5 Ways AI is Automating Dealership Operations Today

After spending countless hours on dealership floors across the country, one thing became crystal clear: the gap between AI's potential and its practical implementation in automotive retail remains substantial. Dealerships don't need more promises about futuristic technology—they need solutions that address today's pressing challenges.

Let's explore five areas where thoughtful AI implementation is creating measurable results for forward-thinking dealerships right now.

1. Streamlining Parts Orders

The parts counter remains one of the most overlooked profit centers in dealerships, often operating with processes that haven't evolved in decades.

The real-world challenge: Parts departments face a barrage of phone inquiries, inventory checks, and follow-ups that consume valuable time and create customer frustration.

What's working now:

• AI systems that integrate with existing parts inventory databases to provide instant stock verification
• Automated customer notifications for backordered items
• Smart routing of complex parts questions to specialists while handling routine inquiries automatically

When parts ordering automation is implemented thoughtfully, it transforms your counter from a reactive operation into a proactive profit center, freeing your specialists to build deeper customer relationships while routine inquiries are handled seamlessly in the background.

2. Reframing the Recall Experience

Recalls represent both a regulatory obligation and a missed opportunity for most dealerships.

The real-world challenge: The traditional recall process frustrates customers and overwhelms staff with administrative work, while potentially valuable service opportunities go unrealized.

What's working now:

• Inbound recognition systems that identify customers with open recalls when they call for any reason, turning every interaction into a potential recall opportunity
• DMS integration tools that scan customer databases and cross-reference with NHTSA recall information, creating proactive outreach lists
• Automated outbound communication systems that reach affected customers through their preferred channels (call, text, email)
• End-to-end scheduling automation that checks parts availability, technician capacity, and service bay allocation before confirming appointments
• Flexible implementation options that allow dealerships to choose between full automation or "warm handoff" models where AI qualifies interest before connecting to a human advisor

Automated recall management flips the script entirely—converting what was once viewed as a compliance burden into a consistent stream of service lane traffic and relationship-building touchpoints with customers who might otherwise never return post-purchase.

3. Eliminating No-Shows Through Intelligent Reminders

At Toma, we've watched service advisors and sales reps spend hours each morning making reminder calls. These moments crystallize how much value is being left on the table.

The real-world challenge: Appointment no-shows create cascading problems throughout the dealership. Service bays sit empty, technician time is wasted, and revenue opportunities vanish—all while advisors and sales reps burn precious time making manual reminder calls that often go unanswered.

What's working now:

• Multi-channel reminder systems that reach customers through their preferred communication method (call, text, email)
• Conversational AI that doesn't just remind, but engages customers about their upcoming appointments
• Smart rescheduling capabilities that capture and fill potentially empty slots when customers need to change plans
• Timing optimization that delivers reminders at the ideal moment for maximum impact
• Two-way dialogue that allows customers to ask questions or express concerns before their appointment

Automated appointment reminders transform the economics of your service drive and showroom by keeping schedules full, eliminating the administrative burden on your team, and creating better customer experiences through consistent, thoughtful communication at exactly the right moment.

4. Reimagining Service Scheduling

The disconnect between customer availability and traditional service hours creates unnecessary friction.

The real-world challenge: Most customers want to schedule at all times of the day, but staffing constraints make 24/7 human availability impossible. What’s even worse is taking the time to call a dealership, have to interact with a phone tree, be transferred multiple times and placed on hold—all to just leave a voicemail in the service department. 

What's working now:

• Conversational AI that handles scheduling through multiple channels (voice, text, web)
• Intelligent capacity management that respects department constraints
• Process driven AI that understands which type of service appointments need a service advisor to intervene before scheduling
• Automated reminders and confirmations that reduce no-shows

When scheduling becomes truly customer-centric, everything changes—your service bays stay filled more consistently, your advisors spend mornings building relationships instead of making reminder calls, and your customers stop seeing basic maintenance as an inconvenient chore to be postponed.

5. Retiring The Phone Tree

First impressions define the customer relationship, yet traditional phone systems and overwhelmed staff often create immediate barriers.

The real-world challenge: Receptionists and BDC staff juggle multiple responsibilities, leading to long hold times, misdirected calls, and missed opportunities.

What's working now:

• Intelligent call routing based on customer intent
• Automated answers to common questions (hours, directions, basic inventory)
• Detailed message capture that provides context for follow-ups

Reimagining your dealership's front door through intelligent automation doesn't mean removing the human element—it means enhancing it by ensuring every customer interaction starts positively and every team member can focus on conversations that truly benefit from their expertise.

The Implementation Reality Check

Having worked with dozens of dealerships implementing these technologies, a few common success factors emerge:

1. Start with a single pain point rather than attempting to automate the entire dealership
2. Measure specific outcomes from day one (call handling times, appointment completion rates, etc.)
3. Involve frontline staff in selection and implementation
4. Choose solutions that integrate with existing systems rather than replacing them

Moving Forward Thoughtfully

The most successful dealerships approach AI implementation as an evolution, not a revolution. They recognize that technology works best when it enhances human capabilities rather than attempting to replace them.

As you consider your own dealership's technology roadmap, focus on specific operational challenges where automation could create immediate value. The goal isn't to have the most advanced technology stack—it's to solve real problems that impact your bottom line and customer experience.

What Will You Automate With Toma?

Schedule a demo with our CEO today to discover how Toma's purpose-built AI platform can transform your dealership's most painful processes into revenue-generating opportunities while creating the exceptional customer experience that builds lasting loyalty.

This article was written by the team at Toma, where we're committed to building practical AI solutions that solve real problems for automotive dealerships. Our approach combines deep industry knowledge with thoughtful technology implementation.