In a Wards Q&A, DealerSocket CEO Sejal Pietrzak talks about a customer-first strategy, her management style, women as CEOs and more.

In a Wards Q&A, Len Short and Eric Turner talk about AI technology, the sometimes-mysterious world of automotive digital marketing, its promises and some of its unmet expectations.

“Consumers don’t want to wait, they want everything now,” says Brett Sutherlin, head of FusionZONE Automotive.

Ninety percent of consumers say they prefer a unique car-buying journey that allows them to shop and buy in an individualized way, according to a Cox study.

The auto-auction chain moved vehicles 40 million times in 2018 alone. Technology is making it easier to locate their whereabouts.

“People want a more personalized experience,” says Lori Wittman, Cox Automotive’s senior vice president-dealer software solutions.

In a Wards Q&A, Auto/Mate Chairman and CTO Larry Colson talks about the doomed CDK-Auto/Mate deal and its aftermath.

A new Roadster study says salespeople put deals at risk by stepping away from their customers an average of three to four times during the sales process.

Today’s auto consumers rely on the Internet to shop and research vehicles, but physical stores still play a big role, says Matt Weinberg of Drive Motors, a company that provides online car-buying services.

AI “is not futuristic, not scary, and already real,” says Joe Chura, CEO of Dealer Inspire, a technology and website provider. “It will change the world faster. At dealerships, it can do everyday tasks.”