER_00: It's very interesting.
7:58
SPEAKER_00: And of course, we will continue the coverage here on CBT News as well.
8:02
SPEAKER_00: Stellantis CEO Antonio Falosa made a really interesting observation.
8:07
SPEAKER_00: He says the automotive world is essentially dividing into two markets, the United States and everywhere else.
8:13
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
8:14
SPEAKER_00: And Stellantis is adjusting its strategy accordingly.
8:17
SPEAKER_00: The U.S., where Jeep and RAM are incredibly important, um, Stillantis is relying on entirely entirely on domestic engineering and development.
8:26
SPEAKER_00: So outside the U.S., including Europe, Stillantis is partnering with Chinese automakers, and Felosa says that those partnerships are being used to develop are not being used for vehicles um in the United States.
8:38
SPEAKER_03: But but they're in partnership with the Chinese?
8:41
unknown: Right.
8:41
SPEAKER_00: Those are all other parts of the world.
8:43
SPEAKER_03: Right.
8:43
SPEAKER_03: For other parts of the world.
8:45
SPEAKER_03: So they're in partnership with Chinese?
8:46
SPEAKER_00: That's what you're saying.
8:47
SPEAKER_00: Those terrible speaking of that.
8:48
SPEAKER_03: Those terrible Chinese that we can't trust.
8:51
SPEAKER_00: I know.
8:51
SPEAKER_00: I know.
8:52
SPEAKER_03: Okay, don't get me started.
8:53
SPEAKER_00: I'm not going to.
8:54
SPEAKER_00: We talked earlier this week about Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticizing Ford over its relationships with Chinese companies.
9:02
SPEAKER_00: Well, there's now another development of that story.
9:04
SPEAKER_00: Ford is defending its partnerships and says it needs access to certain Chinese technology and expertise to remain competitive globally.
9:12
SPEAKER_00: At the same time, Ford has been one of the most vocal American automakers warning about the competitive threat comes to China.
9:18
SPEAKER_00: I know.
9:20
SPEAKER_03: Don't let the Chinese in, but we're going to be in bed with them.
9:22
SPEAKER_00: I know.
9:23
SPEAKER_03: Okay, good.
9:23
SPEAKER_00: And Ford also denied that CEO Jim Farley proposed the type of U.S.
9:28
SPEAKER_00: joint venture framework with Chinese automakers that was described by Secretary Duffy.
9:33
SPEAKER_00: So this is gonna this is gonna be an ongoing story that we will also follow here.
9:37
SPEAKER_03: So dealers, uh, you might want to get ready to put your applications in for Chinese dealership, because it sounds to me like they're coming.
9:46
SPEAKER_03: Contrary to many people that get mad at me or send me uh nasty grams and say China you're all for Chinese, I'm not all for Chinese vehicles coming in.
9:54
SPEAKER_03: I mean I guess I should backtrack.
9:57
SPEAKER_03: I'm okay with them coming in as long as the guardrails are there, a certain very limited number.
10:02
SPEAKER_03: But Jim Farler is already out ahead of all of this.
10:05
SPEAKER_03: They see that this is coming.
10:06
SPEAKER_03: He's already told his team that it's inevitable that in the next five to ten years.
10:10
SPEAKER_03: Well, in the auto industry, as you know, in manufacturing, uh five to ten years is right now.
10:15
SPEAKER_03: You start thinking right now about five years from now, because it goes like that.
10:19
SPEAKER_00: Well, so many people, even Don Hall that we had on the other day, have said that they that he feels like they are coming.
10:24
SPEAKER_00: We just need to we just might be sorry that they do.
10:28
SPEAKER_03: Which I think that was a huge show that we had there with Don Hall when he said I know.
10:32
SPEAKER_03: That was a new Don Hall.
10:33
SPEAKER_00: Doesn't want them, and obviously for obvious reasons, but at the same time he's like, okay, they're coming.
10:37
SPEAKER_00: We just we're not gonna be happy about it, basically.
10:39
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
10:40
SPEAKER_03: That's what he's saying.
10:40
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
10:41
SPEAKER_03: And uh and by the way, there's by the way, uh Senator Slotkin, I might add.
10:45
SPEAKER_03: Uh Senator Slotkin, um there's she heard rumors out there that uh that Trump might be talking to uh uh the Prime Minister or the President of China, I should say, because he's gonna be on a visit to the White House and auto sales or auto uh manufacturing is gonna come up.
11:05
SPEAKER_03: And he he slotkin said she heard rumors that Trump's gonna get soft on this and gonna going to allow Chinese vehicles in.
11:12
SPEAKER_00: It wouldn't surprise me.
11:13
SPEAKER_03: Wouldn't surprise me either.
11:14
SPEAKER_03: No, not at all.
11:15
SPEAKER_00: And he's made some comments referencing that as well.
11:18
SPEAKER_00: So yes.
11:19
SPEAKER_00: All right.
11:20
SPEAKER_03: Sounds good.
11:21
SPEAKER_03: All right, so we're hearing more and more from dealers that social media is becoming much bigger part of the business.
11:27
SPEAKER_03: As you know, we talk about it a lot here at CBT News.
11:29
SPEAKER_03: Not just marketing, but recruiting, branding, and even driving sales.
11:34
SPEAKER_00: And some dealers really have figured out how to make it work.
11:37
SPEAKER_00: Our first guest has generated more than 10 million views this year alone, and he's doing it from inside the dealership.
11:44
SPEAKER_00: Joining us live is Adrian Gonzalez, General Manager of Payne Edinburgh CDJR in South Texas.
11:50
SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the show.
11:53
SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
11:53
SPEAKER_05: Thank you guys for inviting me over.
11:54
SPEAKER_05: I appreciate it.
11:55
SPEAKER_05: Sure.
11:56
SPEAKER_05: Yes, yes.
11:56
SPEAKER_05: Absolutely.
11:57
SPEAKER_00: Now we're hearing more uh general managers talk about social media as a business strategy, not just a marketing tactic.
12:04
SPEAKER_00: What changed for you that made you realize that this could actually impact the dealership?
12:10
SPEAKER_05: Well, the car business has always been ever evolving.
12:12
SPEAKER_05: Um it's all it's always been evolving on a yearly, I mean, from uh new new people in office to tariffs to everything.
12:21
SPEAKER_05: So right now we're getting we're going into a new era of uh direct-to-consumer marketing.
12:27
SPEAKER_05: Um we still call it social media, but it's not social media anymore.
12:30
SPEAKER_05: It's far from social media.
12:32
SPEAKER_05: These are where consumers are now getting the majority of their information on whether they're gonna be buying their next vehicle and now also uh where they're gonna want to work as well.
12:41
SPEAKER_03: So yeah.
12:42
SPEAKER_03: So by the way, congratulations on 10 million views.
12:46
SPEAKER_03: I mean, that is incredible.
12:47
SPEAKER_03: Uh uh, you're you're uh you're becoming your own media company.
12:50
SPEAKER_03: We're kind of jealous here at CBT News.
12:52
SPEAKER_03: We have some competitors out there, but uh that's very, very uh a strong number.
12:56
SPEAKER_03: So, what have you learned about what consumers actually respond to?
13:00
SPEAKER_03: And what have what have you learned that that doesn't work?
13:04
SPEAKER_05: So, as a consumer myself for other products, uh, you know, right now what has flooded the social media market is a bunch of trending dancing videos, you know, people with trending audio, people with but the things that you guys are doing right now, and the things that I'm doing is giving customers information, giving people information, and that is not very appealing to a lot of people.
13:23
SPEAKER_05: So, what we decided to do is uh we don't use any trending audio, we don't do dancing videos, we don't do nothing that all the other dealerships are doing.
13:30
SPEAKER_05: Um, we're literally doing behind the scenes, kind of like a you know, turning on the camera and having the camera follow me around and catching the real side of the car business, whether it's a real deal with real customers, real situations, and people are interested in that.
13:46
SPEAKER_05: Uh, people are also uh we're in this business, you know, um, and we know certain terminologies and things, but you'd be surprised at what type of cust of questions could consumers have right now.
13:58
SPEAKER_05: Like the most regular question that I get on a daily basis is Adrian, can I trade in my vehicle if I have a balance?
14:04
SPEAKER_05: That to us is something that's very of course, that's that's how we rely, you know, that's how we do business.
14:09
SPEAKER_05: But a lot of people don't know that.
14:10
SPEAKER_05: So that's right.
14:12
SPEAKER_05: They go into my videos and you know, we do a lot of informational videos as well on the side on you know how to deal with negative equity, how a negative equity works.
14:20
SPEAKER_05: What's the difference between a purchase and a lease?
