The Reynolds and Reynolds Co. brought to a close its annual Retail Summit: Amplify 2024, a forum for discussing best practices and exploring innovative ideas for improving all dealership department outcomes.

“This year’s summit was a resounding success,” said Reynolds President Chris Walsh. “I’ve personally heard from many of the attendees who’ve expressed gratitude and excitement about the presentations, as well as a desire to attend next year. This is why we hold this summit: to share information and inspire growth within the industry.”

During the event, Reynolds debuted Spark AI, an artificial intelligence data layer that provides a unified data model for AI tools across the dealership. With Spark AI, it launched four AI products - Conversation AI, Engagement AI, Prospect AI, and Merchandising AI.

“The feedback from dealers on Spark AI has been outstanding,” Walsh said. “This advance in technology puts the power for dealerships to maximize their potential at their fingertips.”

The company also announced the merger of ReconTRAC and AutoVision for efficiency gains, and released a report sharing fixed operations metrics through the focused lens of a dealership’s urban setting and volume.

Judging for the final round of Reynolds’ Automotive Amplifiers Contest was held on day two of the event. Contestants were judged on their innovative best practice in one of three categories: Variable Operations, Fixed Operations, and People. Finalists were chosen in each category, and each presented their idea live at the summit.

The winners were selected based on how innovative and unique their best practices are, the impact they have on the dealership, and how easily other dealerships could implement them in their own stores, thus spreading innovation across the industry. This year’s judges were Paul J. Daly and Kyle Mountsier of Automotive State of the Union and More Than Cars, and Tim Whalen, service manager at Voss Auto Network.

Variable Operations Winner— Justin Rash of Beau Townsend Ford Lincoln, for implementing a fully electronic signature process with enhanced tools and eContracting

Fixed Operations Category Winner— James Dieli of Beau Townsend Ford Lincoln, for implementing a paperless system in service that has been instrumental in a nearly 100% increase in labor sales

People Category Winner— Jeremy Reardon of Westside Lexus, for his innovative process recruiting high school and college students that has changed the culture of the service department

“A sincere thank you to all who submitted their innovation and participated in the contest,” Walsh said. “The winners in each category deserve our heartiest congratulations for their work amplifying the automotive retail industry.”

The grand prize for each category was a $5,000 donation to the charity of the winner’s choice, a feature article in the publication of Reynolds’ Amplify Magazine this fall, and a trophy.

Finally, guests of Amplify 2024 had the opportunity to participate in informative workshops on a variety of topics that focused on how to get the most out of dealership operations through processes, technology, or both.

“This annual summit is our chance as an industry to collaborate and explore new ideas on how to improve,” Walsh said. “The future of the industry is in dealerships’ hands. We will be at the forefront of that movement supporting dealers.”