Average Is the Enemy: How Hospitality Became This Dealer's Strategy for Standing Out | Michael Wood, GM at Jaguar and Land Rover of Virginia Beach
Average Is the Enemy: How Hospitality Became This Dealer's Strategy for Standing Out | Michael Wood, GM at Jaguar and Land Rover of Virginia Beach  
Podcast: Car Dealership Guy Podcast
Published On: Tue Apr 08 2025
Description: Today I’m joined by Michael Wood, GM at Jaguar Land Rover Virginia Beach. We discuss Jaguar returning to its roots as a niche sports car brand, the existential crisis facing car dealerships, whether “negotiation-free” really matters—and more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. SalesApe (AI Agent Group LTD) - SalesAPE is the AI sales rep built for dealerships - it understands your inventory and business, instantly engaging inbound leads as they come in, qualifying buyers, and booking appointments 24/7 without adding headcount. Whether you’re a franchised dealer, independent operator, or vendor selling into automotive, SalesAPE helps you convert more leads faster. Trusted by top-performing dealerships and backed by $20M from top VCs and the ex-Google CFO, it’s the smarter way to scale sales without the overhead. Try it for free @ salesape.ai/cardealershipguy 2. Cox Automotive - Dealers keep hearing that improving customer experience is the best way to boost profits— but what do consumers actually want? Retail360 — Cox Automotive’s comprehensive suite of solutions — powers true omnichannel experiences for consumers and dealers. With Retail360, powerful consumer insights enable predictive artificial intelligence and automation, all tailored for your dealership by industry-veteran performance managers. To learn how consumers prefer to shop, buy, and own vehicles, visit https://cox.auto/uh9Uy and download “The Evolving Consumer and How to Meet Their Needs,” the new eBook from Cox Automotive. 3. CDG Recruiting - The Go-To Talent Partner for Dealers. Hire pre-vetted GMs, sales, F&I, fixed ops, C-suite, and back-office talent—ready to perform. Faster hires, better results. Book a call → http://www.CDGRecruiting.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: 02:24 How did Michael transition to car sales? 03:14 Why adopt a negotiation-free sales model? 04:36 What defines luxury car customer expectations? 06:36 How to create a unique customer experience? 22:20 How must dealerships adapt for the future? 23:17 How to exceed customer expectations? 25:47 What are current market trends? 28:20 How is tech innovating dealerships? 30:05 What are Michael’s personal aspirations? 34:37 What is Jaguar’s new direction? 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 This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.