The FASTEST-DRIVING Conference of the Year: NADA 2023!

The NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) annual conference is THE automotive industry event of the year! And NADA 2023 in Dallas, Texas continued this trend, with the top companies in the industry showcasing their newest products, services, and cutting-edge technologies! MarketScale’s Grant Harrell, Host of the transportation/mobility-focused video podcast series, Are We There Yet?, decided to take NADA 2023 for a test drive, and he’s sold!

This Are We There Yet? special edition episode highlights 20 of the top companies at NADA 2023, including leaders such as CARFAX, Edmunds, FLO, KeyTrak, DAS, RouteOne, Dealerware, DriveCentric, Westlake Financial, and more! And as a challenge, companies were asked to share what their most excited about, in 60 seconds or less!

So, let’s get to it, and hear from these leaders within the automobile industry, including!

Edmunds, a trusted guide in car shopping. Nick Gorton, Edmunds’ Chief Innovation Officer, shared that the company is launching a new wholesale operation for dealers looking to acquire more inventory. They have a closed-loop system that will provide the best values in the industry, AND pay you a bonus!

FLO is an electrifying company that produces a seamless network of easy-to-use EV charging stations and a complete portfolio of dependable solutions; dedicated to keeping you moving! Chris Thorson, their Chief Marketing Officer, introduces a reliable EV charger with a 98% uptime. They just made an announcement with General Motors for deploying up to 40,000 chargers across the US through their GM programs.

Marketscan provides retailing solutions exclusively for dealers, addressing the needs of several verticals within the automotive space. Steve Smythe, Chief Strategic Advisor, explained that the company helps track vehicle codes, taxation and registration data, etc., to quote the most accurate payments in the country!

RYTEC specializes in offering companies quality, high-performance, high-speed doors. Chris Leary, the VP of Sales, and Josh Moffitt, the Regional Sales Manager, said the company is rolling out a product known as “Smart Factory” to ensure rolling out products on time and correctly, and “Smart Surround” to ensure safety.

Broadway Equipment Company is a third-generation, family-owned business with over 40 years of experience in the car wash manufacturing industry. Harry Schleeter, President/Owner, who represented the company at NADA 2023, introduced that the company is now rolling out an automated car detailer and car polisher!

CARFAX is an international provider of vehicle histories with the goal of making the used car market more transparent, and our roads safer, worldwide! Patrick Olsen, Executive Editor, told MarketScale it is on the lookout and working with dealer partners to get more consumers into their service centers!

Digital Air Strike (DAS) is the leading customer engagement technology partner helping 7,700+ businesses leverage digital and social media environments. MarketScale met with Alexi Venneri, the Co-Founder and CEO, who said that as part of the company’s celebration of its growth, is working with over 78 retailers to help them further leverage digital and social media environments.

DriveCentric is a company that aims to provide an ecosystem of simply-designed software to help businesses grow better every day! We met with Steve Roessler, the Chief Evangelist Officer, who offered that the company is rolling out customized and personalized consumer experiences using videos. He says videos are the new “digital handshake”, and salespeople need to start doing a better job selling with a personal touch, which video helps achieve!

KeyTrak’s electronic key control systems have helped organizations worldwide manage their keys, assets, and employees. Aaron Burton, the Regional Sales Manager for the US, told MarketScale about their new mobile app which can drop pins in the parking lot to find the last location of a car, transfer keys to save time, and provide a QR code to login to their system to make it fast and easy to get stuff for you!

Hireology takes manual and disconnected recruiting and hiring steps and puts everything into a single, easy-to-use platform! They help companies attract and hire their best teams and quickly integrate them within the rest of the organization. Adam Robinson, the Co-Founder of Hireology, chatted with MarketScale, and shared that the company is providing the automotive industry a way to truly make hiring easier for dealers!

RouteOne is at the center of the most significant transformation in the vehicle finance industry, with a continued focus on meeting the modern consumer’s technology expectations for the car buying experience. Amanda George, the Chief Product Officer, said they are working with digital retailers to make it flexible for dealers to invite consumers in.

SONNY’S provides a one-stop shop for all car wash business needs, from consulting and branding to equipment and parts. They are a company that helps make car washing easy! SONNY’S VP, Bryan Hage, told us more about the company’s new car wash system for retail and dealerships to maximize their tickets!

Westlake is the largest privately held finance company in the United States, with demonstrated growth year over year. Westlake is a member of the Hankey Group of Companies and has sister companies and subsidiaries such as Westlake Portfolio Management, Westlake Flooring, Wilshire Consumer Credit, Western Funding, and Westlake Capital Finance. MarketScale talked with David Goff, the VP of Marketing at the company, who is at NADA 2023 to talk to dealers about Westlake’s full-spectrum financing, lead generation, and more!

Sherrod Customs is a custom truck sales company, selling exclusively to dealers. They sell various brands of trucks, ranging from Chevrolet and Ford, to GMC and RAM. Bill Martino, the General Manager, showcases one of their custom products, the LZ1, an incredible, custom vehicle, the Eclipse, their best seller, and a wide range of conversions and custom upgrades!

REPAY guides businesses through the ever-changing world of payments, while providing innovative and trustworthy technology. Spencer Horrocks, the VP of Sales, told us about their accounts payable automation for dealerships, designed specifically to help dealerships save time and money, and more efficiently pay their vendors!

Dealerware provides custom pricing and approachable financial reporting for dealers to launch, manage, and succeed in paid rental! MarketScale met with the VP of Sales and Marketing, Lori Tennant, who shared how the company is truly making it easier for dealers to transact with customers where they want to transact!

Hunter Engineering Company is the world leader in alignment, wheel and tire service, inspection, and ADAS calibration equipment. The company is bringing new alignment instrumentation, autonomous inspection, and Hunter’s broad range of balancers and tire changers to the automotive industry, Pete Liebetreu, VP of Marketing, told MarketScale.

Gubagoo is a leader in communication solutions for automotive dealerships. Their core mission is to provide a better experience for automotive consumers by making their interactions with dealerships more convenient and effective. Molly Meyer, the Head of Marketing, shared a new install experience product that lets customers start the process of purchasing their vehicles online and stopping at any point to pick up where they left off, as well as their partnership payment system.

Orbee empowers automotive dealerships with digital marketing solutions to evolve with the latest consumer and technology trends. Chris Vazquez, the Director for Marketing, showed us a new platform by the company that can help centralize data and document the customer experience.

Bendpak is a company that ensures each and every automotive lift or piece of shop equipment is made to exacting standards. Their process to do this is complex, but ultimately results in better quality and value, making the experience of purchasing automotive service equipment better for their customers. Dave Wiederschall, the Digital Media Manager, provided MarketScale with an extensive and exciting showcase of the company’s latest equipment!