As consumers’ needs for personalized experiences continue to grow more apparent, I’ve seen over and over again how companies continue to fail to listen to — and therefore deliver — what customers really want.
Jack Kain Ford powers its dealership with FordDirect’s innovative Platform Solution program.
In an era defined by the convenience of online shopping and on-demand services, consumers increasingly expect brand interactions to be personalized and frictionless.
I’ve worked with my fair share of dealerships over the years, and I’ve seen firsthand how fragmented technology, shifting consumer behavior, and rising costs can slow even the best teams down.
Streaming platforms are now able to predict film choices before viewers even know what they want to watch, and targeted ads align almost magically with recent web searches.
Dealerships across the country have come under intense scrutiny in the wake of several Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuits, raising the question: are they truly engaging in deceptive practices, or is something else at play?
After it was certified into the INFINITI website program, INFINITI OF DENVER added Apollo® Sites to their product portfolio to further enhance the customer experience at their dealership.
Digital innovation is reshaping every industry and there is an increasing need for personalization from consumers. The auto retail industry is no exception to this shift, and dealerships across the nation have seen the costs of not keeping up with digital innovation.
There is power in bringing industry stakeholders together. Each conversation ignites a spark, and if you nurture that spark, it can become the driving force that propels your business and the entire industry to new heights.
A car buyer clicks an online ad touting a low monthly payment or a “Get Today’s Best Price” pop-up.
Digitize the car buying experience. Our digital retailing tool, Transact, is built natively into Apollo Sites, further integrating the online and in-store shopping experience. Without ever leaving your website, customers can easily check their credit, apply a trade-in, obtain financing, and even have their vehicle delivered straight to their home.
Customize payments with ease. Transact includes an advanced payment calculator, allowing customers to desk their own deal on the fly. Payments reflect current rebates, incentives, all taxes and fees, customer equity and your preferred pricing.
Pre-qualify your customers in seconds. Our credit pre-qualification tool empowers shoppers to personalize their payments with zero impact on their credit. Powered by our exclusive integration with Equifax, consumers can access preferred bank rates and terms based on tiered credit scores.
Drive more leads with online financing. Make it easier than ever for customers to obtain financing with our fully integrated financing application. Our native financing solution offers customers a streamlined and convenient way to apply for financing while shopping on your website.
Elevate the customer experience with touchless delivery. Provide unrivaled convenience for the customer with seamless vehicle delivery. Thanks to Apollo’s integrations with RedCap and Draiver, car buyers can have their new vehicle delivered straight to their doorstep for a truly frictionless end-to-end retail experience.
Meet your AI-powered lead management system. Streamline your team’s workflow with a single dashboard view that enables them to quickly gauge their top prospects, identify active shoppers, and engage new opportunities.
Gain insight into every customer interaction. The Command Center’s Customer Journey Report provides you unparalleled access to every step of the customer’s path to purchase, from email opens to digital ad engagements and website actions. This comprehensive view offers valuable attribution insights for your marketing strategies and empowers your team to personalize every interaction, ultimately boosting your ROI.
Get instant notifications for active shoppers. Improve your close rates with Apollo’s Active Shopper Alerts. Receive notifications when customers are shopping, customizing a quote, scheduling service, completing a high-cost repair order, or contacting your dealership from the website. Apollo will also notify you when customers are in positive equity, with upcoming lease, loan and warranty expirations, and more.
Improve visibility and automate lead nurturing. Apollo’s automated Deal Alerts keep you informed of changes to customer ranks, highlighting potential transactions. This proactive approach allows for strategic engagements with customers to help your sales and service teams close more deals more efficiently.
Identify your top prospects with ease. The Apollo Command Center’s intuitive scoring system contains over 25 customizable settings tailored to past buyers, service-only customers, and conquest prospects, enabling your team to effortlessly prioritize leads and automate follow-ups with your top prospects for maximum efficiency.
