Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by CBT News

Jim Fitzpatrick
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship

Inside Automotive is a groundbreaking show that offers a captivating blend of dealership news, automotive retailing best practices, and cutting-edge industry insights from top executives and analysts. Featuring trailblazing industry insiders, this show offers a comprehensive look into the latest happenings within dealerships, highlighting key trends and developments. Through interviews with successful dealers, expert analysis, and practical advice, viewers gain valuable knowledge on implementing effective strategies, improving operations, and navigating the ever-changing automotive landscape. For more like this visit us at CBTNews.com.

  1. 3d ago

    David Spisak on Building a More Transparent Buying Experience

    David Spisak, CEO and President of Disruptive Growth Solutions, challenges dealers to look beyond the threat of digital disruptors and examine what companies like Carvana reveal about changing consumer expectations. In the first part of a three-part Inside Automotive series, Spisak explores how simplicity, transparency, and convenience can reshape the vehicle-buying experience and where traditional dealerships continue to create unnecessary friction. Learning from disruptors: What dealers can take from Carvana’s approach without simply copying its business model.Consumer advocacy: Why positioning employees as advocates can create a more informed, lower-pressure buying experience.Digital retailing: The difference between offering digital tools and actually completing a transaction digitally.Reducing friction: How pricing, financing, trade valuations, and communication can create unnecessary barriers.Building trust: Why transparency and clearly explaining the transaction can strengthen consumer confidence.Lead conversion: Why dealerships should examine whether their own processes are causing customers to disengage.Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive. For more content, visit CBTNews.com and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

  2. Sep 2

    The Monthly Payment Gap: A New Compliance Risk for Dealers

    The monthly payment has become a central part of the car-buying journey, but Pete MacInnis, John Fitzpatrick, and attorney Seth Dobbs explain why payment advertising can also create a growing compliance risk for dealers. The panel examines the gap between advertised payment estimates and actual lender decisions, and what dealers can do to ensure their offers are accurate, transparent, and properly disclosed. Payment accuracy: Why only 1.6% of applications in one analysis were approved as initially quoted.FTC scrutiny: How regulators may distinguish legitimate credit changes from misleading advertising.Digital consistency: Why dealers need a single source of truth across websites, VDPs, digital retailing, social, search, and other channels.Credit qualification: Why a consumer’s credit score alone cannot reliably predict a lender’s final terms.Disclosure requirements: How dealers should communicate that payment calculations are estimates subject to lender approval.OEM advertising: Why manufacturer-supplied offers do not necessarily remove a dealer’s responsibility for its own advertising.Title Options Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive. For more content, visit CBTNews.com and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

  3. Aug 31

    Robert DeGeorge on Why AI Needs Analytics to Win

    Robert DeGeorge, Director of Product Consulting for Dealer.com and VinSolutions, explains how dealers can use AI alongside traditional analytics to make smarter decisions about their websites and digital marketing. While AI can analyze language, identify content gaps, and suggest improvements, DeGeorge cautions that its recommendations should not replace verified performance data. Key discussion points include: Why AI cannot replace analytics for measuring website performance  The risks of making decisions based on inaccurate or incomplete data How dealers can verify AI recommendations using analytics, CRM, call tracking, and website data  Using AI to identify content gaps and merchandising opportunities Improving calls to action and customer-facing website content Why combining trusted measurement with AI interpretation creates a stronger digital strategy DeGeorge also discusses how dealerships can provide AI with better context and specific data to generate more useful insights, while keeping human expertise involved in decisions that affect budgets, vendors, and website strategy. Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive. For more content, visit CBTNews.com and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

  4. Aug 27

    Dave Mondragon on How Dealers Can Scale Without Selling

    Dave Mondragon, Founder and CEO of AutoTrust Dealer Alliance, explains how dealer-owned scale can help family and independent franchise dealers compete without giving up ownership. AutoTrust uses a cooperative membership model that allows dealers to pool their buying power while retaining the economic benefits generated by their own businesses. Key discussion points include: How AutoTrust’s cooperative model gives dealers greater negotiating leverage  Why scale without selling could help family-owned dealerships remain independent  The economic pressures of margin compression, higher capital costs, and affordability How collective buying power can help dealers compete with public and consolidator-backed groups The role of independent ownership and community involvement in the franchise model  How additional economics can support employee pay, retention, and dealership operationsInside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive. For more content, visit CBTNews.com and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

