Dealerships have more technology at their fingertips than ever before. But more doesn’t always mean better. On today’s episode of Driving Solutions, we’re diving into why clean data, secure technology, and AI have to move together to move the needle with the VP of marketing and Enablement at automotiveMastermind, Jennifer Sanford.
Sanford emphasized that while dealerships accumulate vast amounts of customer, vehicle, transaction, and service data, the real value lies in how well that information is maintained. Clean, accurate, and enhanced data ensures transparency, personalization, and convenience for customers. Without properly managed data, marketing efforts, customer communications, and sales strategies risk being ineffective or even counterproductive.
“The word data is a four-letter word because it’s a little overused... it really sugarcoats the information behind it… so data is incredibly important to a business to survive. But what’s more important about it is how well it’s maintained.”
“Dealers need clarity,” Sanford said. She notes that dealers need to know exactly what data they have and how it’s used, which allows them to provide the personalized, seamless experiences consumers now expect. Additionally, she highlights that prioritizing data sources, whether from a dealership management system, CRM, or third-party provider, must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to maximize accuracy and utility.
A key focus of Sanford’s discussion was technology security. She outlines what dealers should expect from their technology providers to protect both their business and customer information:
- Secure systems across the board – Every user of dealership systems, from sales reps to service advisors, needs to operate on secure platforms. Sanford notes that this also extends to third-party vendors with access to sensitive data.
- Multi-factor authentication and encryption – Essential for safeguarding data, these measures minimize unauthorized access and protect sensitive customer information.
- Independent audit – Dealers should expect that technology providers can undergo independent audits to validate compliance and identify vulnerabilities, ensuring an unbiased security assessment.
Importantly, Sanford stresses that dealers need to ensure their technology providers securely store and encrypt all sensitive customer and dealership data. Beyond secure storage, it’s also critical that vendors undergo independent audits to verify compliance with industry standards such as ISO or SOC2, giving dealerships confidence that their systems meet established security benchmarks.
Sanford also addressed the role of AI, noting that predictive analytics and artificial intelligence can dramatically improve outcomes, but only when paired with accurate, clean data. With reliable data, AI becomes a force multiplier, delivering insights that can enhance customer experiences, optimize marketing, and increase profitability.
Looking ahead to NADA, Sanford shared that automotiveMastermind will showcase new tools and integrations developed in partnership with Polk and MarketScan. These innovations are designed to help dealers maintain clean, actionable data while safely leveraging AI to drive measurable results.
To learn more about the tools automotiveMastermind is bringing to the forefront, visit their NADA booth at 3923 West.
