EPISODE 27
From Guesswork to Precision: Using AI to Boost Service Retention
Featuring Guest TODD SMITH
Episode Description
Most dealerships are intrigued by AI, but many are still stuck in the dark when it comes to using it effectively. Instead of solving real problems, they’re overwhelmed by dashboards, buried in reports, and stuck blasting the same messages to every customer. The result? Missed opportunities, service defection, and underwhelming ROI on the tools they already have.
In this episode, sponsored by DriveSure, Bill sits down with Todd Smith, CEO and co-founder of QoreAI, to explore how dealerships can use artificial intelligence to enhance their retention strategy. From data hygiene to behavioral targeting, Todd outlines the steps every dealer can take to build smarter communication, improve the customer experience, and stop defections before they happen.
Takeaways from this episode:
- Why organizing and cleaning your data is the foundation for using AI effectively
- How AI can personalize service reminders based on driving behavior
- Simple AI applications to re-engage customers who declined service
- A smarter approach to preventing drop-off during the warranty-to-customer-pay transition
- How forward-thinking dealers are using AI to reduce message fatigue and increase trust
BILL SPRINGER
and president of Krex Inc.
TODD SMITH
CEO & Co Founder of QoreAI
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The Loyalty Paradox: Why Satisfied Customers Still Leave
A customer can leave your dealership completely satisfied and still never come back. That’s the loyalty paradox, and according to data from DriveSure’s 2026 Dealership Service Retention Report, it’s happening far more often than most service departments realize. The real danger isn’t the angry customer. It’s the quiet one who had a perfectly fine experience and simply had no compelling reason to return.
The Anatomy of Defection: What 1,277 Drivers Say Pushes Them Out the Door
Most dealerships know customers are leaving. The harder question is why. The data has a few answers that might surprise you.
In this episode of Retention Roadmap, Bill Springer dives deep into the 2026 Dealership Service Retention Report to break down the anatomy of defection, using data from 1,277 vehicle owners across the country. The top two defection drivers — a bad dealership experience (cited by 50% of respondents) and lower prices elsewhere (44%) — have held their positions across all three of DriveSure’s studies, going back to 2020. That consistency isn’t a trend. It’s the rule.
The Calendar Problem That’s Costing You 30% More Revenue
What if the biggest problem in your service department isn’t your technicians, but your calendar? Most dealerships think they’re managing capacity when in reality, they’re reacting to chaos they created themselves.