On this episode of Full Throttle, Jason sits down with Matt Leone, CEO of DriveCentric, at what he calls a true inflection point for retail automotive — turbulence at the micro and macro level, and the most exciting moment he’s seen in nearly 30 years in technology. Matt makes the case that the CRM shouldn’t live only in the sales department. It should be the engagement platform for the entire dealership — sales, service, F&I, the cashier, the BDC — with one centralized customer card and one compliant, responsive voice across every touchpoint. In this conversation:
- Why most dealership AI is overhyped — and the three flaws that got AI “canceled” in a lot of stores (bolt-ons, too many disconnected tools, and compliance gaps)
- DriveCentric’s new Sales-to-Service Agent, powered by Genius AI, that spots trade potential in the service drive and turns repair orders into sales opportunities
- The rollout of autonomous agents across the platform in 2026 — after-hours lead response, proactive database outreach, and retention
- Why “optionality” is the key to building trust and loyalty with today’s consumer
- How mobile, portals, and secure PII exchange are changing the way dealers connect
- Why consolidating your tech stack onto one platform can eliminate five or six tools — and actually save money
- What almost everyone still gets wrong about AI: it’s not a widget
Matt Leone will be on stage October 14th in Denver at Presidio’s 4th Annual Auto Technology Summit — where innovation meets capital. More info at https://thepresidiogroup.com