14:22
SPEAKER_05: You know, um, and then we film we film episodes all throughout the week where you know we have a full-time camera guy that follows me around, edits, and uh that's kind of like a behind the scenes how we handle situations such as you know, we appraise a vehicle, then it comes in and it's all crashed.
14:38
SPEAKER_05: How do we deal with that as a as a dealership?
14:40
SPEAKER_05: You know, uh customers that are in the other side of the United States, how does that process work if they want to buy a car from with me?
14:47
SPEAKER_05: Sure.
14:48
SPEAKER_05: The the you know the shipping process, everything.
14:50
SPEAKER_05: So I think consumers are more curious to see the real side of us because when we go out on a pencil, we put out a persona.
14:57
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and I think the tarnant like the whole, they like the fact that they can see, they can be in our shoes and uh getting to know the salespeople in a more personal level.
15:07
SPEAKER_05: Remember, people buy from the people they trust.
15:10
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
15:10
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
15:11
SPEAKER_03: Let me ask you uh one quick question.
15:12
SPEAKER_03: Um, what about consumers?
15:14
SPEAKER_03: When you're when you're filming, are they do you get consumers that go, hey, I don't want to be on film?
15:18
SPEAKER_03: I do you do you ask them first or or how does how does that work?
15:23
SPEAKER_05: Well so we're having the complete opposite.
15:25
SPEAKER_05: Um we actually don't uh don't don't seek to film consumers, right?
15:30
SPEAKER_05: And they actually and I don't ask them, and I don't film them unless they ask.
15:34
SPEAKER_05: Everyone that's featured in our episodes and in our reels and everything are people that are coming in saying, Adrian, I came in today because we know you're filming, so we'd be on your episode.
15:42
SPEAKER_00: I love it.
15:43
SPEAKER_05: That's fantastic.
15:44
SPEAKER_00: So, Adrian, you're a GM first.
15:46
SPEAKER_00: You still have to run the store.
15:48
SPEAKER_00: What is had to change operational operationally with your team, your time, your culture, uh, to make that content part of the business rather than just something that posts something someone posts when they have time.
16:00
SPEAKER_05: So, one of the things that I've always done, no matter where uh I started as far as the business, you know, where what I tried to achieve, I've always led uh led by example.
16:09
SPEAKER_05: You know, a leader is not a leader without any followers, right?
16:12
SPEAKER_05: And how this whole social media journey started was uh uh me in a meeting and telling everyone, hey guys, we need to post more on social media.
16:19
SPEAKER_05: And I had one of my sales guys pretty much say, Well, that's not gonna work because everyone that's getting views, they're dancing, they're doing embarrassing things, blah, blah, blah, and everything like that.
16:28
SPEAKER_05: So I kind of wanted to prove them wrong.
16:29
SPEAKER_05: I said, Look, I don't have any social media presence.
16:31
SPEAKER_05: I'm gonna open up a platform from zero um um on all platforms, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, everything, and I'm not gonna put any trending audio and I'm not gonna dance, and I'm gonna show you guys how it's done.
16:41
SPEAKER_05: So by me doing that from scratch, and we became successful within 30 days uh on my personal platform, um, everybody kind of just was like shocked and they started doing it.
16:51
SPEAKER_05: You know, I didn't ask anyone to do it, they started doing it, and now we're getting people that are coming from other dealerships, coming from out of state, out of town, wanting to work for because that's the type of culture that they see on social media, and that's the type of culture they want to be involved in.
17:06
SPEAKER_03: I saw in one of those videos where you had uh a logo for the men's warehouse.
17:11
SPEAKER_03: Are you doing brand deals?
17:13
SPEAKER_05: No, actually, we're not doing brand deals.
17:14
SPEAKER_05: That's actually our local uh but if they do reach out, we'll be more than glad to accept it.
17:22
SPEAKER_05: It's something that I've done for years.
17:24
SPEAKER_05: Uh actually, we just decided to film it.
17:26
SPEAKER_05: It's like anything else, right?
17:28
SPEAKER_05: Everything that we're doing and we've always done.
17:29
SPEAKER_05: Now we're just putting a camera, right?
17:31
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
17:31
SPEAKER_05: And uh one of the things that I do is uh I get my um the newest rookies um that have been in the business less than 90 days, and I put a goal out for them.
17:40
SPEAKER_05: And I say, hey guys, um, you guys have been in the business less than 90 days, we're gonna put a little competition.
17:46
SPEAKER_05: Whoever sells more cars out of your batch, I'm gonna take them and get your first majority of this time.
17:50
SPEAKER_05: They never own the suit.
17:52
SPEAKER_05: Uh they they're new in the car business, they're coming from other industries, and uh whoever wins that little competition, I end up taking them to go buy a suit.
17:59
SPEAKER_05: So uh it's been a tradition for many years at the at the store.
18:02
SPEAKER_05: That's great.
18:03
SPEAKER_05: And uh and we just decided to turn on the camera uh and uh and they they enjoy it and and people are enjoying it as well.
18:09
SPEAKER_00: Oh, of course.
18:10
SPEAKER_00: I love I love it.
18:11
SPEAKER_00: So do you think that we have we reached the point where a dealership's ability to build an audience is becoming a com a genuine competitive advantage?
18:21
SPEAKER_05: 100% because the number one thing that people don't like, including ourselves, we don't like to be sold.
18:26
SPEAKER_05: Right.
18:26
SPEAKER_05: Uh we like to be given the information and us making the decision.
18:32
SPEAKER_05: So uh I I believe now uh I'm I don't know if you guys have I'm pretty sure you guys have heard with Stilantis going to match pricing.
18:39
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
18:40
SPEAKER_05: Um now more than ever, there's gonna be a big shift with Stellantis.
18:44
SPEAKER_05: Now consumers are not gonna go to who's the cheapest, they're gonna know who they trust and who they feel more comfortable with.
18:50
SPEAKER_05: That's right.
18:51
SPEAKER_05: And in our episodes, you know, we feature all of our salespeople, including salespeople that haven't been here a long time.
18:56
SPEAKER_05: We literally have customers driving in the lot without an appointment and calling out a salesperson that's waiting out there in the lot saying, Hey, hey, you're you're so and so, hey, you're so and so, hey, come and sell me a car.
19:06
SPEAKER_05: Hey, come on for coming in already knowing these rookies that haven't really been selling cars for many years.
19:13
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that that and that's gold.
19:15
SPEAKER_03: That's exactly what you want, right?
19:16
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, correct.
19:17
SPEAKER_03: No question, man.
19:18
SPEAKER_03: Uh have you been uh identified or noticed when you go to eat uh out to a restaurant or something where somebody goes, hey, I watch your videos?
19:26
SPEAKER_05: Yes, uh, I mean, every single time we we go to a restaurant or anything like that, we're like, Yeah, I see your videos, I'm interested in a car.
19:33
SPEAKER_05: Like every time we go to lunch, we at least get two to three leads uh when we go to lunch.
19:38
SPEAKER_05: That's right.
19:39
SPEAKER_03: Well, I would be remiss if I didn't ask you before we close out the segment.
19:42
SPEAKER_03: I appreciate all the time you've given us.
19:44
SPEAKER_03: How is business at your dealership?
19:47
SPEAKER_05: So, right now, we're actually doing really, really well.
19:50
SPEAKER_05: Um, we right now we're ranked uh top 50 in the nation.
19:54
SPEAKER_05: Wow, congratulations, that's great.
19:57
SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
19:57
SPEAKER_05: We we've had a great shift um as social media has added a lot, uh, but more than importantly, is knowing your metrics, right?
20:04
SPEAKER_05: Because it's not just about me telling you what I'm selling.
20:07
SPEAKER_05: We're actually are able, we have a great auto group where we have all the infrastructure to be able to measure all these leads.
20:13
SPEAKER_05: So we're actually tracking the amount of leads that we're getting and our conversion rate.
20:18
SPEAKER_05: And uh you'd be surprised what those metrics are.
20:21
SPEAKER_05: I mean, uh, we're converting at a 26% closing ratio through social media alone.
20:26
SPEAKER_05: Um, we we went to the point where even our manufacturers asking questions to where you went from 500 leads a month and now you're generating 1300 leads.
20:35
SPEAKER_05: How is that?
20:35
SPEAKER_05: How is that possible?
20:36
SPEAKER_05: Sure.
20:37
SPEAKER_05: And uh when you're able to get in front of millions of people organically, uh, you know, things just kind of fall into place.
20:44
SPEAKER_05: And I think this is the start.
20:46
SPEAKER_05: Uh, this is not going to go away, and it's only gonna be evolving from here.
20:50
SPEAKER_05: So definitely, definitely something that's gonna change the industry, the industry for a very long time.
