Joe Castelino, Fixed Operations Director, American Motors Auto Group

Kyle Mountsier: 0:00This is In the Dirt with ASOTU. All right, we are here at the Automotive News Retail Forum where the 40 under 40 nominees and winners were just announced and put on stage and then took a photo and I'm here with Joe, Joe and remind me what group you're with Joe.

‍Joe Castelino: 0:18

I'm with American Motors Group. Awesome.

Kyle Mountsier: 0:20

So Joe and I met actually back at Driving Sales what a couple years ago at this point. And, Joe, you have one of the big things that you've been really working out over the past few years is kind of this transformation of the Dealership. Like, tell the story, you literally went into a paper room and started chucking paper? Yeah,

Joe Castelino: 0:39

yeah, fine. So I'm a big fan of the digital retail. I'm a big fan of digital experiences. I'm a big fan of the Amazon experience. And so we went into this entirely like paperless transformation, where we removed, you know, repair orders, we removed dispatching, we removed signature, we removed all of this stuff and gave this this completely seamless, paperless process, right from start to finish. I mean, we've gotten so advanced in our process, our paperless system, that it's some of our Dealers, actually, yeah, some of our Dealers, we are able to do express checkout, where you can pay online, get your key, just much like an Amazon locker, you never have to even see somebody to pay, pick up your car, and just take off. It's it's phenomenal. It's been amazing.

Kyle Mountsier: 1:26

That's really fun. So what what were like some of the biggest challenges that you had to approach both with your team with processes with technology, as you've made this transition and starting to get really smooth with it.

Joe Castelino: 1:38

So different challenges at different locations. Some of our Northern California stores adopted a little bit easier because they're in the heart of Silicon Valley. Some of the other stores not so much. But everybody adopted in its own right, like everybody moved. And when I say not so much it wasn't that case, nobody did it, it was maybe it took a week or two longer for me to embrace the technology. But as you move forward in this whole digital environment, it just in life Right, like, it's now it's to become expected, right? We can't, the traditional Dealer used to make it just a pain to do business with it used to make it difficult. And there are pain points of like, okay, I'd have to wait, take a number, you know, I have to now stand in line to do here. And you're basically going through this process. Now, you get to control your own experience, you get to say, hey, I don't need to see anybody I know what my car needs. I've got this, you don't build full transparency throughout everything right? From your BDC, to your agents to the technicians, the customers, they've got this full transparency that you can't, you can't take away customers love it.

Kyle Mountsier: 2:48

Yeah, that's awesome. So you've done so much of the work that a lot of dealers are kind of early adopting right now for you. What's the next challenge that you're tackling? Is it with people? Is it with process? Is it with technology, especially as you're at NADA, or you're looking forward to this year? What are the challenges that you're approaching as an organization?

Joe Castelino: 3:05

So we've got that paperless and digital process down very well. I think the challenge that we're gonna have is how do we reinvent what's already great, you know, like, you've got a process. That's, that's perfect. That's there. Now, what do we offer our customers next year? And that's where I'm here at NADA? Like work, we take the next digital, digital, where can we grow digitally? In our footprint?

Kyle Mountsier: 3:29

That's awesome. Now personally, for you like what what's your next year look like? I know, everybody gets into business and we talk a lot about auto but what's exciting on your horizon like personally for the next year, what are you doing cool, and whether it's in business or not?

Joe Castelino: 3:43

Okay, so I'm working on my pilot's license. I'm about to be 40 in March, and so really close to getting that and it has been my lifelong goal to be a pilot. So I, my midlife crisis, if you will, is to become a pilot. So I've been growing that now I've got a nine year old, a six year old watching them grow up in baseball, soccer, sports, life wife the whole bit, it's just it's, it's fun. It's encompassing the next year, business wise. Were my group is in a group is a position of growth right now. Who knows where the wind takes us, right? Yeah,

Kyle Mountsier: 4:20

That's awesome. Well, hey, look, we'll wrap this up. But bet when you get your pilot's license, and we can come up we're doing this out in the plane again, we'll do this again. Kyle. Thank you so much. Talk to you later. Thank you for listening to In the Dirt with ASOTU. We love the automotive industry and the people who make it run day in and day out. We would love to connect with you more through our daily dose of fun, a free email that you can sign up for at ASOTU.com That's a s o t u.com. We put our heart and soul into it every day. Thanks again for listening. Join us next time for more Conversations in the dirt with ASOTU.

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