Transforming Data into Actionable Insights for Automotive Retail

Matt Niess, Vice President of Enterprise Accounts at automotiveMastermind, brings over two decades of experience in the automotive industry to our dealer group and Data Services initiatives. With over 15 years in automotive retail and another decade on the vendor side, Matt has been instrumental in forging strategic partnerships that leverage data and AI to drive innovation.

At automotiveMastermind, we’ve been working hard to help dealer groups make the most of their data. We believe the highly enriched, cleansed data we use to power our systems and enhance AI tools like Mastermind CoPilot could also be incredibly valuable to our enterprise-level partners. That’s where our Data Services offering comes in.

How does data as a service work?

First, we take raw DMS data. Then we clean it up, supplement it with missing values like phone numbers and email addresses, enhance it with hundreds of external data points before finally layering in predictive analytics like our Behavior Prediction Scores^® (BPS) and Behavior Drivers.

From here, we deliver the enhanced data – our ‘rocket fuel’ – back to our partners in a standardized format they can use however they like, whether for their marketing, business information, or other use cases. Truly, the possibilities are endless!

How are dealers using their data to improve vehicle sales?

Ken Garff Automotive Group is a perfect example of this powerful data being put into action.

They were already set up to ingest data centrally, which made it easy to plug in our solution. They were also switching DMS providers, which created a natural opportunity to upgrade their data strategy.

Once they saw what we could do, they were all in. What they had been using served their purposes at the time. However, they soon saw that our offering was orders of magnitude better, more accurate, and cleaner, with a lot more intelligence built in thanks to BPS^® and the Behavior Drivers. Now, they can use our data to power smarter, more efficient marketing campaigns.

From the customer’s perspective, this means more relevant communications from their dealer. No more getting emails about a car you sold five years ago. Clean, accurate data builds trust and improves the customer experience, which drives loyalty and profitability.

How does automotiveMastermind help dealers put their data to work?

Across the industry, we’re seeing more dealer groups recognize the value of their data. They know it can be monetized and used to enhance the dealership customer experience, but many are still figuring out how to execute.

That’s where we come in. We don’t just deliver clean data; we help our partners think through their tech stack, strategy, and execution. Whether it’s supplementing a fully customized CDP or giving our “rocket fuel” to their agency support, we’re here to help dealer groups put their data to work.

Looking ahead, the automotive retail industry will continue to face challenges including inventory fluctuations, affordability issues, and economic uncertainty. But with the right data and strategy, dealer groups can navigate these disruptions and come out stronger. Our goal at automotiveMastermind is to be the partner that helps them do just that.

3 Tips to Take Your Dealership Data Strategy Further

If you’re a dealer group thinking about taking your data strategy to the next level, here are three things to consider:

1.   Evaluate your current marketing efforts and strategies.

How are you communicating with your existing customer base? Before going forward with any data project, it’s crucial to understand how you are approaching your market, and how you would like to in the future. Audit your customer data quality and marketing communications across email, SMS and social media to identify gaps.

2.   Understand the capabilities and limitations of your existing tech stack.

Be honest with yourself and identify your weak spots. There is no perfect setup, structure, or system – but if you can identify your gaps, you can work to fill them. Assess whether your CRM or CDP supports real-time data integration and predictive marketing so you can prioritize necessary upgrades.

3.   Dig deep into what potential partners can really deliver.

Every partner or vendor you consider will have a beautiful story regarding their potential. Don’t just take their word for it. Ensure you understand how actionable their offering is for your dealerships and how efficiently they can execute. Ask technology partners about their data enrichment capabilities, AI-driven insights, and safeguards to ensure solutions meet your dealership’s needs.

Of course, I’d love for you to choose automotiveMastermind. We’re confident in what we bring to the table and excited to help more dealer groups unlock the full potential of their data.

Key Takeaways

• automotiveMastermind transforms raw dealership data into enriched, standardized, and AI-enhanced information that powers more accurate marketing and improved customer experiences.
• Dealer groups like Ken Garff Automotive use these enhanced datasets to create smarter, more relevant outreach that builds trust, loyalty, and profitability.
• Beyond delivering clean data, automotiveMastermind guides partners on strategy, tech stack optimization, and execution to maximize data-driven results in a challenging market.