Dealer Talk With Jen Suzuki

Jennifer Suzuki, eDealer Solutions
  • 4.8 (37)
  • Courses
  • Weekly Series

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki is an Automotive Sales and Service Podcast and is a free educational series for Dealers, Managers, Sales Teams and anyone in the Auto Industry that has a desire to obtain information that will propel growth, lead the auto industry and invoke progressive strategies. We will educate on staying relevant, offer ways to improve vehicle sales and service, CSI and retention. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki is an Automotive Sales and Service Podcast. Use #DealerTalkWithJen

  1. Episode 1

    Just Google Us Book: Jay Mealey, Top Dealer on Trust, Leadership, and the Next AI Revolution

    What does it take to build a dealership confident enough to tell customers, "Just Google Us"? Jen Suzuki sits down with longtime client and friend Jay Mealey, author of Just Google Us, for a candid conversation about transforming a family business through transparency, customer trust, and leadership.  Jay Mealey is a high-performing Mazda, Subaru and Chevrolet dealer in greater Orlando, FL! From the early internet lead days to today's AI shift, Jay shares how public reviews changed his dealership culture, why he removed pay-plan components that encouraged the wrong outcomes and the challenge of bringing his team along when he sees change coming. They also discuss the principles Jay inherited from his father, the story behind Mazda's Masahiro Moro writing his book's foreword and what people should do with the time technology gives them back. For dealership leaders navigating change, this conversation asks a practical question: How do you keep evolving the business while protecting the relationships that make it work? 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. Want 30-Days FREE? Go To https://bit.ly/4dv62Ef for a LIMITED TIME! ZukiTalk.com helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals. LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | Jennifer@edealersolution.com | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

  2. Episode 2

    17 Dealerships and Still Hungry: Inside Michael Brown's Leadership on Building Empire Automotive Group

    Michael's operation has grown to 17 dealerships, but what stood out to me in this conversation wasn't the size of Empire Automotive Group. It was how intensely he still talks about getting better. Michael Brown joins me for a wide-open conversation about growth, leadership, accountability and what it actually takes to keep a large organization moving forward when the market gets tougher. We get into why he believes hunger is the quality that separates exceptional leaders from average ones, why confrontation can actually strengthen a team when trust and accountability are already there, and how Empire continues developing its next generation of leaders instead of waiting until a leadership position opens to start looking for one. Michael shares how their internal leadership program exposes future leaders to financial statements, outside coaching, accountability and the realities of running a dealership. Pasted text Then we get tactical. With affordability pressure changing the business, Michael explains why Empire is concentrating on the things it can actually control. That includes technology utilization, vendor relationships and a major focus on fixed absorption. One example: they stopped treating Saturday service like a shortened workday and redesigned staffing, scheduling and technician availability around the opportunity. The result? Michael says it has created a meaningful new revenue opportunity. Pasted text We also talk acquisitions, overnight service, what he looks for before buying another dealership, adversity, raising daughters and why, after all the success, Michael still believes passion and purpose matter more than simply chasing the next win. This is one of those conversations that reminds you that growth doesn't come from finally figuring everything out. It comes from refusing to believe you're finished. 🔥 Check out our sponsors! 🔥 LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. Want 30-Days FREE? Go To https://bit.ly/4dv62Ef for a LIMITED TIME! ZukiTalk.com helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | Jennifer@edealersolution.com | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

  3. Episode 3

    Inside Long Island's Luxury Auto Powerhouse: Rallye CEO Juliana Terian on Leadership & AI

    What does it take to lead one of New York's most respected luxury automotive groups when margins are shrinking, customer expectations are rising, and AI is changing the dealership business? Jen Suzuki sits down with Juliana Terian, President & CEO of Rallye Motor Company, a premier Long Island luxury automotive group representing Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus, and Acura, for a candid conversation about leadership, profitability, and the future of automotive retail. Juliana shares how she's navigating today's challenging market, what she expects from her general managers, and why keeping employees motivated and engaged has become more important than ever. They explore the realities of running high-performing dealerships, the connection between employee culture and customer loyalty, and Rallye's thoughtful approach to adopting AI without sacrificing the personal relationships luxury customers expect. From empowering leaders to protecting customer choice, Juliana offers a refreshing perspective on what truly drives long-term dealership success. Her philosophy is simple: When your people thrive, your business thrives. An insightful conversation for dealers, general managers, and automotive leaders looking to build stronger teams, embrace innovation, and compete at a higher level. 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. Want 30-Days FREE? Go To https://bit.ly/4dv62Ef for a LIMITED TIME! LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. ZukiTalk.com helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | Jennifer@edealersolution.com | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

