ASOTU CON, hosted by The Automotive State of the Union crew, has rapidly become a must-attend event for dealers, OEMs, and innovators shaping the future of automotive retail. This year’s conference at the Maryland Live! Casino & Hotel did not disappoint. The convention was a convergence of minds exploring how different technologies, especially Dealership AI, are reshaping everything from customer engagement to operational efficiency.
For Toma, the gathering was so much more than a networking opportunity. It was a chance to see firsthand how the industry is considering and evaluating AI agents and to share our vision for deploying them in a way that creates tangible value, not just hype or convenience.
TL;DR
- Dealers are eager to adopt AI, but success depends on mindset, metrics, and momentum.
- Toma triumphs with a Pitch Tank win, outperforming competitors on the big stage.
- Educate teams to build trust and excitement around automation.
- Track the right KPIs, like resolution rate and appointment conversion, from day one.
- Pilot fast, learn faster, and scale what works across rooftops.
Turning AI Ambition Into Action at ASOTU CON
The automotive space is brimming with excitement over how artificial intelligence can optimize their operations, but real-world deployment is still a challenge for many dealerships. Toma is built to bridge that gap. Our mission is to help dealers deploy AI that doesn’t just sound advanced but drives actual results in customer experience, retention, and profitability. As a team, we hold the belief that we aren’t just innovators, we are AI consultants for dealerships, ensuring a seamless fit in your dealership’s workflow, without disrupting your operations or frustrating your customers.
At ASOTU CON, what stood out to Toma was a refreshing shift in tone from hesitance to curiosity. Instead of the usual run-around of selling points, many conversations focused on helping dealers evaluate AI solutions: how to measure success, how to drive adoption internally, how to build a positive culture surrounding AI, and how to tailor its capability to your store. It was a welcoming pivot from pure product pitches to enablement and implementation.
Toma’s Pitch Tank Win Shows Strong Demand for Dealership AI
We’re proud to share that Toma clinched the Pitch Tank title at ASOTU CON! We successfully outperformed competing automotive AI solutions on the big stage by communicating our approach to building AI agents for dealerships, solidifying ourselves as the ‘AI model that pays for itself’. Our elevator pitch demonstrated how our conversational AI agent resolves customer inquiries autonomously—booking appointments, providing car facts, and answering virtually any question—without human input.
The judges and crowd resonated with our “assistant, not replacement” approach. Our win sends a clear signal: the market is hungry for AI agents that deliver seamless customer engagement and help staff reclaim hours of their time.
How to Build an AI-Positive Culture
One of the clearest takeaways from the conference was the need to foster an AI-positive culture inside the dealership. Many dealers are still navigating skepticism from leadership and employees, unsure whether AI is a threat or a tool.
The most compelling conversations at ASOTU CON were about how to position AI, not as a replacement, but as a supplemental assistant that frees up staff to focus on what they do best. Panelists emphasized empowering internal champions of AI to lead by example, organically demonstrating that no one is left out of the benefits that an AI agent can provide for a dealership.
However, there was one major blind spot: few were talking about coaching customers on how to interact with AI. Dealerships are being trained to adopt it, but no one’s asking how to ease customers into this new way of engaging. It’s in the best interest of dealers to slowly drip the presence of AI agents into their customer engagements to warm up their clientele to this new implementation.
AI Agents Driving Measurable ROI
Dealers don’t want AI for AI’s sake—they want measurable ROI. Throughout ASOTU CON, the best sessions focused on tying AI to key performance indicators like appointments set, show rates, PVR, and unit sales.
We heard success stories about how AI-powered outreach improved follow-up rates, boosted conversions, and reactivated cold leads. One standout example came from Hyundai of St. Augustine, where Toma helped book 130 additional service appointments each month, saved staff over 30 hours per week, and generated $30,000 in additional revenue.
According to Joe King, Service and Parts Director, “After turning Toma on and listening to the first few recordings, it felt like we have another member of the team on the phone. It was booking and modifying appointments, pinging our team for follow-ups, and delighting customers.” The message was clear: when AI is tied directly to revenue-generating activities, buy-in follows.
Still, one important metric was often missing: resolution rate. Very few discussions addressed how frequently an AI solution can fully resolve a customer’s need without human intervention. It’s a critical gap—because true value lies not just in initiating conversations, but in finishing them.
Streamlining Operations Across Departments
The potential of Dealership AI goes far beyond just sales. Some of the most exciting ASOTU CON sessions spotlighted how AI can streamline service coordination, automate parts inventory workflows, and bridge departmental silos for increased efficiency.
That said, while many presenters promised time savings, few offered compelling examples of what teams could do with that saved time. This promise often leaned on a “trust me bro” narrative of reassurance that jobs weren’t at risk, without showing how AI augments human roles to create new opportunities or efficiencies.
Toma’s vision extends to this exact point. We believe that dealership teams, freed from repetitive tasks, can refocus on high-touch interactions that truly differentiate the brand experience on behalf of the customer.
What’s Next for Toma
At Toma, our award-winning AI agents are designed to help build an AI-positive culture internally, drive measurable ROI, and streamline communications across departments. We offer curated, thoughtful deployments that integrate with your existing systems in under a week. Our AI doesn’t just talk—it acts. It books appointments, follows up, and drives results. This is the momentum shift dealers are looking for.
Dealers showed us that what mattered most was proof, not promises. Our live demos and active pilots showcased real outcomes—higher engagement, reduced hold times, and more closed deals.
Ready to try out Toma? Book your demo today
