[FRI] The New Standard: What Great Dealership Customer Service Actually Looks Like in 2026 📱

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:16]Wake up buy your payer people. It's a beautiful day. Go grab yourself another cup of Joe and say hello to Jim and Michelle Rhodess on the buy here pay here morning show. Take it away you two.

[00:00:36]Oh, good morning.

[00:00:38]>> Is it time to do the morning show?

[00:00:39]>> It's time to do the almost afternoon show. It's uh Yeah, the morning almost afternoon show.

[00:00:44]>> We pushed it a little bit to give our our dealer friends opportunity. I postponed or put it back a little later in the morning to give our our dealer guests an opportunity to participate.

[00:00:53]Unfortunately, a couple of them couldn't make it. They're >> We do have one. Well, I'm you know.

[00:00:58]Yeah. So, we just we also uh it was pretty short notice to ask them to come and join us. So, um >> Yeah. I mean, we've been talking about this with our you didn't know we've been talking about this in our on our meetings are kind of our >> doing this. Yes.

[00:01:12]>> Yeah. Yeah. This particular session um we're uh we're kind of in a place where we're moving toward this documentary.

[00:01:19]This can sort of serve in that track, but it's like >> we're uh you know, our conversation today is with um uh we've got a dealer standing by, Joe Pal out of Oklahoma.

[00:01:27]We'll bring him in in just a moment.

[00:01:29]He's uh he's here to join the conversation around customer relations, customer service, >> what does it look like, especially in 2026 as technology is >> on us, including AI. We'll talk about what that means for customer relations.

[00:01:44]So, a whole big conversation. And this is the first of many conversations around >> how we want um >> AI and other technology to serve us and serve our customers in the coming months and years, right?

[00:02:00]>> Yeah. And we we've had the conversation, excuse me, uh that it's not going anywhere.

[00:02:07]>> Yeah. And um and it's we talked last week about uh what a quote from um Jeff Bezos I think it was that he's you know he's like there's vertical and there's horizontal um products and growth >> and this is a horizontal one. This is one that's not going away. This is one that will change >> everything that it will change everything. Um, and so it's a really great opportunity to to step in and and uh work with it. And >> I have a quick announcement before I bring Joe in. I put it on the uh little tile here that says I will be in Houston on Tuesday evening. So I'm looking forward to seeing some of my dealer friends from in or near Houston. Also some of our colleagues out there. I'm looking forward to seeing uh Luis and Crystal from Scopeex Pros. They're in that market. And so expect to see them while I'm in town. And thanks to uh Chris Donnelly for extending the invitation. I'm happy to be coming out to chat about >> AI customer relations and how to how to help dealers, you know, in in their own lives and in their business. So, it'll be a >> it'll be a good conversation. Look forward to having a having a beverage and a handshake with some people that I know >> you haven't seen for a minute. Yeah. All righty. Should we bring in our guest special guest? Let's do that. Um, we have with us Mr. Joel Pal. Good morning, Joe. Thanks for joining us.

[00:03:30]>> Good morning. How are y'all today?

[00:03:32]>> Good so far.

[00:03:33]>> Doing good so far.

[00:03:34]>> Yeah, like I always say, there's still time for something to go.

[00:03:39]>> Most if you know me, you know, I'm really more glasses half full, whatever.

[00:03:42]I'm It's just the way I get a rise out of people. But yeah, >> glad to have you here, Joe. Uh there's as you heard me say I think when you were off stage there that um this is the first of you know what'll be many conversations around customer relations and obviously what's mostly prompted this is as we move and whiteway in particular moves toward launching our AI solution that will be a customerf facing solution and you as a dealer and others are are you know contemplating putting this AI agent to work on your behalf.

[00:04:15]It's a great opportunity for us to zoom out and talk about what do we want >> customer interaction to look like uh you know this year and next. So >> so why don't we start Joe with kind of your own perspective on customer relations and I would ask you for all of our conversation today let's remember that we're broadcasting live on YouTube which means your team your customers can hear this. We're going to be as transparent as you can get by just talking about what how we think customers are >> and just don't get stage fright or something.

