dealers · 2026-09-16 · 46m49s
09-16 Consultation: VCA (Kaylee) Configuration — HP first
Date & Time: 2026-09-16 14:03:16 Location: [Insert Location] Customer: Lance
Overview
The consultation centers on configuring the Virtual Contact Assistant (VCA), named “Kaylee,” for Lance’s automotive dealerships (Porsche, Audi, BMW). Initial rollout starts with Porsche (ID: 21013). The goals are to align Kaylee’s behavior with the current Podium AI—setting appointments and engaging customers without confusion—while refining persona (human vs. virtual), pricing disclosure, texting hours, tone, and re-engagement logic. Key focus areas include preventing conversation restarts caused by frequent “Notify Assistant” steps, streamlining migrated instructions from Podium to fit platform constraints, and tailoring brand-specific rules (e.g., Porsche MSRP vs. Audi Internet Price). Final advanced options, process customizations, and suppression rules will be completed with Project Manager Gage, with activation planned in about five days.
Background
Lance manages configurations for Porsche, Audi, and BMW dealerships and is transitioning from Podium to Kaylee. The initial configuration targets Harish Porsche, with plans to replicate optimized settings across Audi and BMW. The team also uses Predictive Insights; Gen AI availability varies by store (Harish Porsche lacks Gen AI). The meeting is a follow-up to review and refine settings, including advanced options and special instructions migrated from Podium, before a final session with Gage and full rollout next week.
Pain Points
- Conversation resets: Each “Notify Assistant” step relaunches a fresh conversation, causing loss of context and repetitive customer experiences. Daily and periodic notifications (days 1–6, 9, 11, 15, 22) frequently re-start threads. Auto-pause is overridden by subsequent notifications unless suppression is applied.
- Persona and operational rules: Uncertainty about presenting Kaylee as human vs. virtual assistant affects customer perception, error handling, and stakeholder alignment across brands.
- After-hours messaging compliance: Desire for 24/7 responsiveness conflicts with unknown state-specific regulations, creating legal risk for late-night automated texts.
- Instruction bloat and character limits: Migrated Podium content includes redundant details (address, hours, tone) already covered by system settings. The 1500-character limit constrains inclusion of more critical rules, risking inefficiency and inconsistency.
- Service inquiry handling: Prior tools were bogged down by service questions; Lance wants to ensure Kaylee avoids service topics or routes appropriately.
- Cross-store configuration clarity: Some settings can be copied; others (pricing permissions, brand-specific custom instructions) must be set individually. Gen AI capability inconsistencies complicate rollout.
Expectations
- Align Kaylee’s behavior with Podium: actively manage interactions, set general appointments for test drives/appraisals without committing to specific vehicle availability, and stay engaged unless manually paused by sales.
- Brand-specific pricing rules: Porsche to disclose MSRP; Audi to disclose Internet Price with discounts highlighted.
- Controlled communication parameters: Configure texting hours and tone (“friendly,” greet by name), ensure compliance with state regulations, and define re-engagement logic (currently set for ninety days of inactivity).
- Streamlined instruction set: Remove redundant information to free space for critical, brand-specific rules (e.g., out-of-state buyers, EV/hybrid specifics).
- Process ownership: PM Gage to copy/create AI-integrated internet sales flows and finalize advanced options, suppressions, and re-engagement rules across all stores before go-live.
Other Information Summary
- Free training: VCA training Tuesdays/Thursdays via eAcademy; Predictive Insights & Gen AI training Monday–Friday.
- Kaylee will handle internet sales leads, after-hours sales, showroom follow-ups, appointment reminders, and follow-ups for missed/canceled appointments.
- Salespeople labeled “client advisors”; customers “clients.”
- Manual “Pause Assistant” acts as a catch-all to stop all AI communications until un-paused.
- Consultant cannot modify pricing permissions or differentiator parts; Lance must configure these per store.
- Porsche currently lacks Gen AI; Audi/BMW have varied histories with the feature.
To-Do List
- [ ] Coordinate with PM Gage to review and finalize VCA advanced options, process customizations, and suppression rules; build “flow with VA” for all stores.
- [ ] Implement suppression rules to prevent re-notifications after human contact; adjust notification cadence to reduce conversation restarts.
- [ ] Decide on persona (human vs. virtual) after consulting store managers; consider neutral/hybrid introduction scripts.
- [ ] Verify state regulations for after-hours automated texting; set compliant texting windows (e.g., no scheduling past 6 PM if desired).
- [ ] Streamline special instructions by removing redundant details; create brand-specific modules for Porsche, Audi, BMW within character limits.
- [ ] Double-check financing application URLs for all locations.
- [ ] Confirm and set pricing permissions for Audi and BMW; replicate general settings from Porsche to Audi and BMW.
- [ ] Inform staff about available VCA and Predictive Insights/Gen AI training; schedule finalization meeting with Gage; send recap email.
