Announcing: LVL Up Auto - Vendor Management Platform

Congrats, @jon.berna looks awesome! What's the best way to learn more and get onboarded as a vendor?
Thanks Will! - here are the public docs. I will also connect with you to answer any questions.

Is there room in automotive for another CRM?

Started down the path - and before I get too crazy and far - is there room for another CRM in the industry? If so - some questions as thought starters - please let me know.
  • Current Challenges: What challenges are you facing with your current CRM?
  • Feature Wishlist: What features or functionalities would you like to see in a CRM tailored for the automotive industry?
  • Integrations: Which tools or platforms would you want a new CRM to integrate with seamlessly (e.g., inventory management, digital marketing tools)?
  • User Experience: How important are ease of use and mobile compatibility to your team?
  • Customer Communication: What communication tools (texting, emailing, follow-up reminders) are must-haves?
Just some early steps and have a demo environment in progress - contact me directly if you want.

Are your EV VDPs good enough to convert shoppers?

Yes exactly - just how Tesla does it!

This could be a great partnership. Team Lectrium is interested and can help share data....

We should probably meet over video @Alex Snyder .... Thank you @joe.pistell for pushing the partnership!!

Let's do it. My first name @frikintech.com is probably the best way to connect.

Is clarivoy or vistadash still useful?

Anyone find some Analytics gold out here?
I am on a quest to find or create an analytics system that is shopper centered... meaning, it fully leverages ASC GA4 standards but, the reporting is oriented to give dealers deep insights into shopper satisfaction (yes.. that is algorithmically possible).

Last month, 19 Million Car Shoppers went to Carvana.com.
Just stop and think about that... then map that back to what shoppers experience on your site(s).


LeadGen is NOT your internet KPI any more.​

Are your EV VDPs good enough to convert shoppers?

@PeteBarba & @Alex Snyder, here’s a cool Partnership request.

EV’s are grocery getters, great payment cars.
  1. Lectrium is an EV merchandising tool.
  2. FrikenTech is the best "absolute best payment right now" tool
  3. FrikenTech adds EV credits and gas savings (Lectrium API?)
Boom! Net Payment Improves!
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Fits nicely into FrikenTech's payment page (currently has no EV credits or gas savings)
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Tesla Example: GROCERY GETTER!!
1733833045963.png

DISC? Hell Yes!​

p.s. Dealer FYI: here's our current FrikenTech/Lecrtrium EV SRP

Announcing: LVL Up Auto - Vendor Management Platform

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We've been busy and I am proud to share that 1.0 is live and that means lots of changes. Let’s dive into what’s new and exciting in this major release:

Dealership Tools Are Now Free
-That’s right—everything on the dealership side of LVL Up Auto is now completely free.
-From vendor discovery to invoice tracking, you have all the tools you need to simplify and streamline your operations without spending a dime.

Optimized Design and Performance
-We’ve fine-tuned every aspect of the platform.
-Expect a sleeker, faster, and more intuitive user experience, making it easier than ever to manage your vendors.

Enhanced Vendor Features
-Vendors now have expanded tools to better showcase their products, helping dealerships like yours discover the best solutions with clarity and confidence.

Introducing Collections
-Collections let you create and share custom lists of vendors and their products.
-They’re perfect for both public collaboration and private organization.

Public Collections:
-Showcase the vendors you love.
-Plan who to meet at upcoming events like NADA.
-Gather feedback from peers on vendors you’re considering.

Private Collections:
-Organize vendors you’re evaluating.
-Track progress—schedule demos, complete evaluations, and finalize contracts.

2024 Users get Early Access features now:
-Invoice Sync: Monitor all your vendor invoices in one place, effortlessly.
-20 Groups: Collaborate and share insights with other dealerships in your group.
-Proposal Generator: Simplify planning with easy-to-create pricing scenarios.

Thank you for your continued support and belief in LVL Up Auto as most of the beta users came from DR!

AI Shopping + Car Dealerships

@Eric Miltsch how 'bout this cool idea :) Like you, I'm an auto merchandising guy.

