Dealership AI That Actually Works: Takeaways from Our ASOTU Webinar

Key Takeaways:

• Despite decades of automotive sales technology and CRM investments, average salesperson productivity has stayed flat at 10 cars per month because most tools add complexity instead of clarity.
• Fritz is a dealership AI assistant that uses predictive intelligence to help sales teams write emails, craft phone scripts and prioritize customer outreach without complicated prompts or technical training.
• Dealers using AI for sales are already seeing results with faster appointment setting and improved follow-up because the right tools eliminate the blank screen problem that kills morning productivity.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in over 20 years of automotive retail, it’s this: the sales process never stops changing. During our recent ASOTU Edge webinar, “AI That Works as Hard as You Do,” Sarah Hicks and I dug into a question that’s been hanging around for decades: Can dealership sales technology actually make salespeople more efficient?

And yes, somewhere in there, we joked about Al Gore inventing the internet and the glory days of the Commodore 64. Jokes aside, that point matters. We’ve had decades of automotive retail tech advancements, yet salespeople still struggle with the same thing: finding efficiency. Full stop.

The Real Struggle for Dealership Sales Teams: Where Do You Even Start?

Sarah kicked things off with something we hear all the time: Salespeople are overwhelmed before they start their day. Who do I call? What do I say? Where should I focus? In a job where confidence and timing matter, starting your morning staring at a blank screen is brutal. And the tech that’s supposed to help? Too often, it adds complexity instead of clarity.

That’s the problem we built Fritz   to solve.

Why Automotive Sales Technology Hasn’t Worked: From 10 Cars a Month to Still 10 Cars a Month

When preparing for the webinar, I leaned on a stat from Dave Spisak that still blows my mind: Back in the 80s, the average salesperson sold 10 cars a month. Then the Internet and automotive CRMs showed up. Then more systems, more dashboards, more tools. And guess what the average still is? Ten. The great Dave Spisak talks about this all the time and I couldn’t agree more.

For decades, we’ve added features and buttons, but not real function. In my experience, that’s why dealership AI is different. When it’s done right, it’s not another system to learn. It’s the system that helps you use everything else better.

Meet Fritz:  Dealership AI That Works for Every Salesperson

We built Fritz, our AI sales assistant, with one goal: Make AI useful for every salesperson, no matter how long they’ve been in the game.

That means:

• No complicated prompts.
• No guessing what it can do.
• No engineer-level skills required.

Just plain language. Ask Fritz to write an email, craft a phone script, simplify a message, or summarize opportunities. It does it instantly, using the predictive intelligence already inside Mastermind. And Fritz stays in its lane. It won’t give relationship advice or make memes, but it will help you sell a car.

Does AI for Dealerships Work? Real Results from Real Dealers

One of Sarah’s favorite examples came from a VW store. A salesperson used Fritz to build a quick equity-focused email. Within minutes, he set an appointment. Then two more, all before finishing his first cup of coffee.

That’s the power of eliminating the blank canvas. And it’s not just rookies seeing results. Veterans are using Fritz to sharpen follow-ups, streamline outreach, and stay connected with customers they might otherwise miss. It’s a real way to improve sales productivity. Best part? Dealers aren’t asking if AI will replace salespeople, they’re asking how fast they can get it.

The Future of Predictive Marketing in Automotive Retail

AI isn’t about one giant system that does everything. It’s about purpose-built tools that solve specific problems really well.

That’s why Fritz works. Powered by predictive intelligence, it knows who the customer is, what they drive, their buying timeline, equity position, and engagement history. And it uses all of that to help salespeople communicate better.

We’re already expanding Fritz: service-drive outreach, personalized follow-ups, even multilingual communication (including dialects I didn’t know existed).

Final Thoughts on AI and Salesperson Productivity

We’re just scratching the surface of what AI can do for dealership sales teams. But after 20+ years in this industry, here’s what I believe: AI is the first technology that can finally break the decades-long plateau of salesperson productivity.

Not by replacing people, but by empowering them. And if the right AI tools save a few salespeople from staring at a blank screen every morning? Even better.

Ready to see how Fritz can help your sales team work smarter? Request a demo and find out what AI built for dealerships looks like.