AI Suggestions
1. Implement aggressive suppression rules: Suppress “Notify Assistant” steps for 2–3 days following any logged human interaction to prevent redundant fresh starts; ensure auto-pause isn’t overridden by scheduled notifications. 2. Consolidate AI notification cadence: Reduce daily notifications to fewer, spaced-out steps (e.g., Day 1, Day 3, Day 7) to limit restart risk and give sales time to engage. 3. Establish a human takeover workflow: Train sales to use “Pause Assistant” immediately during substantive conversations (financing, trade-ins) to avoid AI interference until re-engagement is desired. 4. Use task-based triggers: Where possible, trigger AI re-engagement based on customer inactivity or task completion rather than fixed time intervals for more context-relevant outreach. 5. Phased persona rollout: Start with “Virtual Assistant” persona across all stores for 30–60 days; review performance, then revisit human persona as needed. 6. Create a best-practices one-pager: Summarize pros/cons of human vs. virtual personas with examples; equip managers to decide confidently. 7. Adopt a neutral introduction: “I’m Kaylee, here to assist you at [Dealership Name]” and disclose AI nature only if asked or when conversations exceed scope. 8. Build a master template of refined instructions: Remove system-defined variables and redundancies; use modular blocks (General Rules, EV/Hybrid, Out-of-State Buyers) to ease brand-specific customization. 9. Conduct a configuration audit with Gage: Review screens to clarify which fields are redundant and which require per-store settings; align on copying vs. customizing.
No device highlights on this take.
0:00
What's going on, man?
0:01
How are you? I'm good, bud. How are you,
0:04
Man? I think I was just on the road driving from store to store, and I don't. Let me shoot one or two texts. I don't think anybody, without me going sit down somewhere, which I'm in my office right now, which is at the BMW store. Okay. But without me going and bug someone in person, we might not have anybody else tune in. Let me text. Okay. Let me see something real quick.
0:31
And I'll also show you at the end of this, Lance. So if anybody missed any of the three sessions, there's a free session that you guys can join to now that we've added into eAcademy. Just so you're aware, so they can join any day Tuesday to Thursday. Those are the only two days for VCA as of right now. They may add more in the future, but give it a second to load. When they go into their VEN Solutions section. Scroll down to the live training sessions. We now have virtual contact assistant within there too. So anyone that missed these last three days with us, they can jump in there Tuesday and Thursdays. Join the training, and it's free for you. And they can join at any time too. So just keep that part in mind also. That way we don't leave you handed stranded in regards of some people not knowing what it is.
1:27
They go through the same training as we do in the live training, like we're doing together now. Sweet. The only difference is they won't touch settings.
1:35
That's it. Yeah. So if I go navigating, let's see where go Vin Solutions. Nope. Let's see. I'm just trying to do it so I can tell them how to go find it. Yeah. Let's see. Except once I'm in here,
1:50
And then you'll actually. Yep. So you does your tabs look like this? Or do you have tabs off to the left like this.
1:58
I could make it look like either, but I'm seeing them. So I'm seeing the screen that says Cox Elder Learning Center, and then I can click Vent Solutions on the black bar up towards the top.
2:10
Yep. And then you should see a section called Live and Self. You'll want to do the Live one. Click into the Virtual Contact Assistant. It's going to bring it up, and then you'll see the dates. In times that are available, it will be every Tuesday and Thursday of the week, just like even today. Technically, there's one that they're running today at uh 4 p.m. Eastern time, 3 p.m. Central, even for them on this side. All right. So and those are available to you for free. So just know that.
2:43
I want to call one other thing out because you have predictive insights and Gen AI too at your store, right? Or did you only get the VC? Okay, you did get that because we even have that section there. So if you ever have any salespeople that aren't utilizing that, or you want them to learn a little bit more in it, we even have a predictive insight Gen AI training, and that's actually Monday through Friday. So also, just know that those are there for you guys if you want them.
3:11
I love it. I'm gonna definitely use it,
3:13
Man. Awesome. Now, question for you, Lance. I know that you and Gage are already gonna have your conversation. Do you want to leave it at that and let you guys do your settings together, or would you like to review the settings for what I can review with you now, so maybe you can start getting things done a little bit sooner?
3:30
We can, for sure, man. Okay. Time we definitely. Yeah, let's do it while we're here because that'll give me another, another look.
3:37
Which store would you like me to jump in? First, where I'll take one, you take the other, and then you know we would only have one left to finalize your main settings that we review. I can start with the Porsche location if you want.
3:50
That's fine. Let's do that. Let's look at Porsche.
3:52
Perfect. So two one zero one three.
3:56
Where are you from? Myself. Yeah.
3:58
I'm originally from PA, but I live in Florida now.
4:01
Where Where is Tony Hinchcliffe from.
4:03
I have no clue.
4:06
You know who I'm talking. No, you don't know Tony Hinchcliffe. Uh oh. So Kill Tony is his show, comedian. Okay. Huge comedian. Um, you can watch his show now on like YouTube. I think even on Netflix. But oh, okay.
4:22
His his I've heard of Kill Tony. I've heard that before, but I wasn't familiar with the name.
4:28
Yep. Okay. Anyway, you sound just like fucking Tony Hinchcliffe. Okay.
4:36
I will actually have to go watch that now specifically to see what you mean.
4:40
You you got to go find him. He's funny as fuck.
4:42
I have heard of Kill Tony, but I'm not familiar with it. Put it that way. Yep. So I'm gonna start with our Porsche, and we're gonna start with settings, dealer settings, virtual assistant settings, which you kind of remember I did review that on the first two sales, just kind of giving me an idea what will happen. That you may make changes from then on out, but this is where we're going to start now. Fair warning: these advanced options, just so you're aware ahead of time, the advanced options and turning on your sales and service processes and your contact assistant customizations. I will review it with you today, but it will be up to you and or Gage to finalize those. We will not finalize finalize those together today. Okay? Okay. Not a problem.