I'm in my Schwab account and I see this:
1733597564949.png

Swing it to a dealer's site:
1733598384370.png

oooo... now that's powerful!
Stick the CTA below the fold (near dealer comments).

Comparison UI is easy to map out.
1733599097096.png

Gradual Engagement Reward: No login = See one store. See more requires PII.

Goal: Save shopper time, help them shop. They will come back (again and again)

DISC?

ChatGPT - This is pretty awesome :)

Do you think this is because doctors are going to be replaced with AI and cobot assistants or because demand for trades will outpace doctors?

I agree with you on the potential impact of AI but I'm not sure how quickly it will be adopted. There are still large portions of the workforce who can't use Google properly. Are those people out of jobs or retain their roles and still not be able to use the tools available to them?

JS, my vision docs, 8 mo ago.
  • When you combine AI+CRM what is created are AI personal assistants. AI assistants will begin taking over basic tasks, then it will quickly evolve taking over more complex tasks.
  • Your store will have a Digital Personal Assistant (DPA) for nearly every employee in the store.
    • Nearly every employee will have their DPA.
    • Sales rep's DPA will assist them in digital workflow (product knowledge, lead management, goal setting and feedback, paper work, compliance, etc).
    • Techs will have DPAs making them smarter, faster and , their managers will have DPAs
  • Store leaders will have DPAs, all monitoring the DPAs of the entire staff. This will be called an "agent swarm". All DPAs assisting each other in communicating, making the operation flow faster, smarter.
    • Example: Your the GSM your DPA knows 4 deliveries are coming at 4pm and ETA is unknown. Your DPA pings the 2 techs for updates. 1 is on time, the other is delayed 30-60 mins. THe GSM's DPA pings the reps DPA to alert the the rep of the delay. The reps DPA gets the cause of hte delay and offers word tracks.

Look at $CRM's (SalesForce) most 10q
"Agentforce, our complete AI system for enterprises built into the Salesforce Platform, is at the heart of a groundbreaking transformation. The rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionizing global labor, reshaping how industries operate and scale. With Agentforce, we're not just witnessing the future—we're leading it, unleashing a new era of digital labor for every business and every industry."

It's coming.

ChatGPT - This is pretty awesome :)

I’ve been on this planet for quite a while; long-time DR trolls know me as an innovative old man :unclejoe:. For those close to me, I’ve been pounding the table about the change that’s coming to us all, which will be profound—and fast.

Haters, beware defending your turf while the evidence around you shifts. At this hour, you are right...

P.S. I’m telling my 40-year-old son, who’s a developer, to look into the trades (they’ll make more money than doctors).

ChatGPT - This is pretty awesome :)

AI is a language based model and computer coding is a wonderful fit for AI.
My son is a dev in our startup (AutoMagicLabs.ai). AI helps him troubleshoot and create so much it's become an anchor in his work flow.

GPT4o ---> GPTo1 = 8 months
1733574694405.png
Codeforces-style competitive programming problems. Codeforces problems usually require a mix of algorithmic thinking, coding efficiency, and correctness under time constraints.

Again, is only 8 months, GPTo1 has become a highly ranked coder.

GPTo1 introduced 'reasoning' into AI where it takes a problem and, like a human, it breaks apart the task into parts and goes over it again and again until it gets it right.

ChatGPT - This is pretty awesome :)

RB, In my AI use (2+ hrs a day in AI), AI doesn't do math well.

AI haters don't comprehend that AI is a machine that will assist its designers to conquer its weaknesses. IOW, this months weakness is gone next month. As time passes, the role that humans make in AI's improvements will become smaller and smaller as AI itself, improves itself. (google singularity)

GPT4o ---> GPTo1 = 8 months
1733572869628.png
AIME math problems start relatively easy and get harder, with 25 questions to complete in 75 minutes.

Here are 3 Math question from easy to hard
(GPTo1 got 83% right.)
1733573708297.png

1733573723825.png

1733573743252.png


Haters, you gotta wake up. AI is to our world as is the transistor was to our past... EXCEPT AI is growing at light speed.