Personalize every interaction. The Command Center seamlessly integrates with your CRM, empowering your team with comprehensive customer insights driving meaningful interactions at every stage of the vehicle ownership lifecycle.
Introducing your online assistant. An industry first, AssistantAI is designed to replace traditional chat tools with a more user-friendly solution for online customer service. Powered by Apollo and Google AI, AssistantAI intuitively answers questions and seamlessly guides customers through routine inquiries like scheduling service or requesting a quote.
Serve your customers 5x faster. Customers today face frustration with traditional chat tools’ lengthy processes and lack of real assistance. With AssistantAI’s innovative website and DMS integration, our technology can access a customer’s unique profile to personalize each interaction, providing superior service that results in a transaction in under 45 seconds.
Boost your ROI. AssistantAI makes it easier than ever for your customers to complete sales and service transactions on your website, leading to the highest completion rate in the industry. The AI-powered assistant can even proactively pull customers into the sales funnel by starting conversations with in-market shoppers who are ready to transact.
Expert Lead Generation. Not only does AssistantAI help you capture leads, but it also creates two exclusive new lead types for your dealership by encouraging shoppers to opt into price drops and exclusive deal notifications on their vehicle of interest. Every lead populates in the Command Center in real-time, empowering your sales and service teams with actionable insights.
One website, two experiences. Just like Amazon, customers can choose to utilize your public website or log in for a customized retail experience tailored to their unique customer profile.
Powered by your DMS. Apollo seamlessly integrates with your DMS, harnessing your first-party data goldmines to create personalized websites for each customer.
Personal vehicle details. When a customer logs in, they are greeted with their name and current vehicle details, including their current payment, pay-off, mileage, trade value, open recalls, and complete service history with your dealership.
Dynamic website banners. Enjoy automated banner updates that dynamically reflect each customer’s shopping activity and your latest specials—no manual intervention required. Plus, when a shopper returns to your website, their last viewed vehicle takes the spotlight in the banner, ensuring a personalized and enticing experience every time they visit.
Upgrade customers to their next vehicle. With Upgrade Matrix®, our patented trade pattern prediction tool, you can predict and promote a customer’s next vehicle with 85% accuracy.
Make scheduling service a breeze. Proven to generate 4x the number of service appointments as the leading 3rd party providers, Apollo recommends relevant services for every customer based on their unique service history and activity status with your dealership. Customers can apply coupons and schedule service with optional pickup and delivery in seconds. It’s also integrated with Xtime for automated DMS writebacks.
Collect customer favorites. Make it easy for customers to save their favorite vehicles and review their customized payments.
Stay top of mind every time. Our team of SEO experts enhance website performance with comprehensive optimization techniques designed to improve site speed, navigation, and search engine performance, securing top organic search placements for increased visibility and engagement.
Link Building | Local Listing Distribution | Citation Building & Optimization
Dynamic Model Research Pages. Approximately 50% of consumers visiting your website have never purchased your brand. Wow shoppers with beautiful OEM images and comprehensive vehicle details to assist in the vehicle research process. Serving as virtual vehicle brochures, these pages highlight model features, showcase trim levels and paint options, and even include vehicle walk-through videos. They also feature exclusive Model Release pages for major new models before their official launch.
Actionable insights & reporting. Apollo Sites is integrated with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to monitor website performance, content engagement, traffic trends, and conversion metrics. As a founding member of the Automotive Standards Council (ASC), we ensure that your website is tagged and measured to the highest industry standards. Our detailed reporting provides insights that empower data-driven decisions for SEO strategy improvement.
Reach potential customers anytime, anywhere. Advid creates compliant video advertisements at scale, enabling you to captivate in-market shoppers with relevant ads across streaming sessions, online articles and more.
Connect your advertising across multiple devices. With the dynamic combination of Advid and Apollo, we can automatically create OEM-compliant video ads that mirror your digital campaigns, ensuring uniform offers and messaging across all devices and platforms for every customer.
