{"version":"1.0.0","episode":{"title":"#424 - Reducing Repos with GPS Technology: What Independent Dealers Need to Know","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/424-reducing-repos-with-gps-technology-what-independent-dealers-need-to-know","audioUrl":"https://anchor.fm/s/8164a88/podcast/play/117256616/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-21%2F420471589-44100-2-d9892cee62343.mp3","description":"In this episode of the Independent Dealer Podcast, Jeff Watson and Luke Godwin sit down with an executive from Ituran to break down what's actually new in dealer GPS technology — and why most dealers are paying for tools they're barely using. From accident detection to automated payment integration, this one is packed with practical ways to cut repos, improve collections, and get more out of your GPS system.What You'll Learn:How modern GPS goes way beyond location tracking with critical business event alertsHow GPS and payment processing integration can collect payments automatically — 24/7The compliance risks of starter interrupts and how to use them the right wayWhy tamper detection and unauthorized drive alerts are must-haves for BHPH dealersHow to audit your GPS processes and stop leaving ROI on the tableIf you're a buy here pay here or independent dealer who hasn't touched your GPS settings since day one, this episode is your wake-up call.Support the businesses that support the podcast: Buckeye Risk Services - Reinsurance and wealth strategies for independent dealers. https://theindependentdealer.com/buckeye BlytzPay - BHPH payment processing with fast funding and text-to-pay. https://theindependentdealer.com/blytzpayIturan GPS - Asset protection and customer management for BHPH and retail dealers. https://theindependentdealer.com/ituranFollow & Connect: Website: www.theindependentdealer.com Facebook Group: @independentautogroup Luke Godwin: @lukegodwin Jeff Watson: /sendtojeffwLike, subscribe, and share this with a dealer who needs to hear it.\n"},"annotations":[{"startTime":0.0,"endTime":7.8,"type":"term","title":"GPS","url":"/glossary/gps","quote":"Specifically, what the integration allows is, as soon as the GPS in the vehicle identifies that somebody is at the car trying to start the car, there is an attempt to start what we call an attempt to start in a vehicle that is disabled.","canonicalId":"term:gps","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.95,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"GPS (Global Positioning System) technology uses satellite signals to determine a vehicle’s location. In this context, the GPS is used to detect activity around the car and trigger an automated response when someone tries to start a disabled vehicle.","simplifiedExplanation":"GPS is the system that helps a phone or car know where it is. Here, it’s being used to notice when someone is messing with the car and to trigger the dealer’s process right away."}},{"startTime":16.3,"endTime":33.7,"type":"company","title":"Blitzfee","url":"/glossary/blitzfee","quote":"Integration immediately sends notification to the payment processing, let's say Blitzfee in this case. Blitzfee will send a text message on the spot to the customer...","canonicalId":"company:blitzfee","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Blitzfee is referenced as the payment-processing service used in the workflow. The transcript indicates it can send an immediate text to the customer and provide a link to pay on the spot, which then triggers the next step to restore vehicle operation.","simplifiedExplanation":"Blitzfee is the company handling the payment. The idea is that the customer gets a text right away with a way to pay immediately."}},{"startTime":166.7,"endTime":172.9,"type":"concept","title":"CBE, critical business events","url":"/glossary/cbe-critical-business-events","quote":"So we're talking about smarter actionable alerts or what we call CBE, critical business events.","canonicalId":"concept:cbe-critical-business-events","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.95,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"CBE (critical business events) is a term for GPS-driven alerts that indicate important situations dealers should respond to. Instead of raw location pings, CBE focuses on actionable moments tied to business outcomes like recovery and loss reduction.","simplifiedExplanation":"CBE means “critical business events.” It’s basically GPS alerts that point out when something important is happening, so a dealer can take action instead of watching location data all day."}},{"startTime":174.5,"endTime":181.6,"type":"concept","title":"big data","url":"/glossary/big-data","quote":"What are the, how can the GPS system identify, you know, through big data, through unfortunately or fortunately AI systems, how can we identify those actionable items that dealers should know about and they can take action quicker?","canonicalId":"concept:big-data","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Big data refers to analyzing large volumes of information to find patterns and make predictions. Here, it’s used to explain how GPS systems can detect situations that matter to dealers by learning from many data points.","simplifiedExplanation":"Big data just means lots of information being analyzed together. The idea is that the GPS system can spot important patterns by looking at more than just one car’s location."