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Building operational efficiency and creating a good experience for employees and customers goes hand in hand. In our industry today, what are some of the ways to drive real progress in these areas?
In just five years, the Swickard Auto Group grew from one store to over fifty. For the 200th episode of Connected, Greg Uland sat down with a legend in our industry, Jeff Swickard, dealer principal at Swickard Auto Group, to talk about what's driving growth and what Jeff's dealerships are focusing on.
Jeff and Greg discussed:
• Real ways Swickard is incorporating AI in their business today.
• How Jeff defines and builds a culture of hospitality.
• What made Jeff fall in love with the car business.
What a great way to mark our 200th episode! Jeff has built a really impressive business and has so much great insight to share. If you’re thinking about scaling your operation or delivering something better for your customers, this is a conversation worth your time.
Corpay diem! The business office is evolving — and payments are at the center of it. From fraud risk to cash flow visibility, the way dealerships manage payments is changing quickly.
In this episode of Connected, Catherine Hart of Corpay joins Greg to break down how digital payments are changing dealership operations.
Together they cover:
• Where fraud risk hides in traditional payment methods.
• Why some dealerships are shifting to virtual cards and digital approvals.
• How smarter payment workflows can tighten control over cash.
Customer retention and loyalty remain top of mind across the dealership, especially in the service department.
On today's Connected, Richard Lupo, fixed ops director at Apple Tree Honda and Acura, returns to talk about how his team is preparing for the next phase of service growth.
Rich and Greg go over:
• What's on Rich's roadmap for fixed ops in 2026.
• The value of transparency in the service drive.
• The role of mobile service and loaner programs in expanding service reach.
Thank you to Rich for sitting down with us at NADA and being a fantastic dealer partner. If you're focused on growing RO count, expanding your customer base, and building stronger loyalty in your service lane, you should definitely give this conversation a listen.
We’re thrilled to share today's thought-provoking episode with Uli De'Martino of Daily Dealer Live, recorded at NADA!
Uli’s unique perspective sheds light on how to navigate the evolving landscape of the automotive industry. In this episode, you’ll discover:
• How flexibility and innovation drive success in today's automotive market.
• The importance of staying connected and adapting to new trends.
• Ways to leverage global experiences to enhance business growth.
Get Connected with Uli and integrate these insights to foster growth and adaptability in your business.
Service departments don't get as many at-bats as they used to. With customers visiting less frequently, every service opportunity matters now more than ever.
On today's Connected, Greg sits down with Dave Rogers, fixed operations director at Piazza Auto Group, to get his perspective on what it really takes to maximize every visit in today's service drive.
Dave and Greg discuss:
• How MPIs and videos drive transparency and closing rates.
• The importance of recognizing behavioral metrics.
• Where AI and service lane technology can unlock real efficiency.
If you’re focused on improving technician productivity and increasing service drive profitability, this conversation is worth your time!
In our latest episode recorded on the floor of NADA, Greg talks with Todd Smith, founder of QoreAI and author of "The Intelligent Dealership."
Todd sheds light on his groundbreaking ideas and shares his vision for the auto industry’s future. In this episode, he and Greg cover:
• The inspiration behind "The Intelligent Dealership" and its impact.
• How AI is redefining dealership operations.
• Strategies for embracing technological change in the automotive sector.
This engaging conversation with Todd is a must-listen for automotive professionals aiming to stay competitive. Apply these insights to innovate and future-proof your dealership!
It's another special Friday episode of Connected, recorded live at NADA!
Today, Greg's catching up with Paul J Daly, founder and CEO of More Than Cars. If you're not watching Season 2 of their docuseries, The Truth About Car Dealers, you're missing out.
In this episode, Paul and Greg discuss:
• How to leverage storytelling in building a narrative.
• Creating attention and making moments feel big.
• How the More Than Cars team is incorporating these ideas in what they're doing daily and The Truth About Car Dealers.
Another great conversation with Paul! He and his team are doing such great work highlighting amazing stories from the automotive industry and helping dealers learn how to craft and tell their own.
