Pre-Header: Automotive Intelligence 

Subject: Interview with Chris Keene — New Sales Is the Engine, Used Is the Fuel

Dealer Software Success sat down with Chris Keene, Chief Revenue Officer of Lotpop, to talk about what’s changed on a used-car lot in three decades. A franchised dealership runs on new and pre-owned sales working together — new vehicles feed the used inventory pipeline, and used feeds finance & insurance, parts, and service. Keene calls it the only department that feeds four others. As he put it: “Sales is the economic engine of the dealership and the used car department is the fuel for that engine.”

More Systems, Less Selling

Keene started as a retail salesperson at a Ford store and worked his way up to General Manager before moving to the provider side of the industry, and now Lotpop. Asked what’s changed most, he points to the sheer number of software systems a dealer now needs just to close a deal — even a simple cash deal. The tools meet buyers wherever they want to transact, in person, digitally, or some mix. The overlap between systems has created a time burden that crowds out basic selling fundamentals.

Back to the Fundamentals

Tools for capturing an affordability-driven used buyer are already in dealers’ hands, Keene said — what matters most is listening to the consumer, since that tells a dealer which skills to draw on to meet the customer where they are in their process. Turnover, plus the demand-outstripped-supply years during COVID, left some sales teams out of practice on fundamentals: understanding what a customer can afford, how they’ll use the vehicle, and redirecting them toward what fits, even if it isn’t the exact unit they wanted.

Automotive Intelligence, Not Just Artificial

LotWalk is built around a human Performance Engineer, not just a dashboard. Keene is direct that data alone isn’t worth much without someone to apply it. The phrase “automotive intelligence” comes from Lotpop founder and CEO Jasen Rice, used deliberately alongside artificial intelligence — the two work together, neither replacing the human element. He points to a line from Harvard Business School’s Karim Lakhani, by way of dealer Brian Benstock: “AI won’t replace humans — but humans with AI will replace humans without AI.” He uses AI daily in lead response, where it shapes a faster, more consistent reply without losing the personal touch. A person still walks the lot, verifies inventory, and is the point of contact — AI handles recaps and admin, freeing time for the human consulting core to Lotpop’s model.

Turning Cold Leads Into Live Ones

Lotpop’s “Switch Leads” concept — reviving a lead once its original vehicle sells by matching the buyer to something comparable still on the lot — sounds simple, and Keene said that’s the point. It builds on training that reinforces a rep’s instinct to help, matching a shopper to the same class of vehicle and budget. Keene calls it working within “the six inches in front of our faces” — when an option isn’t instantly visible, it can be hard for a sales rep or manager to quickly identify alternatives. The result keeps a prospect’s interest instead of losing them when their original car sells.

Dealers First

Most of Lotpop’s growth over 13 years has come from referrals and trade shows, built on the team’s willingness to be available to dealers however needed. Leadership is often invited to 20-group meetings to share industry insights, best practices, and overall industry health. Founder and CEO Jasen Rice built the company on several core values, “Dealers First” chief among them — every product decision traces back to what dealers ask for, and the team stays tuned to dealer feedback to roadmap enhancements strategically. Free content — Rice’s videos and the weekly LotTalk podcast Keene co-hosts — has organically brought in dealer partners.

Where This Goes From Here

Keene’s five-year read: the tools keep consolidating, and dealers can expect real integration instead of a dozen open tabs to close one deal. New car stays part of that picture too — inventory is healthier, and keeping margin, holding cost, and floor plan expense front of mind protects net profit as the industry leans into used.

Start This Month

Keene’s advice for a used car manager: pull inventory, confirm each unit’s leads have gotten real follow-up rather than a generic “yes, it’s available,” then cross-reference active CRM leads whose original vehicle sold against current stock for a switch match. Refresh third-party listings with rich photos and video, and walk the virtual dealership daily to confirm every link works. 

Check where your software vendors stand at dealer-software-success.com/dealership-ai-provider-rankings/.

— Gerry

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