20:55
SPEAKER_03: Sure.
20:56
SPEAKER_03: Adrian, what's your advice to dealers that are watching us have this discussion today?
21:01
SPEAKER_03: Um, that are on the fence, so go, well, I don't, you know, social media, I don't really like to be on camera.
21:06
SPEAKER_03: I don't really like the whole thing.
21:08
SPEAKER_03: I don't watch social media.
21:09
SPEAKER_03: You know, I've heard it works, but yet I don't know if it's right for our store.
21:15
SPEAKER_05: Um, I'm gonna tell them exactly probably something that they experienced back in the day.
21:19
SPEAKER_05: Um, do you remember when they were saying the same thing about uh the internet department?
21:26
SPEAKER_03: It's just a fad.
21:27
SPEAKER_03: Nobody's gonna use it to buy a car.
21:29
SPEAKER_05: Nobody is, guys.
21:31
SPEAKER_05: We're still advertising our newspapers.
21:32
SPEAKER_05: We're gonna keep advertising our newspapers.
21:34
SPEAKER_05: That's right.
21:34
SPEAKER_05: Those majority of those dealers that said that are no longer in business.
21:38
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
21:39
SPEAKER_03: Yep.
21:39
SPEAKER_03: That's interesting.
21:40
SPEAKER_03: And I agree with you.
21:41
SPEAKER_03: Because I was in the business then.
21:43
SPEAKER_03: And that's exactly what we heard all the time from you know, from up above was uh, oh, kind of close, close that that laptop.
21:49
SPEAKER_03: People don't buy cars on the computer, they want to come into the dealership.
21:53
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, wrong.
21:54
SPEAKER_03: Okay.
21:54
SPEAKER_03: But uh that that's that is interesting.
21:56
SPEAKER_03: We have a a comment here.
21:57
SPEAKER_03: Uh, what do you uh what do you think makes People actually want to follow a dealership.
22:03
SPEAKER_03: Good question.
22:04
SPEAKER_05: That's a great question.
22:05
SPEAKER_05: They're not following a dealership.
22:09
SPEAKER_05: They're following my platform.
22:10
SPEAKER_05: All these platforms, that's the as a matter of fact, that's a great question because that's the biggest issue that everybody has.
22:15
SPEAKER_05: They're trying so far.
22:17
SPEAKER_05: Nobody wants to follow a dealership.
22:19
SPEAKER_05: We ended up finding out that consumers are more comfortable giving me their information.
22:25
SPEAKER_05: Obviously, I have my dealership backing me up in all my platforms, but the front of it is me.
22:30
SPEAKER_05: They're not buying.
22:31
SPEAKER_05: It's kind of like whenever they come and buy with a veteran salesperson.
22:34
SPEAKER_05: They're not buying from the dealership.
22:35
SPEAKER_05: They're buying from the veteran salesperson that they've bought plenty of cars before.
22:39
SPEAKER_05: With this platform that I built, it's me.
22:42
SPEAKER_05: They're talking to me.
22:43
SPEAKER_05: When they send me a DM, they're talking to me.
22:45
SPEAKER_05: Right.
22:45
SPEAKER_05: You know, when they're looking at my videos, they're looking at me, and you know, and we push the envelope, and some of the stuff that we post, you know, were extremely respectful and very educational, but some stuff might not be good for you know dealership age too.
22:58
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
22:58
SPEAKER_05: So because it's very real.
23:00
SPEAKER_05: It's very real, very raw, and that's what consumers connect with.
23:02
SPEAKER_05: That's right.
23:03
SPEAKER_05: They connect with real stuff.
23:05
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
23:05
SPEAKER_03: Hey, how are you feeling about the new leadership at uh at Stellantis?
23:10
SPEAKER_03: Um, I you know, I know I've spoken to a number of Stillantis dealers over the last few years, and it went through that rough patch.
23:16
SPEAKER_03: And and uh but uh what what's your take on the on the leadership and the future of Stellantis?
23:22
SPEAKER_05: Uh I've been very, very vocal on my uh on on the new leadership that's that's going on at Stellantis.
23:28
SPEAKER_05: Uh we've got a couple articles with automotive news.
23:30
SPEAKER_05: I think what they're doing is amazing, and I think honestly, we're finally gonna see the light at the end of the tunnel.
23:37
SPEAKER_05: Um the the stuff that's coming out here in the next 12 months uh is gonna be amazing.
23:42
SPEAKER_05: I think the the fact that they're bringing the SRT badgy back, the the V8 engines, I mean the the the muscle, the core of what Mopar used to be.
23:50
SPEAKER_05: They're going back, we've lost we've lost a couple here uh under previous leadership.
23:55
SPEAKER_05: Um but uh right now they're making moves, and the moves that are coming are not just talk.
24:02
SPEAKER_05: We're actually seeing them in effect at the leadership level a lot quicker than I would think that a multi-billion dollar company would be able to turn the ship.
24:09
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
24:09
SPEAKER_05: The ship is churning, and uh, we're very excited on what uh quarter four and 2027 is gonna bring for Stallantis.
24:15
SPEAKER_05: It's gonna be amazing.
24:16
SPEAKER_03: That's great, that's great.
24:17
SPEAKER_03: I've I've you know, I talked to some friends of mine that actually during the rough patches, they sold their their Stellanus stores, and now they want to kick themselves, you know, for for doing just that because they're like, wait a minute, this franchise is gonna be a great franchise again.
24:32
SPEAKER_03: What did I what was I thinking, you know?
24:34
SPEAKER_03: So it's uh and it's true.
24:36
SPEAKER_03: Not not to mention the brands that Stellanus has.
24:38
SPEAKER_03: I mean, come on, Jeep and you know, and Dodge.
24:41
SPEAKER_03: I mean, it you know, those are those are legendary, right?
24:45
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, no, honestly, they're such great brands and they're the core of American values.
24:49
SPEAKER_05: Um, but we they it got lost for a couple years there.
24:53
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
24:53
SPEAKER_05: Um but right now with the leadership that's there, I've talked to a lot of people up there in Stellantis, and uh man, the stuff that they're going, the moves that they're making, they actually do identify the fact that uh social media is gonna be make a play a big part in the success of a lot of on work groups.
25:10
SPEAKER_05: And uh they can either make a break you, and uh they're they're working with some stuff behind the scenes uh that uh they'll be releasing here pretty soon.
25:19
SPEAKER_05: But um uh I'm excited with everything that's going on in the dealer level.
25:22
SPEAKER_05: They want the dealers to succeed, they want the the franchise owners to succeed.
25:26
SPEAKER_05: And uh and honestly, I'm very excited with a lot of a lot of a lot of the things that are going on.
25:31
SPEAKER_03: Well, that's great.
25:32
SPEAKER_03: Adrian, thank you so much for all the time you've given us here at CBT Live.
25:35
SPEAKER_03: Very much appreciated.
25:36
SPEAKER_03: I know our uh viewing audience of dealers and managers and salespeople get a lot out of it.
25:40
SPEAKER_03: Maybe maybe we've motivated some of them to get out there, get in front of your iPhone, and start pushing out social media content.
25:48
SPEAKER_03: Here's the man.
25:49
SPEAKER_03: He I mean what, nine, ten million views?
25:51
SPEAKER_03: That is incredible.
25:53
SPEAKER_03: So congratulations on all your success.
25:55
SPEAKER_03: Love to do a follow-up with you to see how things are moving along.
25:58
SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
25:58
SPEAKER_05: I appreciate it.
25:59
SPEAKER_05: Thank you for rounding me off.
26:00
SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much.
26:02
SPEAKER_03: Wow, that that's a lot of news.
26:03
SPEAKER_03: Oh my god.
26:04
SPEAKER_03: He is he's killing it.
26:06
SPEAKER_00: He really is.
26:07
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it just goes to show you.
26:08
SPEAKER_00: It's uh yeah.
26:09
SPEAKER_00: It is like you said, like the internet.
26:11
SPEAKER_00: It's totally.
26:12
SPEAKER_03: But for those people that are sitting on the sidelines going, oh, it's not for me, and I don't know, I maybe I don't do you know social media or what have you.
26:18
SPEAKER_03: It's a big mistake.
26:19
SPEAKER_03: It's a huge mistake.
26:20
SPEAKER_00: I think that we lost and lots of those people too as we as we go.
26:23
SPEAKER_03: You do notice it's not a mistake, though, it's Greg Eulin.
26:26
SPEAKER_03: He's not Reynolds.
26:28
SPEAKER_00: No, I think we should talk to him.
26:29
SPEAKER_03: I think we should talk to him.
