In this episode of Thriving in Chaos, Brian Benstock, partner GM and VP at Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura is joined by Jay Abraham, legendary executive coach and founder of the Abraham Group, to discuss the strategies, systems, and mindset shifts needed to help auto retailers remain resilient in a changing market. With a combined focus on performance optimization and applied innovation, the duo covers how dealers can leverage artificial intelligence, reframe best practices, and unlock untapped revenue through marginal improvements and customer retention.
Jay Abraham, whose advisory work has increased profitability for more than 10,000 clients across 1,000 industries, shares his framework for exponential performance based on leveraging underused assets and making small but scalable improvements. Drawing from a wide lens of business experience, Abraham critiques the limitations of “best practices” and urges dealers to study success models from outside the automotive space.
Benstock underscores this point with examples from Paragon Honda, where AI-driven strategies are already improving recall outreach and sales efficiency.
"Time is more valuable than money today. If you can save me time, I'll pay you more money." — Brian Benstock
He describes using bots to handle thousands of customer calls, pointing out that even a 3% reduction in certain dealership expenses can lead to major profitability gains without impacting personnel or advertising, which are often the most targeted areas.
The conversation stresses the concept of “relevance” as a moving target. Benstock explains that differentiation, relevance, and sustainability must work together, especially as more tech titans and global manufacturers enter the U.S. auto space. He points to return-to-market data at Paragon Honda, which currently stands above 50%, but notes that it still trails Amazon’s 99% customer retention rate. This highlights a massive opportunity for improvement.
“Most people don’t realize how many levers exist in a business that they’re not pulling." — Jay Abraham
Abraham introduces the concept of “levers” in business: small elements that, when optimized, can produce disproportionate returns. He references Deming’s theory of incremental change, encouraging dealerships to think in three dimensions. Instead of viewing profit as revenue minus expenses, Abraham encourages dealers to consider th ongoing yield of assets and relationships. Benstock applies this idea to internal customers, arguing that the best opportunities often lie in upselling existing clients rather than acquiring new ones.
Both guests champion the role of AI not as a replacement for people but as a tool to elevate them. Benstock illustrates how automating communications and service scheduling has led to higher average repair orders and a better customer experience. He also describes an earlier campaign where Paragon spent just $500 on targeted Facebook ads and sold 60 cars, thanks to compelling and timely offers.
Abraham challenges dealers to adopt a hedge fund mentality, treating time, staff, and customer relationships as performance-based assets. Benstock concludes by emphasizing the need for leaders to equip every employee, not just management, with AI capabilities. By turning every team member into a data-informed decision-maker, dealerships can unlock collective intelligence and adaptability at scale.