[00:04:49]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:04:49]>> It's okay.

[00:04:50]>> No, it's all good. It's like it's just the way it's the way transparency works.

[00:04:54]Go ahead.

[00:04:56]>> Hey, I I'm sure there's a crowd here watching probably what 15 18 million deep >> at least.

[00:05:03]>> I mean that number's okay. So, but but here it's just the three of us, right?

[00:05:07]>> Yes.

[00:05:08]>> We're just going to carry on a conversation. You know, to me, customer um communication um I I just feel that we can do everything right. We can reccon a car and we can recon a car and we can recon a car. We can put tires on it. We can put brakes on it. We can do everything in our power and yet sometimes a car doesn't perform.

[00:05:33]>> And um at no fault of our own, but that's just kind of the life we live in, >> right? the sooner we can open that communication, the sooner we can try to be a trusted partner, um, you know, fortunately in a previous career, I I represented a product that could be very expensive, and they gave a one-year money back guarantee, and they said pretty pretty simple that >> we don't know if this machine's going to go work or not going to go work, but it's built bulletproof. But what we do stand by is our word.

[00:06:11]>> I feel like I've always tried to carry that forward. I can't guarantee a car is going to run tomorrow. Um I've got a customer in the lobby right now. She's had her car 994 days. She's in there crying because now the motor's gone out.

[00:06:27]>> Um you know, and and we have to feel for those customers. And we feel for the customers that sold yesterday and the car didn't perform today. Mhm.

[00:06:36]>> The main thing is we just have to consistently carry on the conversation that like like the company I represented, I don't know if the car is going to work or not, but all I know is I was here yesterday, I'm here today, >> and Lord willing, I'll be here tomorrow.

[00:06:57]>> So, we've always wanted to have a customer advocate. It it's it's always been hard to pencil it and how do I have somebody and how do I have somebody that can wear two hats? How can they be all company, the customers all customer? How can I have somebody that's kind of in between consistently? So I found that um your AI product was been coming for a while and and have always had an interest in that. Mhm.

[00:07:30]>> Um and and I've got another person that will be a backup. So, we'll allow the AI customer advocate to do some of the heavy lifting. And then if we have some um interactions that we need to carry on with a oneonone one-on-one situation, I'm gonna have a backup person uh that will be a part-time person that will be a customer advocate. um as far as sales, as far as cars, as far as service, you know, pretty much everything. And I mean, to me, it's just a no-brainer. The price has got extremely attractive.

[00:08:08]>> And it it doesn't take a lot to pencil an ROI when it's a no-brainer. So, that kind of my thought and take on it as we go along.

[00:08:20]So Joe has alluded to, we'll just make sure people that are listening know that Joe's alluded to the service that he's recently subscribed to. He's among our early subscribers. We of course extended our invitation directly to our B members first who have been with us um in that program.

[00:08:33]>> And so we've got some dealers that are stepping in and we're stepping now into the kind of the onboarding process. And I think Joe, the thing that I'm excited about and and um I'm I'm eager to share with you and the other subscribers of kind of what is already baked in, if you will, to the the core DNA is is kind of the the phrase that I didn't know six months to a year ago. That is kind of what you is how your AI is built. And obviously when you go to build a an AI and you think about building a computer, it's going to do what you ask it to do.

[00:09:07]And so you just got to paint the guard rails. You got to build the foundation of what it is. And so that's what I have done is build this sort of core DNA for it's heavy on customer relations. And it's it's h you use the word advocacy which is really where we started was building something that would be an advocate almost like a um >> a liaison between you and your customer and aimed at the success of your customer which means success for you right. So, so I think you you mentioned the word trust, which I think is where we think about how do we send um in this case we're talking about AI, but it's true with our our human team is how do we how do we put folks in a position to represent our company, our brand um in a way that builds trust with the customer.

[00:09:53]So, your thoughts on that?

[00:09:56]Um, you know, there's there's many ways, I guess, to do that, but at the end of the day is is reaching out a a hand, trying to meet them where they are. Um, there there's a multitude, you know, whether we're calling them or whether we're texting them or whatever we're trying to do. Um, we we just want to reach out as many different ways and give them an opportunity to reply. you know, there will be a lot of people that don't reply, and we understand that.

