ConnectedPodcast

It's the last episode of Connected before Christmas and we picked this guest just for you! Greg is joined in studio by Kelly Adkins, director of OEM programs at Reynolds, to talk about getting involved in your community and the joy of giving back. Kelly and her family do a lot of volunteering and she has some great tips for getting started!

Thanksgiving has come and gone but we're thankful for this week's guest, Owen Moon! Owen is the co-founder and CEO of Fixed Ops Digital and he sat down with Greg to talk about how you can use marketing to increase visibility and trust in your service department. Find out how you can make your dealership stand out when customers need proactive maintenance work or reactive vehicle repairs!

On today's episode of Connected, Greg talks with Lee Harkins, president and CEO of M5 Management Services, about the common issues he is seeing impacting dealerships' service operations and what advice he gives to help improve their processes. When it comes down to implementing those improvements in the service drive, there are often two different paths taken - investing in the process or investin...

There are many incredibly talented technicians out there. For the best of the best at Hendrick Automotive Group, there are few achievements as impressive as being invited to participate in the Randy Dorton Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown. This week on Connected, Greg sits down with Roger Mesiemore, vice president of fixed operations at Hendrick Automotive Group, to talk about this year's event an...

Happy National Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Well, we hope it's a happy occasion. This week on Connected, Greg sits down with Ken Wolf, the supervisor of Reynolds' Security Operations Center. While thinking about cyber incidents can be intimidating, Ken was able to talk through some things that can help you protect yourself and your dealership. Things like: -Where you have control when it comes t...

Today on Connected, Greg sits down with Tim Whalen, service manager at Voss Chevrolet in Dayton, Ohio. Technician turnover continues to be an issue for dealers but at Voss, Tim's only seen two techs move to different roles in the last five years! Watch the full conversation to find out how Tim manages retention in his dealership by asking questions and evaluating why employees might not be satisfi...

Implementing new systems into the dealership can have a huge impact on long term success, but it's not a one-sided process. It takes work from both the vendor and the dealership, each of which has unique insights on what it takes to successfully implement change. On this episode of Connected, Greg talks with Sean Sullivan,  general manager at Bill Currie Ford, and Brad Schafer, the founder of Reco...

On today's Connected, Greg sits down to talk with Don Graff, owner of Don Graff Automotive Advisors. Don has spent many years on all sides of the industry, giving him so much knowledge to pull from in his current role as a consultant helping dealerships better understand their business and their workforce. During the conversation, Don shares his thoughts on: -How much impact you can actually have...

Let's chat about chat! This week on Connected, Greg welcomes Ashley Yard, director of client success at Gubagoo . Their conversation includes insights into the three layers of chat and lead generation, assistive tech's role in the car buying process, what lies ahead for virtual retailing, and an idea for how you can use ChatGPT's capabilities.

Today, we're looking back on Connected episodes that not only stand the test of time, but cover topics that are incredibly relevant to our changing industry today. Check out conversations with industry experts on: -Customer data platforms and how they can impact dealers -Protecting your dealership against cyberattacks -The evolution of the modern day service lane -How eContracting is changing the...

He's back! Cliff Banks, founder of the Banks Report and creator of AUTOVATE, makes his return to Connected and joins Greg in studio for the first time! Together, they discuss future opportunities with EVs, recent mergers and acquisition activity, how dealers can continue to provide value, and what connected vehicles might be able to do for drivers someday.

Start your engines and get ready for this week's episode of Connected! Greg's sitting down with Doug Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Doug talks about his lifelong passion for motorsports, shares some behind-the-scenes thoughts on the 100 Days to Indy docuseries, and gives us his personal choice for the best seats at the track! If you're a dealer, Reynolds and Reynolds hopes you ca...

This week on Connected, Greg talks with Emily Iberle, partner manager at Uber, and Anthony Montiero, executive vice president of integrated partnerships at Draiver. We recently announced a new integration between the three companies that lets dealers schedule rideshares for customers directly from ERA-IGNITE!

On this week's episode of Connected, Greg's sitting down with AJ McGowan, president and co-founder of AutoVision. They talk about Reynolds' recent acquisition of Autovision, the direction of the used car market, and even some of the features that can impact the value of a used car.

Today's Connected features Jason Stein, CEO and owner of Flat Six Media. Jason was previously the editor for Automotive News and has had a hand in every part of the automotive industry. Because of his expertise in the industry, the conversation dives into some unique areas that make for a interesting episode!

This week on Connected, Greg's sitting down with an old friend: Amberly Montgomery, growth and development manager at Naked Lime Marketing. They talk about Naked Lime's 2023 Brand Retention and Defection Report, Amberly's recent speaking engagements, and the big announcement that Naked Lime will soon be under the Reynolds umbrella.

On this episode of Connected, we talk through accessory selling success with Armando Penales, assistant sales manager at Manhattan Beach Toyota. It comes down to the process they have in place that's making an impact for them. Armando has solidified Manhattan Beach Toyota as a great success story for getting the most out of accessory selling. He talks about why his ownership group is so invested i...

For today's episode of Connected, we have the opportunity to hear from Jack Shepp, a recent car buyer, as he walks us through a customer's perspective of buying a car almost entirely online. While managing a cross country move, Jack was in the market for a car. When the dealerships in Arizona didn't have the vehicle he was looking for, he turned to dealerships in his new state of Ohio to find his...

On this episode of Connected, Greg was joined by Andy Runyan and Forrest Pace from Brightline Insurance for a timely conversation that dives into all things cybersecurity. The idea of cyber insurance started in the 2000s when large corporations were being targeted. However, since the pandemic, activity in cyberattacks against smaller businesses, especially dealerships, have increased. Forrest had...

What do you do when faced with a problem that doesn't have a solution? If you're Elliot Silk, service director at Suntrup Automotive, you design and develop the solution yourself! If you remember last fall, Hyundai and Kia vehicles were experiencing notable theft issues due to a software malfunction. Unfortunately for Elliot, St. Louis was one of the top five cities in the U.S. where this malfunct...

On today's episode of Connected, Jenell Ross, dealer principal at Bob Ross Auto Group, joins Greg in studio to talk about her path to being a successful minority dealer, her favorite part of working in the industry, and everything in-between!

"We can tell them what everyone else is working on so they can see how their role, and their life, and their work fits in the greater whole." On this episode of Connected, Greg is joined by the co-hosts of the Daily Drive podcast, producer Kellen Walker and Jaime Butters, Executive Editor of Automotive News. With extensive backgrounds in broadcast, journalism, and automotive, they've had the uniqu...

“We aren’t using technology to replace relationships, but rather to maximize them.” On this week's Connected, Greg's talking with John Carpenter, General Manager at Joe Ball GMC. They talk about how to infuse a human touch into the car buying experience with newer generations. From looking at your audience from a high level to the benefits of artificial intelligence, what does the future of custom...

At NADA, Reynolds and Reynolds will be unveiling a new brand and logo! That doesn't happen very often, so we're pulling out all the stops for this episode of Connected. Greg's guest is Reynolds President Chris Walsh! Chris talks about the decision to rebrand, why this is the perfect time to do it, and what else people can expect to see in Dallas this week.

With NADA 2023 fast approaching, we can think of no better person to interview than this week's guest: Chairman of Pohanka Automotive Group and incoming NADA Chairman Geoff Pohanka! Geoff and Greg chat about some of the biggest issues dealers are facing right now and discuss why they're excited about this year's show.