Dealer Talk With Jen Suzuki

In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, I sit down with Randy Kobat from LotLinx to break down one of the biggest shifts happening in dealership technology right now. We move past the hype of generic AI tools like ChatGPT and into what actually drives results on the ground. LotGPT is built specifically for dealerships, using real inventory, real market data, and real shopper behavior to deliver precise, actionable insights. We talk about why generic AI often falls short, how data security plays a bigger role than most realize, and what it looks like to treat AI as a true team member with a defined role inside your store. If you want to stop guessing, protect gross, and move inventory smarter, this conversation will change the way you think about AI in your dealership. What's really turning heads is how quickly dealers are adopting this. Over 6,000 dealerships are already using LotGPT, and it's not because it sounds good, it's because it works immediately. Dealers are seeing fast wins like identifying which vehicles are at risk before they age out, reallocating wasted ad spend within minutes, improving VDP performance, and uncovering exactly where the breakdown is between shopper activity and actual sales. Instead of guessing or defaulting to price drops, they're making smarter, more precise decisions that protect gross and move inventory faster. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, we're getting real about one of the most important numbers in your service department, the MPI approval rate. This isn't just a metric. It's a mirror. If your approvals are low, it's rarely about price, the customer, or the car. It's almost always about communication. Jen breaks down exactly why customers decline recommended work and what service advisors are missing in their conversations. From rushed calls and weak explanations to overusing technical language that customers don't understand, this episode exposes the everyday habits that quietly kill approvals. But more importantly, it gives you a simple, repeatable way to fix it. You'll learn how to clearly explain the job, the risk, and the reward so customers actually understand what's happening with their vehicle and why it matters now. Because when clarity goes up, approvals go up. Bottom line: You don't need better customers. You need better conversations. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk.com helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

If your store is using AI, or thinking about it, this episode will challenge how you think about process, accountability, and what it really takes to win with modern tools. In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, we sit down with Seth Poplawski of Auto Lenders, he leads CRM, process, and AI strategy across a rapidly growing dealer group with 11 stores now. Seth has worked every role from sales to BDC to leadership, and now he's overseeing AI execution across 11 rooftops. He breaks down what actually happens when dealerships implement AI and why most fail to get real results. From customizing messaging by lead source to building data-driven cadences and creating a hybrid AI + human workflow, Seth shares exactly how his team is increasing engagement, speeding up response times, and capturing opportunities others miss, especially after hours. This is not theory. This is execution. Bottom line: AI doesn't fix broken processes. It exposes them. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 CallRevu is the leading automotive communications intelligence platform, giving you elevated insights and vision into your services, sales and brand management all in one place. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk.com helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

If technicians are standing around waiting for approvals, the problem might not be staffing, it might be process. In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, I break down the difference between technician efficiency and productivity, and why service advisors have more influence on shop productivity than they realize. When MPI calls are delayed, write-ups are vague, or approvals take too long, technicians lose valuable production time. In this episode we cover: • The difference between technician efficiency vs productivity • How slow approvals kill shop productivity • Why clear write-ups and communication matter • How advisors can keep the entire shop flowing smoothly Because sometimes the shop doesn't need more technicians. It just needs faster approvals and tighter execution.

What if you could make more money every day without writing one extra car? In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, I break down a metric many service advisors overlook: hours per RO. Hours per RO is the average number of labor hours sold on each repair order. A small increase can dramatically impact technician productivity, shop efficiency, and your paycheck. In this episode we cover: • What hours per RO means • Why rushing write-ups lowers production • How better presentations increase approvals • Why small services stacked together drive profit You don't need more traffic or more appointments. You just need to slow down, be thorough, and capture the opportunity already in front of you. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 CallRevu is the leading automotive communications intelligence platform, giving you elevated insights and vision into your services, sales and brand management all in one place. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

If every day in the service lane feels chaotic, the problem might not be effort, it might be capacity. In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, I break down one of the most overlooked concepts in fixed ops: shop capacity. When advisors promise pickup times without knowing how many labor hours the shop can realistically produce, stress builds fast. Technicians get buried, customers start calling, and CSI takes a hit. In this episode we cover: • What shop capacity really means • Why overbooking creates chaos in the shop • How unrealistic pickup promises hurt technicians and customers • How advisors can set expectations that build trust instead of pressure The best advisors don't promise speed. They promise accuracy, communication, and quality work done right.

