"Half of their DMS is inactive!" – A Wakeup-Call for Service Drives and How to Bring Customers Back | Mark Altieri, EVP of Business Development at Zonic Design
Car Dealership Guy Podcast
When to choose AI vs. human agents
Mark describes volume-driven patterns: high-volume stores favor AI scale; live agents remain an option for some.
Today I’m joined by Mark Altieri, EVP of Business Development at Zonic Design.
We break down why fixed ops is still the most under-leveraged profit center in dealerships—and how communication gaps are quietly eroding customer loyalty.
Mark explains how AI is reshaping customer engagement, why half of a dealership’s DMS often sits untouched, and what operators can do to immediately improve retention.
Clear takeaways, practical frameworks, and fast-changing tech insights make this a must-listen for every dealer.
Have questions about how Zonic Design can help your service operations, reach out to Mark directly at mark@zonicdesign.com or find him on linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/maltieri/
This episode is brought to you by:
1. Repair360 - If you’re in the used car business, you know wasted time is wasted money. Check out Repair360—the first and only reconditioning software that connects every function in the dealership to tighten recon and help you sell more cars — No more hounding vendors. Goodbye endless texts and hallway chases. Repair 360 connects all the dots. See where every car is and what its recon is costing minute-to-minute in real time. Go to www.repair360.com
2. fullthrottle.ai® - fullthrottle.ai® is a next-generation AdTech powerhouse. The Automotive DSP™ is built specifically for the auto industry, combining advanced programmatic targeting, real-time bidding, and analytics tailored to drive dealership and OEM performance. With fullthrottle.ai®, marketers can reach the right car shoppers at the right moment and optimize toward real business outcomes like test drives, leads, or sales. fullthrottle.ai® bridges the gap between auto media buying and results-driven marketing. Check out http://fullthrottle.ai
3. Zonic Design - 28 years providing direct to dealer fixed operations solutions. Data • Print • Digital • Voice • AI, Removing the noise in pursuit of frictionless customer engagement. Learn more about BDC-Angel at https://zonicdesign.com
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Topics:
00:06 Why are fixed ops so important?
00:28 What's the first impression in service?
02:38 Biggest challenge and opportunity in fixed ops?
06:10 How to improve dealership communication?
08:24 How can AI help service departments?
21:50 Tailoring communication strategies for different customers?
28:37 Final piece of advice for fixed ops?
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