5:34
So first and foremost, you already kind of know where's our thoughts in regards of the appointment and test drive. Are we wanting to leave it up to the sales rep, or do we want to allow her to create the appointment and make your sales rep come behind and confirm that appointment makes sense?
5:49
I think I think they're going to be used to her just making appointments. Okay. Right now, believe Podium is making, you know, setting test drives, setting appointments, doing all that crap. We even have,
6:01
So they are used to that.
6:03
Yeah, we even in Podium we have parameters where we tell we tell the AI, hey, don't set an appointment past this time, even though we close at like let's say we close at seven. I've got it set where she won't set appointments anything past six.
6:17
Okay, and that is something that you can add when you get into the customizations where you create rules. Those are rules that you can create. Now, how to make the rule work to the best of the AI. Would be a conversation that will be from Gage. He knows more of that ins and outs. They haven't taught us on our side because they want that to be kind of like a pinpoint of a conversation with you and your PM. So they've asked us trainers not to touch it as of now. So that's basically why. Okay. But since you said yes to the appointments, I want to ask something on the test drive part.
6:53
With the test drive, are you wanting her to be able to make specific? Hey, this vehicle is available. Let's do a test drive. It doesn't realize if it's pending. Doesn't realize if it was an on order unit that's not there because it's showing in your inventory but not on your lot. Yeah. Do you want her to specify that appointment could be for that specific vehicle or more just the appointment but not a specific vehicle just in case that is one of those ones that may be on order, etc.
7:20
I think what you're saying there, where, Let's just schedule schedule a test drive, but not the but not a specific vehicle.
7:27
Correct. Correct. Yeah. So with the appointment, that's just setting an appointment. If they're coming for a test drive, they're coming for an appraisal. It's just a standard appointment. But if they specify, I want to test drive this vehicle. Do you want her to be able to say yes, that vehicle is available. Let's test drive it, kind of thing. That's really where your thought is.
7:46
And just so you know,
7:48
One chick that you can see switch. Go ahead.
7:51
That. So that's the distinction, you're saying.
7:53
Yeah, just literally set a standard appointment, or do I want to specify it on a test drive for that vehicle too?
8:01
I got you. I think we can leave it at this. Leave it at the appointment. Okay.
8:06
Yep. Now trade in and confirming vehicles of interest. Do you remember on the phone why training wise I talked to them that it will gather that info, but it will not talk about pricing. Yeah. So I'm assuming that one's good. Are we also agreeing that she's gonna confirm the vehicles of interest, and she's not really talking about price unless, with this advance option, unless you allow her to disclose price, this will just be about the vehicle of interest itself.
8:36
Yep. Yep.
8:37
We can do okay. You remember how I taught them that they can pause their assistant, right? Yep. Do you want the ability to make that automatic if they have live human contact? Or do you want to leave it up to the sales and allow her to work in the background until either an appointment's made, customer shows up on the floor, or it gets moved out of those standard active leads that she's available in?
9:02
Yeah, I think we leave it to where she stays engaged. Okay, because she's gonna she's gonna be contextually correct, right? Like, so if she sees that the person has come in, she's gonna know that, and yes,
9:16
Because it's gonna be in that kind of process. But fair warning, I just want to warn you on this. Yeah, if you have, which is definitely something you want to talk with Gage about, your suppressions. Okay. Within your processes, there is multiple notify virtual assistant, and then you can suppress her if there is actual contact within it within those actual processes. Okay. The reason I call that out is sometimes the processes. Have multiple back-to-back notifications once a day for the first week. After week, it goes up to about two days every other day. Then it goes up to about three, five, and then it scoots out to I think like seven or eight days at that point. Okay. Why I'm bringing that up every time there's a new Notify Assistant, it's kind of starting from square one, starting the conversations. Okay. So if she's in mid conversation and the customer.
10:14
Stopped communication and now she was re-notified. It's kind of like she's trying to build back the conversation, starting a little bit from square one. So please keep that part in mind. She doesn't fully pick up on all conversations as of yet. Those are things that we have told, we've been told, will be coming in the future. I just have not been told on my side. It's been released, so I'm giving that just in case it hasn't been. Every time there's a new notify, it's kind of like she's starting over. Let me save this real quick because I want to call something out. I want you to see what I mean by that real quick because I actually have a test customer, the one we were using these last two days, and I want you to see what I mean in regards of the communication to make sure you understand that part. So with this, you can see my test customer. I was talking back and forth with her.
11:08
And the last time I physically replied back to her was on the 27th. So if you look right at the 28th, you can see she's already talking about that customer again. And I'm gonna do it from here from that date on. Start looking how the communication is. You can see she's still just kind of building the rapport, but not going back to, hey, I was talking about that credit at getting my credit. She has not brought that up since. The only time she did was in that email where she specified in regards of, hey, getting a hold of the finance department, which you can see right there. We'll be connecting with you soon. I think that was more of a delay, because she sent an email already talking about that up here. So just know that you'll see texts and emails, and if you notice every day that she's re notified.
12:02
It's still kind of starting from fresh. It brings up a little bit about it, but not really a full dive back in depth of, "Hey, Mr. Customer, I know we were discussing credit the last couple of days, wanting to see if you got a hold of anyone or if we're still trying to get somebody involved." It's not going to bring those kind of things up. It's going to lead to trying to get the customer back in. Now, if the customer does bring that conversation back up, there are potentials where she would keep that conversation going. But I just want to call that out, mainly because I didn't even realize that wasn't activated yet, and this called it out when I was looking at my training environment. When I was looking at it yesterday with you, I kept noticing that, so I just want to more so call that out. Yeah, and in your store, at least for the one we were working on, just to give you that idea.