If you're exhausted at the end of the day but your paycheck doesn't reflect the effort, this episode explains exactly why. In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, I'm kicking off a brand new service department performance series focused on helping service advisors and fixed ops leaders understand the metrics that actually drive income. Today we're digging into one of the most important numbers in the service lane: Gross Profit Per Repair Order Many advisors judge their day by how busy they were, how many cars they wrote, how fast the line moved, or how chaotic the desk became. But busy does not always mean profitable. Two advisors can see the exact same vehicles in the same day and produce dramatically different results simply because of how they approach the opportunity in front of them. In this episode, I break down: • What gross per RO actually means and why it matters • Why being "busy" can sometimes hide lost income opportunities • The mindset shift from order taker to consultant • How small maintenance services can stack into serious profitability • Why assuming customers won't buy is one of the biggest mistakes advisors make • How rushing through MPIs and conversations creates hidden profit leaks Most importantly, we talk about the shift service advisors must make: Stop asking "How fast can I move this car?" Start asking "How complete can I be?" Because the opportunity isn't something you have to chase. The customer already drove it into your service lane. If you're a service advisor, service manager, or fixed ops leader who wants your team to increase profitability while improving the customer experience, this episode is a powerful place to start. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 CallRevu is the leading automotive communications intelligence platform, giving you elevated insights and vision into your services, sales and brand management all in one place. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

Managers… this one is for you. I sat down with Jimmy Vargas, GSM at Paradise Chevrolet and this isn't just a conversation… this is someone I'm actively in the trenches with right now. I'm working directly with Jimmy and his sales team on their phone process, listening to calls together, coaching in real time, and using the tools inside CallRevu to actually develop his people. And that's the difference. He's not just pulling reports. He's not just tracking calls. He's investing in his team. Jimmy is setting the bar, giving his team a modern, relevant process to win on the phones, and then backing it up with real accountability using the data. One of the most powerful things he's doing right now? He's using CallRevu's keyword alert feature to instantly flag calls when something doesn't go the way the customer expected. So instead of finding out a day later… or never… He and his managers are notified immediately. That means they can jump in, coach the situation, follow up fast and in many cases, save the deal. We're reviewing recorded calls. We're tightening conversations. We're making sure nothing slips through the cracks. Because when you actually listen… you find everything. This episode breaks down his blueprint. It's simple, doable, and built for real dealership life. If you want more appointments, stronger performance, and a real return on the calls you're already paying for… This is where it starts. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 CallRevu is the leading automotive communications intelligence platform, giving you elevated insights and vision into your services, sales and brand management all in one place. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

Dealership advertising is entering a completely new era and AI is at the center of it. In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, Jen sits down with Jarett Bellucci, a two-time Emmy Award-winning director and filmmaker and the founder of Bellucci Productions. Jarett has created commercial work for major brands like Cadillac, BMW, and Forbes, and now he's helping businesses, including car dealerships, leverage AI to produce cinematic-quality commercials without the massive production budgets. Together they break down how AI is changing the way commercials are created, why storytelling matters more than ever in automotive advertising, and how dealerships can stand out in a sea of look-alike ads. Jarett explains how AI tools are unlocking creativity, allowing brands to build characters, craft stories, and produce visually stunning content faster and more affordably than ever before. But the real advantage isn't just the technology. It's the message behind it. If you want your dealership marketing to stop blending in and start connecting emotionally with buyers, this conversation will open your eyes to what's possible. This episode covers: • Why most dealership commercials fail to connect • How AI is lowering production costs while raising creative potential • The power of storytelling in automotive advertising • How dealers can build monthly "drip branding" campaigns • Why the future of AI advertising still depends on human creativity AI may be the toolbut the idea and the story are still what wins! Bellucciproductions.com Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 CallRevu is the leading automotive communications intelligence platform, giving you elevated insights and vision into your services, sales and brand management all in one place. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

