AI-powered digital assistant provider Carlabs.ai is using a new Dealer Direct platform to expand its offering to the almost 18,000 franchised U.S. dealers.
CarLabs is an AWS Advanced Technology Partner conversational platform that allows consumers to interact directly with an automotive brand’s data and digital assets. That interaction takes place as if they were talking to a human.
CarLabs said its OEM clients benefit from the Carlabs.ai platform, and now Carlabs.ai is expanding its omnichannel AI assistants to dealers.
With the platform, dealers can manage their customers’ entire life-cycle 1:1, at scale, and they can do that through engaging conversations through Smart Chat, email, SMS, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger.
Using a dealer’s DMS/CRM technology, the Dealer Direct solution platform provides relevant one-to-one communications between the dealership and their customers and prospects.
The Dealer Direct solution platform is available immediately.
CarLabs.ai created an AI-powered, conversational engagement platform to implement and personalize sales and customer service via chat, email, SMS, WhatsApp, and social channels.
CDK Global has introduced an open, intelligent data platform that can turn high volumes of industry information into easy-to-understand, actionable insights for dealers, OEMs and third-party software developers.
Called Neuron, the platform is connected to the Fortellis Automotive Commerce Exchange, which connects software developers, OEMs and dealers.
Using an analytics engine powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning to create real-time and predictive insights, Neuron seeks to allow dealers and OEMs to sell and service more vehicles.
Neuron does that by helping those dealers and OEMs create more personalized and differentiated customer experiences.
Using the power of data and integrations through Fortellis, Neuron will accelerate the creation of new products in the industry. It will also improve the user experience of existing CDK products, such as the CDK Drive dealer management system, CDK Service and Elead CRM.
CDK chief product and technology officer Mahesh Shah said that the automotive industry, including dealerships, OEMs and vehicles themselves, has more data than ever. But Shah said a platform has not been available until now to connect all the data in a meaningful manner to improve consumers’ experience with their vehicles.
“Neuron is built to analyze billions of data transactions that flow through our products annually alongside other industry data," Shah said in a news release. “It will then turn that data into simple, human insights and deliver them directly to the right decision makers at the right time.”
Shah also said Neuron marks another important milestone in CDK’s efforts to help dealers and OEMs support customer demands in an automotive landscape that is increasingly connected.
Shah said, “We look forward to making even more exciting announcements later this year as we continue to create new ways to further connect software developers, dealers, and OEMs into a next-generation automotive ecosystem.”
A new video advertising platform for dealer inventory from LotLinx uses AI capabilities to position video advertising segments on channels and streaming platforms that consumers use in the car buying research process.
The platform is called, VINtv, and among the product features is automatic generation of video advertisements for each VIN in a campaign. Another feature is LotLinx AI targeting capabilities that reach “inventory ready” buyers.
The company says VINtv can target a large audience of mobile consumers, and with the platform, dealers can expand their inventory exposure by delivering shopping sessions to the inventory or VINs dealers need to move most.
LotLinx’s VINtv taps into the mobile video market, and that helps dealers gain the ability to reach more consumers across platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Google and OTT streaming services. That, according to the company, can “put the right car in front of the right consumers.”
Packages start at 50 VINs for $3,750.
Len Short is chairman and chief executive officer of LotLinx, which describes itself as an “inventory management tech leader” that continues developing tools that dealers can use across the automobile industry.
“Now more than ever, dealers need tools that can help them place their inventory in front of consumers who are in the purchasing phase of their search process,” Short said in a news release. “By maximizing their position in the video ad market space, dealers will be able to see an increased engagement rate with higher sales results.”
LotLinx said that with VINtv, dealers gain a tool to implement into their strategic marketing strategy for connecting with consumers.
The company noted that 70 million Americans engage in online auto shopping behavior per month, and a third of auto research takes place with smartphones and mobile devices.
Because of that, LotLinx said, dealers need VINtv’s platform capabilities to position their inventory in front of those “in the most pivotal points of the buying and research process.”
The company said VINtv takes advantage of the value video holds in influencing consumers. With VINtv, dealers gain increased engagement and click-through rates, and LotLinx said VINtv can be a “top of the line solution for their most pressing advertising needs.”
lntelligent Virtual Assistant provider Conversica said on Wednesday that General Motors has approved its Automotive Sales AI Assistant and Automotive Service AI Assistant as in-market retail, or iMR, turnkey products.
Conversica said that with the certification, GM dealers who purchase a Conversica Intelligent Virtual Assistant can receive co-op reimbursement from GM for their investment.
Through the certification, dealerships can augment their workforce to scale their sales and service business. It can also empower dealerships’ teams to produce a strong customer experience, according to Conversica.
The company says that by engaging immediately to determine interest, dealerships adopting digital-first products can improve their customer acquisition strategies and retention rates.
The company says its Automotive Sales AI Assistant “ensures that no lead goes untouched.”
It also helps determine which leads are ready to buy and assists sales teams in setting more appointments.
Initiating contact, interpreting replies intelligently and responding with a tailored message: That’s how Conversica says its Automotive Sales AI Assistant engages leads.
The company says it recognizes current economic anxieties but notes that service advisers can take the lead in driving revenue. They can do that by proactively reaching out to customers through digital platforms to maintain their vehicles to ensure business continuity.
Conversica also says its Automotive Service AI Assistants help dealers “grow customer lifetime value.”
They do that by autonomously engaging with every client in a dealer’s DMS and CRM system in a personalized and persistent manner until they respond, even over the long-term.
Whether they are setting sales meetings or service appointments, or intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs), help elevate interested customers.
“Customers value the immediate and personal touch that IVAs provide when they initiate contact,” Conversica said in a news release.
Organizations can augment their workforce through use of IVAs to attract, acquire and grow customers at scale.
They can do that while also allowing people to focus on relationship building and problem solving, the company said, adding that dealerships using Conversica IVAs see an average engagement rate of 25% to 35%.
“We are very excited to have completed the vetting process with General Motors and to announce that we are now an approved iMR turnkey vendor,” said John Ruble, vice president, strategic partners — retail for Conversica.
Ruble continued, “Our goal is to help augment the dealer workforce to increase efficiency and manage the customer lifecycle to increase satisfaction and retention. We received incredible feedback during the approval process and believe that Conversica’s Intelligent Virtual Assistants will help capitalize on the dollars dealers are already spending on marketing.”