[00:10:24]It's kind of like it's kind of like reviews. If I don't ask for reviews, I'm only going to get the one stars and the two stars that we all get. Um, it's it's not that we knowingly did something wrong. It's, you know, sometimes a car didn't perform. Sometimes the payment is a little higher after they've lost a job or whatever, but it's it's trying to do reach out a hand, give them a chance to respond.

[00:10:51]If they take it, outstanding. If they don't, then we'll we'll move on and uh let some AI assist us in the heavy heavy lifting and talk to those that are willing to talk. We want to use it on our sales side, on our collection side.

[00:11:07]We want to use it on our service side and we also want to use it on our on our leads that are coming in that basically says u hey I'm a neutral party have you been treated with honesty dignity and respect >> and and if you know we'll we'll make a mistake I will make a mistake but I'm not perfect I don't expect that to be perfect and u I can lay my head on my pillow at night knowing that I did everything in my power to do be the best that we could possibly be.

[00:11:39]>> Good.

[00:11:40]>> I I uh uh a little bit earlier you mentioned penciling something in and so cost, we recognize cost is is a big factor to dealers because they're already running pretty tight ships and um you know to add someone on to their team that can do a full-time job um never take a day off. always kind of show up with a with a a a set um attitude and you know is like fresh each time. That is a pretty high value.

[00:12:16]Wouldn't you agree?

[00:12:18]>> Oh, definitely.

[00:12:19]>> Yeah.

[00:12:19]>> Yeah. And I, you know, you mentioned too that you hired someone part-time because this is this is this advocacy is something that you I'm I'm hearing is is you're seeing a huge benefit that can that can weave into all different aspects of your business. And we right now that are starting our set point is only as an advocate and it's just just solely communications. We're not doing collections right now. We're not doing um sales and BDC and all that right now, but this is just about setting um this communication and and I you know, one thing I want to know from you because I I I know that you're having those relationships is important because you've already done different things um to be able to ensure that, but is this have you had a a a system in your dealership where you're reaching out to people on a time, you know, like a a quarterly basis or a monthly just to keep that communication um going and well first off have you had it have you done that?

[00:13:24]>> Um I mean to a certain degree yes I think a lot of CRM you know you can program those action plans they have uh moments every three months >> that but a lot of it is is asking how we did and know by the way could I get a referral.

[00:13:42]>> Yeah. So, you want to sometimes reach out with no strings attached. I'm not asking for a referral. I'm just asking, have we treated with you honesty, dignity, and respect?

[00:13:54]>> And we and are we fulfilling your expectations? You know, I mean, a lot of times we have our expectations and that's okay, but guess what? The customer has their expectations as well. M >> and they those could be on total different ends of the spectrum. So we just want to make sure that if we're not fulfilling their expectations and they might not be fulfilling ours, how do we end up in the middle here somewhere so that it works for you but also it works for us?

[00:14:29]>> I think this word comes to mind, communication. Like just making sure we know and we hear from them and they hear from us. And I think one of the things I think about Joe, you know, I first started working in a customerf facing business somewhere around 1984. Long time ago.

[00:14:46]>> Yeah, I know. Can't you tell? Yeah. And uh and I was a partner.

[00:14:52]>> I I was a partner in a business when I was uh 24 years old. And uh so I've been I've been around the customer relations thing for a long time. and and I most of what I um what what has formed for me in terms of how to handle customers is you know all of that time even before that I was a customer right we all know how we want to be treated as a customer and so I think we can look through that lens and if we have time here I'll tell a story about my own recent uh kind of bad service experience that kind of highlighted >> everyone has one we were talking with some friends and it's just like their bad experience came bwam >> and it was I mean it was a it was a very impassioned story and everybody has them, >> right? And our it's it seems to me that our >> our customer base um is is in a position where a lot of times they don't have a choice and you know they need they they don't have a choice about getting the best deal or whatever that that you know uh someone with good credit would would be out looking for. And I love that you keep dignity and respect. Dignity and respect because humans humans that I think that's a just a right of of being treated with dignity and respect and and you know we all we all flub up. We all make mistakes like you said and and this is it's um I I really appreciate that that your core sounds like it's like we're human. We're here to work with you. We want to make sure that you you are seen um as not not a a contract but as a person who has experiences and and and we want this to be good experience for you.