We're thrilled to bring you another insightful episode recorded live from NADA, featuring Brian Pasch, automotive marketing expert and founder of Pasch Group!
Brian recently released a report evaluating the current landscape for CRMs in the dealership world. It's titled: Dealership CRMs Must Evolve or Get Left Behind. He joined us at NADA to discuss the transformative trends shaping the automotive industry. In this episode, he and Greg cover essential topics like:
• The evolution of CRM to customer engagement platforms.
• How CDPs are revolutionizing dealership marketing strategies.
• The significance of data hygiene and identity resolution in enhancing sales opportunities.
In today's conversation from the NADA floor, Greg's talking with Kyle Mountsier, COO of More Than Cars.
If you have the chance to catch up with Kyle, you can't pass it up. He's got such a great mind for marketing and is so plugged into the automotive industry and where we're headed. He and Greg touch on:
• How technology impacts both the consumer and employee experience.
• The amazing growth of AI in the last year and where it's headed looking forward.
• How he's incorporating AI into his marketing efforts.
• The story behind how a missing bracket grew into a community touch point.
And if you haven't seen it already, check out season two of the More Than Cars docuseries, The Truth About Car Dealers, that premiered this week. It's always so inspiring to hear stories from dealers doing really great work.
@asotu
We're excited to bring you a special episode from the NADA show floor featuring Sam D’Arc, COO of Zeigler Auto Group and host of Daily Dealer Live!
In this episode, Greg Uland asks Sam about his unique perspective on the automotive industry and they discuss the key issues Sam sees dealers focusing on today, such as:
• The shift from digital retailing to AI as the industry's hot topic.
• Encouraging transparency and storytelling within the automotive community.
• The evolving role of social media in dealership marketing.
Connected live at NADA 2026!
We're kicking off NADA with a special episode featuring Cliff Banks, founder of the Banks Report and AUTOVATE, from the show floor!
Greg has a tradition of catching up with Cliff at the show every year to hear his insights on the state of the industry. Together, they break down recent topics and trends and explored what to keep an eye out for in the year ahead, like:
-The rise of companies like Waymo and the potential impact on fleet and vehicle ownership levels.
-Scout and how states are responding to the direct-to-consumer sales model.
-How dealers can be learning to leverage not only AI tools in their business, but also the AI search tools their customers may be using to find them.
What a great conversation to kick off NADA! And this is only the start of our episodes from the show. Stay tuned for even more great conversations live from Las Vegas throughout the month!
This week Greg is joined by Adam Gaedke, partner at Freddy Media. He's a longtime automotive retail operator with over two decades of experience in growing dealer groups.
Before partnering with Freddy Media, Adam spent 22 years at Van Horn Auto Group, where he played a key role in scaling the organization from a handful of stores to an 18-rooftop operation. Today, he brings that operator’s mindset to helping dealers think differently about growth, leadership, and customer experience.
In this episode, Adam shares insight on:
-The difference between managers and true operators, and why “intrapreneurship” is critical inside multi-store organizations.
-Why the automotive industry underinvests in hospitality and how small, intentional moments can dramatically impact customer experience and profitability.
-What it really takes to successfully grow a dealer group and why people and preparation matter.
This was a great conversation that blended real-world dealership lessons with a practical, no-nonsense perspective on what separates average operations from exceptional ones.
In this special episode of Connected, Chief Customer Ambassador Dave Bates reflects on retiring from Reynolds and Reynolds after 42 years (15,598 days) with the company.
Dave talks with Greg Uland about:
-Dave’s philosophy behind Attitude, Effort and Extra (AEX) and the idea of “being a star where you are.”
-The story of his interview with Reynolds and how he met his wife Carolyn.
-Highlights from his career.
-Advice for the industry going forward.
Comments about Dave have been rolling in all day. His leadership, warmth, and dedication have inspired associates, strengthened partnerships, and left a lasting mark on everyone he’s worked with. We’re grateful for his guidance and wish him the very best in this next chapter.
On the first Connected of 2026, Greg is joined in the studio by Dr. Kent MacDonald, president of Northwood University.