13:00
Your standard internet. If you utilize one of the ones that were already created, that say with VA at the end. Yeah. When you go in here, those are these sections here. So you can see she is notified on day one in 25 minutes. She'll be notified on day two, day three, day four, five, six. I believe by seven it will jump to two days. The day nine.
13:31
Day eleven, then it jumps four days to day fifteen, yeah, day twenty two, and you see what I mean. So think of it in the aspect of two ways. She's kind of building the conversation back up, but will not go back into the previous conversations to start them back up. But within here, let's say from that time she talked to the customer and she's about to be re-notified. If you guys set up suppressions, whether if it's attempted contact from the actual individual, or actual contact from the actual individual, you would be able to suppress those extra notifications. So please discuss that because think of this: if you paused her on day one, but by day two there was no communication, she's going to be re-notified again unless you built those suppressions to make it not happen, because the auto pause.
14:28
Will always be re-notified with a new notification. If they the salesperson pause, it doesn't matter how many notifications in between. It will skip all of those like it's a suppression because that pause assistant is a catch-all to completely stop her. Got it. So just want to remind you those two differences, okay? Mm-hmm. But for the time being, I'm assuming we're wanting to leave this off and only pause if needed. And then you'll probably build the suppressions out physically with your PM and kind of saying, " Hey, on that one, I don't want her to be re - notified if they've had contact in a day or two days or three days." And you can build that in through the actual.
15:10
And then notify. I'm I'm seeing now that that notify the AI is a lot like Podium. They have a feature that's like a re - engage.
15:19
Yes, that's exactly what that is.
15:21
And reengage, I have it like turned on for ninety days because in my head it's like, well, this person's not reaching out, then they won't get reengaged. No, yeah. Are sorry if they are reaching out and we're communicating with them, they're not going to get reengaged. But if they just go silent, then there's no harm in me hitting them again. Hey, by the way, correct. So that's what you. So this notify is just a reengage because if there's like a normal conversation still going, then she'll just keep talking to him.
15:48
Correct. Yeah. If it's like me and you just talking back and forth, it will keep going like nothing changed. Yeah. But if there's been no communication, the very next notification is like, " Hey, reengage. This customer hasn't come in yet, hasn't created an appointment, hasn't responded to anyone. Let's get you back involved as the AI." Got it.
16:06
Makes sense. Perfect. Now I know, based on what we discussed, ever all the tasks are going to your salespeople, so we'll leave that as is. Yep.
16:16
You don't have to worry about the event description. All this was is that I need help that I showed out to them yesterday and the day before. That's just automatically built out. The only thing you can mess with, if you want, is if maybe like the in-between callouts. You wanted to add descriptions within there. You can change the callouts. Just don't change the image or anything. That way, it stays the way you want it. Okay. Now download here. This is. It looks like you guys already did update this. Now I don't know if you updated in all three stores. I will verify that for us. But it looks like you want her to be a human.
16:52
Shit. I don't know. I'm gonna ask my Porsche guys. I'll ask them today or tomorrow. Hey, what do you want? Like, where do we want to flip this? But okay, I think Podium has just been acting like, hey, we're. I'm just another sales assistant, right? Correct. So checking the human box, I feel like would keep it just in line with what that was doing. Okay. So I'm gonna let them just like help me decide. Let them kind of make the decision. How in your head, like, what's the big distinction between the two? Does she, if it's named Kaylee, does she come right out and say, " I'm Kaylee, the virtual assistant "? Like she would differ.
17:25
Right now, if it came down to think of it in this aspect right here, I'm Vanessa, so I'm Kaylee, your shopping assistant. R ROI Motors. If you put virtual in there, or you have virtual selected. All it's going to do is basically call out that she's your virtual contact assistant named whatever. So she does kind of specify it. The way that I always tell everyone in this regards is think of it this way: if she's doing such an amazing job, and the customer goes, "Can I work with Kaylee?" What would your response be if they're asking, thinking she's a live human?
18:04
Are you gonna just blatantly at that point just say, "Hey, that's one of our AI systems"? Yeah, that's a virtual. Because if you are, then honestly, what's the harm in keeping it a virtual assistant? Yeah. If you want to make it like she is a human, just know I will always call this out because we know it. AI makes mistakes. If she did happen to make a mistake, would you rather overcome it by saying it was AI or that you have a human that was just repeating themselves back and forth? That's kind of the way I look at it because no matter what, it's still AI.
18:33
Yeah, I'll we can switch it to virtual assistant for now, and then I'll ask the guys, hey, what do y'all want? Because it it's not going to be live for another like five days, but yep, we'll see. I don't know, you know, it's like whatever they.
18:48
Yeah, I just always I always use it as a catch. More so, the conversation that comes from your customer. Are you cool with your customer knowing it's an AI? Because we already know AI is out there anyways. Then just call it out. It makes it easier, so that if there's any discrepancies, you're never fighting it that it wasn't an actual human when it's referring itself, basically like it's a human being. Yeah, that's kind of the way I look at it. But we're all in the AI business. We all know that nowadays everything's AI. So basically, we all know it's there. Now your dealer's info. This is this should already be set based off of all three locations. It should have your primary location's website.
19:30
And then it should have that location's finance URL to confirm. Have you looked to make sure both of those are right between your three locations.