[00:16:39]>> Yeah. And I think for me, Joe, as somebody who's a former salesperson and sales manager and dealer, um I also think about one of the ways we can build trust is to >> I'll just generally I would just say just show up to reinforce. So what I mean by that is it's one thing for if you're buying a car from me, Joe, it's one thing on the day I you're buying the car, I say to you, hey, we'll be here.

[00:17:03]We want you to be happy. We want you to be, you know, pleased with your experience. It's one thing to say that on the day that that you're buying the car because I'm trying to close the sale, right? The question becomes, what what'll I say three days after you bought the car? You're already in the car. Now, what is am I still really there? I said on the day I bought the the car was purchased that I would be there. And so, I think one of the ways we build trust, and Michelle and I call that generally trust deposits, is by showing up to show the customer that we mean what we say. That's one of the things that we can do. And I this is where we think advocacy can step in and kind of create that thread that says we're still here. We and we're still interested in your success.

[00:17:43]>> Oh, definitely. Definitely. I you know, I do think that, you know, Michelle alluded to the fact that our customer base um might not have a lot of options, but but I disagree in in a little bit there. There's people doing what we do all the way up and down the street and and if I don't take care of this customer and I talk to staff continuously about, you know, I sign your paychecks, but guess what? Our customers are the one that pays your paychecks.

[00:18:14]>> If we don't take care of those customers, I don't have paychecks to sign, >> right?

[00:18:21]>> So, it's >> Yeah.

[00:18:23]>> I I think they do have a lot of options.

[00:18:25]They're they're they will drop a car off at one dealer in the morning and they'll have a car before dinner, you know what I mean? Whether that's here or somewhere else and they might drive 50 miles to do it, but but they're a very resourceful >> um customer base. Um they they have a way to find transportation and and we have to take care of our customers and I feel like most people do. Um, I'm just glad that we'll be able to reach out a little bit more regularly than a uh action plan and a CRM once every three or four months, six months, whatever that number might be.

[00:19:01]>> Sure.

[00:19:01]>> And and continuously, you know, we we know the old saying, you know, sometimes you have to ask people seven times before they respond or whatever. Well, maybe I have to send them or call them multiple multiple times before they open up and and believe that maybe I I do want to know the >> the the real underlying story. Are you okay? Are you happy? Um >> and move forward. But >> yeah, there's something about that and tone too, Joe, because you talk about the CRM and the automated messages. We all know that >> it's hard to get tone in in text. I mean, text gets misinterpreted all the time and and even even if it has good intentions, you know, as humans, we're trained to pick up on tone and and we can perceive whether or not the the offer is genuine. And so I think this has been the thing that we've accepted in on moving toward the AI side is we're we're very much aimed at the voice side of AI that the actual voice interaction outbound and inbound and we'll we'll be starting primarily with outbound but the idea is for customers to hear that what what's embedded in that um AI is some degree of genuine caring. Now, it sounds strange because we know we're talking about computers and and that, but I think >> we we recognized early on, certainly Michelle and I as we work through um the the AI uh voice interaction that >> there's uh there's quite a lot there.

[00:20:34]So, what we had to do was just basically go in and paint the foundation and the guard rails of of you kind of how we wanted to conduct business as an AI agent. And uh so there's things we're working through and that's why the you know the quick mention of the documentary. You guys have been good to agree to participate with us in a sort of a public documentary where we document the process that we're going through imperfect though it may be as we march through uh this business of rolling out the AI because we want feedback. We we're going to get public feedback. We we want to hear from folks as as we take this solution to market because we believe it's that important.

