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Most dealers think they’re losing on price—but the real reason customers walk away is far more human (and far more fixable).

Tom Kondrat, Advanced Analytics Director at Urban Science, joins Auto Collabs to unpack one of the most misunderstood problems in retail automotive: customer defection. Drawing on real-time sales data and post-purchase surveys, Tom reveals a surprising truth—price isn’t the main reason customers leave. Instead, the breakdown happens in something much harder to measure… and much easier to fix: communication.

The conversation dives into how AI has evolved from predictive analytics to hyper-personalized insights, and how dealers can now use sentiment analysis to understand customer behavior at scale. But here’s the twist: the biggest opportunity isn’t in better tech—it’s in better human connection. From the power of simply being remembered by name to the overlooked value of following up after a lost sale, this episode makes one thing clear: data doesn’t replace relationships—it sharpens them.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Price Isn’t the Real Reason Customers Leave

0:28 Communication Breakdowns Are Driving Defection

1:15 AI Shifted From Scale to Personalization

2:09 Too Much Data Can Hurt Better Decisions

3:26 Predictive AI Was Built to Anticipate Behavior

6:25 Modern AI Needs to Focus on Human Moments

8:42 Dealers Default to Price but Miss the Truth

9:38 Slow or Irrelevant Responses Push Customers Away

11:34 Great Communication Is Timely and Precise

17:35 Fast Feedback Loops Improve Sales Performance

21:26 AI Can Turn Customer Feedback Into Action

22:44 Being Remembered by Name Drives Positive Experiences

Connect with Tom Kondrat at https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaskondrat/

Learn more about Urban Science at https://www.urbanscience.com

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Jen Suzuki doesn’t walk into a room, she revs it.

In this episode, she brings her signature “Jenergy” to a direct conversation about what’s really holding dealerships back: comfort. From outdated sales processes to leaders who’ve stepped too far away from the front lines, Jen makes it clear that if you’re not pushing yourself, someone else is already catching up.

This episode also dives into the role of mentorship in a world being reshaped by AI. Jen explains why leaders need to stay hands-on, how tools like GPT are changing customer expectations, and why ignoring them is no longer an option. AI isn’t just another tool. It’s exposing who is willing to adapt and who is not.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Comfort leads to getting replaced

0:33 What “Jenergy” actually means

2:14 Learning the hard way without a mentor

3:04 Why one person believing in you matters

6:02 Where leadership development is falling short

8:02 Why leaders need to stay in the trenches

8:49 The sales process is outdated

9:32 Why templates are hurting your business

11:00 How to use AI in real conversations

12:23 Handling customers who use GPT

14:09 The risks of using AI without guardrails

16:14 Why AI is not going away

18:08 The cost of missed follow-up

20:22 Discipline does not change with the season

23:18 The real test of whether you embrace change

Connect with Jen Suzuki at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifersuzuki/

Learn more about ZusiTalk at https://www.zukitalk.com/

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If your competitive edge is still price, you’re already losing—the real battle is happening in experience, simplicity, and how you make people feel.

Glenn Pasch has logged over a million miles in the air and many hours helping dealerships rethink how they market, sell, and retain customers. In this episode, the crew unpacks what he’s seeing now. The market has shifted. Inventory is no longer the advantage, and the real differentiator has quietly become something most dealers still underestimate: the experience.

From friction-filled processes to the rise of convenience-first competitors like Carvana, Glenn explains why simplicity is becoming the ultimate strategy. The conversation goes beyond AI buzzwords and focuses on what actually moves the needle: clean data, strong processes, and teams that know how to make customers feel remembered. Selling a car isn’t just about the car. It’s about how easy, personal, and human you make the journey.

Key Takeaways

0:00 The Guest Who Opened Doors. Why Glenn Pasch Shaped Their Early Careers

2:19 A Million Miles of Perspective. What Travel Teaches About Customer Experience

6:17 Inventory Isn’t Your Advantage Anymore. What Actually Matters Now

7:30 Dealers Are Splitting in Two Directions. Control vs Convenience

8:48 The Experience Economy Is Here. Why Ease Beats Price

9:54 Complexity Is the Enemy. Why Simplicity Wins Everywhere

10:30 Carvana Didn’t Win With Tech. They Won by Removing Friction

12:24 The Hidden Revenue Leak. How Small Frictions Cost You Deals

13:41 A $2 Interaction That Proves Everything About Personalization

14:42 You Already Have the Data. Why Aren’t You Using It?

16:30 Customers Don’t Care About the Car. They Care How You Treat Them

18:39 AI Isn’t the Strategy. Execution and Clean Data Are

20:00 The Most Misunderstood Role in Dealerships. Marketing Managers

22:31 Why In-Person Events Still Matter More Than Ever

26:29 Ignore People and Process. Fall Behind. It’s That Simple

Learn more about Glenn Pasch at https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennpasch/

Learn more about PCG Digital / Digital Marketing Strategies Conference at https://www.digitalmarketingstrategies.org/

⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally!

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2. ASOTU CON Sessions