19:39
So, just the web addresses?
19:44
Yep. So, if your customer asks for your website, she can send the website with the info. If they ask for the credit app, she can send them to the credit app. But that's as far as she gets involved on that part. But just wanting to make sure it's going to the right locations.
20:01
I will double check that the web address is right. I'm just going to double check the financing. Perfect. Yep,
20:09
That's right. Perfect. So just make sure you confirm that between your three locations that we don't have any discrepancies on that part for you. Okay. Yep. Now other info is just your standard info. You guys consider your salespeople client advisors. Is that correct? Yep, because that's what it looks like. Okay, perfect. And your your customers are clients. Perfect. And then, did you want to leave it to where she's allowed to text at any time, meaning after hour comes in, customer replies, she can text them. Yep. Or do you want to limit the text portion, meaning she can email at any time, but texting would stop at certain timing? No, clients. Basically,
20:51
If they message us, then let her message them back.
20:55
This would allow her to start the text though too. If it's a brand new internet lead at two o'clock in the morning, she can email and text. My first thing that I always say is this: Are there any regulations based on your state for after-hour text messaging? If there is, follow that so that you stay within regulations. If there isn't, what I tell everybody is think of it this way: She's going to email and text a customer once if it's at two o'clock in the morning. She's not going to keep blowing them up. If they respond at two o'clock in the morning, she'll have that conversation. If they don't and they don't respond till next day, she'll have that conversation at that time. It just gives her the capability of having both options. If you wanted to,
21:39
I think just leave it because I think right now, Podium. If a if a curse if a if a customer sends in a lead at an odd time, I'm pretty sure Podium's texting them back. Okay. I don't know. I might should check that, but.
21:53
My first one always, Lance, is just your your regulations to your state. Yeah. Make sure you're within that because we know you and I we're not going to text a customer at two o'clock in the morning. No. But if we have an automated piece allowing it to, we need to make sure you're within your regulations.
22:08
Is all set it up where she could only email at that odd time. I'm sure we'll be able to have it built into the email to the internet process where the first thing in the morning she shoots out a text. Right.
22:21
I believe it should be able to create rules with that part. Make it the very first thing an email. But remember, on a new lead, as of right now, after the lead becomes active. So let's say your internet turns on at eight a.m. Yeah, she will be notified by eight twenty-five, and between eight and eight twenty-five, maybe your sales rep, your BDC, are reaching out to the customer. So it gives the capability just in case they already have contact within that first twenty-five minutes. Not to engage her if you put suppressions or you turned on the auto pause pieces. If you don't have that, they are doing their communication, and 25 minutes in, she'll create an email, create a text, and send it out to your customer right away. So she always does both. Yeah. But if you want to specify, those could be things you specify within the special instructions. Okay. And that could be one that you could say, Hey, I want that to be the first thing.
23:18
But please keep in mind, Lance. I don't know that ifs, ands, or buts on the customization rules on what she can take over and what she can't per rules. Got it. I'm hoping soon they teach us that because, like these conversations, could go a little bit better if I can tell you the kind of conversations you can walk in. They just haven't brought that to our attention yet on the training side. All right. Now the other pieces are going to be your advanced options that I'm going to review with you. If you want to update this now, feel free to. Because the rules, what I'm about to go over, are the exact same thing your PM is. I just can't be the one to accept it. So the first question is, do you want her to be able to disclose price? If you turn this on, that means that if the customer asks about pricing, she can review only the price you have selected here. So let's say you did internet. That's as far as her pricing would go.
24:14
The next question is: If you do allow the disclosure, then do you want her to build that in the conversations on her first contact when she's describing the vehicle, sending out the internet price before the customer ever asks, or do you only want it to be disclosed if they talk about it? Those are what those two options are.
24:34
Yep, I checked. So the box, and then I selected internet price.
24:38
Perfect. Don't forget: if you did just save this, don't forget to go down and hit save real quick. Okay. All right. So going back into the advanced options, I do see that it's now saved, and you marked it as disclosed in internet. Remember, if you want to make any changes, please do so. The only callout I'm gonna bring up to you is: remember, sometimes internet price, depending on how you guys set it up, has the discount and the rebate included. As long as you're okay with that, and that's how you have it shown, just realize that. I only call that out because I know some stores do that.
25:12
Yeah, so it should be, my my logic there is internet price should be what's showing on the website right now. Yes. So that, and that would just be that's okay. Yeah, exactly.
25:24
All right. I just always bring it up because some are like, I don't want that disclosed because that's all discounts and rebates, and maybe they didn't see it online or something, which is why they bring it up.
25:34
In that case, I agree. MSRP, basically, right? Yeah.
25:38
Yeah. Yep. And that's what I would matter. Then you at least start at the top.
25:41
Yeah, and this will matter more or less for certain stores. Like, for Porsche, it's going to be that there's no there's not going to be a bunch of extra crap displayed anyway. Okay. When it comes to Audi, I'll probably def I'll probably choose internet price just because they want to make sure everybody sees all the discounts that they're providing.
25:57
Yep. So. Perfect. Yep. Now scrolling down, I we will update vehicle designation, how to agree, tone of voice, and email sign off. But when it comes down to the differentiators and special instructions, I'll show you how to update them if you want to. But that will be the final conversation with Gage. So vehicle designations more for Porsche right now, but also your other two locations. Do you guys just sell vehicles, or are there times that you sell motorcycles, RVs, boats, anything of that nature? Are you strictly vehicles at your locations?
