The Walk Around

S4E20 - Dealership Profitability & Disruption: What’s Ahead in 2026

The Walk Around

Show Notes

Steve Greenfield, GP at Automotive Ventures, shares his perspective on affordability challenges, dealership profitability, emerging retail tech, and how AI may shape the future of customer experience and operational efficiency.

For more information about our guest, visit their ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Episode Breakdown 0:00 - Meet Steve of Automotive Ventures! 0:53 - The state of vehicle affordability and consumer credit 4:00 - Supply chain fragility and new chip constraints 6:19 - What dealers can control to protect profitability 8:05 - DMS disruption and evaluating tech investments 11:10 - The surge of AI and where it will actually help 13:20 - How AI can unlock sales productivity & loyalty 18:33 - Autonomous ride-hailing and its real implications 22:20 - The durability of the franchise dealer model 24:08 - Best Bets: Profit margins, valuations, direct sales & BYD

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