Data Leaks, Dealer Fatigue & the Education Void (w/ Brian Pasch)
Update: 2025-11-07
Description
What happens when the automotive industry's biggest blind spots finally get called out?
In this new episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit down with Brian Pasch - author, researcher, conference founder, and one of automotive retail's most respected voices.Together, they unpack what's actually hurting dealership performance today: bloated websites, missing ASC events, broken measurement, AI hype cycles, and an industry-wide lack of continuing education. This conversation is an unfiltered look at the uncomfortable truths dealers need to face - and the actions leaders can take right now to get ahead.
Why Watch
In this new episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit down with Brian Pasch - author, researcher, conference founder, and one of automotive retail's most respected voices.Together, they unpack what's actually hurting dealership performance today: bloated websites, missing ASC events, broken measurement, AI hype cycles, and an industry-wide lack of continuing education. This conversation is an unfiltered look at the uncomfortable truths dealers need to face - and the actions leaders can take right now to get ahead.
Why Watch
- Learn why dealer websites have become overloaded - and how extra GTM containers, scripts, and legacy tools quietly destroy performance
- Understand ASC compliance: which vendors support it, which don't, and how the lack of standards breaks measurement, CDPs, and OEM reporting
- See why most CTA stacks fail (and which CTAs actually convert on SRP + VDP)
- Hear why 20 Groups often become echo chambers - and what true education and innovation should look like
- Get a candid breakdown of AI in retail: what's real today, what's smoke, and how many AI tools a dealership can realistically manage
- Learn the mindset shift every GM and marketing leader needs to make to survive data-driven retail
In This Episode
00:00 – Introductions
01:00 – Why dealer websites became cluttered and overloaded
03:00 – GTM containers, scripts, site speed, and data leaks
05:10 – CTA simplification, mobile UX problems, and consumer confusion
08:05 – Why Schedule Test Drive performs poorly and how to measure CCR
10:55 – How vendor add ons create bloat and why removal rarely happens
13:15 – ASC adoption, vendor resistance, and data transparency issues
17:05 – OEM programs, politics, and why key tools fail to support ASC
20:40 – GA4 experience gaps among vendors and why half compliant tools cause problems
23:55 – Pop ups, early leads, and how CRM attribution gets distorted
26:40 – Why dealers still lack accurate analytics across their stack
28:20 – The education gap in automotive and why NADA programs are falling behind
31:10 – Conference attendance, learning culture, and the 30 day cycle trap
34:00 – Twenty groups as echo chambers vs true innovation networks
36:45 – Data skills GMs absolutely need today
38:35 – AI realities, hype cycles, and findings from upcoming voice AI research
41:25 – How many AI tools a dealership can actually manage
42:40 – Final thoughts and where to follow Brian Pasch
About In Search Of
A candid, data-driven podcast for dealership leaders and marketers who want clarity - not hype.
Each episode features conversations with industry experts who cut through the noise and reveal the truths shaping modern automotive retail.
Subscribe to stay informed on SEO, AI, analytics, and the strategies that actually drive dealership performance.
00:00 – Introductions
01:00 – Why dealer websites became cluttered and overloaded
03:00 – GTM containers, scripts, site speed, and data leaks
05:10 – CTA simplification, mobile UX problems, and consumer confusion
08:05 – Why Schedule Test Drive performs poorly and how to measure CCR
10:55 – How vendor add ons create bloat and why removal rarely happens
13:15 – ASC adoption, vendor resistance, and data transparency issues
17:05 – OEM programs, politics, and why key tools fail to support ASC
20:40 – GA4 experience gaps among vendors and why half compliant tools cause problems
23:55 – Pop ups, early leads, and how CRM attribution gets distorted
26:40 – Why dealers still lack accurate analytics across their stack
28:20 – The education gap in automotive and why NADA programs are falling behind
31:10 – Conference attendance, learning culture, and the 30 day cycle trap
34:00 – Twenty groups as echo chambers vs true innovation networks
36:45 – Data skills GMs absolutely need today
38:35 – AI realities, hype cycles, and findings from upcoming voice AI research
41:25 – How many AI tools a dealership can actually manage
42:40 – Final thoughts and where to follow Brian Pasch
About In Search Of
A candid, data-driven podcast for dealership leaders and marketers who want clarity - not hype.
Each episode features conversations with industry experts who cut through the noise and reveal the truths shaping modern automotive retail.
Subscribe to stay informed on SEO, AI, analytics, and the strategies that actually drive dealership performance.
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