26:30
SPEAKER_03: For not to mention, the guy's a great guy, and he also has his own podcast, which makes me a little mad because it's as good as ours or not if if not better.
26:38
SPEAKER_03: That's great.
26:38
SPEAKER_03: You know, that's a great job.
26:40
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
26:40
SPEAKER_03: Yes.
26:41
SPEAKER_03: I told I told him last time, I said, hey, if that Reynolds thing doesn't work out, enjoyment's really good.
26:45
SPEAKER_00: We heard it here, Greg.
26:47
SPEAKER_00: So dealers from across the country recently came together at Reynolds and Reynolds Amplify 2026 event to talk about productivity, AI, technology, and so much more.
26:57
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
26:58
SPEAKER_03: Greg Ulan, Vice President of Marketing for Reynolds and Reynolds, was there for uh those conversations, and he joins us now uh live to share what he heard from dealers and some of the biggest takeaways from the Amplify event.
27:11
SPEAKER_03: So thank you so much for uh joining us on the show, Greg.
27:14
SPEAKER_04: My pleasure.
27:15
SPEAKER_04: Thanks for having me.
27:16
SPEAKER_04: Two of my favorite people.
27:17
SPEAKER_04: I swear we we're doing it better and better.
27:19
SPEAKER_04: We're we're we're catching up more and more frequently.
27:21
SPEAKER_04: I think for uh a little while there it was like I'd see at NADA that was about it.
27:25
SPEAKER_04: But I know, right?
27:26
SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
27:28
SPEAKER_03: We're glad we're glad you're here.
27:29
SPEAKER_03: So let's start out by telling us a little bit about the event.
27:32
SPEAKER_03: Uh it made a lot of uh headlines out there.
27:34
SPEAKER_03: You guys put on a first-class event.
27:36
SPEAKER_03: I spoke to some dealers that attended it.
27:38
SPEAKER_03: So first first tell me what's the purpose of Amplify?
27:42
SPEAKER_03: What do you want people to walk away with?
27:44
SPEAKER_04: Well, I mean, it's it's really a gathering of of uh dealers, OEMs, um, even a few vendors throughout the industry, right?
27:50
SPEAKER_04: And um we want people to be able to come together, have uh a great venue to communicate and talk and share best practices, learn from each other, learn from us a little bit, hopefully.
27:59
SPEAKER_04: But um, you know, a lot of the feedback is those those kind of side conversations are the ones that people get the most value from, right?
28:06
SPEAKER_04: The tips and tricks and the things that um they're able to uh to pull from from their peers.
28:10
SPEAKER_04: And and that environment that we are are able to uh deliver seems to be really impactful in that way.
28:16
SPEAKER_04: So uh it's a lot of fun, but a lot of education too.
28:19
SPEAKER_04: Uh and uh and yeah, dealers seem to really enjoy it.
28:22
SPEAKER_04: We continue to grow every year.
28:23
SPEAKER_04: We had a huge, huge turnout this year.
28:25
SPEAKER_04: Um and uh, you know, looking forward to next year already.
28:28
SPEAKER_04: We'll have to get you guys there next year, uh, we'll be in in Nashville.
28:31
SPEAKER_04: So just a short, you know, four or four drive.
28:33
SPEAKER_04: Nashville, fun city.
28:33
SPEAKER_04: We'd love to go.
28:34
SPEAKER_00: We would love to go.
28:35
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
28:36
SPEAKER_00: So in those conversations that you were having with dealers, what you guys talked about a lot of things that amplify.
28:41
SPEAKER_00: What seemed to be the top of mind for most dealers?
28:44
SPEAKER_04: I mean, I think top of mind, you know, from a uh I'd say a problem perspective that they were talking about, things to overcome.
28:50
SPEAKER_04: One of the biggest things that that seemed to be a through line was honestly employee expense was a big one.
28:57
SPEAKER_04: Um so and and specifically thinking about profit per employee.
29:00
SPEAKER_04: So we talk a lot about you know making the most of every opportunity, being as efficient as possible.
29:04
SPEAKER_04: But um there seemed to be a similar thread uh through a lot of conversations around how do we help our people be as productive as possible, right?
29:12
SPEAKER_04: How do we get the most out of out of our investment?
29:14
SPEAKER_04: Um we had we had one dealer on stage and he was talking, he said, you know, my employee expense has gone up 40% in the last five years.
29:21
SPEAKER_04: And my output has not, though, right?
29:24
SPEAKER_04: So when your um you know when your your costs increase that much and uh your your top line revenue doesn't, um it poses a problem.
29:32
SPEAKER_04: Uh so it's definitely a focus.
29:34
SPEAKER_04: So that was that was a big thing.
29:35
SPEAKER_04: And then naturally that that leads into the conversation of AI in a lot of different ways.
29:40
SPEAKER_04: Um that seems to be you know the dominant uh kind of uh area that the people are looking to to help with some of these problems, including certainly employee efficiency.
29:49
SPEAKER_04: Um but those are the two biggest things.
29:50
SPEAKER_04: I mean, and then I would say uh, you know, there was a lot of excitement in in specific areas.
29:56
SPEAKER_04: Um I mean, we had to give you an example of the variety that we had, I think one of our most popular sessions was around automating posting, automated posting for a deal.
30:07
SPEAKER_04: Um so not having to have somebody in accounting that's literally tearing the deal apart and putting it back together.
30:11
SPEAKER_04: Um, and we had a session on how to execute automated posting.
30:15
SPEAKER_04: So it goes from F and I to the accounting office, and nobody has to do anything.
30:18
SPEAKER_04: And, you know, it's it's not a um a big flashy type of session, but man, it's important, right?
30:24
SPEAKER_04: And it really can have an impact on the business.
30:26
SPEAKER_04: So everything from there to kind of the probably the four big flashy ones were really CRM, uh kind of what we're doing there, uh, a lot of new stuff in fixed ops.
30:34
SPEAKER_04: Ray is our AI agent, was uh extremely popular.
30:38
SPEAKER_04: And then um kind of the dark horse too was was inventory management and uh specifically specifically used vehicles.
30:45
SPEAKER_04: Um there's a lot of talk about you know how how it feels like in that world, we're kind of in in the money ball phase of uh of inventory management where there's dealers, Jeff Swickard was on stage and he said, you know, we don't we don't use a human to price vehicles anymore.
30:58
SPEAKER_04: It's all done by AI.
31:00
SPEAKER_04: Wow.
31:00
SPEAKER_04: And the the more dealers you talk to, um, the more it seems like that's where we're heading.
31:04
SPEAKER_04: I was talking to somebody just last week, they were in here, and they said, I don't think in 12 months anybody's gonna price a vehicle anymore.
31:09
SPEAKER_04: There's just so much data available that you can price it accurately.
31:13
SPEAKER_04: So it's you know, a lot of a lot of stuff all over the board, but uh it was it was a great conference, and it's just it's so it's so fun to get that many people together.
31:21
SPEAKER_04: Sure.
31:22
SPEAKER_04: Um and that many great operators together to share ideas.
31:24
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, no, no, no doubt.
31:26
SPEAKER_00: You all did uh some research recently.
31:28
SPEAKER_00: Um one of the things that stood out to us in your golden metrics research is that improving fixed office profitability isn't necessarily about continuing to raise the labor rate.
31:39
SPEAKER_00: Where are dealers leaving money on the table because of insufficiencies in the service process?
31:45
SPEAKER_04: Well, I mean it's the same story we've always had, right?
31:47
SPEAKER_04: But it's it's interesting when you know you call that out by raising the labor rate, and and it's a lot of what the increases that we've seen, that's a lot of where it's coming from.
31:57
SPEAKER_04: You know, you look at the numbers, and um as an example, our technician productivity, when you look at how productive a technician is, meaning what percentage of time he's physically in the store that he's turning a wrench working on a car, our benchmarks are actually going down over the last five, ten years.
32:12
SPEAKER_04: Um and there's reasons for it, right?
32:14
SPEAKER_04: I mean, you you have technicians who we need them to do a really good MPI.
32:17
SPEAKER_04: We're asking them to take pictures and videos, and these things are important, but that trend line isn't a trend line for success.
32:22
SPEAKER_04: So we have to find ways to claw back some of that time.
32:25
SPEAKER_04: And you know, one of the one of the biggest things was um looking at how we can get technicians more involved in the quoting process.
32:34
SPEAKER_04: So rather than just like, hey, that you need this part, right?
32:37
SPEAKER_04: This thing's uh broken.
32:38
SPEAKER_04: Like, how do we get them involved in in the quoting?
32:41
SPEAKER_04: So being able to provide the the service advisor um a full quote straight from the technician so they know what parts are needed, and they can include shop supplies and gas oil and grease and and taxes and all of those things where um it can really have a big impact on uh hours per RO, on effective labor rate, um, and and ultimately profit per RO.
