An hours-long buying process is still common at dealerships, even as customers show up having already made their decision online. Sales tactics that haven’t changed in decades and growing federal scrutiny over pricing transparency are pushing many dealers to adapt how they do business.
Gabriel Polanco, Sales Manager at City Kia of Greater Orlando, has spent the last six years watching those pressures play out in one of the country’s most active markets. As a 2024 CBT News 40 Under 40 honoree, Polanco has built a process at his store around cutting down deal time and keeping customers coming back, even as the market around him gets more competitive. Polanco joins us on today’s episode of Inside Automotive for a closer look at how his dealership is winning with customers on more than just price.
While too many stores are still running on techniques from decades ago, Polanco said, that resistance to change is one of the biggest mistakes a dealership can make. Sales teams stuck on paper processes and scripts from the 1990s are losing ground to AI-savvy shoppers who now walk in already informed.
"People are not caring much about the price itself. They're caring about the whole experience behind it."
For example, Polanco notes how AI is changing the way car-buyers shop. He said that once, while working a deal for himself, he uploaded a photo of a quote to ChatGPT and in a matter of moments, it analyzed the quote, interest rate and terms and gave a detailed assessment of whether the deal was fair. He then encouraged dealers to be prepared for any customer to do that, too. The stores gaining ground are the ones training their sales teams on how to use AI tools alongside customers, rather than treating it as a threat.
What dealers can learn from “disruptors”
Franchise dealers often overlook the advantage they already hold over disruptors like Carvana, Polanco said. Most franchise stores carry comparable or better used inventory, offer certified pre-owned programs and provide service after the sale, something Carvana doesn’t do at all. As another example, Polanco points to Tesla, as a Tesla purchase can be completed from a phone in about 30 minutes with no negotiation and no salesperson involved, yet the brand was among the top sellers of new vehicles last year.
The point is that the real edge online-first retailers hold isn’t price, it’s the entire process. Something he says many traditional retailers underestimate.
Streamlining the process
Polanco mentions that City Kia has built its process around cutting down wait time before customers ever reach the showroom. The store’s business development center gathers a customer’s information, sets up financing numbers and preps the vehicle before the appointment even starts. By the time a customer arrives, their paperwork is ready, their vehicle is pulled up and washed, and in many cases their financing is already approved. That preparation, Polanco said, gets most customers through the process in about 45 minutes.
“You have five to eight seconds not only for people to like you, but for you to know exactly what you’re gonna say and make their experience either the best experience in the world or the worst experience possible,” Polanco said.
According to Polanco, making customers repeat information they’ve already provided is one of the fastest ways to lose a sale. When a customer has already shared their details over the phone or online, asking again at the showroom creates frustration that can cost the deal. Therefore, City Kia also keeps its online pricing consistent with what customers see once they’re in the showroom, a policy Polanco said builds trust before a customer even walks in.
Adapt, or fall behind
Overall, Polanco’s story is an example of how successful dealers are adapting to changes in the market beyond price. Speed, transparency and a strong customer experience all count.
Dealers who train their teams on AI tools, tighten their intake process and stay ahead of pricing scrutiny are the ones building repeat business, while those slow to adjust risk losing customers to faster, more transparent alternatives.
