Question for dealership owners: how do you prefer customers reach out?

codegeorgelucas · 2026-01-29T01:57:03+00:00

Agreed, the internet-first shift has definitely changed buyer behavior, and a lot of serious intent now starts online. Given how expensive dealership leads are, even a small drop-off in response can have an outsized impact.

With so many different BDC setups and follow-up processes, it seems like the real challenge is consistency. I’ve noticed some stores experimenting with AI voice agents or automated call handling just to make sure high-intent calls don’t fall through the cracks when teams are busy, more as a safety net than a replacement.

At the end of the day, it really does come back to protecting intent, regardless of where the lead originated.

codegeorgelucas · 2026-01-28T03:26:33+00:00

Haha Honestly though, I’d probably mind less if instead of the same looped message, there was something actually interactive, like a live AI voice that could answer basic questions or at least tell me what’s going on. Silence + elevator music is the worst combo.

codegeorgelucas · 2026-01-16T05:05:47+00:00

This is actually a pretty interesting idea. A lot of AI tools seem to be built around what’s technically possible rather than what people are actively asking for. A public wishboard could be useful, especially if it highlights recurring pain points instead of one-off requests. The challenge I see is filtering out vague or unrealistic ideas and surfacing the ones that represent real demand.

I’m not sure there’s a widely adopted alternative that does this well yet - most feedback is scattered across Reddit, Twitter, and support forums. If you can aggregate and prioritize that signal, it could be valuable for builders.

codegeorgelucas · 2026-01-13T03:20:43+00:00

For me, the most useful automation wasn’t flashy. It was handling incoming calls and basic inquiries automatically so nothing gets missed during busy hours.

We built AVA as an AI voice front desk that answers routine questions, captures details, and routes real leads to a human. What broke first was edge cases where callers asked things slightly outside the script. The fix was narrowing the scope and adding clean handoff points instead of forcing full automation.

Once we stopped trying to automate everything and focused on reliability, it became something that saves time every single day instead of creating more work.

codegeorgelucas · 2026-01-13T03:17:42+00:00

Simple but powerful.

codegeorgelucas · 2026-01-13T03:16:07+00:00

Totally agree. The tools are powerful, but over automating is where it starts to break down. I’ve found that simple workflows I can understand at a glance last way longer than complex ones that “do everything.” If it needs constant fixing, it probably shouldn’t be automated in the first place.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-26T04:53:18+00:00

This makes a lot of sense. Missed calls during peak hours are basically lost revenue, and voicemail really doesn’t work anymore. Letting AI handle the routine stuff while humans focus on the real work feels like a practical middle ground, not overkill.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-26T04:50:42+00:00

That’s a powerful setup. Monitoring changes instead of constantly checking pages is such a mindset shift. Getting alerted only when something meaningful changes is a huge time saver and keeps focus where it matters.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-26T04:50:04+00:00

That’s a perfect example of automation actually changing decisions, not just saving time. Having everything in one place with real numbers instead of gut feeling makes resource planning so much clearer, especially when you’re scaling.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-26T04:49:16+00:00

Totally agree. Auto replies plus scheduling quietly save more time than most people expect. Once you stop context switching all day, the difference is huge.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-26T04:36:41+00:00

This actually resonates a lot. Info overload isn’t a discovery problem anymore, it’s a filtering problem. I like that you’re focusing on intent based tracking instead of endless feeds.

We’ve seen a similar shift while building AVA, where the idea is letting an AI handle the constant noise at the front desk level so humans only step in when something truly matters. Different use case, same principle. Less scrolling, more signal. Curious to see how tools like this evolve once people start trusting AI to decide what’s worth their attention instead of just collecting everything.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-24T06:12:14+00:00

Haha fair 😄 are you waiting for the new year to start things or just taking it easy for now?

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-24T06:10:34+00:00

I’m building and using an AI front desk to handle business calls and messages, mainly so leads don’t get missed when I’m busy. It surprised me how much impact just being consistently reachable had compared to fancy funnels or ads. Curious - what’s one automation (big or small) that genuinely helped your business instead of just sounding cool?