33:03
SPEAKER_03: Inventory management has become much more complicated for dealers with uh changing demand, affordability pressures, and the cost of carrying vehicles.
33:11
SPEAKER_03: What are you seeing in the data right now, and where do you think dealers have the biggest opportunity to manage their inventory more effectively?
33:19
SPEAKER_04: Well, I mean, it's it's on both sides of, especially when you look at used, it's on both sides of the transaction, right?
33:24
SPEAKER_04: You have what are you gonna buy it for, and that's uh what most dealers will tell you that's where you're gonna make your money.
33:28
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
33:28
SPEAKER_04: And then what are you gonna sell it for?
33:29
SPEAKER_04: What's the market gonna bear?
33:30
SPEAKER_04: So how do you buy it right?
33:32
SPEAKER_04: Um, how do you make sure that you're giving yourself enough room to recon it well, right?
33:37
SPEAKER_04: And kind of what's your strategy there?
33:39
SPEAKER_04: And then um, you know, how do you price it as as close to real time as possible because there's so many factors that are going into any given market in any any given vehicle?
33:48
SPEAKER_04: Uh you have to be able to evaluate that, not just weekly or daily, or certainly not every month, right?
33:53
SPEAKER_04: It's got to be um pretty consistent that uh you're able to evaluate what you're what you're priced at.
33:59
SPEAKER_04: So um there's certainly a lot that goes into it.
34:02
SPEAKER_04: I did hear uh a really interesting strategy I'll share because it really stuck with me.
34:06
SPEAKER_04: And it's it's probably not you know, your audience probably, well, yeah, obviously that makes sense.
34:09
SPEAKER_04: But um, I was talking to a Volvo dealer, and uh, you know, Volvo is somewhat of a niche brand.
34:15
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
34:17
SPEAKER_04: But you know, this this dealer, his uh this GM, his philosophy was I want essentially every VIN in my market, I want it on my lot, right?
34:25
SPEAKER_04: So every CPO, every used vehicle.
34:27
SPEAKER_04: Because when I do that, first of all, it gives me inventory to market to advertise, right?
34:32
SPEAKER_04: So it gives me impressions online.
34:33
SPEAKER_04: Uh but second, no matter what features a uh customer's looking for and whether they want new CPO or used, um they can come to me, right?
34:40
SPEAKER_04: And I'm gonna have it for them.
34:42
SPEAKER_04: So being able to do that, it's easier said than done because you do have to be able to buy those vehicles right.
34:47
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, right.
34:48
SPEAKER_04: That's right.
34:48
SPEAKER_04: You have to be able to price them so that you can make money on them.
34:51
SPEAKER_04: Um but his strategy is really around getting the most vehicles in operation in his market, so then they're coming back for service.
34:56
SPEAKER_04: And you know, if he sells them the CPO vehicle, they're gonna come back in for service.
34:59
SPEAKER_04: And and he's done a really, really impressive turnaround job with this store over, I think about three years.
35:04
SPEAKER_04: He went from last in his region to uh, I think top ten in the nation in CPO sales.
35:09
SPEAKER_04: So it's been really impressive what he's been able to do just by some of those kind of philosophical things.
35:14
SPEAKER_04: Wow.
35:15
SPEAKER_00: So you were on before on CBT News and you talked about reload.
35:19
SPEAKER_00: Can you talk, can you give us an update on reload, what you're hearing from the dealers that are using it, and what kind of impact it's having on the service department?
35:27
SPEAKER_04: So this I'm I'm I'm a marketer right now.
35:29
SPEAKER_04: That's my my role, right?
35:30
SPEAKER_04: I'm a VP marketing at Reynolds, and there is nothing better than when you have a product that dealers proactively on their own take videos of and send out and link it's a cool product, that's for sure.
35:42
SPEAKER_04: Man, it's the best thing ever.
35:43
SPEAKER_04: So our customers that get this installed, they absolutely love it.
35:48
SPEAKER_04: I mean, the tech's the parts department loves it, the service manager loves it.
35:51
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, it just it frees up so much in the service drive.
35:56
SPEAKER_04: And it gets the part, uh it's it's pretty simple when you think about it conceptually, right?
36:00
SPEAKER_04: It gets the part to the tech when they need it.
36:02
SPEAKER_04: They never have to leave the bay.
36:03
SPEAKER_04: That's right.
36:04
SPEAKER_04: Um and you know, even if it takes six minutes to to walk to the parts department, pick up your parts and walk back, um, that's a tenth of an hour, right?
36:11
SPEAKER_04: And those those tenths sure add up over the course of a day, a week, and a month.
36:15
SPEAKER_03: Well, and also in addition to that, I will tell you that uh mu it's been my experience that you'll go back there and the technicians will start talking about Monday night football.
36:23
SPEAKER_03: And then all of a sudden that what what was normally three minutes or five minutes is now fifteen or twenty minutes because we'll get into some argument about political situations or football or whatever the case might be, and it's not just pick up the part, go back.
36:36
SPEAKER_03: So uh so I could see where that would be uh very efficient, no question of it.
36:40
SPEAKER_03: It's a really cool item.
36:41
SPEAKER_03: I mean, especially floating around your service department like that.
36:44
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
36:44
SPEAKER_04: So cool.
36:45
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
36:46
SPEAKER_04: No, it's it is, it's fantastic, and yeah, everybody, everybody does.
36:49
SPEAKER_04: They they love it, they promote it.
36:50
SPEAKER_04: Um we actually have uh a Toyota dealership.
36:54
SPEAKER_04: Um they're they kind of sent us a video, they're planning on presenting it as a best practice at one of their Toyota conferences.
36:59
SPEAKER_03: They love it.
37:00
SPEAKER_04: Uh you know, and these dealers just they can't get enough of it.
37:02
SPEAKER_03: That's great.
37:03
SPEAKER_03: So after two days of conversations at Amplify, what one thing you heard, what was the one thing that you heard from dealers that you think the rest of the industry should be paying more attention to?
37:15
SPEAKER_04: Uh let's see, the one thing um you know, I I think it's really about uh utilization.
37:24
SPEAKER_04: Uh that's probably the biggest thing.
37:26
SPEAKER_04: You know, and you hear these these conversations and there's a lot of great ideas out there, and it's how you execute that that really separates the you know the great dealers from the good dealers.
37:35
SPEAKER_04: Sure.
37:35
SPEAKER_04: Um and you know, we think about a lot of the the technology even that we're rolling out, um, and and the best dealers are the ones that are are are utilizing it to its fullest, right?
37:45
SPEAKER_04: And this isn't a new problem.
37:46
SPEAKER_04: This is something that we've talked about for for years and years and years.
37:49
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
37:50
SPEAKER_04: Um but that that's where, and even Amplify by itself, it was was a great success, having kind of workshops to help people get the most out of their out of their tools.
37:58
SPEAKER_04: Sure.
37:59
SPEAKER_04: Um But you know, I think that that sharing, you know, another thing that stood out was was how important people are in our industry.
38:08
SPEAKER_04: Um that really stood out to me, right?
38:10
SPEAKER_04: We're we're a technology company, uh, but it's it's just it's always been this way, right?
38:14
SPEAKER_04: It's people processing technology in that order.
38:16
SPEAKER_04: And and when you talk to dealers, the people are so so important.
38:20
SPEAKER_04: Whether it's people in the store, right?
38:22
SPEAKER_04: So there was a lot of conversation around A players in a store, and you only have so many of them, so you got to deploy them right and give them an opportunity to succeed, um, and conversations around you know, how do you career path people so that you can keep them for quite literally a career?
38:35
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
38:35
SPEAKER_04: A lot of conversations around that.
38:37
SPEAKER_04: Um, but also conversations around people like that that we supply, right?
38:40
SPEAKER_04: We have um uh Reynolds performance managers that are out in the field, and we had some of them at Amplify too.
38:45
SPEAKER_04: But you know, some of these projects that they're doing for dealers, I I see them and I go, man, it's pretty, pretty impressive what utilizing you know the tools in front of you can can do, the impact they can have.
38:56
SPEAKER_04: I there were a couple of that um I saw just last month, it was within the last couple of weeks, examples where we had somebody, there was a dealer in New Mexico, and we had an RPM that that they went out there and they kind of worked with them a little bit, and they just they set up exception tracking, right?
39:10
SPEAKER_04: So, what are the exceptions we ought to look for?
39:12
SPEAKER_04: Um, and they implemented processes to uh kind of manage against those exceptions.
39:17
SPEAKER_04: And this was all in the service department, and their their effective labor rate went from 163 to 180.
