If you ask ten dealership leaders what’s keeping them busy, you’ll probably hear ten different answers. Inventory, staffing, customer retention, service capacity, rising costs. The list goes on.
One essential aspect of all of those areas, however, is communication.
Customers expect fast answers, flexible ways to connect, and a buying experience that feels easy from the first conversation through long-term service. At the same time, dealership teams are juggling more conversations than ever across phone calls, text messages, chat, email, and online scheduling.
That’s why Blake Burkett, Senior Technology Advisor at One Source, sat down with David Marcroft, Auto Director at GoTo. Blake spends his time helping dealerships evaluate and modernize their technology, while David works with automotive organizations across the country to improve how they communicate with customers.
Their conversation covered everything from changing customer expectations to AI and what dealerships should actually be paying attention to as communications technology continues to evolve.
Watch the full interview above, or keep reading for a few highlights from the discussion.
Customers have more choices than ever
The conversation started with something every dealership has experienced firsthand: customers communicate differently than they did even a few years ago.
Some people still want to call. Others would rather text. Some begin with a website chat before picking up the phone later. Customers don’t think in terms of channels. They simply choose whatever is most convenient in the moment.
That means dealerships have to think beyond the traditional phone system. Creating a consistent experience across every touchpoint has become just as important as answering the phone quickly.
Giving customers options instead of forcing everyone through the same process. When people can communicate the way they prefer, conversations tend to happen faster and with less friction, whether they’re scheduling service, asking about inventory, or following up after a visit.
Every conversation tells you something
Every dealership has thousands of customer interactions each month, but many managers only hear about the conversations that become problems. The rest happens behind the scenes.
Modern communications platforms can give dealerships a much clearer picture of what’s happening across sales and service. Instead of relying on assumptions, managers can identify trends, coach employees more effectively, and better understand the customer experience from beginning to end.
Those insights become especially valuable when they’re used to improve processes over time instead of simply measuring activity.
AI has found its place in the dealership
The dealerships seeing the most success aren’t looking for AI to replace their employees. They’re using it to help their teams work more efficiently.
That might mean helping customers schedule appointments after hours, surfacing insights from phone conversations, or handling routine tasks that normally take time away from serving customers.
As an example, consider service scheduling. Customers don’t always remember to book appointments during business hours. Giving them the ability to do it whenever it’s convenient creates a better experience for the customer while helping the dealership capture opportunities that might otherwise wait until the next day or disappear altogether.
Finding the right fit
Technology decisions aren’t about chasing the newest platform or checking a box because everyone is talking about AI. They’re about understanding how a dealership operates, where customers are experiencing friction, and which tools will genuinely make life easier for employees and customers alike.
That’s the role One Source plays. We work alongside dealerships to understand their goals, evaluate the technology they already have, and recommend solutions that fit their business.
For many dealerships, GoTo is one of those solutions. Its communications platform brings together voice, messaging, customer engagement, AI capabilities, and contact center functionality in a way that’s easy to manage and built around the needs of today’s dealerships.
Watch the full conversation
This article only scratches the surface of Blake and David’s discussion.
Watch the full interview to hear their thoughts on dealership communications, customer expectations, AI, and the technology decisions shaping the future of automotive retail.