[00:21:09]We we need to hear from uh the dealers who are living it, the dealers who are speaking to customers, you know, week in and week out. Let's talk to them and make sure that that whatever we're putting out there to work with dealers customers that it that it satisfies the thing. So, if you'll indulge me just a minute, I want to read you some highlights just this is so I mentioned earlier the core DNA, you know, of of the AI that we chose. So, I want your feedback on any of these points that come to mind and and I don't know if you got a chance to see it, Michelle. This may be you've seen the core DNA, but this these 12 highlights, what I did is ran our core DNA through Claude >> and I said, "Sweep that and give me 12 highlights of things that you feel like are representative of the core DNA." And this is the core D the things that that Jim has put together for the core DNA has been hours and hours and hours and days of answering questions and refining and all of that. So this is you know it sweeping a lot of information and this is this is the synopsis of what it says that it is >> and and it may help to Joe and others who were listening to know that when I was doing that work the um the we were working with chat GPT at the outset and it had access to all of our archives all of the stuff that we've done with white hat Wednesday broadcast since way back so it has access to all that information so it it grasps in a pretty comprehensive way what Yatway is and what it's meant to represent. So, let me just kind of read to you. I'm just going to give you the the bullet list. So, um this AI advocate this week we you've heard it referred to as a couple different things. It's a AI customer advocate um AICA and then our and our website we referred to as early warning.

[00:22:55]So it's the idea there is that it's it's described as early warning because it's real objective here is to communicate with customers, identify potential issues, and report back to the human team. So here we go. Number one, we're advocates, not enforcers. Okay? So in the advocate role, we're not there to enforce payments. We're not there to enforce service contract anything. We're just we're there to be advocates and communicate and and improve layer of communication, >> safety before solutions. Okay? So that means safety in a conversation. Can I feel safe talking to you? Right. Am are we in a safe environment? Warm without walls. So this one would require a little bit of explanation, but we're we have chosen Joe to lean into um a kind of banking on my own experience as um as a coach across the years and working with a lot of collection teams. We're really choosing to have the uh the default mode tone uh be maternal. Okay.

[00:23:57]So, you can conclude from that what you will, but I have chosen to be warm and maternal. And of course, it'll be consistent in that, but that's what we've chosen. Number four, trust over transactions.

[00:24:10]Number five is uh longminded by design which it's kind of the way that I've described to you Joe and some of the others is like this this thing is meant to speak to your customers in a way that it expects the customer is going to be with you for many years. Okay. So that's part of the part of that. And then number six is dignity in every direction. So you've touched on dignity before you knew that was baked into this uh clarity without pressure. Then um number eight, permission before progress. So that's something else that um you know chat GPT walked me through is how do we want to how do we want to interact with customers at this level?

[00:24:47]And that is getting the customer permission. Do you have time? Am I catching you at a time when you have time to do this? Would can I get you're okay to do such and such. So permission becomes important and another way to earn trust. Number nine, calm in the hard moments. This is where AI I think will we will see that AI is better than humans in that we're we're able to remain calm. AI doesn't have emotion in the same way. And so when we build that, right, that means that um we we will have the appropriate amount of emotion and caring and compassion to show up and and show interest, >> but we don't have to bring emotion of, you know, the conversation I had before into the next conversation >> or the fight you had before you got to work.

[00:25:35]>> Yeah. Yeah. The the whole thing that bleeds into the human thing, right? Just basic human experience. Number 10, boundaries held with care. Number 11, coded for the long game. And number 12, human first always. So really, there's a lot of things there. And obviously, there's a lot of depth to understand. Uh we don't have time to go into all that today, but it's it it's really just meant to highlight for you and others what how much effort has gone into building this foundation of this AI persona. And obviously what I just described there, you would want that in your sales team. You would want that in your collection team. And obviously our our expectation is that our AI will move there. But for right now, we've aimed very squarely at the u the customer advocacy side, which means it will be primarily in your case working with the customers who are current. In fact, it will only work with the customers who are current and it will just work to do check-ins and all the things that you know we've we've worked to do. But I think we really, you know, less than about our AI and our solution.

[00:26:45]It's more about how do we collaborate with you, Joe, as a dealer, your DMS provider, those folks they're integrated with. How do we work together to make sure that we create an experience?