26:32
Yeah, strictly vehicles.
26:33
Yep. Perfect. So all you would need to do is add vehicle there. Okay. Now, how to greet a customer? Are you wanting a friendly greet, a by name greet, or formal like Mister and Misses greet.
26:46
Okay,
26:48
Probably a by name. Perfect. And then tone of voice is a professional tone, friendly tone, and a succinct, which is straight to the point kind of tone.
26:58
Got it.
26:59
We're gonna do friendly. Perfect. And then email sign off is just like sincerely their signature or calling out just a basic sign off and then their signature. Everyone usually says yes to that because that's what everyone's used to, anyways. Got it. Would that be good with you? Yep. Perfect. So I'm gonna hit save for that part. But now this two sections here, you got two ways to get to it. You could have come to this standard setting, hit advance, scroll down, click here.
27:30
But it's going to bring you to the exact same situation here. You could have just clicked right there. Just give you both options. Click on the little pencil icon, and this where you can provide instructions. This where you can provide differentiators. What makes this dealership different from the ones around you? Got it. When you add this stuff, if you hit save instructions, it's going to save it. Bring you here. It's going to show configured. If you now go back into that pencil after you did it and saved it, you'll now get three standard test messages. How it would utilize your instructions and differentiators above, and give you three examples of what your updates would be able to look like down here, which is really cool. The one thing I gotta remind you, it is limit to fifteen hundred characters. So there are dealerships that have told me, "Hey, man, we have way more things we want to add in here."
28:27
And it's limiting me. What I always tell them is, look, AI works very well with AI. Go use ChatGPT, go use Copilot, and say, "Hey, I have limit of characters. I want all of these instructions. Make it concise to fit 1,500 characters." And you would be surprised how well it works to be able to update that info. So if you ever do have a lot at a dealership on top of talking to Gauge, try your AI because AI, once again. Does really well when you're telling it what you're trying to instruct. So, definitely mess around with this if you want. When you hit save, don't forget to go back in so you can see your three updated test conversations and see if you want to make changes throughout. Yep. Now that is done between all three locations. So I will tell you right now. I will go into the other two and just match what we have here.
29:21
Just based on the top, but I know the bottom stuff we didn't really have to mess with because you already did it. I'll just go make sure those other stores match these five settings right here, just in case. Okay. Yep. Now between your sales and service processes, I'm just going to remind you, there are six areas where she is involved now. There will be areas in the future she will be. She's just not there yet. So the first one is all internet sales leads. She has the capability of being added into. Any of your processes. The easiest way to do this is when you're in your process that you want to add her to. You would click in, click the word "add event," and then you would have this notify virtual assistant. And that's if you want to add her in different areas than she already is. But I will tell you, if you say, "Hey, I like my new internet sales, and I want one with the virtual assistant."
30:18
Don't go in here and do it yourself. Allow your PM to copy this, create a flow with VA, and then update the flow after. So you're not happening to go and manually update every single notification. You can go and make changes after the fact. Okay, they do have that capability. That's kind of like what we did right here. So you know how you have your enhanced speed process as your primary. Yep. We automatically mapped it and we created one with your virtual assistant already engaged. You would just want to turn this one on by clicking the pencil, yep, enabling it and unenabling your old process once you're ready to drop that and only have it with the virtual assistant. Those are the things that you engage will be able to utilize and update between all three stores, and then when you're ready, that's how you activate her. So right now she's not turned on in any of the internet right now because you just have your standard sales floor and podium. You can turn her on and.
31:15
After hours, which we already built one for that too, where it's just the notification piece within it. So that one is usually the first one we turn on, usually allowing you get a capable idea of how she's going to work before you build her into your other processes. But I know you turned it off because you guys still have Podium active, so that that explains it. So I just the next one.
31:40
Go ahead. Then I'm going to tell you real fast. A while back, I went into Podium and I grabbed a whole bunch of stuff. Like we had areas where we had done a bunch of programming for Q and A. We call it instant answers. And then we had a bunch of also we had a bunch of spots where with with Podium you can thumb up, thumb down a conversation. And then if you thumb down, you can go in and say I would rather you have done this or rather you respond this way. So I had a bunch of those for this is Porsche specific. I did it for all three of these stores.
32:12
I had already gone and copied all of those screens, and so I just pasted them into my Hermes agent. Okay. And went ahead and did the. I hadn't done it yet, just because I wasn't. I wasn't here, but. What? So anyway, if you go and pull up. Um. We'll see how this works. I'm going to hit save, but if you go pull up the dealer instructions, you'll see it's. Yeah. Done.
32:41
Oh yeah,
32:41
Configured. And so, what I had her do, my Hermes agent, I said, " Hey, take all of this crap because it's a lot. It's one big text file, and let's digest this down to fifteen hundred. You know, digest just down to." So anyway, some of that I wanted you to see because some of that I might not need it in there, right? And I can tell my agent, " Hey,
33:02
You don't need for in the in the address and all that crap, right?" Correct, because it's already built into the system. Like the name, you can see even right there. It says you are Kaylee. We already know that. So this area, you can definitely take away if you want. I would say that because all that info you already basically have, you named her. It's going to always call out Harish Porsche because that's the location. It knows the address because that's built into your settings, and it knows your contact numbers because it's in the settings too. So as long as all that stuff is updated.
