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PODCAST

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by CBT News

Welcome to Driving Solutions, the podcast for dealership professionals who want to stay sharp, informed, and ahead of the curve. Hosted by Jim Fitzpatrick and powered by CBT News, each episode dives into the real-world strategies, tools, and vendor solutions helping today’s auto dealers run smarter, more profitable operations.From fixed ops and F&I to digital retailing and dealership leadership, Driving Solutions covers the full scope of dealership operations. Whether you"re a dealer principal,

business management

All Episodes

7:42

How Data and Identity Are Transforming Automotive...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/04/21

Automotive-specific media buying strategies are reshaping how agencies drive performance and retain dealer clients. On this episode of Driving Solutions, fullthrottle.ai Co-Founder Amol Waishampayan explains why agencies are moving beyond general-purpose demand-side platforms in favor of solutions built specifically for automotive retail. Waishampayan highlights the limitations of broad DSPs and how industry-specific platforms address the complexities of dealership operations, including inven...

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11:05

The rise of automation in service departments

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/04/15

Jeff Adams, Director of Fixed Ops Product Planning at Reynolds & Reynolds, discusses how AI and automation are transforming fixed operations by eliminating inefficiencies, improving customer communication, and increasing service capacity. He explains how dealerships can leverage emerging tools to streamline workflows and meet rising consumer expectations. Adams outlines how AI is being applied to common friction points across service departments, from communication to scheduling and parts...

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18:30

How dealer alliances are reshaping automotive retail...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/04/14

Founder and CEO David Mondragon discusses how AutoTrust Dealer Alliance is helping independent dealers compete through collective scale, cost reduction, and operational flexibility. He explains how the platform enables dealerships to strengthen purchasing power across finance and insurance, lending, and general operations—without sacrificing autonomy or requiring structural changes. As consolidation accelerates across the retail automotive landscape, Mondragon outlines how aggregating dealer ...

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15:24

Solving Fleet Downtime and Delivery Delays

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/03/31

Peter Janczewski, Senior Vice President of Sales at Draiver, joins Driving Solutions to discuss how automakers are rethinking vehicle logistics to improve visibility, speed, and operational efficiency. As OEM supply chains grow more complex, Janczewski explains why fragmented logistics models are no longer sustainable and how unified platforms are helping streamline vehicle movement from plant to dealer—or directly to consumers. The conversation explores how Draiver consolidates multiple logi...

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10:16

Why Dealership AI Needs Better Data Integration

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/03/30

Kerri Wise, Chief Marketing Officer at Lotlinx, and Lance Schafer, GM of Product and Technology, join Driving Solutions to examine why generic AI tools are falling short for dealerships—and what’s needed to unlock real value. Drawing on new survey data, they explain how widespread AI adoption has yet to translate into meaningful operational impact, largely due to disconnected systems and lack of dealership-specific context. Wise and Schafer outline how integrating AI with CRM, inventory, and ...

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20:11

Unlocking Fixed Ops Profitability

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/03/26

Leigh Silver, CEO of Dynatron Software, joins Driving Solutions to discuss how dealerships can unlock greater profitability in their service and parts departments through better data utilization. With decades of fixed operations experience, Silver explains why many dealers struggle to interpret the vast amount of data generated by DMS systems—and how translating that data into actionable insights can drive meaningful operational improvements. The conversation explores how Dynatron combines so...

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21:23

Stephane Ferri Breaks Down the Dealership Phone Call...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/03/12

Stephane Ferri, CEO of Car Wars, joins Driving Solutions to discuss new data revealing how missed phone calls are costing dealerships millions in lost service opportunities—and how artificial intelligence may help close the gap. Drawing from Car Wars’ 2026 white paper, Ferri explains why the phone remains one of the most important lead sources for dealerships, particularly for service scheduling and customer inquiries. The conversation examines operational bottlenecks that occur during peak c...

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13:43

Fred Fordin on Launching Deelr.io and AI-Driven...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/02/24

Dealership technology veteran Fred Fordin joins Driving Solutions to discuss launching Deelr.io alongside his son, Charles, and how AI-driven tools are reshaping inventory and recon management. Drawing on decades of retail and software experience—including leadership roles with Sonic Automotive, Hendrick Automotive Group, Dealertrack, and CDK Global—Fordin outlines a practical approach to improving dealership efficiency through data and automation. Deelr.io’s platform focuses on recon workflo...

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8:48

Charles Fordin on AI Workflow Automation for Dealerships

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/02/23

Operational speed and cross-department visibility are becoming defining advantages for dealerships, and Charles Fordin, co-founder of Deelr.io, explains how AI-driven workflow automation is helping stores reduce recon cycle times and unify performance management. On Driving Solutions, Fordin outlines how Deelr.io’s platforms connect fixed and variable operations under a single framework built around measurable objectives. The company’s Pulse business intelligence system delivers leadership-le...

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9:11

Jeri Reichel on Why Omnichannel Retailing Is Now...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/02/09

Digital retailing has reached a tipping point as consumer expectations for online vehicle purchases continue to rise. On this episode of Driving Solutions, Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Jeri Reichel, AVP of Strategic Planning at Cox Automotive, to discuss why omnichannel retailing is no longer optional for today’s dealers. Reichel explains how buyer behavior has shifted toward flexible, online-first experiences that still preserve the value of in-store interaction. She outlines how modern digi...