}},{"startTime":206.2,"endTime":210.6,"type":"concept","title":"location is commodity today","url":"/glossary/location-is-commodity-today","quote":"You know, GPS is a location only, location is commodity today. This is old news.","canonicalId":"concept:location-is-commodity-today","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"This suggests that basic GPS location tracking is widely available, so it’s no longer a differentiator. The value shifts to higher-level analytics—turning location data into decisions, alerts, and workflows.","simplifiedExplanation":"They’re saying that simply knowing where a car is isn’t special anymore. What matters is using that location information to make better, faster decisions."}},{"startTime":245.1,"endTime":249.6,"type":"term","title":"impact sensors","url":"/glossary/impact-sensors","quote":"[240.0s] Are you talking about a GPS that's hooked into like my OBD2... or are you talking about like, these GPS's have impact sensors in them and they know if they have a sudden stop?","canonicalId":"term:impact-sensors","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.92,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Impact sensors are accelerometer-based sensors that detect sudden deceleration or collision forces. When integrated into a telematics/GPS device, they can infer a crash by recognizing specific motion patterns and thresholds.","simplifiedExplanation":"Impact sensors are sensors that feel sudden hits or hard stops. If the device detects that kind of sudden movement, it can assume there was a crash and send an alert."}},{"startTime":296.5,"endTime":301.0,"type":"concept","title":"fleet management","url":"/glossary/fleet-management","quote":"[289.5s] A lot of them are coming from different businesses than what we are used to either buy or pay it. [295.9s] it. [296.5s] Fleet management, asset recovery and so forth, so a lot of the technology that we employ...","canonicalId":"concept:fleet-management","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Fleet management is the practice of tracking and managing multiple vehicles for operations, maintenance, and safety. The segment notes that the same underlying telematics technologies used in fleet management can be applied to dealer products like asset recovery.","simplifiedExplanation":"Fleet management is how companies keep track of lots of vehicles at once. They use tracking data to manage things like location and alerts."}},{"startTime":296.5,"endTime":301.0,"type":"concept","title":"asset recovery","url":"/glossary/asset-recovery","quote":"[295.9s] it. [296.5s] Fleet management, asset recovery and so forth, so a lot of the technology that we employ...","canonicalId":"concept:asset-recovery","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Asset recovery is the process of locating and reclaiming vehicles or other financed assets when payments are missed or a contract ends. Telematics can support asset recovery by providing real-time location and event context (like crash alerts) to reduce search time.","simplifiedExplanation":"Asset recovery is when a company tries to find and get back a vehicle it financed. Tracking tech can help them locate the car faster and respond to situations sooner."}},{"startTime":477.7,"endTime":522.6,"type":"term","title":"payment processing","url":"/glossary/payment-processing","quote":"...has a huge success for those customers that are utilizing it through integration with payment processing. And we're integrated each one is integrated with several different payment processing...","canonicalId":"term:payment-processing","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Payment processing refers to the systems and services that securely collect customer payments. Here, it’s integrated with vehicle disable/enable events so notifications and payment can happen immediately during a collections scenario.","simplifiedExplanation":"Payment processing is the service that takes the customer’s money and confirms it’s paid. In this case, it’s connected to the vehicle’s disabled state so the customer can pay right away."}},{"startTime":638.4,"endTime":649.9,"type":"concept","title":"payment reminder","url":"/glossary/payment-reminder","quote":"You can also dictate your specific business rule. You can utilize the automatic system... send a payment reminder after one day late or five days late...","canonicalId":"concept:payment-reminder","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.86,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Payment reminders are scheduled notifications sent to customers when payments become late. The segment describes configuring reminder timing (e.g., after one day late, then again later) as part of the integration’s business rules.","simplifiedExplanation":"Payment reminders are messages sent to the customer when they’re behind on payments. The system can be set up to send them at specific times so everyone gets treated the same."