FraudCast

Updation

Every dealership has contracts. But not every dealership actually knows what’s in them. Welcome to FraudCast, the podcast that cuts through the fine print of automotive vendor and contract management — exposing what’s really driving (or draining) your bottom line.  Brought to you by Updation — the automotive SaaS company forged from frustration, not fanfare. We weren’t built in a boardroom; we were born in the trenches of dealership accounting, where broken systems and cash flow chaos demanded better. Today, we’re redefining automation and financial intelligence so your contracts work for you, not against you.   Each episode pulls no punches as we dig into: How to spot vendor overcharges, duplicate invoices, and “creative” contract languageProven strategies for managing vendors and reducing financial riskThe rise of AI and automation in dealership financeReal-world stories of dealers who turned chaos into clarity with smarter systems If you’re a Dealership Owner, CFO, Controller, or GM in the automotive, truck, RV, or powersports space, this is your playbook for smarter financial control and sharper operations. FraudCast isn’t another industry podcast. It’s a wake-up call — and a roadmap — for dealership leaders ready to take control of every contract, every vendor, and every dollar. Tune in. Get smart. Never get taken for a ride again.

Episodes

  1. FEB 17

    Stop The Leak: AI In The Dealership Accounting Office

    AI is everywhere in automotive retail—but is it actually driving profit? In this episode of The FraudCast, Ralph Perkins, Co-Founder and COO of Updation, and Scott Bisbee, Owner of Bisbee Honda of Danville, cut through the hype and get real about how AI is performing inside the dealership. With nearly 60 years of combined hands-on retail experience, they explore where AI truly delivers value—and where it’s still just a buzzword. The conversation zeroes in on the back office, where small billing variances, contract creep, and missed compliance details quietly drain profit. Scott shares real examples of how AI tools uncovered vendor overcharges, contract renewal traps, and expense leakage that traditional processes simply missed. Ralph explains why focused, industry-specific AI outperforms broad “template-driven” solutions—and how smart automation can free up accounting teams without replacing them. If you’re skeptical about AI or unsure where to start, this episode offers a practical roadmap grounded in real dealership operations—not theory. In this episode: Where AI is actually working in dealerships todayHow contract variances and vendor creep erode profitThe difference between real AI and rebranded templatesWhy the accounting office is prime for smart automationWhat the next phase of AI in automotive retail looks likeWhether you’re protecting margin, improving compliance, or modernizing operations, this is a conversation about using AI as a tool—not a shiny object. Be sure to subscribe for more episodes of the FraudCast. For more information about Updation, visit our website: www.updation.ai Connect with Layton Judd on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/laytonjudd/ Connect with Ralph Perkins on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ralphperkins/ Follow Us: www.linkedin.com/company/updationai/ Podcast Directed and Produced by: www.hiredgunsagency.com

    48 min
  2. 11/24/2025

    From Chaos to Control: Platform Management in Dealerships

    This episode of The FraudCast, powered by Updation, reframes a long-standing belief in automotive retail: the idea that dealership problems arise because teams resist change. In reality, many of the most persistent issues inside accounting and operations stem from something far more fundamental—platform mismanagement. Updation co-founders Layton Judd (CEO) and Ralph Perkins (COO) share what they learned at the AICPA conference, why dealership back offices have been underserved by modern technology, and how AI-driven platform management is reshaping AP, accounting, and vendor oversight across the industry. Listeners will learn: Why the belief that “people don’t like change” often distracts from deeper operational issuesHow unmanaged platforms, outdated processes, and weak vendor oversight create avoidable chaosThe difference between traditional change management and a platform-first approachHow AI can learn dealership processes and reduce friction rather than introduce itReal examples of vendor creep, surprise charges, and mismatched contractsWhy platform management is quickly becoming the new standard in dealership operationsIf you're seeking more control over your back office, better visibility into your vendor relationships, and a more modern approach to AP automation, this episode offers a clear path forward. Learn more about Updation:  Visit Updation.ai to see how the platform helps dealerships reduce waste, gain oversight, and operate with greater intelligence. If you found this episode valuable, follow The FraudCast, leave a rating or review, and share it with a colleague or dealership leader who would benefit from the conversation. Be sure to subscribe for more episodes of the FraudCast. For more information about Updation, visit our website: www.updation.ai Connect with Layton Judd on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/laytonjudd/ Connect with Ralph Perkins on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ralphperkins/ Follow Us: www.linkedin.com/company/updationai/ Podcast Directed and Produced by: www.hiredgunsagency.com

    54 min
  3. 10/20/2025

    Built From Pain, Not Pitch: The Updation Origin Story

    Ready to hear how a dealership platform was born from real scars—not a glossy pitch deck? In FraudCast’s debut, Updation Co-Founders Layton Judd, CEO, and Ralph Perkins, COO, share Updation’s origin story and pull back the curtain on the costly blind spots hiding in back-office workflows: ghost vendors, invoice mismatches, vendor creep, margin erosion, and those marathon check-signing sessions that still miss problems. They share how connecting contracts → invoices → approvals → budgets—with AI catching duplicates and anomalies before money leaves the store—creates true financial clarity. Why listen: Learn how to tie spend to contracted terms and stop leakage at the line-item levelSee how transparent, AI-driven audit trails build trust with OEMs, lenders, and auditorsGet practical ways to prioritize payments by terms/history/risk to protect cash flowHear a real duplicate-charges incident—and the controls that would have prevented it Understand how stretched loan terms (72–96+ months) impact defaults, depreciation, and liquidityDiscover how reallocating A/P time (titles, payoffs, CSI) offsets margin pressurePreview Vendor Health, a KPI framework to strengthen dealer–vendor performanceIf you’re a Dealer Principal, Controller/CFO, or Operations Leader ready to swap vendor chaos for transparent controls, Episode 1 gives you a clear playbook: where profits leak, what to fix first, and how AI-assisted workflows deliver measurable value in weeks—not months. Be sure to subscribe for more episodes of the FraudCast. For more information about Updation, visit our website: www.updation.ai Connect with Layton Judd on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/laytonjudd/ Connect with Ralph Perkins on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ralphperkins/ Follow Us: www.linkedin.com/company/updationai/ Podcast Directed and Produced by: www.hiredgunsagency.com

    1h 19m

About

Every dealership has contracts. But not every dealership actually knows what’s in them. Welcome to FraudCast, the podcast that cuts through the fine print of automotive vendor and contract management — exposing what’s really driving (or draining) your bottom line.  Brought to you by Updation — the automotive SaaS company forged from frustration, not fanfare. We weren’t built in a boardroom; we were born in the trenches of dealership accounting, where broken systems and cash flow chaos demanded better. Today, we’re redefining automation and financial intelligence so your contracts work for you, not against you.   Each episode pulls no punches as we dig into: How to spot vendor overcharges, duplicate invoices, and “creative” contract languageProven strategies for managing vendors and reducing financial riskThe rise of AI and automation in dealership financeReal-world stories of dealers who turned chaos into clarity with smarter systems If you’re a Dealership Owner, CFO, Controller, or GM in the automotive, truck, RV, or powersports space, this is your playbook for smarter financial control and sharper operations. FraudCast isn’t another industry podcast. It’s a wake-up call — and a roadmap — for dealership leaders ready to take control of every contract, every vendor, and every dollar. Tune in. Get smart. Never get taken for a ride again.