This year’s NADA conference once again brought industry leaders, innovators, and trailblazers together in Las Vegas. Within the inevitable buzz and excitement that we see year after year at the industry’s biggest event, we noticed a few major themes that remained relevant throughout. Let’s dive into them.

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1. Prioritizing the Customer Experience Among the Rise of CDPs

One of the hottest topics at NADA this year was Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). These platforms promise to revolutionize customer engagement and marketing strategies by centralizing and harnessing vast amounts of customer data. But what about the empty space between data collection and a prioritized customer experience?

While CDPs offer robust data capabilities, they often fall short when it comes to translating that data into meaningful customer interactions. Simply put, having a detailed data bank is only valuable if it leads to enhanced customer experiences. To bridge this gap, dealerships and auto groups need to look past the buzzwords that come with CDPs and focus on attaining clear-cut strategies for prioritizing and personalizing the customer experience.

The key lies in partnering with providers that understand the importance of translating data into actionable insights, and have the technology to execute on that belief. As the industry starts to shift towards a more simplified approach, dealers must be able to cut through the noise and look for partners who can deliver on their promises.

2. Finding the Right Balance of AI and a Human Touch

Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to be a growing force in the automotive industry, promising to shake up the status quo from inventory management to data collection to customer service. However, lurking behind the hum of excitement, dealers are struggling with how to best implement AI in their dealership practices and eliminate the unnecessary fear of job erasure.

At a highly-attended speaking session, a decorated panel of industry experts, including Team Velocity’s own Lyndsey Rodriguez, deliberated on the role of AI in the general business landscape. The consensus was clear: AI is not about replacing human employees, but adding a valuable tool into their kit to help them provide the best customer service possible. As Stacey Coopes, CEO at Unite Digital, stated, “AI won’t replace employees, employees who use AI will replace those who don’t.”

The true power of AI lies in its ability to collect data, streamline processes, and maximize efficiency. Dealerships can benefit immensely from AI-powered insights and automation by embracing an integrated approach that seamlessly fits AI into their operations, without the threat of replacing employees. AI is only as good as the information you put into it: let it grow alongside your people.

3. Streamlining Operations Through Vendor Integration

In an industry driven by rapid technological advancements, the days of having a different provider for each individual business need are gone. Today, dealers are recognizing the value of and seeking out partners who can offer comprehensive, integrated solutions for a seamless and unified approach to marketing.

By reducing the complexity and clutter of their vendor stack, dealerships can save time and resources, and see instant benefits of unifying different technologies through a single platform. Executing dealership strategies with a holistic approach can have an instant effect on the customer experience, offering advanced personalization, relevancy, and efficiency, regardless of the product or feature they’re using at any given time.

As dealerships continue to adapt to the evolving automotive landscape, the importance of integration cannot be overstated or ignored. By aligning with vendors who offer single-source partnerships, dealers can position themselves for success in the high-growth auto market.

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These major themes from NADA tell a story of continued adaptability and customer experience prioritization within dealership operations. By leveraging data insights and harnessing the power of AI through integrated technology, dealerships can successfully position themselves for sustained growth. Are you listening?