Podcast Archives | vAuto

Solving Sales, Service Friction During Appraisals

Solving Sales, Service Friction During Appraisals

In this Ted Ings roundtable, guests Patrick Janes and Bella Smylie join the discussion on solving one of the dealership’s most common internal challenges—friction between sales and service during appraisals. While the used car department is often the service department’s best customer, there’s no denying their distrust when it comes to reconditioning. Used vehicle managers […]

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vAuto Quarterly Quick-Takes: A View of Key Q1 2026 Trends

In this vAuto Quarterly Quick-Takes podcast, vAuto’s director of strategic planning, Bethany Johnson, examines key take-aways from new and used vehicle inventory and sales data from the first quarter of 2026: Get out there early with new vehicle promotion; marketing in-transit units help capture buyer interest; mind your pricing on Day 1—for new and used vehicles to […]

Driven Her Way: Bethany Johnson on Learning, Leadership, and Dealer Experience

In this episode of Driven Her Way, Susan Givens sits down with Bethany Johnson, Strategic Planning Director at vAuto, to discuss her career journey from dealership retail to the vendor side of automotive. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience, Bethany shares why hands‑on dealer experience and an always‑be‑learning mindset are critical in today’s market. The […]

Distilling What Predictive Pricing Tells You About a Vehicle

Distilling What Predictive Pricing Tells You About a Vehicle

In this vAuto podcast, lead Performance Manager Michael McMullen discusses how predictive data science-based pricing recommendations help dealers make the most from individual used vehicle investments. McMullen shares how the recommendations help dealers capture the price premium a vehicle might deserve based on past history, performance; address the varying degrees of price sensitivity an individual […]

Inside A GM’s ‘Must-Have’ List for Hiring a Used Vehicle Manager

Inside A GM’s ‘Must-Have’ List for Hiring a Used Vehicle Manager

In this Fixed Ops Roundtable episode, Mark Webster, General Manager of Mercedes-Benz Orange County and vAuto’s Patrick Janes detail how Webster built the profile used to hire a used vehicle manager. Key elements include: Familiarity with vAuto metrics and solutions; a partner approach to managing reconditioning; a focus on appraisal volume and quality; desire for data-driven decision-making.

Next Gen Perspective: Why Clear Career Paths Matter Most

Next Gen Perspective: Why Clear Career Paths Matter Most

In this vAuto podcast, Katie Tonozzi, a general manager in training at Flow Automotive Group, and vAuto’s Patrick Janes discuss how Tonozzi realized her desire to work in retail automotive at Northwood University and turned it into a budding career at a top-performing dealer group. Hear Tonozzi’s perspective on why a series of internship experiences, […]

NADA 2026 Preview: A Quick Rundown What’s New in Las Vegas

NADA 2026 Preview: A Quick Rundown What’s New in Las Vegas

In this vAuto podcast, Derek Hansen and Patrick Janes provide a preview of the AI-enabled innovations vAuto will debut at the NADA Show in Las Vegas to help dealers achieve greater success. Hear how the combination of AI and integrations with other Cox Automotive solutions can help you build and scale a customer-focused service lane […]

vAuto Podcast - How a Dealer Finds His “Happy Place” Every Christmas

How a Dealer Finds His “Happy Place” Every Christmas

In this vAuto podcast, Jeremiah Mowry, operations director at Atlanta Auto Brokers, details how a drive-to-school conversation with his daughter in 2017 helped him find his “happy place”—giving away Christmas trees and gifts every December to families in his local community. Hear how Jeremiah and his team turned an idea for a cash-making side hustle […]

Pointers to Prime Your Service Lane Acquisition Success

Pointers to Prime Your Service Lane Acquisition Success

In this vAuto podcast, Mike O’Toole, used vehicle director at Mohawk Honda, and vAuto’s Patrick Janes go in depth on the best practices and process steps that help Mohawk acquire and sell nearly 40 vehicles a month from their service drive. O’Toole shares how he and his team have evolved the service lane acquisition effort […]

Going Beyond Look to Book to Measure Appraiser Performance

In this vAuto podcast, vAuto’s Dan Winchester highlights how appraiser Look to Book rates at some dealerships aren’t as good as dealers think. Winchester details the limits of LTB as a primary measure of appraiser performance, and why two new KPIs—appraisal effectiveness and appraisal completeness—offer a better way for dealers to maximize appraisal opportunities. Hear […]