[00:26:59]Because I'm just telling you, friend, this thing will scale nicely. it will be able to work in your dealership at the same time it's working in, you know, Matt's dealership in Florida or wherever else the case may be. And that just means we have a chance to have a really profound impact here and we should do that collaboratively. We should work together to make sure it is representing us in the way that we want it to represent us. And and the thing I've said to these dealers, Michelle, that have been adopting with us, I said, "We know it's going to sound right >> because we're not going to release it, Joe, until you and I agree that it sounds right, >> that it doesn't sound like a computer, right?" And we know that exists. We and in our case, we have the good fortune.

[00:27:44]We're not building from scratch. We're working with partners who have already developed solutions in this area. So, we don't have to completely build the thing from the ground up. We have a lot of pieces there. So now it's just a question of adjusting the knobs, right?

[00:27:58]Obviously there'll be some customization for you, but I just love the idea that an AI agent can show up for work every day of the week, can eventually be available for after hours hours calls.

[00:28:09]It can speak every language on the planet. You know, it's like it's it's a it's a really nice solution for dealers.

[00:28:15]>> Well, and and AI um what what one of the other aims that that we have is that AI is not singularly viewed as a tool. It's a team member. It's it is it's an integral part of >> all of the the pieces that are moving within your dealership and it's a trusted >> team member because you like you like you alluded to too like they're going to show up.

[00:28:42]>> They're going to they're going to have a good attitude. You know, they're not going to bring in the last. and with the experience that that uh I I haven't worked in a dealership, but I've worked customer service. I've I've managed teams in in some some fields where it can get pretty heated um uh if if there's something that that is that is uh um a perceived problem. And so, you know, you know, and you understand when when uh when we have a team member um that it's the value of being able to to be that person on the front line that's taking the the um that's that's keeping that that communication open. It's not something that that is draining from the rest of the team. It's actually alleviating a lot from the from the rest of the team. and and that that that communication now becomes really threaded into um everything that you that you do where just you have those little points of trust and that does it just spreads through the rest of it. So um you know we're looking forward to as as this gets developed and this again is this is the stage one and you know we keep talking about it's like this is White Hatway Maria 101.

[00:30:01]>> Yeah, that's right. And there'll be a 2011 and a 301 and a 307 and you know and as as we continue to grow and and I'm just it's it's really an exciting proposition um of of what the future is holding for dealers and other business people too just in in what AI can can do um how it can become a team member instead of just a tool.

[00:30:27]>> Yeah. I have another question for you, Joe, but before I go there, um, thoughts on what Michelle just shared? Anything to add to that?

[00:30:36]>> No, I just I second everything she said.

[00:30:39]Um, >> that's what I >> Yeah, you know, staff, we we all take care of the customer when they come in, but a lot of times the customer is just burnt. They're done. they're out by the time we find out what's going on.

[00:30:58]>> So, my hope and and goal and it was alluded to earlier, early in the process. So, something's going on early in the process, I want to find out before the customer turns sour. You know what I mean? And um if if there's anything we can do to save an account early in the process, that's what we're here for. That's uh our goal.

[00:31:22]Um, our customers deserve it. They pay our paycheck. So, if uh we we can help them early before they get in a bad way.

[00:31:31]>> Hopefully, we save an account a week, a month, a a year, it doesn't matter. If we save one account, it it's well worth it.

[00:31:41]>> Good.

[00:31:42]>> Yeah. I think, you know, we're talking about saving accounts and we think that the regular check-ins and touch points with the AI side will will have a chance to help with that. Think in addition to saving accounts, we we have a chance to just build on the relationship that is there. So that is bound to translate into referrals and good customer satisfaction and all the things.

[00:32:01]>> Repeat. Yeah.

[00:32:02]>> Yeah. So I think Joe, you know, obviously you're an adopter, you're you're on board with the idea of implementing AI in your business, but as you as you've considered this, I had a chance to ask the other dealers and I can share with what they said, but my question of you is when it comes to AI, like what are the concerns either for you or what do you hear?

[00:32:23]>> I mean, what we all hear is I just want to talk to a live person, >> right?

[00:32:28]>> That's what we all hear. Sure.