Maximize marketing spend with advanced targeting. While OTT helps you reach a wider audience, Apollo ensures you reach the right one. We use both first- and third-party data to provide a more sophisticated and efficient strategy that identifies your Perfect Market®, ensuring your spend is concentrated on in-market shoppers who are ready to buy. Plus, we cut out the middlemen, enabling us to secure lower CPMs – even on the most premium inventory.
Stay top of mind across the web. Apollo automatically designs compliant display banners and targets online shoppers with model-specific ads while they browse the web, increasing brand visibility and boosting promotions.
Retarget website visitors with dynamic display remarketing. 92% of consumers visiting your website for the first time aren’t there to buy. Automatically retarget those shoppers with dynamic display ads for the exact vehicle they shopped for, down to the VIN level.
Reach new online shoppers with in-market display ads. Want to reach active shoppers who haven’t visited your website? Apollo targets in-market consumers with the vehicle they are shopping for based on their digital footprint, such as search patterns, website content visited, and thousands of other digital touchpoints, helping you conquest new customers with ease.
Attract local shoppers with scroll-stopping vehicle ads. Embrace the power of social media with hyper-personalized ads delivered to interested shoppers. Apollo Ads utilizes Oracle data to target a broader in-market audience with personalized sales and service offers designed to re-engage shoppers with the exact vehicle or offer they are looking for.
Expand your pre-owned showroom on Facebook Marketplace. Increase the visibility of the pre-owned vehicles on your lot to customers who are looking to buy. Create compelling automotive inventory ads enriched with vehicle-specific information such as model details, price, mileage and more.
Save time and stress with automated ads. Apollo Ads automatically creates VIN-based ads for every vehicle on your lot. All ads are updated daily with OEM and dealer incentives, pricing, and inventory adjustments, keeping you 100% compliant 100% of the time.
Drive more transactions with connected advertising. Each ad directs customers to a landing page featuring a consistent offer, ensuring a seamless customer experience and increased transactions.
Capture shopper interest through dynamic video advertising. Engage potential buyers on YouTube with compliant, payment-based video ads powered by Apollo and video technology giant Advid®.
Automatically create video ads for every vehicle. Apollo Ads’ video technology automates the entire video creation, distribution, and management process, even allowing you to pick from our premium selection of voiceovers to find the perfect voice for your brand. This level of automation makes it easier than ever to advertise every new and used model in your inventory.
Keep your ads up-to-date without the hassle. Apollo’s advanced integration ensures that your offers remain consistent across your website, digital ads, and video ads, with automatic nightly updates reflecting the latest pricing, incentives, and inventory changes.
Drive more traffic to your store. Apollo’s video ads are optimized toward store visits, maximizing market performance. Plus, with Apollo’s advanced reporting capabilities, you can effortlessly monitor video performance, enabling accurate attribution.
Show up at the top of search pages. Apollo Ads generates the industry’s best-performing search ads for new, used, certified, and service departments targeted to your perfect market. Our ads are strategically crafted to match consumer intent, incorporating A/B testing with up to 5 variants per ad and 3 variants per price extension to deliver maximum impact.
Increase conversions with Vehicle Listing Ads (VLAs). VLAs play a critical role in engaging online shoppers at ready-to-buy moments, driving highly qualified leads to your website. Optimized for both online and offline conversions, these ads prominently display detailed vehicle information at the top of search results pages based on relevant queries, effectively moving shoppers closer to a transaction.
Give shoppers exactly what they’re searching for. Apollo writes every ad with the customer in mind, featuring to-the-penny lease and finance payments based on the latest OEM incentives, rebates, and preferred dealer pricing. Each ad includes feature-rich content like unique vehicle features, the number you have in stock, and even other models that the consumer is likely to purchase.