}},{"startTime":691.6,"endTime":704.9,"type":"concept","title":"repossession","url":"/glossary/repossession","quote":"When you disable a vehicle, as we know, it's an act of almost repossession and actually in several states it's considered an act of repossession.","canonicalId":"concept:repossession","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.92,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Repossession is the legal process of taking back a vehicle due to default on payments. The segment warns that disabling a vehicle can be treated as repossession in some states, making compliance and correct procedures critical.","simplifiedExplanation":"Repossession is when a lender/dealer takes the car back because payments weren’t made. The speaker is saying that disabling the car remotely can count as repossession under some state laws."}},{"startTime":775.0,"endTime":818.2,"type":"company","title":"Buckeye","url":"/glossary/buckeye","quote":"make sure you guys know about Buckeye, longtime awesome sponsor of the podcast and who I use for all my reinsurance products... Keep it in house, call the guys and girls over at Buckeye, risk services","canonicalId":"company:buckeye","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Buckeye is referenced as the podcast sponsor and the provider of reinsurance-related products for the host’s dealer portfolio. The discussion frames it as a way to secure risk and keep coverage “in house” rather than relying on third parties.","simplifiedExplanation":"Buckeye is the company sponsoring the show. The host says they help dealers with insurance-type products to protect against losses."}},{"startTime":788.3,"endTime":799.6,"type":"concept","title":"warranties and service contracts","url":"/glossary/warranties-and-service-contracts","quote":"My customers have options of warranties and service contracts, gap. I think it's just been great, Jeff.","canonicalId":"concept:warranties-and-service-contracts","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Warranties and service contracts are aftermarket protection products that cover repair costs for mechanical failures and certain wear items. In dealer finance, they’re often used to improve customer value and manage risk in the overall deal.","simplifiedExplanation":"These are plans that help pay for repairs after you buy or finance a car. The host is saying customers can choose different coverage options."}},{"startTime":794.2,"endTime":799.6,"type":"concept","title":"gap","url":"/glossary/gap","quote":"My customers have options of warranties and service contracts, gap. I think it's just been great, Jeff.","canonicalId":"concept:gap","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.86,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"“Gap” refers to GAP insurance, which covers the difference between a vehicle’s actual cash value and the remaining loan/lease balance after a total loss. It’s commonly bundled in dealer finance and insurance packages.","simplifiedExplanation":"GAP insurance helps pay the “gap” between what the car is worth and what you still owe if the car is totaled. Dealers often offer it as part of a coverage package."}},{"startTime":799.6,"endTime":808.4,"type":"concept","title":"buy here, pay here","url":"/glossary/buy-here-pay-here","quote":"So if you are a buy here, pay here, lease here, pay here or retail dealer, it works for all dealers.","canonicalId":"concept:buy-here-pay-here","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.92,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"“Buy here, pay here” (BHPH) is a dealer-financing model where the dealer sells the vehicle and also collects payments directly from the customer. GPS-enabled tools are often discussed in this space because dealers want to reduce defaults and repossessions.","simplifiedExplanation":"“Buy here, pay here” means the dealer both sells you the car and collects your payments. The dealer uses tools like GPS to help customers stay on track and avoid losing the car."}},{"startTime":845.7,"endTime":858.05,"type":"concept","title":"promise to pay","url":"/glossary/promise-to-pay","quote":"because so many of these base level decisions and even the decision to shut off a GPS, if you get to day 10 without a promise to pay, it just gets turned off.","canonicalId":"concept:promise-to-pay","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"A “promise to pay” is a customer commitment to make a payment by a specified time. In GPS enforcement workflows, it can be used as a compliance checkpoint that determines whether the vehicle remains enabled or gets disabled.","simplifiedExplanation":"A “promise to pay” is when the customer agrees to pay soon. In this system, that promise can affect whether the car stays on or gets shut off."}},{"startTime":972.9,"endTime":979.2,"type":"term","title":"known address of a customer","url":"/glossary/known-address-of-a-customer","quote":"I have a rule we don't disable unless the car is at a known address of a customer...","canonicalId":"term:known-address-of-a-customer","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"This is a dealer policy idea: only disable/enable when the vehicle is at a verified, expected location tied to the customer. The listener argues this reduces the chance of disabling a car in an unintended place.","simplifiedExplanation":"The listener prefers a rule like: only disable the car when it’s at the customer’s known address. That way it’s less likely to affect the wrong place."