Paul Sansone Jr. has spent his entire life in the automotive business, but after more than four decades in retail, his attention isn’t focused on adding more rooftops. Instead, he’s building the systems, technology and leadership team he believes will define the next generation of dealership success.
Featured on the latest episode of Executive Profile, we sat down with Sansone, the Owner of Sansone Jr.’s Auto Group, who reflected on growing up in a dealership family, navigating a difficult split from his father’s organization during the financial crisis, and preparing his own children to eventually take over the business. Along the way, he shared candid insights on AI, compliance, dealership culture and why customer experience remains the industry’s greatest competitive advantage.
According to Sansone, he never considered another career. Growing up in New Jersey as one of four brothers, he worked around the dealership from childhood, eventually moving through sales, F&I and dealership management before becoming what he describes as the company’s “fireman,” stepping into underperforming stores to rebuild operations.
Built by adversity
Sansone credits his biggest challenge as coming around 2008, when he separated from his father’s dealership organization and launched his own business during one of the worst periods in automotive retail. However, rather than viewing the experience negatively, Sansone attributes those years to shaping his leadership style.
When facing financial pressure that included nearly listing his family’s home for sale to help capitalize the dealership, Sansone said the experience forced him to become more resilient while giving him a new appreciation for long-term thinking. That experience, he notes, also influenced how he leads the next generation. Instead of the top-down management style common in earlier decades, Sansone prioritizes communication with his two sons and nephew, all of whom now work in the business. He says avoiding the mistakes made during his own transition has become one of his biggest leadership priorities.
AI in dealership service
During the conversation, very few topics generated more enthusiasm from Sansone than artificial intelligence (AI). He said that instead of treating AI as a novelty, he has spent months integrating it into daily dealership operations, particularly in fixed operations. His service department now uses an AI-powered BDC that answers every incoming call without wait times, converting nearly 65% of those calls into scheduled appointments.
"I am all in on AI."
However, he alludes that the implementation wasn’t seamless, and that the system required roughly 60 days of continuous training before producing meaningful results. Dealers that expect an instant return, he cautioned, are likely to abandon the technology too early. Once trained, however, he says the efficiencies have been dramatic, dropping the cost to roughly $4 per service appointment and contributing to three consecutive record-breaking service months.
His AI ambitions also extend far beyond service scheduling, noting that his group is developing AI tools to re-engage inactive service customers, identify equity opportunities, automate customer follow-up, support used-vehicle acquisition and even assist salespeople by maintaining ongoing relationships with previous buyers. Rather than replacing employees, Sansone believes AI allows dealership staff to focus on higher-value customer interactions while routine communications happen automatically.
Compliance creates trust
Navigating through the conversation, Sansone expressed strong support for increasing regulatory scrutiny around dealership advertising. As an outspoken advocate against broker transactions in New Jersey, he welcomed manufacturers, regulators and finance companies taking a firmer stance against practices he believes undermine franchised dealers. He argued that franchise dealers operate under strict standards and should not compete against brokers using factory incentives without the same accountability.
He was equally supportive of the FTC’s renewed focus on transparent pricing. According to Sansone, honest dealers have long been disadvantaged by misleading online pricing that relies on hidden fees and undisclosed qualifications. He believes stronger enforcement ultimately rewards retailers committed to transparency and encourages better internal processes throughout dealership organizations.
One of Sansone’s most distinctive business strategies is his dealer-controlled leasing company, designed to help credit-challenged customers while creating new revenue streams for the dealership. Instead of relying solely on outside lenders, the program allows his organization to finance qualifying customers internally through short-term leases that include credit-building support, maintenance benefits and structured pathways back to prime financing.
Notably, the model has generated more than 1,600 leases, producing additional revenue, driving a customer retention rate above 55% and helping buyers rebuild their credit. Additionally, Sansone believes dealerships with sufficient capital should consider dealer-controlled financing as another long-term growth opportunity.
Preparing the next generation
Although acquisition opportunities still arise, Sansone says expanding his dealership footprint is no longer his personal priority. Instead, he’s focused on strengthening existing operations while mentoring the next generation of leadership. While his sons and nephew already manage considerable responsibilities, he remains invested in coaching, leadership development, and communication training to ensure the eventual transition succeeds.
"I'm personally not in expand mode…My ambition is going to be to make what we have better, expand where we've already put our footprint in other business opportunities."
Rather than remaining involved indefinitely, Sansone said he hopes to step back once the foundation is firmly in place, which allows the next generation to pursue future expansion.
Despite rapid advances in AI, automation and digital retailing, Sansone believes the fundamentals of automotive retail remain remarkably consistent. Technology can improve efficiency, increase productivity and create new business opportunities, but it cannot replace the value of delivering an exceptional customer experience. He points to the performance of his son’s Kia store, which reached the top seven in Kia’s Northeast region within its first year while posting high customer satisfaction scores, as proof that hospitality and process remain the industry’s most durable competitive advantages.
For Sansone, the future belongs to dealerships that combine modern technology with old-fashioned relationship building. The tools may change, but earning customers’ trust remains the business’s most important job.