Optimize your ads for maximum ROI. Apollo conducts real-time market analysis to deliver geo-targeted ads in areas with the highest conversion potential based on your search activity and historical transaction patterns. Each ad is optimized for store visits, enabling you to track customers who visit your dealership and complete transactions, providing precise ROI attribution for your marketing strategies.
Marketing Director | Toyota of Tampa Bay and Sun Toyota, Morgan Auto Group
With 13 years of experience in the automotive industry, Lynne Hudson has built a successful career, progressing from car salesperson to sales manager and gaining a deep understanding of dealership operations and customer dynamics. For the past six years, she has served as the Marketing Director for two Morgan Auto Group dealerships—Toyota of Tampa Bay and Sun Toyota—where she oversees lead generation, team productivity, and process optimization, driving measurable results.
VP & GM
Paragon Honda | Paragon Acura
Owner
White Plains Honda
Brian Benstock’s career in the automotive industry began in May 1982. Under the guidance of his mentor, Paul Singer, Benstock absorbed the intricate nuances of the automotive world and the principles of running a successful dealership. This foundational experience set the stage for Benstock’s future success, as he quickly demonstrated a keen aptitude for sales and a profound understanding of customer relations.
Benstock’s forward-thinking vision centers on creating a “frictionless” customer experience. His dedication to continuous learning and process optimization has not only contributed to his success but has also cemented his role as a key partner within the organization. Beyond his professional achievements, Benstock is deeply passionate about his family, cherishing his roles as a proud father and husband.
CEO | FordDirect
Dean Stoneley is chief executive officer at FordDirect. As CEO, he leads the team responsible for bringing together the worlds of digital, data, and technology to deliver best-in-class marketing and advertising solutions to Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, consistent with the customer-focused Ford+ plan for growth and value creation.
An accomplished executive with an agile leadership approach, a strong customer focus, and a knack for modernizing marketing functions in roles around the world, Dean oversees the rich digital connections that help FordDirect connect the Ford and Lincoln brands with the consumers served by dealerships across the United States.
Prior to joining FordDirect in 2022, Dean built tremendous relationships within Ford Motor Company over a span of 30 years. He was most recently the general manager, North America Truck at Ford. In this role, he built a team with end-to-end responsibility for Ford’s successful pick-up truck portfolio. During his tenure, F-Series extended its streak as the best-selling truck in America to 45 consecutive years. Dean launched the all-new Ford Maverick, the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2022 North America Truck of the Year.
Previously, Dean was president and CEO of the Ford Motor Company of Canada, where Ford is the No. 1 brand in the market. During his tenure, he worked closely with the Canadian government and Unifor to secure Oakville Assembly Complex as a BEV manufacturing site for the company.
Dean’s background with Ford has been predominantly in the marketing space, where he has held key marketing leadership roles in the U.S., Canada, Southern Africa, and Asia-Pacific markets. While based in China, he was vice president and director of marketing for a new joint venture with ChangAn Ford, responsible for marketing, sales, and service of Ford vehicles in China.
Dean is a past chairperson of the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council and member of the board of the Canadian Marketing Association. He graduated from Western University with a bachelor’s degree. He is married with three children, enjoys music, photography, and fine arts, and is a car and motorcycle enthusiast.
Sr. Manager, Dealer Digital & Relationship Marketing | Toyota Motor North America
During her 18-year career with Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), Lindsay Lee spent the first 10 years in the Toyota and Lexus field organizations, where she developed a deep understanding of dealer operations and built strong relationships in multiple markets across the country. Since 2017, Lindsay has been dedicated to marketing strategy, planning, and implementation where she has led several teams through the development of award-winning vehicle and brand campaigns.
Currently, Lindsay is the Senior Manager responsible for Toyota Dealer Digital and Relationship Marketing. Lindsay’s application of her extensive research on the dealer website experience led to a complete overhaul of the Toyota Dealer Digital Solutions (TDDS) certified website program. With the goal of a uniquely-Toyota, customer-centric experience, she successfully brought to life a program that has simplified homepage designs, reduced pop-ups, and improved quality and overall site speed on Toyota dealer websites. Lindsay continues to lead her team to develop program enhancements that exemplify Toyota’s commitment to the customer experience. Outside of Toyota, Lindsay loves to travel with her husband and two young girls.