  5. Aug 26

    Angelo Mendola and David Spisak on the Profit Hiding in Payments

    Angelo Mendola of Priority Payments Local and David Spisak of Disruptive Growth Solutions examine how dealers can turn payment processing from an administrative burden into an opportunity to improve profitability and reduce compliance risk. The discussion covers the importance of securing customer financial data throughout the entire payment workflow, from the initial estimate or quote through accounting reconciliation. Key discussion points include: Payment compliance and why terminal hardware alone does not guarantee compliance  Automating payment reconciliation and accounting workflows to reduce administrative work  Meeting customer expectations with digital wallets, tap-to-pay, text-to-pay, and BNPL How surcharging and fee recovery can reduce payment processing expenses  Why dealers should conduct regular technology stack audits to eliminate redundant vendors  Connecting payment systems with the DMS to improve efficiency and financial controlInside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive. For more content, visit CBTNews.com and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

  6. Aug 20

    Gary Ng-Wai on Building a 24/7 Digital Dealership

    Gary Ng-Wai, Chief Revenue Officer at CarJiffy, explains how dealerships can prepare for the shift from AI-powered vehicle shopping to AI-assisted buying. As consumers increasingly use tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude throughout the purchase journey, dealers may need to make their websites capable of completing transactions rather than simply generating leads. Key discussion points include: AI buying vs. AI shopping and how the two differ 24/7 digital transactions spanning trades, financing, F&I, deposits, and delivery  Why convenience and reduced friction could influence where AI directs buyers  The importance of owning the customer relationship and transaction data How AI can automate handoffs and repetitive tasks without replacing salespeople  The infrastructure dealers need to support the next phase of automotive retail Ng-Wai also discusses how dealers can integrate AI buying capabilities with their existing DMS and CRM while adapting to changing consumer expectations. Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive. For more content, visit CBTNews.com and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

  7. Aug 20

    Greg Uland on Making AI Work for Dealerships

    Greg Uland, Vice President of Marketing at Reynolds and Reynolds, explains how dealerships can approach AI adoption strategically by starting with business problems rather than technology for its own sake. On the latest episode of Inside Automotive, Uland discusses why unified dealership data is essential for AI to deliver reliable results and how disconnected systems can create more problems than they solve. He also breaks down the difference between generative AI, which assists employees with individual tasks, and agentic AI, which can take action across workflows and systems. Key discussion points include: Problem-first AI adoption and identifying where technology can create measurable valueUnified data as the foundation for effective AI implementationGenerative vs. agentic AI and how their roles differ in dealership operationsHuman behavior and workflow changes needed to realize AI’s full potentialRapid software development and how dealer feedback is accelerating AI innovationOperational efficiency amid rising labor costs and increasingly complex dealership processesInside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive. For more content, visit CBTNews.com and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

  8. Aug 19

    How Angelo Mendola Is Rethinking Dealership Payment Processing

    Angelo Mendola, President and COO of Priority Payments Local, explains how dealerships can improve profitability by optimizing payment processing, technology and financial workflows. On the latest episode of Inside Automotive, Mendola examines the operational costs hidden within dealership payment systems and technology stacks. He discusses how redundant vendors can increase expenses and reduce efficiency, while consolidation can simplify operations and free up staff resources. The conversation also explores surcharging and dual pricing, including the compliance considerations dealers must address when shifting payment costs to customers. Key discussion points include: Reducing technology overlap and the costs of “multi-layer syndrome”Surcharging vs. dual pricing and how each approach worksPayment compliance across pricing, receipts, taxes and accountingModern payment options, including mobile wallets, text-to-pay and BNPLStreamlining dealership workflows to improve efficiency and EBITDAFaster technology implementation during acquisitions and operational transitionsInside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive. For more content, visit CBTNews.com and follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Inside Automotive is a groundbreaking show that offers a captivating blend of dealership news, automotive retailing best practices, and cutting-edge industry insights from top executives and analysts. Featuring trailblazing industry insiders, this show offers a comprehensive look into the latest happenings within dealerships, highlighting key trends and developments. Through interviews with successful dealers, expert analysis, and practical advice, viewers gain valuable knowledge on implementing effective strategies, improving operations, and navigating the ever-changing automotive landscape. For more like this visit us at CBTNews.com.

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