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28:43

Lauren Donalson and Jason Wiley on AI-Driven Dealer...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/01/20

PureCars executives Lauren Donalson, CEO, and Jason Wiley, President and Chief Revenue Officer, join Driving Solutions to discuss how clean data and AI-powered marketing can help dealerships drive service visits, strengthen customer engagement, and improve profitability in 2026. They explain why fixed operations remain one of the most underleveraged profit centers in automotive retail—and how smarter data practices can unlock long-term value across the ownership lifecycle. Donalson and Wiley ...

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18:26

Ryan Kerrigan on the State of Dealership Buy-Sell...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/01/15

Ryan Kerrigan, managing director at Kerrigan Advisors, joins Driving Solutions to discuss why dealership buy-sell activity remains resilient despite ongoing industry uncertainty. He breaks down key transaction trends from 2025, including major multi-rooftop deals and continued consolidation among large dealer groups, while offering insight into how ownership dynamics are shifting across the industry. Kerrigan also shares findings from the firm’s latest dealer survey, which shows improving sen...

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21:20

Cole Reiken on Using Diagnostics to Protect Used Car...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/01/13

Cole Reiken, managing director of BlueDriver MAX, joins Driving Solutions to explain how professional-grade diagnostics are changing the way dealers appraise and acquire used vehicles. As higher-mileage vehicles become a larger part of dealer inventory, Reiken outlines why visual inspections and basic scan tools are no longer enough to protect margins and maintain customer trust. The conversation explores how BlueDriver MAX delivers VIN-specific diagnostics, expanded OEM module coverage, and ...

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38:17

Solving Dealer Transport Delays with Royce Neubauer

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/01/06

Royce Neubauer, founder of Auto Hauler Exchange, joins Driving Solutions to discuss how vehicle logistics is becoming a competitive differentiator for dealers and OEMs. Drawing on more than two decades of experience in automotive transport, Neubauer explains why traditional hauling processes often create delays, limit visibility, and tie up dealer capital—especially as customer expectations around delivery continue to rise. The conversation explores how Auto Hauler Exchange was designed to re...

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13:59

How eLEND Solutions Streamlines Dealer Financing —...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2026/01/06

Pete MacInnis, CEO of eLEND Solutions, joins Driving Solutions to discuss the company’s recent Finance Report and how its fintech platform is helping dealerships overcome inefficiencies in auto financing. He explains how outdated credit-tier models can create a $4.7 billion annual revenue gap for dealers and outlines how modern, dynamic lender practices are reshaping the financing landscape. MacInnis details how eLEND’s tools integrate credit, identification, and financial workflows to stream...

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10:12

Surcharging Without Risk

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2025/12/12

Card brand rules, state laws, and customer expectations are shifting at the same time, and many dealerships are feeling the squeeze. We sat down with Amberly Allen, founder and managing partner at Dealer Merchant Services, to unpack a practical roadmap for compliant surcharging, smarter processing, and cleaner accounting that protects margin without sacrificing trust. We start with the essentials: what a compliant surcharge program looks like, why debit must be excluded, and how to stay with...

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22:55

Erin Kerrigan Breaks Down Dealership Valuations and...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2025/12/11

Erin Kerrigan, founder and managing director of Kerrigan Advisors, joins Driving Solutions to analyze why dealership buy-sell activity is on pace for a record-setting year in 2025. Drawing on the firm’s latest data and blue sky insights, she explains how strong buyer cash reserves, easing interest rates, and surging demand for luxury and ultra-luxury brands are reshaping the transaction landscape. Kerrigan discusses regional consolidation trends, rising valuations, and why operator performanc...

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9:44

Amberly Allen Breaks Down Modern Payments for Dealers

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2025/12/10

Amberly Allen, founder and managing partner of Dealer Merchant Services (DMS), joins Driving Solutions to discuss DMS’s recent acquisition by Priority Payments and what it means for automotive dealers navigating a rapidly changing payments landscape. She explains why finding a more sophisticated payments partner became critical as surcharging rules, compliance demands, and consumer payment preferences continue to evolve. Allen breaks down how Priority Payments’ scale, technology, and extensiv...

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7:57

How AI Is Transforming Dealer Prospecting with Bill Egan

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2025/11/14

Efficiency and personalization are becoming essential differentiators for dealership profitability. On this episode of Driving Solutions, automotiveMastermind VP of Product Bill Egan explains how new predictive and AI-powered tools are reshaping how dealers prospect, communicate, and close deals more effectively.Egan outlines how automotiveMastermind is addressing the industry’s biggest outreach gap: using AI to craft initial, personalized messages that help sales teams connect with the right

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18:46

How Digital Displays Transform Dealership Culture And...

Driving Solutions with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by... ·

2025/10/22

We explore how North Georgia Toyota uses digital screens to elevate customer trust, motivate teams, and replace manual reports with live, shared data that updates every 15 minutes. GM Greg Epps shows how real-time visibility builds culture while managers gain flexible tools for goals, coaching, and KPIs.• replacing whiteboards and spreadsheets with real-time screens• service status boards that show pricing and RO progress to customers• sales leaderboards that motivate and build culture• mobile

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35 results

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