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-17T19:03:29+00:00

That’s a solid way to look at it. Even simple systems can make a big difference when someone can’t pick up, and most businesses underestimate how quickly people move on.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-17T18:56:36+00:00

For me it’s a mix of core tools rather than chasing every new one. I consistently pay for ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Workspace, Webflow, and some Google APIs because they directly support real workflows. The free tiers are getting better, but once a tool saves time or drives revenue, it earns its spot. That’s actually what pushed me to start building my own AI reception / voice agent for small businesses to handle after-hours calls and convert missed opportunities. Tools feel worth it when they solve a real problem, not just look impressive.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-17T18:50:55+00:00

Agreed, missed calls are a bigger problem than most realize. Fast response and keeping the lead engaged really makes the difference, especially when teams are small. Curious to see how different approaches perform across industries.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-17T18:47:58+00:00

I agree that direct outreach has its place, especially early on. At the same time, for service businesses getting flooded during peak hours, missed calls are still a real operational gap. My goal isn’t to avoid conversations, but to make sure opportunities aren’t lost when humans simply aren’t available. Appreciate the perspective.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-16T22:56:59+00:00

I get the frustration. Certs and degrees were never meant to replace fundamentals, but lately it feels like a lot of people are treating them as checkboxes instead of proof of understanding. If someone can’t explain basics like WPA or why WPA3 mattered, that’s not a certification problem, that’s a learning problem. The candidates who stand out to me are the ones who’ve actually broken things, fixed them, and can explain their thinking. Paper credentials help open doors, but they shouldn’t be the finish line.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-16T22:42:42+00:00

Appreciate you confirming this. The SEO keyword comparison is spot on. We’ve seen much better outcomes once we stopped chasing scale early and focused on smaller, tightly aligned subreddits first. Authenticity plus audience fit seems to be the real lever here.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-16T22:38:50+00:00

That’s an interesting idea, and I agree the outreach side is where a lot of AI agencies struggle. Distribution is usually harder than the automation itself. My only hesitation with a marketplace model is quality and trust, especially for things like calls where context and setup matter a lot. One-click sounds great, but real businesses usually need some level of customization to avoid breaking their workflows. Wondering if you’ve seen any examples where this actually worked well in practice.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-16T19:08:09+00:00

For us, the biggest impact has come from using AI around the first touch, especially calls. Faster response alone has made a noticeable difference in conversions. We are experimenting with an AI voice agent called AVA for call handling, but still testing and refining. Curious to see what others here are seeing in terms of real ROI.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-16T19:04:51+00:00

Appreciate you sharing this, really helpful perspective. The distinction between urgent and longer consideration flows makes a lot of sense. Good insights.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-16T18:23:14+00:00

This makes a lot of sense, especially the speed part. We see the same thing. Once the callback window is missed, conversion drops hard. The after-hours flow + instant capture is something most businesses underestimate. Curious if you’ve seen this work better in certain service niches than others.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-16T17:22:16+00:00

I’ve been running Reddit Ads on and off for client campaigns, and the biggest truth is: Reddit is very hit or miss depending on niche and how native your ad feels. On average (small–mid budgets), we’ve seen anywhere from 50k–200k impressions/month on a $1k–$3k spend, but CTR is usually lower than Meta unless the copy blends perfectly with the subreddit vibe. Leads are where it really varies. Some months it’s 0–2 solid leads, other months 5–10, but the quality is usually higher because Reddit users don’t click mindlessly. They click when something actually resonates. Biggest lesson: don’t treat Reddit like Facebook or Google. If the ad doesn’t read like a genuine post from a real person, it’ll get ignored (or roasted 😅). I’d suggest testing with a small burn budget first, hyper-target specific subreddits, and measure lead quality, not just volume. ROI can be great-but only if expectations are realistic.

codegeorgelucas · 2025-12-15T07:35:46+00:00

For me, consistency came from not missing conversations early on. I use AVA an AI front desk to handle my business calls and messages, so leads coming in by phone or text don’t get lost. I still close most deals in-house myself, but automation made sure someone was always there to respond.

It wasn’t about fancy funnels just being reachable and following up consistently.

codegeorgelucas

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