33:36
Which I'll show you real quick too,
33:38
Because that'll give her it'll give it more space. I don't need hours here, right? Hours of operation.
33:42
Nope, because I'm gonna show you right here. So your dealer settings area, this one. Yeah. This is where you can see like the dealership name, the address, the phone numbers. If all of that's right, those are the things that she will utilize when she's talking about that. The dealer hours will always go by the dealer hours right here. So when you're in here, it will be the hours of operation you have set in stone here. And then when it comes down to any additional customizations, let's take a look together real quick. So your tone—you could even technically get rid of that if you want, mainly because you did your friendly, professional, succinct tone. That setting section, that kind of already talked about tone. So you could get rid of it, unless you rather keep it the precise, calm, and confident part. That part's okay, but that's up to you. Yep.
34:31
Hard rules, I do agree with. Those are the kind of ideas that you would want to do. Never quoting price, payment, APR, those kind of things, because you're calling out even more than just your standard price. Yeah. But you may want to take just the standard price part out, because remember you said yes to inventory to go over your internet price. So I don't know if that would override it and stop her from doing that. Just keep that part in mind. Never invent inventory discounts incentives. No negotiation. No competitive bashing. I like that, but I will be surprised if ours ever do it. So some of those things, I guarantee you, when you talk to Gage, he'll probably tell you. Feel free to turn those off because you don't got to worry about it. Because our pricing automatically doesn't negotiate pricing. She will not give any additional discounts. Customer wants.
35:21
Info on their trade. Hey, you gave me ten grand. I want fifteen. She will not discuss it. She'll get someone involved on those things. Do not schedule, reschedule, cancel, collect service details here. Any service oil repair status. That right there. If you have it to where you're, because she's not built into service, she won't discuss. She won't discuss that anyways, because she's not even built into a service. As a customer brings in. And submits an internet lead, and they go, "Hey, I'm for service." She'll get someone involved. That salesperson would then let service know. Basically, is how that would work. But that's up to you if you want to remove that or not. The EV hybrid parts definitely keep that because that will help her understand specifics. Custom transit, advanced buys, yes. Out of state, yes. Reserve incoming deposit recommended.
36:14
Those things I could see beneficial too. He would let you know if there's any rewording or anything that he would recommend for that part. Service facts. This one is up to you if you even want that, since she doesn't discuss service. Yeah. So I don't know if you want to keep it there or not. I would say leave it. Talk to Gage and see if it matters. But he'll probably tell you the same thing. They don't really discuss service, so you don't have to worry about it. But I'm assuming Podium was a part of service on that side too, so that's why you had the service stuff too. I'm assuming,
36:44
Right? Yeah, they had. So what? Yeah, it's basically because the chat tool is so commonly used by people wanting get to get answers for service. Yeah, they they chat in all the fricking time. It's it's a problem with all my stores that use Podium. So they chat in all the time, and it's some question about service, and then it just it gets bogged down in trying to answer questions. Yeah, it's like hey. Here's your basic parameters. Answer these questions. If not, just give them a phone. A lot of times, it's like, hey, just give them a phone number. Tell them call service. Yeah.
37:16
So, and then short sales next step clean service redirect or ambassador handoff. So, I can definitely say that's your best start. Talk to him about what updates you want, but that's a good way of at least getting an idea of what you want. But like you said. There are things in here such as this section right here you could get rid of so you can open up more. If you see service, the tones, things that you know you don't need anymore because it's already kind of built in that way for our setup, remove those and that will open up that area too. So, but that's definitely a great start. I would definitely say I can see the benefits from it. He can just let you know if he sees anything else that I didn't just notice.
38:01
That maybe major callouts. Maybe let's update this so it reflects correctly this way. Gage will be able to help out a little bit more with that. But yes, that is the basic tone that you want to utilize. Okie doke. Now the so we did internet sales after hour sales. She's also able to be a part of your showroom visit. So customer comes in whether it's an appointment, walk in, phone up, internet lead. They show up and they don't buy. They'll get put into the showroom visit follow up, and she'll be involved in that to try to get the customer back in. She'll also be set up for you when it comes down to appointment reminders. That's gonna do our work for us, to where instead of us calling to confirm and reminding them, where we have those automations. Instead of doing an automated email, automated text, it's actually her calling to remind them. To where if they ever needed a reschedule, they ask for address.
38:57
She will be that kind of point of contact for those reminders. She'll also be able to do it if the customer missed that appointment. They'll get put into the missed opportunities, and then she will try to say, "Hey, sorry we missed you. Let's try to reschedule." And then same with the canceled. Hey, you canceled the appointment. Let's go ahead and get you in based off of this. So those are the areas that she can be put into. There is talk about getting added in more areas. They just haven't got any confirmation on. What they will or will not be adding her to. Cool. Other than that, I know the last two days we basically did the sales. I know that I think it was we did Audi and BMW. So it was Porsche that we didn't, or was it Porsche and BMW we did?
39:47
Ah, shit, I don't remember.
39:50
Where were you on Monday? I think you were at BMW, right?
39:54
First day I was at Audi, and then yesterday I was. Oh,
39:56
You were at Audi.
39:57
Okay. Yeah, and it was real. It was more brief. I only had like two or three dudes, kind of just standing around. Yeah. They're, you know, working with that cat. Those cats sometimes will get you frustrated. But trust me,
40:11
You saw how a couple question was like, " What if I don't want her?" That can't be a me answer. I can tell you what I got told in regards to how to pause it, but you need to talk to your managers because there's a reason why they have her being engaged at your stores. I was like, "Come on, guys! I'm the trainer. I'm not your managers to tell you what to do on that." So please relay it to them. Yep. But is there anything else, any questions, comments, concerns that you want to review with me before we jump off?