}},{"startTime":1133.5,"endTime":1140.8,"type":"term","title":"mileage","url":"/glossary/mileage","quote":"So the whole trends and again, big data is something that is coming up very big and already\nimplemented in the system. It starts with mileage. Think about just regular mileage driven.","canonicalId":"term:mileage","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.82,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Mileage is used as a baseline signal in telematics analytics to understand normal vehicle usage. By comparing expected vs. actual mileage trends, systems can flag anomalies that may indicate misuse or unauthorized activity.","simplifiedExplanation":"Mileage is how far the car has been driven. Tracking it over time helps the system tell what “normal” looks like and spot when something seems off."}},{"startTime":1201.3,"endTime":1208.8,"type":"concept","title":"top five parking spots","url":"/glossary/top-five-parking-spots","quote":"In regards to parking location, your question, then again, the answer is it makes a big difference when you know what are the top five parking spots of your customers are, and if there's any change in those.","canonicalId":"concept:top-five-parking-spots","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"The segment emphasizes tracking where the vehicle parks most often (the “top five” locations) and watching for changes. Stable parking patterns suggest normal use, while frequent stops in certain places can indicate elevated risk.","simplifiedExplanation":"They’re saying you should learn the car’s usual parking locations. If it suddenly starts parking in unusual places, that can be a warning sign."}},{"startTime":1307.2,"endTime":1313.5,"type":"concept","title":"impound lots","url":"/glossary/impound-lots","quote":"but it's not only the impound lots or the insurance total loss slots or the auctions, but definitely competitor is one of them.","canonicalId":"concept:impound-lots","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Impound lots are where vehicles are stored after being seized or taken into custody, often due to repossession or legal actions. Dealers and recovery teams may use GPS to locate vehicles that end up in these yards.","simplifiedExplanation":"An impound lot is a storage yard for cars that have been taken by authorities. If a car ends up there, GPS tracking can help someone find it faster."}},{"startTime":1403.1,"endTime":1408.5,"type":"concept","title":"vendor","url":"/glossary/vendor","quote":"I encourage dealers to either assign a person or do themselves to ask questions, to audit the processes, to reach out to their vendor. We encourage, for example, our dealers to reach out to us and say, hey, can we have a retraining?","canonicalId":"concept:vendor","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"In this context, a “vendor” is the company providing the GPS/tracking technology and related reporting tools. The speaker recommends reaching out to the vendor for retraining so the dealer team uses the system correctly.","simplifiedExplanation":"A vendor is the company that sells the GPS system to the dealer. They can also help with training so your team uses it the right way."}},{"startTime":1432.7,"endTime":1439.9,"type":"concept","title":"we always done that the way it's","url":"/glossary/we-always-done-that-the-way-it-s","quote":"So I always like to say that the most dangerous thing to say in business is, oh, we always done that the way it's, no business owner should accept that.","canonicalId":"concept:we-always-done-that-the-way-it-s","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"This is a caution against complacency: the speaker warns that relying on “we’ve always done it this way” prevents process improvement and can undermine technology adoption. It reinforces the need for ongoing auditing and training.","simplifiedExplanation":"They’re warning against getting stuck in old habits. If you keep doing things the same way, you might not get the best results from new tools."}},{"startTime":1483.7,"endTime":1552.5,"type":"company","title":"BlitzPay","url":"/glossary/blitz-pay","quote":"I do it through BlitzPay. The guys and girls at BlitzPay are great, amazing, attentive on top of it... And also, they got this AI thing...","canonicalId":"company:blitz-pay","priority":0.9,"confidence":0.92,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"BlitzPay is a payments service the host uses to collect money and process credit card payments. In this context, it’s being positioned as an easier, more automated way to handle customer payments and reduce manual follow-up.","simplifiedExplanation":"BlitzPay is a company that helps dealers take credit card payments. The host says it also automates parts of the payment and texting process so collections are easier."}},{"startTime":1514.9,"endTime":1526.5,"type":"term","title":"AI","quote":"And also, they got this AI thing, Jeff. Pretty cool. Yeah, I'm stoked. They got the audio AI, the phone caller, and hopefully very soon the texting version of that.","canonicalId":"term:ai","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"AI here is used to automate parts of dealer outreach—specifically audio/phone calling and potentially texting. The speaker suggests this can reduce manual work and make collections more efficient."