"You can give the customer all those channels to communicate through, but how do you manage that as a business?"

The challenges for modern automotive retailers were part of a discussion at the AM News Show podcast when it recently welcomed CitNOW Group sales director Callum Wood and Keyloop sales director Nick Evans into the studio to chat about industry issues and what both the major tech companies have in store for Automotive Management Live on November 9 at Birmingham NEC.

As car dealerships have to cope with delivering an omnichannel car buying experience at the same time as the industry faces ambitious new entrants, changes to the dealer-OEM relationship and electrification, both agreed that there is more need than ever for dealers to be able to hear inspiration from other retailers, major suppliers and consultants that they can take away and adapt for their own work.

"Sharing best practice, for us, is really valuable. We love to involve our customers in the future of our products, and to hear experiences that our dealers face on a day to day basis is really valuable," said Evans during the 25 minute podcast. 

He added that dealerships are having to counter the well-known skills shortages by finding more efficiencies in their processes, identifying opportunities for automation and making the roles of their people more productive.

Wood added: "People buy from people and I don't think that will ever fully change, but what we can do is take away things that free people to make a bigger impact so they don't do what they don't need to be doing."

More than 60 suppliers will be on hand at AM Live to support dealers with their sales, aftersales and support functions, while the seminar streams - aftersales, digital, sales and strategy - cover topics spanning profitability, risk management, 

Wood said: "AM Live is quite a unique event in the industry for the UK, to get together such a vast array of suppliers and retailers on the same day in a location like the NEC, it's such a great opportunity to talk in a more casual environment."