AutoTech Outlook: Specials Magazine

Powering modern car sales requires instant responses, often over text and consistent follow-up whenever a customer shows interest. This level of responsiveness has shifted from a feature to a baseline expectation. For dealerships juggling hundreds of leads across multiple channels, gaps emerge quickly. Calls go unanswered, CRM records grow stale, and test drive appointments slip through the cracks. EngagedAi steps in, taking over the follow-up dealerships struggle to maintain, acting like the perfect business development center (BDC) representative that never forgets to follow up. It embeds a fully integrated AI sales agent into the dealership’s CRM to close these gaps and keep leads moving. Unlike templated CRM workflows, every response is contextual and dynamic, adapting to each shopper’s intent and history. Built for the automotive industry, the platform does far more than send automated replies. It reads incoming leads, manages appointments, nudges sales reps, and sends reminders so no opportunity is overlooked. “Dealers don’t lose sales for lack of leads; they lose them when speed and follow-up slip through the cracks. EngagedAi ensures every customer gets the right response at the right time, without adding work for the sales team. It’s like giving every store their best BDC rep on their best day, 24/7,” says Gregory Cooper, founder and CEO. That was the case for Murdock Hyundai of Lindon, which, in its very first month with EngagedAi, set 168 appointments, 92 of which resulted in sales. This marked a significant improvement over the previous month, achieved just at the start of their partnership. “EngagedAi has helped us keep the main thing the main thing — guest engagement and salesperson involvement,” says Phil Pecoraro, GM at Murdock Hyundai of Lindon. “Gregory Cooper has been hands-on every step of the way, making sure the tool truly drives results in our store.” Sales Agents That Understand Inventory, People, and Process With over a decade of automotive CRM experience at DealerSocket, where he rose to VP of Sales across all product lines, Cooper saw firsthand how even well-staffed stores struggled with missed responses, outdated records, and inconsistent outreach. Traditional CRMs notify teams when a lead comes in, but rarely ensure sustained follow-up. Converting an internet lead often requires six to seven contact attempts, and most weren't designed for a text-first world, despite texting now being the preferred method. Equally critical is immediacy, as most shoppers send leads to multiple dealerships, and the one that responds first usually wins. The first five minutes after a customer inquiry can determine whether that lead converts or disappears. EngagedAi ensures a win by embedding AI agents directly into CRMs like VinSolutions, Elead, and DealerSocket, enabling cradle-to-grave engagement, from the very first inquiry through the entire sales journey and beyond. For sales teams, it looks and feels like the CRM’s own communication app, seamlessly integrated without extra steps. At a Harley-Davidson dealership in Canada, this consistency resulted in a 450 percent increase in CRM-recorded appointments in just one month, giving sales teams more opportunities without additional staff. The platform's depth shows how agents manage interactions. Unlike traditional CRMs that depend on rigid templates, EngagedAi never recycles the same canned lines. Instead, it parses Automotive Digital Format (ADF) leads so details like vehicle trim or financing preferences guide responses. Through a partnership with Inventory Command Center, the AI can answer VIN-specific questions, whether a car has a tow package, is on the lot, or similar models are inbound. The accuracy rivals that of an experienced salesperson but is delivered instantly and at scale.

Walk into any repair shop and you’ll see rows of air filters, brake pads and fluids, categories where private labels often do the job. But engine management is different. When a check-engine light flashes, technicians don’t experiment. They reach for a brand they trust. That trust defines BWD. Known as the professional technician’s brand of choice, BWD delivers complete engine management coverage with OEM-grade precision. Backed by Standard Motor Products (SMP), the brand combines engineering depth with decades of field-proven performance. Each ignition coil, sensor and fuel injector is designed and tested to function correctly the first time, helping technicians resolve complex drivability issues with confidence. “When it comes to engine management, every repair is a forced repair. A customer’s car may stall, idle rough or burn fuel excessively. The check-engine light leaves no room to wait. That urgency raises the stakes for professional technicians, who depend on quality and completeness in every box they open,” says Aaron Shaffer, director of marketing services. With one of the industry’s broadest product lines, comprising more than 50,000 SKUs across sensors, ignition, fuel and emissions, BWD empowers distributors and technicians to say yes, every time. “Advertising helps a brand get noticed, but real credibility is earned in the bay. For decades, BWD has built its reputation one repair at a time, through products that start engines, clear fault codes and keep customers on the move. BWD remains the name professionals reach for when precision matters most,” says John Herc, vice president of marketing.