AutoRaptor is seeing some positive returns since joining NIADA’s member benefit program this spring, in particular during last month’s annual convention hosted by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association.

The automotive CRM platform powered by artificial intelligence and built exclusively for independent dealerships is offering association members up to 35% off their monthly subscription.

“We’ve always believed that independent dealers deserve the same quality technology as the big franchise groups without the enterprise price tag. Partnering with NIADA is a natural extension of that mission,” AutoRaptor chief of staff Jami Ribeiro said in a news release from March when the company’s relationship with NIADA was finalized.

“This deal gives thousands of independent dealers a meaningful, cost-effective path to modernizing how they manage leads and close deals,” Ribeiro continued.

And AutoRaptor brought that deal to the NIADA Convention in Denver last month.

AutoRaptor used the event to highlight its all-in-one dealership platform that brings CRM, AI, integrated desking, and digital retail together in one connected experience. The company promoted it alongside a significant new investment across three core areas of its platform: Rick, its in-app AI assistant; Integrated Desking & Payment Penciling; and Digital Retail.

Rick AI, Integrated Desking & Payment Penciling, and the Digital Retail suite are available soon within the AutoRaptor platform, with continued investment planned across all three in the months ahead.

Throughout the conference, AutoRaptor said its booth drew steady, energized traffic from dealers there to see how a connected platform approach comes together in practice. Live demonstrations of Rick, AutoRaptor’s AI assistant had dealers asking real questions about their leads, pipeline, and inventory and watching Rick answer instantly in plain English.

Rick is the AI assistant built directly into AutoRaptor’s dealership platform, letting teams ask questions in plain English and get instant answers, backed by real data, tables, and clickable links.

Beyond answering questions, Rick can take action on request, from creating an Up Sheet to sending a follow-up text, and proactively surfaces hot leads, aging inventory, and follow-ups that need attention before a manager even has to ask.

AutoRaptor’s new investment will expand Rick’s capabilities across reporting, inventory intelligence, and team performance, all within each user’s existing role-based permissions.

Meanwhile, AutoRaptor’s integrated desking tool lets sales teams structure, compare, and present deals in real time, directly inside the platform. Reps can shop by vehicle or shop by payment, present up to three deal scenarios side by side, and move from pencil to close without re-entering data anywhere along the way.

The additional investment will deepen this connected experience even further, reinforcing AutoRaptor’s approach of bringing every step of the deal into one place, on one platform, with one bill.

Furthermore, AutoRaptor’s Digital Retail suite turns a dealership’s website into a connected buying experience, letting shoppers build a payment, check pre-qualification, value a trade-in, and track their own progress through a customer portal, all before setting foot on the lot.

Every interaction is logged automatically and routed into AutoRaptor, giving sales teams full context the moment a warm lead walks in. New investment in this suite will extend equity-mining opportunities and deepen the connection between online shopping activity and in-store conversations, all within the same dealership operating platform.

“Rick, integrated desking, and digital retail are three of the clearest examples of where we’re headed,” AutoRaptor chief technology officer James Fung said. “We’re building toward a platform that’s modern and intuitive, powered by AI at its core, and radically simple to run, all in one place. NIADA reminded us just how much energy there is behind that vision.”

NIADA represents more than 13,000 independent dealers nationwide. The organization’s member benefit program connects dealers with vetted vendors offering exclusive pricing across technology, operations and business services.

“Along with the state associations, we are committed to creating more value for members and enhancing our member benefit program,” NIADA CEO Jeff Martin said in the March news release form AutoRaptor. “This new partnership continues that commitment to our members.”

And AutoRaptor seems to be initially happy with how the partnership is going.

“NIADA is always energizing, and this year the excitement kept building around AI and connected buying experiences,” Ribeiro said. “We came away even more confident in the direction we’re headed. Dealers want technology that feels modern and intuitive, works the way their team already thinks, and brings everything together instead of adding another disconnected tool. That’s exactly where we’re investing.”