39:22
SPEAKER_04: Uh and over the course right, and and so like that's a big jump.
39:25
SPEAKER_04: And ultimately, and it's a pretty big store too.
39:28
SPEAKER_04: So it ended up almost 200k in gross profit dollars in the service department.
39:33
SPEAKER_04: Um just by you know implementing the these utilization processes and and executing on them.
39:39
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, wow, that's fantastic.
39:40
SPEAKER_03: I I would imagine uh the dealers left feeling very good about the overall event.
39:46
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, yeah, they they did.
39:47
SPEAKER_04: And I think the the biggest high note was probably uh Ray, which is our which is our agentic AI assistant, and uh what it's capable of, and and it's it's pretty amazing.
39:58
SPEAKER_04: It wows everybody when they see it.
40:00
SPEAKER_04: And as we roll this out store by store, um, boy, people have just uh they love it.
40:06
SPEAKER_04: They're blown away.
40:07
SPEAKER_04: Um and I think one of the things about Ray that uh that I'll get in the weeds just a little bit here because it's I think it's important is the way that we built it, right?
40:16
SPEAKER_04: We started with the data.
40:17
SPEAKER_04: We started with Spark AI, which is our unified AI data layer, and built that out first.
40:21
SPEAKER_04: Uh, and then you know, we basically gave Ray the context across the entire store.
40:27
SPEAKER_04: So it's it's uh an AI agent that that has the full context window across every department, every tool, every customer, every vehicle.
40:35
SPEAKER_04: Uh and we did that intentionally because when you when you do that, what what the AI is then capable of is almost limitless, right?
40:44
SPEAKER_04: Versus um the other the other way to approach it is you have you know a bunch of different agents.
40:50
SPEAKER_04: So you have a service AI and you have a CRM AI and you have all these different agents uh across the dealership, and then you put a chat bot basically as an interface that'll go tell the agents what to do, uh, which that that can work, but it really limits the scope of what's possible.
41:03
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
41:04
SPEAKER_04: It's kind of whatever that agent has access to and the context window it has access to is what it's gonna be able to go go take action on.
41:12
SPEAKER_04: And uh regardless of what the interface looks like, if it's if it's limited to these specific agents that are able to do a specific set of actions, um ultimately it's it's gonna be uh limited in what it can produce.
41:22
SPEAKER_04: And and so with Ray, we we we actually started down that path and we said pretty quickly, you know what, this this is not gonna deliver what we think our customers need.
41:31
SPEAKER_04: Um so we we re built it as kind of this this overarching context window, which has been really powerful, and it's it's what allows those wow moments when when dealers see that they don't kind of like the oh man, I can do that.
41:44
SPEAKER_04: And then then they just get going down a path, right?
41:46
SPEAKER_04: They they want to go fast for it.
41:47
SPEAKER_03: Oh yeah, for sure.
41:47
SPEAKER_03: It becomes fun.
41:48
SPEAKER_03: I mean, where we are right now with AI, you use AI all the time.
41:52
SPEAKER_03: I I do too.
41:53
SPEAKER_03: Um we use it here at the b at the media company, but uh it's it's so exciting to live during these times because you can imagine where we are right now fast forward just five years.
42:02
SPEAKER_03: Wow.
42:03
SPEAKER_03: And it's it's gonna be amazing.
42:05
SPEAKER_03: And I truly believe, and I know you do too, that this this really can change the efficiencies inside of a dealership to bring down that cost of operation, which is so vitally important now, especially when we see margin compression, you know, back in a big way after COVID and what have you.
42:20
SPEAKER_03: And it's it's all about it's kind of like a used car.
42:22
SPEAKER_03: You make the money buying the car, same thing running a dealership, you make the money on how efficient you can run that dealership, right?
42:29
SPEAKER_03: You're right.
42:30
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, you're right.
42:31
SPEAKER_03: No question about it.
42:32
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
42:32
SPEAKER_00: Greg Uland, thank you so much for joining us today.
42:35
SPEAKER_00: This has been great.
42:36
SPEAKER_00: We have so much to talk about.
42:37
SPEAKER_00: We could go on for a long time.
42:38
SPEAKER_00: So we'll have you back on soon to talk about all the great things that are going on at Reynolds and Reynolds.
42:42
SPEAKER_04: Yep.
42:42
SPEAKER_04: Thanks, Greg.
42:43
SPEAKER_04: Really appreciate it.
42:44
SPEAKER_04: Always a pleasure.
42:45
SPEAKER_04: Do you guys mind?
42:46
SPEAKER_04: Um, you know, this is a live show.
42:47
SPEAKER_04: It's it's September 11th.
42:48
SPEAKER_04: Um, do you mind if I take a minute just to go right ahead?
42:51
SPEAKER_04: We would go right ahead.
42:52
SPEAKER_04: Please do.
42:53
SPEAKER_04: Well, you know, I think it's um I think it is important to remember uh what happened on this day 25 years ago.
42:59
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
42:59
SPEAKER_04: Um it was a pretty, pretty terrible day in our country's history.
43:03
SPEAKER_04: Um our country was attacked and 2,977 people uh lost their lives.
43:09
SPEAKER_04: And they were they were sons and daughters, they were brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, you know, they were there were friends to countless other people.
43:17
SPEAKER_04: And um, you know, in that same day there were there were acts of heroism.
43:22
SPEAKER_04: You're showing some of them on the screen right here, and you know, true selflessness.
43:26
SPEAKER_04: There were first responders that that ran up buildings that were were crumbling, right?
43:29
SPEAKER_04: Just to help others out.
43:31
SPEAKER_04: And there were were civilians on planes who kept kept them from doing more damage.
43:35
SPEAKER_04: Um, but you know, the days and and weeks and months that followed brought really a a compassion and and unity throughout our country that's part of the fabric, I think, of of who we are.
43:48
SPEAKER_04: Um so you know to me, 9 11 is a reminder of of really how lucky we are to live and work in the United States of America.
43:55
SPEAKER_04: Um it's a reminder to look out for one another.
43:58
SPEAKER_04: It's a reminder that uh when We come together, we're so much stronger than when we're divided.
44:04
SPEAKER_04: So I just I I hope that um everybody remembers the 2977 people who lost their lives uh 25 years ago today.
44:13
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, and and carry forward you know some of those principles of selflessness and kindness that were were displayed that day.
44:20
SPEAKER_04: We're we're lucky to be part of the greatest industry in the world, I truly believe that, and in the greatest country in the world.
44:26
SPEAKER_04: And um, you know, today and every day I hope we can remember to help each other a little bit, to lift each other up and and do something together.
44:33
SPEAKER_04: So appreciate you guys.
44:34
SPEAKER_04: I appreciate you having me on today.
44:36
SPEAKER_03: Well said, Yes, yes, thank you for those words.
44:38
SPEAKER_03: Yes, absolutely.
44:39
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, thank you for those very nice words.
44:41
SPEAKER_03: I know it means a lot to a lot of people that are listening.
44:43
SPEAKER_03: So thank you.
44:44
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
44:45
SPEAKER_00: All right.
44:46
SPEAKER_03: Yep, yep, we gotta have him back for sure.
44:48
SPEAKER_00: For sure.
44:48
SPEAKER_00: We will see you next time, Greg.
44:49
SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for having me.
44:50
SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much, Greg.
44:53
SPEAKER_03: He's right.
44:53
SPEAKER_00: Well said, yes.
44:54
SPEAKER_00: Well very well said.
44:55
SPEAKER_00: Right.
44:56
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm glad he took a minute to to talk about that as well.
44:59
SPEAKER_00: So thank you, Greg.
45:01
SPEAKER_00: Um so we have a few more things to cover before we close out.
45:04
SPEAKER_00: Um, one of that, it is time for our dealer of the week.
45:08
SPEAKER_00: This week, we're recognizing Fred Beans Automotive Group, a family-owned organization that has grown to 30 dealerships and 20 brands across Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
45:18
SPEAKER_00: Just this summer, nine Fred Beans Ford and Lincoln dealerships hosted blood drives for the American Red Cross, collecting 282 units of blood in a single month.
45:29
SPEAKER_00: That brought the group's lifetime total to more than 2,500 units donated.
45:34
SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
45:35
SPEAKER_00: I know they're great.
45:35
SPEAKER_00: And earlier this year, the group also donated$50,000 to eight local food pantries and hunger-fighting organizations.
45:45
SPEAKER_00: And they seem to put that same emphasis on their people.
45:48
SPEAKER_00: Fred Beans was recently named one of Philadelphia's um best places to work for the eighth consecutive year.
45:55
SPEAKER_00: And Fred's Fred Beans has talked for years about the idea of doing well by doing good.
