In this episode of Word on the Street, we’re joined by Curtis Driver, Omnichannel Digital Sales Manager at Capital Auto Group, to unpack why dealers so often fire vendors within the first 90 days — and what both sides get wrong during onboarding.

Curtis shares a candid dealer-side perspective on why onboarding breaks down, how silence and unclear expectations kill momentum, and why utilization is the most important metric dealers should be watching early on. The conversation covers how marketing, BDC performance, and in-store execution must work together, why dashboards don’t matter if managers aren’t trained for accountability, and how communication methods like SMS and short-form video outperform email inside the dealership.

The episode also explores omnichannel digital sales, realistic uses of AI in sales and service, the role of CDPs and lifecycle marketing, and why AI should scale employees — not replace them. Curtis explains how dealers evaluate vendors in the first 14–90 days, what causes frustration during rollouts, and why proactive communication is the biggest differentiator between vendors who last and vendors who get canceled.

If you’re a dealer, vendor, or automotive marketer looking to build stronger partnerships, improve onboarding outcomes, and cut through AI hype with real-world insight, this episode delivers practical takeaways straight from the store level.

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