  4. Episode 4

    From Receptionist to CEO in 7 Years: Nikki Lawson on Earning the Right to Lead

    She walked into a dealership looking for a job. Seven years later, she's the CEO of a six-store automotive group. How does that happen? And how do you earn the respect of experienced dealership leaders? And you didn't have family or successorship on your side? In this episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, Jen sits down with Nikki Lawson, CEO of Peltier Automotive Group, for a conversation about ambition, trust, humility and what it really takes to lead at the executive level. Jen has known Nikki for years, long before she became CEO, and watched her earn the confidence of general managers and dealership executives through curiosity, consistency and a genuine commitment to helping people succeed. Nikki shares her journey from receptionist and cashier to sales, inventory management, executive leadership and ultimately CEO. But the conversation goes much deeper than her career progression. They explore the uncomfortable 360-degree leadership review that changed how Nikki communicates, why successful GMs can still create unhealthy dealership cultures, how she balances corporate consistency with GM autonomy and why developing future leaders matters just as much as producing strong financial results. Nikki also reveals how she evaluates dealership chemistry, why treating every employee exactly the same isn't always effective leadership and what she's had to stop doing to become a better CEO. For anyone looking to advance their automotive career, or already responsible for leading dealership teams, this episode offers a powerful reminder: A title gives you authority. Your actions earn you respect.

  5. Episode 5

    Your Dealership's Newest Employee Is AI. Who's the Manager?

    Your dealership's AI is answering calls, scheduling service appointments, sending texts, and speaking with hundreds, sometimes thousands of customers. But who's actually managing it? In this solo episode of Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki, Jen tackles an emerging leadership challenge inside automotive dealerships: We're rapidly deploying customer-facing AI, but are we giving it the same attention, coaching, and accountability we'd expect from a human employee? Jen shares real situations she's witnessed inside dealerships, including customers arriving and asking for an employee by name only to discover they've been communicating with AI. She also explores what happens when AI schedules an appointment that the service department can't fulfill, transfers a frustrated customer to a dead end, or creates expectations the advisor knows nothing about. The problem isn't necessarily the technology. It's often the disconnect between the AI, the dealership's processes, and the people responsible for delivering the customer experience. Drawing on her experience training dealership teams and working directly with automotive voice AI, Jen challenges GMs and fixed ops leaders to rethink how they measure success. It's not just about how many calls AI answers or appointments it books. It's about whether the customer's needs were resolved, promises were kept, information was transferred accurately, and the human team was ready to continue the conversation. Jen also shares a practical challenge every dealership leader can implement immediately: mystery shop your own AI with a complicated customer scenario. Because the future of dealership AI isn't just about having better technology. It's about developing better leadership around the technology—and making every interaction feel like one connected customer experience. Watch Jen's latest CBT News interview on similar topic here - https://bit.ly/4dBUgZ1 🔥Check out our sponsors!🔥 LotLinx.com is a VIN Management Platform that enables precision automotive retailing via /AI/ technologies that improves dealership profitability. Matador.ai, AI That Fully Automates Sales & Service Conversations For Dealerships. Want 30-Days FREE? Go To https://bit.ly/4dv62Ef for a LIMITED TIME! ZukiTalk.com helps service advisors by making clear, consistent MPI calls that educate customers and increase approvals. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki Podcast | 🎧 https://apple.co/38lmHM1 🎧 https://spoti.fi/3uQ2nd1 | Jennifer@edealersolution.com | 954-873-8029 | edealersolutions.com | Meet me! bit.ly/3J7011t  |  Loyalty-Based Selling Strategies on CBT News | https://bit.ly/3JlcXAx

See All Season 38 (5)

4.8
out of 5
37 Ratings

About

Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki is an Automotive Sales and Service Podcast and is a free educational series for Dealers, Managers, Sales Teams and anyone in the Auto Industry that has a desire to obtain information that will propel growth, lead the auto industry and invoke progressive strategies. We will educate on staying relevant, offer ways to improve vehicle sales and service, CSI and retention. Dealer Talk with Jen Suzuki is an Automotive Sales and Service Podcast. Use #DealerTalkWithJen

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