Why Trade-Ins Are Killing Your Deals (And What Dealers Are Missing)

From $198 to $1,000… Why Does Everything Feel So Expensive Right Now?

In 2016, you could lease a vehicle for under $200 a month. Today, that same payment is pushing $1,000. And it’s not just one thing driving it. Inventory is stacking. Tariffs are quietly working their way into costs. Gas prices have jumped fast. And OEMs are still reacting to where the market was, not where it’s going. Your customers are feeling all of it. They’re hesitating more. Looking harder at used. Taking longer to make decisions. “People are hesitating in ways they didn’t before.” In this episode of Leadership in the Dealership, Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer break down how these forces are colliding and what it means for how deals are getting done right now.  Because this isn’t just about higher prices. It’s about how those prices are changing behavior at the desk. Catch it early, or you’ll feel it in your deals.

Stop Using AI Like This (Start Winning More Deals)

Most dealerships are already using AI in their CRM. But they’re using it to do more of the same thing, faster. More follow-ups. More templates. More “just checking in” emails. And customers can tell. In this episode of Leadership in the Dealership, Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer break down where AI follow-up goes wrong and how dealers are actually using it to improve communication, not just automate it. They get into: • Why most CRM emails feel generic • How to use AI without sounding like AI • The “be me, but better” approach to communication • Where automation helps and where it hurts • How AI can improve speed without killing authenticity • How it’s changing F&I, lending and approvals “If you’re not contacting them well, they’re not telling their friends about you.” This isn’t about using more AI. It’s about using it where it actually works. Stop being "that guy" at the airport talking to his phone like a crazy person and start winning at the dealership. Here is how to use the "AI touch" to get them in the door without sounding like a robot.

Why Trade-Ins Are Killing Your Deals (And What Dealers Are Missing)

The trade-in process is slowing deals down and costing dealerships opportunities they should be closing. This episode breaks down the math, the friction and what dealers can do to improve the process. Phillip Greer and Danielle Mills Walden unpack why trade-ins have become one of the most challenging parts of the modern car deal and how dealerships can approach them differently. In this episode: • The impact of negative equity and how it shows up in today’s deals • How instant appraisal models are reshaping customer expectations • The cost of longer deal times and what it means for the customer experience • Why incremental improvements can drive better results • Why experience matters more than ever in the dealership process Connect: Website: www.leadershipinthedealership.ai LinkedIn: Danielle Mills Walden LinkedIn: Phillip Greer #dealership #automotive #autoretail #cardealer This podcast is powered by Upstart.

Old School vs Modern Dealership: What’s Actually Working

Ten years ago, buying a car meant paper, fax machines and waiting around the dealership. Today, customers are doing most of the process before they even walk in. So why are some dealers still operating the same way? In this episode of Leadership in the Dealership, Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer break down how the dealership experience has changed and where some stores are falling behind. They get into: • Why customers are coming in more informed than ever • The gap between old-school processes and modern expectations • What happens when dealers resist new tools and technology • Why transparency and communication matter more than ever • How AI, CRM and digital retail are reshaping the sales process • The real reason some dealerships are winning more deals today This is not about replacing the salesperson. It is about evolving the process. If your dealership is still relying on the same playbook from years ago, this conversation will hit home.

Are EVs Ready for the Real World Yet?

Are EVs ready for the real world? That depends on who you ask. In this episode of Leadership in the Dealership, Danielle Mills Walden and Phillip Greer get into what EV adoption actually looks like from a dealership perspective. Not the headlines, not the hype. What happens when these vehicles hit your lot, your service lane and your customers. They talk through the real questions that keep coming up: • What happens to the battery over time, and why warranties matter more than ever • Why servicing an EV is not the same as servicing a gas engine • The gap between EV demand and service infrastructure • How connected vehicles change the conversation around data and security • Why some customers are all in on self-driving and others are not even close • What platform sharing between OEMs really means behind the scenes There is a lot of excitement around EVs. There are also real operational challenges that dealers are working through every day.  If EVs are part of your future, this is not a conversation you can sit out. Subscribe for more conversations that help you run a smarter dealership. leadershipinthedealership.ai