ChatGPT - This is pretty awesome :)

I am in AI 2-3hrs a day. I have subs to Meta, GPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity. Why?

One Example:
I am building a merchandising system for @BillKVMotorCo and Bill's photo process is so excellent, that we're created a new layout to complement his team's work (kudos to @Will G. !) I am pressing all build data into Claude 3.5 for data normalization and categorizing and attribute weighting too. It's not cheap but the output is excellent. This was not possible 6 months ago.

Vehicle Valuations vs Actual Sales Prices??

Not since the October ruling. However, they were pretty strong in stating that it is coming regardless of how the courts play ball with NADA during NIADA.

ComplyAuto's attorneys are echoing what the FTC said at NIADA. I wrote about it for the FRIKINtech blog last month.

Here is a little exerpt:
Nice!

I don't think a new administration will have any bearing.

Vehicle Valuations vs Actual Sales Prices??

Speaking of (indirectly), has anyone seen any updates on the FTC CARS Rule?
Not since the October ruling. However, they were pretty strong in stating that it is coming regardless of how the courts play ball with NADA during NIADA.

ComplyAuto's attorneys are echoing what the FTC said at NIADA. I wrote about it for the FRIKINtech blog last month.

Here is a little exerpt:
The FTC CARS rules in 2025 on FRIKINtech said:
Oral arguments were made by NADA and the FTC to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on October 9th, 2024. Lawyers have opined NADA made the best arguments for the way the FTC has laid out the CARS rules. The basis of the argument was that the FTC did not follow their own rules allowing enough time for the public to weigh on whether a rule was even necessary.

These same attorneys believe the NADA will win a temporary victory that forces the FTC to delay things further, but the FTC will win in the long run. At this point, you should bet on the CARS rules going into effect and prepare.

Yes, an argument can be made that a new administration will change the leadership of the FTC, but it may take time for any changes to impact the CARS rule. Read more: The FTC CARS rules in 2025 | FRIKINtech

Best stocks in the automotive industry

The Buffet Indicator has me on the sidelines right now in CD's and cash. Elon successfully repositioned Tesla stock as a tech company. My wife just bought one, more on that later. Rivian has promise, especially for commercial vehicles. Lucid seems like a great product, but they haven't turned the corner yet.

All that aside, does price really matter in this market? It seems like it's all about capital flows, and really there's a handful of stocks carrying the whole market.
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Best stocks in the automotive industry

ya, a genius turned them into ETFs. NANC = (democrats) KRUZ = Republicans)
Two ETFs, Subversive Unusual Whales Democratic ETF (NANC) and Subversive Unusual Whales Republican ETF (KRUZ), track stock trades by members of both parties of Congress. Any investor, then, can buy these ETFs to hitch their portfolios to those in the upper echelons of government.
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ChatGPT - This is pretty awesome :)

Uncle Joe sees the world differently...
ARE YOUR ADS OEM COMPLIANT?
I fed AI the Chevy Ad standards pdf, then I asked it if our ad was compliant... ouch.

Several compliance issues with this dealer ad:
Typography & Fonts:
  • Not using required Chevy Sans typeface
  • Incorrect font styling for price point and lease terms
  • Non-compliant number formatting
Colors:
  • Red background isn't in approved Chevrolet color palette
  • Should use Deep Gray (#393839) or approved vehicle-related colors
Branding:
  • Dealer logo not following co-branding lockup guidelines
  • Missing required Together let's drive™ tagline
  • Missing proper EV brandmark treatment
Layout:
  • No rhombus element where appropriate
  • Improper spacing around dealer branding
  • Disclaimer text not in correct Chevy Sans Narrow font
Recommendations:
  1. Switch to Chevy Sans font family
  2. Use approved color palette matching vehicle color
  3. Implement proper EV branding lockup
  4. Add rhombus element with correct 63° angle
  5. Reformat dealer logo according to co-branding guidelines
  6. Use proper typography hierarchy for offer details
  7. Follow standard disclaimer formatting

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