A $250M Vision to Transform the Auto Retail Landscape | Brian MacDonald, CEO of CDK Global

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Brian MacDonald, CEO of CDK Global. We explore why he’s betting $250M on a major shift in automotive retail, the winners and losers as service department trends evolve, and his prediction for a wave of dealership acquisitions this year—and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: 1. Richtech Robotics - Titan is the autonomous parts delivery system that keeps techs in bays, helping you reach new heights of productivity. By eliminating wasted trips to the parts counter, Titan boosts fixed ops efficiency by up to 12%, accelerating service times and streamlining operations. Let Titan handle the heavy lifting – reducing injuries, cutting downtime, and raising your dealership’s profitability. For a limited time, Richtech Robotics is offering a FREE 2-week pilot – just cover shipping. Visit @ richtechrobotics.com/cdg to book your trial now. 2. Kenect - The platform auto dealers are using to gather reviews, generate leads, and improve their online reputation, all powered by AI. – Visit @ https://www.kenect.com/ 🚨 Don’t forget to subscribe to Car Dealership Guy Bites, for quick, daily insights into automotive retail — delivered in less than 5 minutes: Subscribe on Apple: https://carguymedia.com/apple_bites Subscribe on Spotify: https://carguymedia.com/spotify_bites Subscribe on YouTube: https://carguymedia.com/youtube_bites Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:00: Intro 00:57 How can dealers harness the power of social media? 02:25 How did CDK handle its cyberattack and recovery? 03:34 How is the automotive industry shifting towards electrification? 04:49 What trends are driving dealer consolidation? 05:31 What is the current economic outlook, and how is it affecting consumer behavior? 08:18 How is CDK demonstrating its commitment to innovation? 09:18 What role does AI play in dealership operations? 16:05 How can the car-buying experience be improved? 24:31 What challenges and innovations exist in F&I? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com #AutoIndustryInsights #CybersecurityChallenges #FutureOfAutomotive