As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes the automotive retail landscape, President and founder of eDealer Solutions, Jen Suzuki, urges dealership leaders to embrace digital transformation, not just with tools, but through team education and tech literacy. In the latest episode of Loyalty-Based Sales Strategies, Suzuki argues that dealerships need to integrate AI into their daily operations and conversations to remain competitive in 2025 and beyond.
“Tech literacy is a vibe.”
AI isn’t just an emerging trend…it’s a full-fledged shift in how dealerships operate, and Suzuki believes leadership needs to get ahead of it. “Digital labor is here,” she says. “It’s something that we have to recognize because it is helping our businesses grow and thrive.”
According to Suzuki, dealerships must move beyond simply installing AI tools and start cultivating a workforce that understands them. This includes integrating AI into sales processes, customer interactions, follow-ups, and internal operations such as hiring and messaging. “Tech literacy, it’s kind of a big deal,” she emphasizes. “You’ve got to start talking about it today.”
Far from a threat, Suzuki sees AI as an efficiency booster…if leaders prepare their teams properly. This means normalizing ongoing conversations around AI’s impact and involving employees in the evolution rather than allowing fear of replacement to fester. “We want them to be part of the conversation instead of us plugging in all these widgets and tools they don’t understand,” she explains.
Suzuki encourages leaders to introduce tools like ChatGPT into their training and communication routines. From writing customized emails and handling objections to streamlining recruiting, she believes AI can help teams do more with less. “AI can help you build trust and familiarity with customers at scale,” she says.
Ultimately, Suzuki frames AI as an opportunity, not just to modernize operations but to strengthen customer loyalty. “Customers are already using AI,” she notes. “One of the best ways to connect with them is to bust out a conversation on it.”
As the industry charges into 2025, Suzuki’s message is clear: the dealerships that win will be those that adapt early, educate deeply, and embrace AI as a partner in growth.