46:00
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
46:01
SPEAKER_00: And I think this is a great example of what that looks like.
46:04
SPEAKER_00: And at the dealership level, especially.
46:06
SPEAKER_00: So congratulations to Fred Beans Automotive Group, CBT's dealer of the week.
46:11
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
46:11
SPEAKER_03: So deserving of the year.
46:13
SPEAKER_03: Very, very deserving of the week.
46:14
SPEAKER_03: And you know, it was a it was funny uh with with what uh Greg Ulin's comments were, you know, and then to go right into that.
46:21
SPEAKER_00: I know, right?
46:21
SPEAKER_00: Dealers give.
46:22
SPEAKER_00: This is such a great industry.
46:23
SPEAKER_00: It really is.
46:24
SPEAKER_00: Like I said, I'm so proud to be a part of it.
46:26
SPEAKER_03: Yes, yes, absolutely.
46:27
SPEAKER_03: And we have been for 14 years.
46:28
SPEAKER_03: Yes, and a little bit longer.
46:31
SPEAKER_00: I'm 14 years.
46:31
SPEAKER_00: You're looking for it.
46:32
SPEAKER_03: I've I've been in it for 400 years.
46:34
SPEAKER_00: Exactly, exactly.
46:35
SPEAKER_00: You go way back.
46:36
SPEAKER_00: Tell people how long I've been in.
46:38
SPEAKER_03: You are a line.
46:38
SPEAKER_00: You are no way.
46:40
SPEAKER_00: You look so young.
46:42
SPEAKER_00: That's why.
46:44
SPEAKER_00: That's why.
46:44
SPEAKER_00: So, you know what else is great about this industry is the creativity and the humor that comes from it.
46:50
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
46:51
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
46:51
SPEAKER_03: No question about it.
46:52
SPEAKER_03: It's a perfect segue.
46:53
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
46:53
SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
46:54
SPEAKER_03: That's exactly right.
46:54
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
46:55
SPEAKER_03: So I want to show this clip first, and then I will give you my my take on it.
47:01
SPEAKER_03: I love Russ from Russ Flips Wits.
47:03
SPEAKER_03: Flips Whips.
47:04
SPEAKER_03: You guys all know him.
47:05
SPEAKER_03: Uh, he's very creative.
47:07
SPEAKER_03: I love his energy level.
47:08
SPEAKER_03: This guy knows how to use social media.
47:11
SPEAKER_03: And I just I love following the guy.
47:13
SPEAKER_03: And I I know you all do too.
47:15
SPEAKER_03: So take a look at this clip that he did, and then I want to make some comments on it.
47:18
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for the new truck, man.
47:19
SPEAKER_01: I think I'm all good to go.
47:20
SPEAKER_01: All right, you got any questions?
47:21
SPEAKER_01: No, I think I'm all good now.
47:23
SPEAKER_01: Hey, uh, looks like it's on E.
47:25
SPEAKER_01: I think they forgot to fill up the truck.
47:26
SPEAKER_01: You guys mind filling it up for me?
47:27
SPEAKER_01: It got only a little bit of gas in it.
47:28
SPEAKER_01: Uh, well, it is a used car.
47:30
SPEAKER_01: We just sell them as is, so whatever gas is in it when it comes in here, we just sell it like that.
47:34
SPEAKER_01: It literally has six miles till empty, bro.
47:35
SPEAKER_01: I don't even know how I'll make it to the gas station.
47:37
SPEAKER_01: Or is a gas station five miles up the street?
47:38
SPEAKER_01: You think you'd be alright?
47:39
SPEAKER_01: You're kidding me, bro.
47:40
SPEAKER_01: I just spent 40,000.
47:41
SPEAKER_01: You're not gonna fill me up?
47:42
SPEAKER_01: Listen, it's a used car.
47:43
SPEAKER_01: We sell them as it is.
47:44
SPEAKER_01: But my trade-in literally has a full tank of gas.
47:46
SPEAKER_01: I don't know what to tell you, man.
47:47
SPEAKER_01: That's just what the managers told me to do, so.
47:49
SPEAKER_01: I see how it is.
47:50
SPEAKER_01: Um, oh, you know what?
47:51
SPEAKER_01: I forgot, actually.
47:52
SPEAKER_01: I left my garage door opener in my trade-in.
47:54
SPEAKER_01: Can you go pull my trade-in up real quick so I can grab that and then I'll be out of your hair?
47:56
SPEAKER_01: Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.
47:57
SPEAKER_01: Not a problem, man.
47:58
SPEAKER_01: Let me go get it.
47:58
SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
47:59
SPEAKER_01: Hey, man, I didn't see a garage door opener.
48:02
SPEAKER_01: Hey wait, what are you doing?
48:03
SPEAKER_01: Hey, wait, hey, wait a second, what are you doing?
48:05
SPEAKER_01: It's not like you can't do that.
48:08
SPEAKER_01: No, no, no, no.
48:08
SPEAKER_01: This is our core.
48:10
SPEAKER_01: No, no, that's my gas.
48:11
SPEAKER_01: No, seriously, all right, all right, chill out, man.
48:13
SPEAKER_01: We'll we'll fill up your tank, okay?
48:15
SPEAKER_01: That's what I thought.
48:16
SPEAKER_01: All right, geez.
48:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, just use your car.
48:18
SPEAKER_01: Go fill up my gas tank, sport.
48:19
SPEAKER_01: Don't play around.
48:21
SPEAKER_03: Sport.
48:24
SPEAKER_03: It's amazing.
48:24
SPEAKER_03: The guy was a car salesman, right?
48:26
SPEAKER_03: And he's really become an actor now.
48:28
SPEAKER_03: I know.
48:28
SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
48:28
SPEAKER_03: He's he does that so well.
48:30
SPEAKER_03: But I do want to say for dealers out there, okay, if you're still delivering cars, okay, on a half a tank and a quarter of a tank, and by the way, if you say, well, it's a used car, we only filled them up on new cars because of the CSI and the OEMs demanding that, okay?
48:44
SPEAKER_03: What are you doing?
48:46
SPEAKER_03: That used car is a new car to a family, okay?
48:49
SPEAKER_03: They don't buy it and put pull in the driveway and go, hey, look at the used car I bought.
48:53
SPEAKER_03: It's new to that, to that customer and it means a lot.
48:55
SPEAKER_03: But most importantly, nobody wants to make their first trip, you know, just a couple of miles down the road to a gas station, especially right now.
49:02
SPEAKER_00: Do you think there are that many dealers really not sending people off with a full tank of gas?
49:07
SPEAKER_03: Yes.
49:07
SPEAKER_03: Okay.
49:08
SPEAKER_03: Because they're running the numbers and they go, hey, we sell 300 cars a month, and if we can s if we can save, you know, 50 bucks a car or$25 a car, you do the math, that's a lot of money.
49:18
SPEAKER_03: Um, but it's not a lot of money.
49:20
SPEAKER_03: I mean, it's it's you've got to spend it.
49:21
SPEAKER_03: By the way, these are the same deal.
49:23
SPEAKER_03: And I know I'm painting with a broad brush.
49:24
SPEAKER_03: So please don't send me.
49:25
SPEAKER_03: If you're doing a great job and you're filling up your gas tanks, great.
49:28
SPEAKER_03: I love you for doing that.
49:30
SPEAKER_03: So do the customers.
49:31
SPEAKER_03: But for you people out there that you know who you are, okay, that's not filling up these tanks for customers, they don't the best thing in the world, they get in and they see this beautiful shiny car that's been completely detailed, and you know, you can slide off of the dashboard because of how much armor all is on there.
49:45
SPEAKER_03: But they don't want to look down at the gas tank and go, oh my God, I just spent 30,000 bucks on a used car, 40,000, maybe you know, even more, maybe$100,000.
49:54
SPEAKER_03: And they got they have a half a tank of gas in there.
49:57
SPEAKER_03: Right.
49:57
SPEAKER_03: And it's it's it's a bad it's it's like one of those, oh man, you gotta be kidding me, you know?
50:02
SPEAKER_03: Yes, what's going on?
50:03
SPEAKER_03: And by the way, I will tell you, as a salesperson for a very short period of time, um, the reality is is that that hurts, that would hurt the salesperson as well.
50:12
SPEAKER_03: They take that out on the salesperson because when they do the review, they go, I can't believe it.
50:16
SPEAKER_03: I spent 40 grand on a on a car with XYZ motors.
50:19
SPEAKER_03: I got in and I had a quarter of a tank, or I had half a tank of gas in it.
50:22
SPEAKER_00: And you might have this tremendous experience, everything goes great, and they're in love with the dealership and the salesperson and everything.