}},{"startTime":1538.1,"endTime":1552.5,"type":"term","title":"credit card processing","url":"/glossary/credit-card-processing","quote":"...if you're taking credit cards at all... even retail dealers can take advantage of this and use BlitzPay for their credit card processing, incredibly competitive rates, super easy interface...","canonicalId":"term:credit-card-processing","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.82,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"“Credit card processing” is the payment infrastructure that enables dealers to accept card payments. The segment frames BlitzPay as offering competitive rates and an easy interface, which matters for dealer profitability and customer conversion during collections."}},{"startTime":1650.8,"endTime":1657.5,"type":"term","title":"install it properly","url":"/glossary/install-it-properly","quote":"So I think that if you take the time to install it properly in the dash, like really hidden behind the radio, behind the cluster, buried as deep as possible, you'll never have problems with it.","canonicalId":"term:install-it-properly","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"“Install it properly” refers to correct mounting and wiring practices for the GPS unit. The speaker emphasizes hiding it carefully and installing it in a way that minimizes interference and tampering, which reduces reliability problems.","simplifiedExplanation":"They mean installing the GPS the right way, not just quickly. If it’s placed and wired carefully, it’s less likely to have problems later."}},{"startTime":1696.2,"endTime":1699.8,"type":"term","title":"hardwire","url":"/glossary/hardwire","quote":"Do we need to tell the customer to come back because it takes an hour to hardwire it the right way?","canonicalId":"term:hardwire","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"“Hardwire” means connecting the GPS device to the vehicle’s electrical system using direct wiring rather than a simpler plug-in approach. The speaker notes it takes about an hour to do “the right way,” which creates staffing and scheduling pressure.","simplifiedExplanation":"Hardwire means connecting the GPS directly into the car’s power using wires. It takes longer to do correctly, so it affects how busy the shop is."}},{"startTime":1845.2,"endTime":1850.5,"type":"concept","title":"auditing all those procedures","url":"/glossary/auditing-all-those-procedures","quote":"...And then if you're not a huge dealership, you need to be auditing all those procedures. And it's not like going out there, you can go out there and watch them","canonicalId":"concept:auditing-all-those-procedures","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.82,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"Auditing means periodically checking that procedures are being followed and that results are consistent (e.g., GPS units working after installation). For smaller dealers, audits are a practical substitute for constant on-site supervision.","simplifiedExplanation":"Auditing means checking the work to make sure the steps are really being followed. It helps catch mistakes before they cause bigger problems."}},{"startTime":1969.2,"endTime":1978.2,"type":"concept","title":"spot audit","url":"/glossary/spot-audit","quote":"But even within that, you do still need a spot audit too, right? I mean, are you doing something like that? Yep, you do a spot audit.","canonicalId":"concept:spot-audit","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"A spot audit is a periodic verification of compliance by reviewing a small number of deals to detect patterns of noncompliance. The speaker recommends auditing several deals per month to catch trends and trigger retraining.","simplifiedExplanation":"A spot audit means you randomly check some deals to see if the process is being followed. Doing it regularly helps you catch problems early."}},{"startTime":2032.2,"endTime":2038.2,"type":"concept","title":"recon","url":"/glossary/recon","quote":"You can do a post-mortem or repost, do a post-mortem on recon. All these things to figure out where the problems are, then you just have to go back and retrain.","canonicalId":"concept:recon","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.85,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-5.4-nano","data":{"explanation":"“Recon” is short for reconditioning—the work done to prepare a used vehicle for sale (repairs, detailing, and inspection items). The transcript suggests doing post-mortems on recon to find where quality or process failures contribute to downstream problems like repo risk.","simplifiedExplanation":"“Recon” means getting a used car ready to sell. It can include repairs and inspections, and if it’s not done right, it can cause bigger problems later."}}],"speakers":[{"id":"s1","name":"Jeff Watson","role":"host"},{"id":"s2","name":"amp; Luke Godwin","role":"host"}],"transcripts":[{"url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/424-reducing-repos-with-gps-technology-what-independent-dealers-need-to-know/transcript.vtt","type":"text/vtt"}]}