[00:32:29]>> Um I I have a AI you know we have used AI for 30 years right it's just a little different now press one for this press two for that press for this that was AI right it was it was machine helping to route a call to where it needed to get >> we have evolved to you know I have a young lady that answers our phone she's maternal um her name's Tony and she can talk to you, she can answer, she shows up every day, she can route those calls a little bit different than pressing one. So it um it it's just a next generation like like you said, AI1, I I think we're in smart learning. Um we're way down the road now. So I don't have a lot of concerns.

[00:33:23]I just think it's more interactive now than it's ever been. Yeah, >> I think the thing that I hear and I didn't get a chance to pull it together, but you know, months ago I did a poll in the BHPH success group and asked, you know, are you how do you feel about AI?

[00:33:39]Are you interested in putting it to work in your business? And um and so there's some feedback I can bring back to that.

[00:33:45]But there was I want to say in the range of twothirds of the people who responded said yes, I have interest. Doesn't mean they don't also have concerns. We didn't go that far. But I think as we talk about this part, one of the things that I'm hearing is just the thing that you at least when you think about the persona and voice is one of the concerns is is it going to sound like a robot?

[00:34:04]Right? That's kind of the thing is that's if you if you if it sounds like a robot then I don't think I'd be advocating for it myself.

[00:34:11]>> Well, is that when you said I just want to talk to you a human?

[00:34:15]>> Why?

[00:34:16]>> Yeah.

[00:34:16]>> Why?

[00:34:17]>> Yeah. Why is it that they just I don't want to talk to you. I want to talk to you a human. and and sometimes it's because they can they can answer the question, but other times I I've especially with older folks um they just get frustrated because there's just not a natural cadence, >> right, >> to having a conversation and it's just very it's very sterile >> and it's um it's obviously a machine that you're talking to. And I just I love how things have developed so much today where you can have a conversation with with an AI and have like a full-blown conversation as in oh you you see me you get me >> and that's that's you know everyone wants to feel like they are understood when there's a thing or when you know whatever it is that's happening.

[00:35:06]>> Sure. And I I think the u in fairness to separate I think we all want to talk to person when there's an issue like when we've got a problem and we're trying to get a problem solved we definitely want to talk to a person who can solve the problem. So I think it's important to separate that from >> the kind of touch points that we're going to have with this AI customer advocate is they're not necessarily going to be interacting at a time there's an issue.

[00:35:28]>> We're just simply >> or they can say hey there's an issue let me get you in touch with so- and so.

[00:35:34]>> Absolutely. Yeah. So we'll be working through that. That's part of what it's there to do is identify the stuff, but even then it's it's you heard in the thing. It's not there to solve the problem. It's there to identify the problem, speak to the customer, extract that information and and and work to make sure things >> they will be able to >> right that they one of the things we're working with now, Joe, is that um it will be able to report to you as the dealer principal or whoever you designate that this customer reported an issue or question or concern and then it will um ask, would you like me to follow up in a couple of days to verify that the the issue was resolved? So this is the follow-th through thing for me has always been a big thing in training is how to wait how to build on trust and just to make sure. So again, I get permission. Would you like me to check with you a couple days to verify that that that you got your answers? So this is this is an example of where we can when we when we leverage it wisely, we can certainly put um computers to work for our benefit. And the best case scenario, Joe, is it does it does all of those jobs really well. It frees up our human team to be able to do the things that humans do so well and it's going to free you up as a dealer principal to uh you know be able to go do the things you enjoy and uh and and to have you know less engagement in that way. So this is always you know part of the objective for Michelle and me is helping dealers be able to get their business uh positioned in a way that it it works well without them having to be in the building every day. And we know that AI can be a really vital um part of that solution. So it's all good. I think uh you know we for today Joe we we covered the parts that I I wanted to get to. Um and like I said this is the first of what'll be many conversations around what um engagement of tomorrow should look like? But any any thoughts to add before we go? you know, there there at the end you pretty much said what I like to say to staff is this is a way to assist us to be better.