40:45
And then, do you have any questions in regards of how to allow anyone else that needs it to go back in and join that free training on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
40:54
Yeah. So the I don't have any other questions as long as we kind of like copy whatever all these things that I just did over to the other stores. You and I just kind of discuss those little brief settings. Yep. You know, I don't have any other questions. I've got a lot to kind of go over with Gage. He and I will get into each one of those processes before we roll it out. Okay. Actually, I have the new version.
41:19
And just as a reminder, Lance, I can update this info, but this section for the pricing and then the differentiator parts, those I can't touch. But the vehicle by name friendly, what we want her to do and not do, those parts I will match. But this section, a hundred percent, needs done on Audi and BMW. Yes, that part has to come from the dealership just to make sure that it's not us saying she can talk about it. It's you saying this is what I'm okay with her talking about. But other than that, I'll go through the other two stores and match everything else.
41:57
And the only other reason I'm not going to copy your customizations is because that was directed toward Porsche, and I know you have stuff directed toward the other two. I'll let you do that part too.
42:07
Rewrite them. I just pasted in the new instructions. Yeah. So I'll go have it rewrite all the or write the new for the other two stores. Cool. I. Cool.
42:19
Then I'll definitely go behind for the rest of the stuff and then update it too on here. And then when I send out my recap, I'll remind you, engage that if you guys haven't scheduled it yet, to please schedule your guys's conversations to finalize the remaining settings.
42:34
Got it. And then let's see. All right, cool. The pricing.
42:37
And I'm assuming you may already have that because you said you're turning it on next week. So did you guys have that conversation on having a meeting set yet,
42:44
Or no? We have. You know, honestly, he and I've gone back and forth about so many different things, not just this right now. Then I'm I'm lost in where we are, so I'm gonna. I got you. What? Where? Where are we? Trust me,
42:59
I have a huge list of dealers that I'm still reaching out to, and then I just got to sign ten more, and I'm like, I just completed only two, and then I get ten more. I was like, that's the workload right there for you. How it is, man? Hey, but it keeps my job going, right? So I can't complain.
43:18
So my other store is Harris Porschee. Let's see, store portion. So they don't have generative AI apparently.
43:25
Some of them. Yeah, it looks like the Harris Porsche one. I didn't see. I don't see Gen AI on that. Yeah. But I do still see predictive insights. So Gen AI was one of those pieces that you didn't have to upgrade to. You were allowed just AI. Okay. But if you wanted Gen AI, you had to have the predictive insights portion to have it. So that could be what happened is like Porschee had AI, but they didn't do the Gen AI upgrade to it yet.
43:56
Okay, cool. But we don't need it for this thing to do it.
43:59
No. Yeah. No, I will tell you though the Gen AI is not a bad thing because it can utilize that a little bit more with her. Yeah. But you can see it's not going to be a huge difference with or without it. Okay. And honestly, to be perfectly honest, I'd be surprised if she still doesn't have it built into the backend for her. Your store itself just can't use it. Yeah, that's most likely how they have her set up, if I'm not mistaken. All right. Oh, it wouldn't affect you as of this. It would just more affect the overall dealership if you were wanting them to utilize it.
44:36
Yeah, and it's the thing where it can it'll generate a email or a text for them and all that.
44:39
Correct. Yeah, I got. Yep.
44:42
Yeah, I think my other two. I think Audi and and Porsche had it at one point, and they just did. They opted not to keep it,
44:47
I guess. Okay. Yeah. I actually, if you use it right, man, I actually like the AI tool on what it does here because they have a. I always joke around about it, but if you think about it, for those that use ChatGPT, Copilot, other AI systems. You put it out of the system, you update it, and then you have to copy and paste it. And then you no longer have to do that anymore. It's all built in, and even builds from the relationship. If you're replying to an email or a text, and you hit reply, and then you utilize Gen AI, even builds it from the actual conversation you're already having, which was a huge success because it didn't do that before. It's we've been having this for about two years now for the Gen AI, and I first started it.
45:34
And it was so bare minimum. We had so many dealers were like, " What's the point in this if it's not even doing what we're asking it to do?" So they've come a long way with Gen AI in the last two years too. Oh, for sure. Other than that, is there anything else while you have me for the next ten minutes that you want to kind of review on this, or do you feel pretty comfortable where it's at, and I'll just go and update the remaining settings between your three stores?
46:00
Yeah, I mean, I think we're good right now, man. I went did the price changes real quick. Okay.
46:04
Done. Awesome. And I'll make sure that it shows saved and everything. And if for whatever reason I saw something that didn't get moved over, I'll let you know. Sounds good, man. But everything else, that was the only thing that I can't move over. So everything else, I'll be able to copy and move for you.
46:19
Perfect. Thank you, man.
46:20
Appreciate you. Not a problem at all, Lawrence. I appreciate you for jumping on and allowing me through these last three days to work with you guys. Yep. Moving forward, just remember, Gage will be your primary point of contact. And if they want to do any additional training, or for those that missed, you know, you have your training tool that's already set in stone, and they can enroll that whenever they want.
46:40
Oh yeah, thank you, man. You have a good one.
46:42
Not a problem. Appreciate you, Lance. Bye bye. See you.