Along with reiterating that its platform was already built to handle new compliance requirements in California that went into effect this month, ProMax announced the launch of ProMax BDC AI.

ProMax highlighted its new artificial intelligence-powered lead-response agent is designed to help automotive dealerships respond to every internet lead immediately and convert more online shoppers into showroom appointments.

Unlike traditional chatbots that simply answer questions, the company explained ProMax BDC AI can carry on natural, two-way conversations with shoppers through text and email. It can understand what shoppers are looking for, identify relevant inventory, answer questions, gather trade-in information and guide conversations toward confirmed showroom appointments.

Early results from dealerships using ProMax BDC AI show strong engagement and appointment performance, including a 92% lead contact rate and a 65% show rate on confirmed appointments.

Dealers also see an 8% increase in lead conversion within 30 days, according to ProMax.

“Dealers spend real money to generate internet leads, and too many opportunities are lost simply because nobody was available to answer,” ProMax chief operating officer Greg Becker said in a news release. “BDC AI changes that. It gives dealerships the ability to respond immediately, have a meaningful conversation with a shopper and move that conversation toward an appointment—without requiring someone to be sitting at a desk 24 hours a day.”

The company stressed that ProMax BDC AI works as an extension of the dealership team, not a replacement.

When a shopper needs a salesperson, asks a complex question or wants to speak directly with someone, dealership employees can take over the conversation.

The complete interaction is captured in the customer record, allowing the employee to continue the conversation without making the shopper start over.

Dealer engagement alerts can also flag conversations that require human attention.

ProMax BDC AI continues working after an appointment is set, helping confirm appointments, send reminders and reschedule visits when needed.

“AI in automotive retail is moving beyond answering questions,” Becker said. “The opportunity is to put AI to work on the moments that directly affect dealership performance — responding to leads, engaging shoppers and getting more people through the showroom door.”

ProMax BDC AI is configured for each dealership, including its hours, holiday rules, tone, FAQs and follow-up cadence, without requiring dealership development resources.

The solution is available now as an add-on to ProMax Complete, which the company said already has been built to handle requirements of California’s Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Act, which became law in the Golden State on Oct. 1.

ProMax Complete can cover total price disclosure, add-on disclosure, the three-day right to cancel on eligible used vehicles, and two-year record retention, and ProMax can enable them for California dealerships at no additional cost.

Dealers set their total price once in inventory settings, and it recalculates automatically and travels with the vehicle through inventory syndication to the desk.

A total price disclosure proposal prints an itemized breakdown for the customer’s signature, the three-day right to cancel form generates with the deadline and mileage limit filled in, and a new add-on consent and disclosure form keeps optional products from being pre-checked or marked as required.

ProMax holds the pricing and customer communication records for two years, so if a dealership is audited, the logs are on file and available with one call.

“California changed what a dealer has to prove,” Becker said in another news release. “We built these tools into the platform our California dealers already use, so the price they advertise is the price they present, and the record is there when someone asks for it.”

To learn more about ProMax BDC AI or schedule a demonstration, visit www.promaxunlimited.com/bdc-ai or call ProMax Sales at (800) 914-8085.