Flat rate has been debated for decades in service departments, but what if the real issue isn't the pay structure at all? In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, I sit down with Joe Minns, Corporate Fixed Ops Director at Dennis & Co Auto Group, who brings 34 years of real dealership experience to the conversation. Joe has seen just about everything in service operations, from dirt-floor shops to high-tech 80-bay service departments. Today he oversees fixed operations for Dennis & Co's growing network of dealerships, and he shares one powerful perspective that many leaders overlook: Flat rate doesn't fail… culture does. We dive deep into the real reasons technicians struggle to flag hours and why so many service departments unintentionally waste the most valuable resource they have, technician time. Joe breaks down the operational leaks that quietly drain productivity, the cultural shifts required to protect technician efficiency, and why leaders must rethink how dispatch, advisors, and managers support the shop. We also talk about: • Why technicians are the true revenue engine of fixed operations • How small moments of lost technician time cost dealerships thousands • Why many service departments unknowingly rig the system against their own techs • The leadership shift required to fix flat rate culture • How service advisors, dispatchers, and managers must align to protect technician productivity • Why career pathing is critical to solving the technician shortage If you're a service director, fixed ops leader, or dealership executive trying to improve technician retention, shop productivity, and labor performance, this conversation is packed with practical insight. Because at the end of the day, great service leaders don't just manage the shop, they protect the people who power it. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 CallRevu is the leading automotive communications intelligence platform, giving you elevated insights and vision into your services, sales and brand management all in one place. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

There's a lot of communication flying out of dealerships every single day and text messaging is often the fastest way to reach a customer. But if your messages look like everyone else's, they're going to be treated like everyone else's. "Just checking in" and "any questions?" isn't follow-up… it's noise. In this episode, Jen shares a creative tactic she's been using in her own follow-ups that's getting responses and turning heads! AI-generated images built directly from CRM notes and customer conversations. Instead of sending another plain text, Jen shows how you can create a visual message that proves you were paying attention. The customer's name, the vehicle they liked, details about their family, their interests, even a little humor, all layered into a custom image that feels personal and memorable. It's not about fancy graphics. It's about showing customers that you remember them and care about their situation. Jen explains how she started using these AI images in her own outreach, how the responses led her to start teaching the technique in her sales classes, and how teams are now using it as a fun internal contest to drive replies from customers. If your follow-up messages are getting ignored, the problem might not be the message, it might be the format. This episode will show you how to change that! Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 Reynolds and Reynolds is a leading automotive DMS platform that helps dealerships run more efficient, connected, and customer-focused sales and service operations. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.

AI isn't something managers can delegate. It's something they have to demonstrate. In this episode, Jen talks about one of the biggest leadership shifts happening inside dealerships right now: leaders becoming the model of how to use AI, not just the ones telling everyone else to use it. Your team isn't going to adopt tools because of a memo or a mandate. They adopt them because they see their leader using them in real life, in meetings, during problem-solving, when building customer messaging, or when creating new sales ideas. Jen shares how managers can introduce tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and others inside regular team meetings so people learn naturally instead of feeling forced. When leaders use AI openly, asking questions, testing ideas, building scripts... it shows the team how to think differently and stay relevant in a fast-changing industry. The message is simple: People don't follow mandates. They follow models. If you want your team to evolve, they have to watch you do it first! Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | [email protected] | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t | Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 Reynolds and Reynolds is a leading automotive DMS platform that helps dealerships run more efficient, connected, and customer-focused sales and service operations. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. ZukiTalk helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals.