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ryan.leslie · Apr 29, 2026

awolniewitz said:
Hey DealerRefresh -

I'm Alex Wolniewitz. I've spent my entire career inside auto, and I believe relationships > transactions.

I've joined Jeff and Alex to help bring DealerRefresh to the next generation.

Quick context on why I'm here: I believe this community is pure: always free, generous, and a 20-year legacy of people helping people because they want to, not because they can make a buck.

I want to keep building on that.

DealerRefresh has always skewed technical, which is a strength. But it also means that people just getting started or those who just got promoted don't always have a place.

So our first project is an on-ramp. The kind of place where someone can ask what a pack is, or what kind of dog's a bird dog.

So here's my question for the people who've been around: what do you wish someone had told you on day one?

Honored to be here. You'll see me around. I look forward to hearing your story.

954-249-9547. Text me anytime.

Welcome Alex!

I love what you are doing here. I have encouraged many colleagues over the years to visit and learn from this community. The search bar is great, but WOW, there is a ton of content to sort through. Those years of content seem to be a blessing and a curse for new folks. Let me give an example.

I had the honor of representing the earliest player in the Reputation Management game here in the forums from 2010-2015. I wrote extensively on best practices and review generation strategy. Many of those pioneering concepts have stood the test of time, but a few of the specific tactics and best practices are no longer relevant, and worse, some are now violations of TOS. Did you know that you are no longer allowed to ask a reviewer to include your name in the review? That is a TOS update from earlier this year that was table stakes best practice... until it wasn't.

The point is that the wealth of knowledge here specific to tactics and best practices, is best viewed as timebound, and that seems to be difficult to preserve and balance with current advice.

Man, I fully support your mission, I sure hope this comment isn't perceived as negative. If I can do anything at all to assist you, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Alex Snyder · Apr 29, 2026

john.quinn said:
No -- not a thing. Ever.

The reality is that bugs get introduced when making changes/improvements/upgrades. Those usually get fixed quickly.

Software is alive... it gets injuries, ages, fixed-up, killed-off, reborn. Sometimes it gets stronger, sometimes it gets weaker. If you're not directly, have your manager stay actively engaged with Support.

One thing that isn't spoken about, but we all know... software is handcuffed to the technology they are originally built on. Without a complete overhaul, parts of the system are stuck in the time when it was launched. DMS systems are the most obvious example of this, but VinSolutions lives by this rule too.

Matt Watson was the CTO of VinSolutions, and what he did was fairly brilliant. Although I doubt he understood it at the time. He stitched things together faster than the database could keep up. His goal was to implement every feature request a dealer asked for and then publicize it. He got a lot of attention on the system this way, and they sold it to Cox for a hefty payday... hence, brilliant.

During my Cox employment days, I was told that Dell makes a "super server" that only like 6 companies purchase. Most of them are doing supercomputing tasks such as weapons systems. And one company that purchases it is running a CRM. I may not be entirely accurate in that statement, as I heard it secondhand, but it was definitely the cherry on top of all the battles we had with Matt Watson's spam here on DealerRefresh. And it still makes me laugh :lol:

Tekion is the freshest CRM on the market with a respectable user base. DriveCentric before them.

The downside of CRM development is feature chasing. It is brutal! Every dealer wants specific features from their last CRM, and they bog down innovation with these requests. Because of this, new CRMs are not just dealing with the regular bugs on new technology, but also the race to implement features that maybe 5% of users will actually use. It slows the introduction of new systems to the market.

Anyway, VinSolutions has matured under Cox's ownership. It will never be a tidy little system, and it will never be innovative against newer tech. Many dealers find it a solid solution for their needs, but most use a CRM as a paperwork tool, end-of-month email spammer, lead-answering system, and sometimes as a workflow engine. If you're looking for more, I would suggest using other solutions to plug the gaps.

Tallcool1 · Apr 28, 2026

I wish what I had been told is that some things work because of the people and not the "thing". Some people can and do make anything work.

I wish that someone had told me that technology in and of itself is nothing without a strong, people driven, process to back it up. The process is more important than the technology.

I wish that someone had explained (in the kink of curse word injected plain English that I understand) that data based decisions are very dangerous when the data pool is small.

I am excited about this On Ramp idea. I have always tried to grab any of these types of new members when I see them. This is better than what I have tried to do. These new members need a dedicated library that they can reference.

Thanks for doing this. It will be valuable and I will try to pitch in as best I can.

Alex Snyder · Apr 28, 2026

We're stoked to be working with Alex (Alejandro) to make DealerRefresh a place where your newbie, fresh sales manager, or old owner who just wants a quick answer can get in. You all have been the tip of the spear, and that won't change. It is time for some of the older/wiser folks in here to spread some simpler wisdom.

Alex helped build a different community and has brought his talents to assist us in this endeavor. There is a lot to do!

Let me get some quick things out of the way:

Are we expanding to generate more revenue? No.
Do we want to do more for our loved industry? Yes!
Do we feel for the people who just got started? Absolutely.
Were we new to a job or role at some point? Duh.
How much wisdom does this community have? An insane F ton!
Who can benefit from this wisdom? Everyone who isn't on the tip of the spear.

Alex Snyder · Apr 28, 2026

I showed this version of his store to @Jeff Kershner the other day, and he responded: "I have never looked at my DMS like this." It got me thinking that DMS are these silos we stick data into, but don't do much to pull it out. And I don't see many ways to put the silos together: making F&I data work with RO data, for example.

This is an example (real data, but anonymized) of how we are finding ways to activate your DMS data. It begins with bringing "stale" customers back to life.

john.quinn · Apr 28, 2026

Alex Snyder said:
Just don't go too far away because you're the first person I'm calling to bail me out of jail.

I'll be here -- Michelle won't let us go anywhere. Not to mention: VT is a great place to raise kids, and since I'll be raising a couple more... (ooooooof)

Alex Snyder · Apr 28, 2026

And since your next 15 years will have nothing to do with me, GFY, John! :rofl:

This post is quite the homage. I feel honored and scared all at the same time. Just don't go too far away because you're the first person I'm calling to bail me out of jail.

It is worth calling out a few others who have been there. @Jeff Kershner gets the first credit for making the original connections - over "Green Teas" at Bangkok Bistro. Then there is that Rick Gibbs dude who allowed it all to happen... and funded it. MaryBeth, Flip, Janice, Jack. Posthumously Houmis. Your wife, Michelle, for going along with it all. And of course, a purple tie + some jorts to kick it all off.

john.quinn · Apr 28, 2026

It was 2011. Jeff and I worked together at MileOne. Alex had (the year before, I believe) left Checkered Flag for the shores of Lake Champlain and DDC. I didn't know Alex, other than knocking him down a peg or two when he posted stupid stuff on DR.

Alex had been leading the effort, in secret, to add a CRM sku to DDC's impressive and growing product lineup. At some point, they wanted dealer feedback, and assembled a dealer council. Alex invited Jeff, and as I understand it, Jeff recommended to Alex that I be invited as well. After a couple of meetings in Burlington (including a visit featuring a nice pair of denim shorts), Alex presented an offer I couldn't refuse, and a few months later my family and I moved to Burlington to start a 2nd career after 15 years in retail.

The DDTrox history is well established -- I left in Jan '19. Between then and 4 weeks ago, both companies for whom I worked found me because of Alex; people seeking help or advice from Alex, and he simply said, "Talk to John Quinn."

April of 2026 marks my 30th year in automotive; I started selling Honda's in 1996. It occurs to me that the last 15 years -- the 2nd 15 -- over a span of 3 employers, have been the direct result of a guy name Alex Snyder. Think about it... man that's a mouthful. It's ALL this moth$%$#er's fault!!!!!!

BAHAHAHAHA. Just kidding.

How do you say "thank you" to someone that has had such an oversized influence in someone's life? I'll start with,

"Thanks Alex. And GFY." (he gets it, trust me

Monday I start my 3rd career; the next 15. Not in retail, not in SaaS. And not from Alex. A completely new chapter. And while I couldn't be more excited, there's something... some nostalgic energy requiring reflection as I exit chapter two.

Thanks Alex.

joe.pistell · Apr 27, 2026

A Kappler said:
If anyone could point me in the direction of a knowledgeable developer in this field that would be great. Thanks

The winds of change is in the air...

@A Kappler You need an AI wiz kid, not a dev.

Alex Snyder · Apr 27, 2026

We took all the data we had on individual customers and asked Claude to distill it into a simple-to-digest paragraph for each customer. It was so compelling, I asked it to write a video script of what that person might sound like. Then I created an image of what someone might look like, animated it into an AI avatar, and applied a voice I thought that person might sound like. Here's two results:

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We made a bunch of these. They humanize the data so much! Has completely changed the way I look at our database.

CarlAutofusion · Apr 27, 2026

We have built 3 such tools for dealer clients over the last 15 or so years but all of them were eventually replaced by something else.
2 of them integrated with a data provider (like NADA/JD Power or KBB) and 1 had no data integration.
The one with no data integration ran the longest - 5 or 6 years.
Its' expensive upfront and monthly costs depend on the data provider. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

john.quinn · Apr 26, 2026

Jeff Kershner said:
You know... there's a convincing CONSPIRACY around Cash for Clunkers and WHY it was TRULY introduced.
It's an angle I had never considered.

joe.pistell · Apr 26, 2026

I never knew I had an ADHD mind until I got AI. AI's strengths addressed my core weaknesses so well it shocked me.

If you have a friend or family member that has stunning potential but struggles with focus and execution, share this video with them. AI has been a life changer for me & this video explains it well.
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Apr 24, 2026

datepast said:
Hey everyone! Glad to be here, been lurking for a bit and this place is genuinely great, tons of real hands-on experience in the discussions.

To introduce myself, I'm software developer and I building a tool for small/mid auto dealers to help with photo processing (the boring repetitive stuff that just takes way too much time).

So, to get to the point, I've been build something that, I hope, could help dealers (or really anyone moving a decent volume of cars a month) save some time on the photo editing. The idea is to get your photos ready for listings on sales platforms (fb marketplace, cargurus, or your own site) and make it more consistent and professional look. Ideally it should be as painless as possible: upload your photos and just forget about it, then download ready images to post.

The app works with photos you already have. Right now it does four things: replaces the background with a clean studio look, hides license plates, generates a vehicle ad description, and makes it easy to add your dealership logo. But one more thing worth to mentioning, it uses AI, but it doesn't touch the car itself. So car stays as in original photos and no misleading potential buyer.

So if anyone's up for giving it a try, it'd be great if you could test it against your actual inventory. Run it through your real workflow of posting a car and see how it fits in. App have a built in paywall with 3 free images after registration, but I'll add everyone free access, so no blockers here.

What I'm really hoping to get out of this:

Honest feedback on how the tool actually performs on real inventory photos

A better understanding of the day-to-day problems dealers run into that I might not even be aware of

Ideas on what else could make this more useful for your workflow

A sense of whether the output quality is actually good enough to use in real listings

Any deal breakers - things that would stop you from using something like this even if it worked perfectly

If someone interested, just left adress here carflowai.com. Currently it's available as a desktop web app and on iOS.

ps. left here your mail or dm me, so I can add more credits for free access

pss. I'll reply to every comment, welcome to the discussion!

psss. I Attach couple examples of the app output

I’ve seen something similar with tools like Spyne… the whole “background + logo + description in one flow” idea definitely clicks, especially for busy inventory days.

What stood out to me though wasn’t just the feature set, it was speed. If processing takes too long, it just gets pushed for later. But once it’s quick enough to fit into the daily routine, dealers actually stick with it. Curious what your turnaround time looks like right now?
Also, how are you handling consistency? That’s usually where things get tricky… cars shot in different lighting, weather, random lot spots, and suddenly the listings feel all over the place. It’s easy to make a few cars look good, but scaling that across a full lot is a different story.

Alex Snyder · Apr 23, 2026

Just hearing the employees are being notified now.

Congrats to the FullPath team. Especially Cola.

john.quinn · Apr 22, 2026

Bring back Cash for Clunkers!!

(it's amazing how cyclical is this all...)

ChrisCT · Apr 21, 2026

john.quinn said:
No -- not a thing. Ever.

The reality is that bugs get introduced when making changes/improvements/upgrades. Those usually get fixed quickly.

Software is alive... it gets injuries, ages, fixed-up, killed-off, reborn. Sometimes it gets stronger, sometimes it gets weaker. If you're not directly, have your manager stay actively engaged with Support.

Thanks for the reply. Good to know,

john.quinn · Apr 21, 2026

ChrisCT said:
Makes me wonder if CRM vendors experiment with lower cost methods to store info and host their platforms on which ends up serving the CRM to me in this not-snappy manner.

No -- not a thing. Ever.

The reality is that bugs get introduced when making changes/improvements/upgrades. Those usually get fixed quickly.

Software is alive... it gets injuries, ages, fixed-up, killed-off, reborn. Sometimes it gets stronger, sometimes it gets weaker. If you're not directly, have your manager stay actively engaged with Support.

joe.pistell · Apr 21, 2026

Alex Snyder said:
I can see that angle. But what happened with Google? Google should have been serving the direct retailer on queries instead of an aggregator. Might AIs do the same?

"should have been" is the line in the sand that only AI can cross.

Dr Clay Christensen's Jobs To Be Done theory (JTBD) explain's why AI is the tool that car shoppers have always wanted. Meaning, Google (or Amazon) could never become the car shoppers hard working and trusted aide until AI (circa 2026, 2027, etc) was born.

joe.pistell · Apr 19, 2026

AI: The great revenge of the student who studied for hours and still got C’s.
-i wrote this, not AI lol

joe.pistell · Apr 19, 2026

joe.pistell said:
Personal Car Shopping Report

Lexus ES 350 • Shopping Guide for Bill
requirements: 2022–2024 • Under $35,000 • Under 40,000 miles • Premium Audio

It shocks me that the pioneers in our biz are not having a holy shit moment with this. Its a new path to your store. Soon, it'll be a 6 lane highway.

ChrisCT · Apr 18, 2026

Hi DR community. VInS user since 2018. Long time fan. While the look and design was never cutting edge to me, the platform was fast, reliable and Support was (is) unmatched, They always answer my calls immediatelyand team sounds US based. After the first 2 yeas I rarely needed Support.

Lately I find using VinS is not fun due to the interface load and refresh times. My PC at work is new, 64GB of memory. We recently upgraded our internet connection. Ping time to VinS servers is 6-9ms. Yet clicking, dialog opens and saves is sluggish.

Processing a lead in VInS requires around 42 clicks... stop the clock, customer dashboard (proper case name, click zip to load city, move phone to cell field, opt in to text), set sales rep and bdc rep, set process, send text, send email, open call log, etc ...I want a CRM with an interface that screams. VinS did not get in my way in the past. Lately I am bummed out waiting for the screens to churn. It's tiring to watch this and not lose focus. Why am I waiting on a machine?

Makes me wonder if CRM vendors experiment with lower cost methods to store info and host their platforms on which ends up serving the CRM to me in this not-snappy manner.

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