CMO | Sames Auto Group
Patricia Muyshondt is a seasoned marketing executive with extensive expertise in the automotive industry. As the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Sames Auto Group, the oldest dealership in Texas, she spearheads all marketing and advertising initiatives, driving brand growth, enhancing customer engagement, and increasing revenue. Previously, Patricia served as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Grupo Q Central America, where she oversaw multi-country marketing operations. She skillfully managed budgets, implemented innovative eCommerce strategies, and elevated branding efforts across highly competitive and dynamic markets. With a passion for innovation and a customer-centric approach, Patricia thrives on helping companies navigate the complexities of the ever-evolving auto industry. Her focus has always been on understanding and improving the customer journey—analyzing every touchpoint to create seamless, impactful brand experiences. Beyond her professional achievements, Patricia’s love for cars inspires her work and fuels her drive to push boundaries in automotive marketing.
COO | Coral Springs Automall
Jack Jackintelle (JJ) is a visionary leader and renowned automotive executive with a storied career spanning almost 4 decades. His journey is marked by an unwavering commitment to excellence, an unrelenting drive for results and a proven track record of success.
JJ’s entry into the automotive industry began in 1985 in Houston, Texas, where he quickly rose through the ranks from salesman to sales manager and general manager. In 1994, he purchased his first Toyota dealership in Ohio and a second Toyota dealership in Pittsburg in 1998. In 2002, JJ sold his dealerships and left the Midwest to relocate to Florida with his family, where he joined Group 1 as Platform President for 5 years. JJ later served as the President and Chief Operating Officer at Rick Case Automotive for 10 years and currently holds the position of Chief Operating Officer at Page Automotive Group since 2018.
Throughout his distinguished career, JJ has remained steadfast in his belief of a merit-based culture, emphasizing clearly defined KPI’s and non-negotiables. His influence has inspired countless professionals, and his legacy continues to shape the automotive industry.
Co-Founder & CEO | Team Velocity
Self-made and innovative, David is a pioneer in auto industry technology. Throughout his impressive career, he has owned numerous companies in the automotive, tech, RV, marine and real estate sectors. Boice co-founded two of the largest tech and consulting companies (AutoMark and CyberCar) in the automotive trade, with an enterprise value of $200 million. He co-founded his first technology company, AutoMark, with his father at 22, selling in 2000 as part of one of the largest technology transactions in the automotive industry. In 2008, he broke through a challenging economy and co-founded Team Velocity, a leading marketing technology provider serving the automotive industry.
Founder & CEO | Car Dealership Guy
Yossi J. Levi is the founder of Car Dealership Guy, the leading media platform in automotive retail, sharing content, news, and insights to help dealers and industry professionals stay informed and ahead.
His journey in the car business started at 14, working at his dad’s small used car lot in Philly, where he saw a clear need for more transparency in the industry.
In 2018, he launched Gettacar, a fully online auto retailer that sold over 3,000 cars a year nationwide, backed by $50M in funding from investors like 3L Capital, Luxor Capital, Headline, and Torch. By 2021, sales had grown 270% year-over-year, reaching $80M annually. But, as life would have it, the market shifted, competition became brutal, and by 2023, he had to shut it down.
But Yossi J. Levi is not one to sit around, and he knew his job was not yet done. So he quickly got back up and started Car Dealership Guy later that year, leveraging his then-anonymous social media persona. Today, it’s recognized as a trusted source for industry professionals, reaching over 30 million impressions monthly and earning features in Apple News, the NY Post, and Forbes.
Along the way, he’s been honored with awards like EY Entrepreneur of the Year and recognition as one of Goldman Sachs’ Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.