Data is transforming the automotive industry, but many dealerships struggle to fully harness its potential. Glenn Pasch, CEO of PCG Digital, joins Inside Automotive to discuss how dealerships can use data more strategically to increase sales and improve customer engagement. With a new book, The Road to Sold, set for release in April, Pasch breaks down the key insights dealers need to stay competitive in an evolving digital landscape.
As dealerships collect more data than ever, the challenge is not just acquiring it but using it effectively. Pasch underscores that while many dealers focus on marketing-driven data applications, they often overlook critical insights that could improve the entire sales process. By working with Urban Science, Pasch has identified that dealerships can now track customers who purchase elsewhere, enabling them to analyze missed opportunities and refine their marketing and sales strategies.
One of the biggest mistakes dealerships make, according to Pasch, is failing to segment and personalize their marketing efforts. Instead of sending broad, generic messages, dealers should leverage data to create multiple targeted campaigns. For example, service customers should receive relevant offers based on their vehicle needs, while recent buyers should not receive ads for services they don’t require. Pasch advocates for a “scalpel” approach—precise and strategic marketing—rather than a broad, one-size-fits-all strategy.
A key underutilized data point is long-term lead tracking. Pasch cites data from Urban Science’s Traffic View tool, which shows that many dealership customers defect after day eight in the buying process. Traditional follow-up strategies are heavily concentrated in the first few days, leaving a gap where customers slip away. Adjusting long-term engagement efforts can significantly improve conversion rates.
Many dealers still rely on outdated tactics that create unnecessary friction for customers, such as withholding pricing or trade-in estimates. However, Pasch argues that dealers should focus on transparency and helpfulness, much like direct-to-consumer brands that simplify the buying process.
With consumers having access to vast amounts of information, the dealer’s role has shifted from being the sole provider of knowledge to becoming a guide who helps customers navigate their options. Pasch stresses that dealerships must remove barriers in their sales process to build trust and retain customers in an increasingly digital marketplace.
"The more helpful you can be, the more you can be conversational, the more you can answer questions. I think that keeps that customer with you, but as soon as you put up those barriers, they go, ‘Here we go again,’ and they’re gonna go to the next one, and the next one, and the next one. And you’re the cause of it, except you want to blame everyone else for it."– Glenn Pasch