50:28
SPEAKER_00: And then they get to that that last moment and it's like on a quarter tank, and it's the worst.
50:33
SPEAKER_00: It's like wall, wall.
50:34
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly.
50:35
unknown: Yeah.
50:36
SPEAKER_03: It's kind of like when you get in a rent a car.
50:37
SPEAKER_03: Sometimes I've gotten into rent a cars where it's like, hey, we're gonna, we've got a two-hour drive ahead of us or a three-hour drive, and and and the the gas tank will be on a quarter of a tank or a half a tank.
50:46
SPEAKER_03: And they're like, hey, I just want to make a note that you know the gas is half a tank.
50:48
SPEAKER_03: Like you're gonna be kidding me.
50:50
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
50:50
SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh.
50:51
SPEAKER_03: Anyway, that's my uh that's my my my comment of the day.
50:55
SPEAKER_03: Um, fill up the tank, put a fill, put a full tank of gas in.
50:59
SPEAKER_03: And by the way, I want to hear from you if you have a really good excuse or reason as to why you don't fill the tank up, I would love to hear that.
51:06
SPEAKER_03: Okay.
51:07
SPEAKER_03: Maybe there is one.
51:08
SPEAKER_03: So what?
51:08
SPEAKER_03: Maybe there, maybe someone has a good excuse.
51:10
SPEAKER_03: I don't know.
51:10
SPEAKER_03: Maybe some oh, and by the way, I was gonna add one other thing to this.
51:13
SPEAKER_03: Some of those dealers are charging a thousand dollars for a dock fee or a delivery fee, okay?
51:19
SPEAKER_03: If I'm paying a thousand bucks for a delivery fee and you're not even putting gas in the car, now I really feel ripped off on the dock fee.
51:26
SPEAKER_03: You know what I mean?
51:26
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, all great.
51:27
SPEAKER_00: Am I crazy on this?
51:28
SPEAKER_00: Oh, no, we're not crazy.
51:29
SPEAKER_00: No, no.
51:30
SPEAKER_00: As yeah.
51:31
SPEAKER_03: No.
51:32
SPEAKER_03: Okay.
51:32
SPEAKER_00: We're crazy.
51:33
SPEAKER_03: That's right.
51:35
SPEAKER_00: It's gonna be a great weekend.
51:36
SPEAKER_03: It's Friday, guys.
51:37
SPEAKER_03: This is tomorrow's game day.
51:39
SPEAKER_03: In more ways than one, by the way.
51:40
SPEAKER_03: We got college football, we got professional NFL football.
51:43
SPEAKER_03: It's a big weekend, but as you all know, Saturdays uh mean big deals in in the showroom.
51:49
SPEAKER_00: So unless you're Cherokee Mitsubishi.
51:51
SPEAKER_00: There was a sorry.
51:54
SPEAKER_03: Oh my god, you're right.
51:55
SPEAKER_00: I didn't mean that as a dig.
51:56
SPEAKER_00: I'm just saying they hate their Cherokee.
51:58
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
51:58
SPEAKER_00: They will be closed.
51:59
SPEAKER_03: If you saw yesterday's show, Jonathan us and the dealer principal at Cherokee Mitsubishi closed on Saturday and Sunday.
52:04
unknown: Yeah.
52:05
SPEAKER_03: Right.
52:05
SPEAKER_03: So go back to the show.
52:06
SPEAKER_03: You'll probably get an inundated with applications.
52:08
SPEAKER_03: I want to work there.
52:08
SPEAKER_03: Oh my God.
52:09
SPEAKER_03: I can still be in the car business.
52:10
SPEAKER_00: I know he's getting a lot of texts.
52:12
SPEAKER_03: We will be following that story very closely.
52:14
SPEAKER_03: He's a great guy.
52:15
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
52:16
SPEAKER_03: And very innovative, but uh, but yeah, that that's funny you should mention that.
52:19
SPEAKER_03: So anyway, for the rest of you dealers that are not closed on Saturday, big day tomorrow.
52:23
SPEAKER_03: Okay, and uh you know, it it's you gotta make it the most of it.
52:27
SPEAKER_03: I saw a study not long ago that said 65% of all deals can be tracked back to Saturday.
52:34
SPEAKER_03: Isn't that crazy?
52:35
SPEAKER_03: Wow.
52:36
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, what I mean, maybe you took delivery on a Wednesday, but the deal started on Saturday.
52:40
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
52:40
SPEAKER_03: You know, in maybe virtually or in store.
52:43
SPEAKER_03: You know, they stop by the dealership, but they didn't pick the car up yet, or then they decide or what have you.
52:47
SPEAKER_03: 65% of all deals track back to Saturday.
52:50
SPEAKER_03: So if you think that Saturday is not important, you're crazy.
52:53
SPEAKER_03: And uh go out and get yourself a hat trick, okay?
52:56
SPEAKER_03: And because it can be done, you're laughing because I'm using all the terminology.
53:00
SPEAKER_03: Get a hat trick, it can be done.
53:01
SPEAKER_03: Get your managers involved, even if the manager has to take care of your customer while they wait to get an F and I.
53:10
SPEAKER_03: Just, you know, just take good care of your manager, go buy them lunch or something, or her lunch, and and they will help you.
53:17
SPEAKER_03: At least they should help you.
53:18
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
53:18
SPEAKER_03: Right?
53:19
SPEAKER_00: Should I stop them now, folks?
53:20
SPEAKER_03: Stop me now.
53:21
SPEAKER_03: God, I used to get in so much trouble because I would I put my people in in finance in the F and I office.
53:26
SPEAKER_03: I'm like, all right, that'll that'll buy me an hour, right?
53:28
SPEAKER_03: And then I go out and grab another up, or another customer would come in that goes, Jim, yeah, I'm here for my two o'clock.
53:32
SPEAKER_03: I'm like, oh my God.
53:34
SPEAKER_03: Then I would get in trouble every time.
53:35
SPEAKER_03: They'd go, Fitzpatrick, are you working two deals at one time?
53:39
SPEAKER_03: Yes, I am.
53:42
SPEAKER_03: But you better close those deals.
53:43
SPEAKER_03: If you're working two deals at once, you gotta have a responsibility.
53:47
SPEAKER_03: Close the deals, okay?
53:49
SPEAKER_03: Otherwise, you're gonna get your head handed to you.
53:51
SPEAKER_00: Right.
53:51
SPEAKER_03: All right.
53:51
SPEAKER_00: All right, you have anything else to add there, Jim?
53:53
SPEAKER_03: Because make a big, big, big day.
53:56
SPEAKER_03: Big day.
53:57
SPEAKER_00: Oh, thank you so much for joining us, everyone.
53:58
SPEAKER_00: We'll see you right back here on Monday, noon Eastern.
54:01
SPEAKER_00: We've got some great guests coming up next week.
54:03
SPEAKER_00: Jeremy Bieber will join us, Edston will join us, Jay Lasco.
54:07
SPEAKER_00: So be sure to tune in next to all these great conversations.
54:10
SPEAKER_03: And by the way, I'm already there's gonna be a lot of people out there uh this weekend.
54:14
SPEAKER_03: I might add this.
54:15
SPEAKER_03: I'm adding more shopping for their car.
54:17
SPEAKER_03: No, because Bridge, everybody's gonna get a check for$5,000.
54:20
SPEAKER_03: Oh, okay.
54:21
SPEAKER_03: You get one, I get one.
54:22
SPEAKER_03: It's like Oprah.
54:23
SPEAKER_03: You get a check and you get a check, and you get a check.
54:24
SPEAKER_00: But we have to vote Republican.
54:26
SPEAKER_03: Oh, we do?
54:26
SPEAKER_03: Okay.
54:27
SPEAKER_03: Well, let's see.
54:28
SPEAKER_00: That's what he said.
54:28
SPEAKER_03: I not him.
54:30
SPEAKER_03: I'm not saying what side of the aisle that I'm on.
54:32
SPEAKER_03: Many of you have got an opinion on that.
54:33
SPEAKER_03: I'm not saying, but uh I will I will say that I'm gonna get my check.
54:37
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
54:38
SPEAKER_00: Well, well, then you're voting Republican.
54:39
SPEAKER_03: Then I'm adding it to the two grand that he sent me a couple years ago.
54:43
SPEAKER_03: All right, guys.
54:43
SPEAKER_03: Enough.
54:44
SPEAKER_03: Enough for today.
54:45
SPEAKER_03: Enough.
54:45
SPEAKER_03: Have a great weekend.
54:46
SPEAKER_00: And we will see you on Monday.
54:47
SPEAKER_03: Yes.
55:12
SPEAKER_07: Look at the look every number of things on the first day, night on the break.