[00:37:35]>> We're not trying to I I'm hoping that with a AI customer advocate, I have fewer upset customers at my current staff, >> right? Yeah. So, I don't want my current staff and a lot of times I, you know, I have to call customers back on behalf of my staff because, you know, Mr. Miss customer, we had an interaction yesterday that went so well.

[00:38:05]And if I can eliminate those bad interactions between a customer and my staff, I'm trying to protect them. I'm trying to make their job easier. I'm trying to make their life easier. I'm trying to make their u time at work more enjoyable. So, if we can solve problems, it it's kind of like working on a car, right? If the thermostat's bad in the car, let's change a thermostat. Let's don't wait until the entire engine's blown.

[00:38:32]>> So, if we can change a thermostat with our customers early on and have to replace a motor later on, um and it makes their job easier. And you know, because I I I led with beginning, I can't guarantee if this car is going to work tomorrow or not.

[00:38:49]>> Sure.

[00:38:50]>> I can guarantee if we have a little issue, let's take care of the little issue and move on down the road and it'll make their job um so much more pleasant, I hope.

[00:39:00]>> Yeah. Good.

[00:39:01]>> Yeah.

[00:39:02]>> Yeah. I think this Yeah, it's I love where you started with um you know, we're we're going to be here. If the if the machine fails, >> we're going to be here. So, that's the part and we're going to bring the same attitude and long range outlook that we bring to customer relations all the time because it's obviously your interest as a dealer and seeing your customers happy and saying good things about you and your community and and coming back to buy again and again, referring friends and family. That's that's obviously the and the smaller your market is, the more true that is, right? So, it's like we uh we know that's a problem to be solved and it's an opportunity for all of us to work together to uh make sure we we code these quote machines to to do the job the way that we want it done. So, that's that's what the work's about.

[00:39:47]Joe, we appreciate you making time to uh to be here and we look forward to again, one last reminder, I'll be in Houston on Tuesday night. Look forward to seeing some of you down there. I'll be reaching out to some of you say please come have a beverage and a >> and a chat >> and a chat with see you.

[00:40:04]>> Hey Joe, thank you again so much and this this is a this whole this whole process is going to be very transparent.

[00:40:12]Um, we are confident that that we um have a a a solution that is really going to move the needle for dealers and we're excited about making it transparent and we're excited about having you part of that process and again want to thank you for um for stepping in with with uh what it is that's being built.

[00:40:37]>> Perfect. appreciate you having me and uh I look forward to working with a customer advocacy and I look forward to having a customer advocacy in my business and I think it can only be a blessing >> right we'll make sure that it is >> well um hold we're going to put you backstage if you'll stick around for just a minute so we can say a proper goodbye after we've closed out the podcast and um again thank you so much Joe for joining um I'm exced excited that yeah, it's going to be it's >> going to be, you know, there's very rarely do you see um this level of transparency about something that everyone is talking about.

[00:41:20]>> Yeah. And um that's part of what I think is is uh that you know, White Way is all about transparency and let's like let's let people see this process and let's let people know what it is that they're going to be experiencing and let's um so I really I love this.

[00:41:38]>> Yeah. Some of the benefit too I can share is one of the dealers who signed early said he asked sound is this agent going to sound like what the one sounded like when you had a conversation on your podcast and I said well let's make sure that it is like you know in the end it's not going to it's not going to arrive at work through the same exact channels but let's just make sure >> and and the there is the distinct possibility it will be better.

[00:42:03]>> Yeah. I just think that that there are a lot of people we meet them in our industry and outside that >> they have concerns about what that looks like and I think >> I I understand where that comes from and I would say if you if you'll take time to listen to what they of you'll start to get excited and not nervous.

[00:42:23]>> Yeah. I think more and more people are just getting excited about the the possibility as as we see more most of the vendors out there are talking about it and so everyone's being um is you know there's there's opportunities there and in every aspect of your business to be able to improve and all of that. Hey everybody, thanks again for joining us today. We really appreciate uh your time and um looking forward to the future and uh uh yeah, if there's anything that we can help with, feel free to reach out.

[00:42:51]Jim at White Hatway, Michelle at White Hatway, and let's see how we might be able to collaborate, do some fun things together. All right, have a great day.