If you're not familiar with Northwood, it's a unique university in Midland, MI, known as "America's Free Enterprise University." As an academic leader in the automotive, aftermarket, and mobility spaces, Northwood is shaping the next generation of our industry.
Dr. MacDonald shares his insight on:
-How Northwood's unapologetic set of values sets itself and its students apart.
-The balance of academics and experience in shaping students coming out of higher education.
-How to encourage young people to want to be a part of the automotive industry.
It was great getting to hear more about what's going on at Northwood and what's to come for our industry. They are producing some really impressive students that are going to make a big impact in automotive!
On our last Connected of 2025, Greg is joined in the studio by Holly Neeld, Allison Leonard, and Amy Webb from Blood Cancer United, a nonprofit organization that benefits patients with all types of blood cancer.
Blood Cancer United has been providing support and advocating for patients for over 75 years. Over that time, they have gained valuable insights, heard memorable stories and put together great events.
The three wise women discuss:
-The three pillars of service.
-Amy's incredible survivor story.
-Light the Night and how to get involved.
Thank you to Holly, Allison, and Amy for joining us and sharing their stories. Generosity matters all year long, but it feels especially powerful during the holiday season.
What goes into the process of designing a new dealership and where do you even begin?
Today on Connected, Greg is joined in the studio by Bill Chidley, co-founder of ChangeUp and author of The Brand Vortex.
ChangeUp is a branding and retail design firm that partners with several OEMs and their dealer programs to help establish dealership design and branding standards. They also put out an industry report titled, "Why the Dealership Experience Still Matters," about the importance of the physical dealership in a changing automotive retail landscape.
Greg and Bill talk through some of the findings of the report and discuss some of the things dealerships have to balance when establishing their branding, like:
- The needs of the brand and the function of the dealership.
- OEM expectations and unique dealership identity.
- How to align branding when showcasing different vehicle models.
Bill had some really great insight to share on some aspects of the dealership that may not always be top of mind, but are so important for the customer experience. Get Connected with Bill and enjoy this week's episode!
We're giving thanks!
For this special episode of Connected, Greg invited a few of our Reynolds associates to share what they're thankful for this year. Listen in as they reflect on both personal and professional experiences, providing heartfelt insights into their gratitude.
Happy Thanksgiving!
On the latest Connected, Greg's speaking with Tim Pohanka, COO at Pohanka Automotive Group.
Beyond his work at the dealership, Tim is a part of a new video series, the Tour Detour. On this adventure, Tim and two other dealers, Jason Cole and Chris Lenckosz, are driving used Nissans across the rugged terrain of the American West, testing the limits of the vehicles and their continuously variable transmissions (CVT).
Tim and Greg discuss:
-Tim's stories from the road.
-The Tour Detour as an example of storytelling marketing.
-The positive impact this project had on morale for each of the dealerships.
Look for new episodes of the Tour Detour every week on YouTube!
"AI will amplify whatever data there is. So if you have a lot of bad data, you will accelerate a bad process."
This week on Connected, Greg sits down with Todd Smith, CEO of Qore AI, a company focused on the future of the automotive industry.
Todd is educating dealers on AI and the direction that we are headed.
He and Greg discuss:
-The importance of high-quality data to back your AI.
-The specific tasks that AI can help with today and the tasks it can tackle tomorrow.
-AI as the new user experience and the future of Agentic AI.
Todd’s perspective comes from years spent inside dealerships and alongside them, not just selling to them. That experience shapes how he thinks about adoption, culture, and what actually moves the business forward.
This week, Greg gets Connected with Rich Lupo, fixed ops director at Apple Tree Honda and Apple Tree Acura.
Rich is constantly sharing his ideas and best practices with the industry, and today he and Greg dive deeper into:
-The technician bench program Rich has implemented to help with staffing shortages at their stores.
-How to adapt other's best practices to fit your specific needs and be actionable for your business.
-What the next era of automotive retail looks like and what businesses we can look at as the model.
Rich is always striving to make our industry better. We're so glad he could join the podcast to share what worked for Apple Tree Honda/Acura. Hopefully you're able to take away a tip that can work at your dealership!
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