TOGETHER WITH :
Howdy Fam!
This year’s ASOTU CON agenda is looking phenomenal!
We’ve got speakers, panels, and sessions from each part of the business focused on sending every participant home with something to act on right away.
Sessions like:
The New Division of Labor: What AI Should Do vs. Your Team
Why the Customer Experience Is Being Won (or Lost) by How You Deliver Information
Master Class In Service To Sales From The Dealers Writing The Playbook
Grab your ticket or check out the rest of the agenda so far on ASOTUCON.com
Keep Pushing Back,
-Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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FTC pressure puts pricing discipline on the front line
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At the Ethical F&I Conference, the message around the FTC warning letters was straightforward: dealers already know the rules. The issue is how consistently those rules show up in daily operations.
As Kyle and Michael said on the Automotive State of the Union podcast, the letters are just the starting point. What matters now is how stores adapt their processes and training.
Most dealerships have their online pricing in a good place. The breakdown happens when a customer reaches out or walks in. A price gets quoted that doesn’t match the listing. A fee gets introduced late. A social post says one thing while the website says another.
That is where risk shows up, and it is where customers lose confidence.
Consistency has to be trained into the store
Speakers at the conference emphasized that this comes down to execution across the entire dealership. Sales, F&I, and even individual social media activity all need to reflect the same pricing approach.
That only happens with repetition and clarity.
Kyle put it plainly: “Hold a meeting—once a week, once a day—and say, ‘This is how we do things now. No compromises.’”
And the standard itself is simple enough to remember:
“The price we quote has to match the online price.”
EV demand looks different without the tax-credit cushion
We know you know, but now we have some more data points to confirm the perception.
Another Automotive News piece shows how sharply the EV market is adjusting. February EV registrations fell 37% year over year, dropping share below 5% of the light-vehicle market.
The bigger story is what the shakeout reveals. Brands that counted on fast EV adoption are pulling back. Others are testing whether pricing, timing, and product mix can still create momentum.
A more selective buyer is taking shape
Toyota stood out, posting a 77% gain in EV registrations behind strong incentives and a measured rollout. At the same time, several brands saw steep declines.
This is what the market looks like without policy support. Growth is still there, but it is uneven and more price-sensitive.
This is a pricing and inventory story. Watch incentive pressure, days supply, and where hybrids may win the middle ground.
Ford Reset: from EV ambition to execution
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CNBC reports that Ford EV and software chief Doug Field is leaving as the automaker reorganizes its leadership structure.
Ford says the change is meant to better connect product creation, software, and industrial execution as it prepares for a major product refresh through 2029.
A shift toward delivery
Read in context, this feels like a move away from experimentation and toward accountability. Ford is still betting big on electrification and digital experiences, but the focus is tightening.
Speed, integration, and margin discipline are taking priority as the next wave of products approaches.
Expect more pressure from OEMs on execution. Alignment between product, sales, and service will matter more as new launches roll out.
Change efforts still rise or fall with managers
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Gallup’s new State of the Global Workplace report adds an important people layer to everything happening right now.
Global employee engagement fell to 20% in 2025, with manager engagement dropping sharply. That matters for any business trying to implement new systems, new tools, or new expectations.
The hinge point is still the manager
Gallup also found that manager support is one of the biggest drivers of meaningful AI adoption.
The pattern holds. Strategy may come from the top, but adoption happens in the middle of the organization.
If managers are not engaged and supported, new tools and processes will stall. Investing in that layer is becoming a real performance advantage.
The Power Behind the Process
Speed matters when the work is complex.
Solera has spent decades building the data and systems that make that possible, turning what used to take days into workflows that move in minutes, all backed by one of the most complete vehicle repair databases in the industry.
That depth shows up in how decisions get made. More accurate estimates. Better parts data. Clearer visibility from the first notice all the way through completion.
At ASOTU CON, Solera is bringing that perspective to the Racing Booth, where performance, precision, and speed all come together in a way that’s a little more hands-on.
The Market Is Opening Up, but Buyers Are Still Doing the Math
More Buyers Are Getting Approved
Recent data shows approvals ticking up and lenders opening access, including further into subprime. That’s bringing more shoppers back into the market and creating more opportunities on the lot.
But it’s not a simple volume story. Negative equity remains high, and more deals require careful structure. Trade value, loan terms, and payment all have to align more closely than before.
Affordability Is Improving, but Pressure Hasn’t Left
Affordability metrics have moved in a positive direction, helped by income growth and stable pricing. On paper, the numbers look better.
In real life, many customers still feel the strain. Insurance, fuel, and everyday expenses are shaping how people think about a purchase. Buyers are taking more time, asking more questions, and focusing on whether the decision fits their monthly reality.
That’s creating a more thoughtful, more deliberate shopper who is doing more research before ever reaching out.
Where rubber meets the road:
Take one question you’re hearing from customers right now and turn it into a short post, blog, video, article, or email. Answer it clearly, in plain language, with a focus on monthly impact and real-life use.
That kind of content helps you show up earlier in the process and builds trust before the conversation even starts.
Every dealership has that moment where a simple question turns into a five-minute scavenger hunt.
Mia cuts straight through that.
It pulls from your systems, gives clear answers, and keeps conversations on track so nothing stalls out or gets lost.
They’ll be breaking it all down at ASOTU CON—discover what Mia can do for your store.
🤖 AI: An AI-generated version of deceased actor Val Kilmer will star in the movie “As Deep as the Grave.”
💰 Economy: AP Exclusive: Europe has “maybe 6 weeks of jet fuel left,” energy agency head warns.
👽 Weird: All Nissan 350Zs and Infiniti G37S owners have been banned from the Nebraska Car Show. Y’all know what you did.
1492 – Spain and Christopher Columbus sign the Capitulations of Santa Fe for his voyage to Asia to acquire spices.
1907 – The Ellis Island immigration center processes 11,747 people, more than on any other day in history.
1964 – The Ford Mustang goes on sale.
Thanks for reading, Friend!
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