"8 Hours To 2 Minutes" — The Response Time Fix That Sold More Cars Across 100 Dealerships | Paul de Vries, Founder DCDW
About this episode
Paul de Vries, founder of DCDW, argues that faster lead response creates more real conversations—and that those dialogues, not AI chatbots, drive appointments and sales. He breaks down his “speed to connection” system into six steps: speed, scripting/training, prioritizing the salesperson over BDC automation, a data layer, “inspect what you expect,” and ongoing coaching. He shares results from cutting an OEM response window from hours to minutes across 100 dealerships, plus insights on Europe’s EV retail shift back toward dealer models. The episode blends practical call-handling strategy with a human-first stance on AI.
Is your dealership struggling to convert online leads into showroom appointments? You’re not alone. Many automotive professionals focus on getting leads, but miss the critical step of engaging them effectively to drive sales.
Here’s what you’ll get from this episode:
- Implement Paul de Vries’ 6-step lead-handling process to increase appointments.**
- Understand the crucial role of speed and human connection in online lead conversion.**
- Learn how to best integrate AI to support, not replace, human sales efforts.**
- Discover how to build a team that excels at lead follow-up and customer engagement.**
Paul de Vries, founder of the Digital Car Dealer Workshop and BDC co-owner, shares his proven methodology for dramatically improving lead response times and, most importantly, turning those leads into sales.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
03:27 AI vs Human Connection
06:22 Six Steps to Better Calls
09:49 Speed to Contact Results
11:05 Hiring and Coaching BDC Teams
12:36 EVs and Chinese Brands in Europe
15:03 Wrap Up
digital car dealer workshop
"You are the founder of the digital car dealer workshop. I've had the privilege. I consider it truly a privilege to have come to Holland and to Belgium to speak at your events."
Paul DeVries runs a business that helps car dealers use better online tools and systems. The goal is to help dealers respond to shoppers faster and sell more cars.
“Digital car dealer workshop” refers to Paul DeVries’ company focused on helping dealerships improve how they operate and sell cars using digital tools and processes. In this episode, it’s the foundation for the “response time” strategy they discuss later.
DCDW
"You are the founder of the digital car dealer workshop. I've had the privilege. I consider it truly a privilege to have come to Holland and to Belgium to speak at your events."
DCDW is the short name for Paul De Vries’ dealership-focused digital workshop. It’s basically the company behind the ideas they’re sharing about improving how dealers work.
DCDW is the acronym for Paul De Vries’ digital car dealer workshop. It’s mentioned as the brand/company behind the dealership-focused training and digital workflow improvements discussed in the podcast.
Ford Ranger
"...es not look like a star. Oh my gosh. Like a Texas Ranger, right? Oh my gosh. So there you go. That is a S..."
The Ford Ranger is a pickup truck, meaning it has a cargo bed in the back for hauling things. It’s designed to be useful for work or chores while still being easier to drive than bigger trucks. It might be mentioned because it’s a common choice for people who want truck capability.
The Ford Ranger is a mid-size pickup truck built for everyday driving and practical work use. It’s often discussed because it balances truck capability with more manageable size than full-size pickups, making it popular for buyers who need hauling or towing ability without a large vehicle. In a podcast, it may come up when talking about trim names, branding, or what kind of truck a dealership is targeting.
lead handling
"...you have a tremendous amount of data on lead handling and call handling and speedy response. And I know, I know, let's get this out of the way. Everyone's talking about AI."
Lead handling is what a car dealership does after someone shows interest. It includes answering quickly, following up, and guiding the customer toward buying.
Lead handling is how a dealership manages incoming customer inquiries—typically from the moment a lead is captured through follow-up and conversion. It’s closely tied to response time, call/text routing, and making sure the customer gets the right next step quickly.
speedy response
"...lead handling and call handling and speedy response. And I know, I know, let's get this out of the way."
Speedy response is the idea that dealerships should contact leads immediately to improve conversion rates. The underlying concept is that customer intent decays quickly, so faster follow-up increases the chance of reaching the buyer while they’re still interested.
AI
"...Everyone's talking about AI. What I like about your position, though, is this idea of speeding up human connection."
AI is computer software that can help respond to customers and handle repetitive tasks. The point here is to use it to move things along faster, but not replace the human when it matters.
AI (artificial intelligence) is being used in dealership workflows to assist with tasks like answering questions, triaging leads, and automating follow-ups. The discussion here focuses on using AI to speed up early steps while still involving humans for complex conversations.
human connection
"What I like about your position, though, is this idea of speeding up human connection... The human thing, the human touch still works... cannot do that through AI."
Human connection means talking to a real person, not just a chatbot. The speaker believes that real conversations help solve problems and build trust.
Human connection refers to the value of real conversations with a salesperson or service advisor during the buying process. The speaker argues that some problems and negotiations require empathy, judgment, and ongoing dialogue that AI can’t fully replicate.
data privacy
"Responsibly is more about data, about privacy, but to work it on lead handling skills..."
Data privacy means protecting customers’ personal information. If you’re using AI or automation, you have to be careful about how customer data is collected and used.
Data privacy is the handling and protection of customer information—especially important when using AI tools that process personal data. In lead response systems, privacy affects what data can be stored, shared, and used for automation.
handoff to a real human
"...AI can do that perfectly. But if you have an hand razor after that, they react... then I need a real human to be interacted with that person."
A handoff to a real human means the chatbot or automated messages eventually connect the customer to a salesperson. The goal is to use automation for speed, but still get real help when it counts.
A handoff to a real human is the operational step where automated systems (AI/text/email) transfer the lead to a salesperson once the customer needs real-time judgment or a deeper conversation. The speaker’s point is that AI can handle early tasks, but humans must take over for meaningful interaction.
"...they react to the email message through AI or WhatsApp or text, then I need a real human to be interacted with that person."
WhatsApp is a phone messaging app. Some dealerships use it to message interested customers quickly.
WhatsApp is a messaging app that some dealerships use to communicate with leads via text-like conversations. In lead response strategies, it’s often used for quick, low-friction follow-up before handing off to a salesperson.
six steps
"You have a series of steps that you teach that make the perfect call handling. Is it 12? 12 steps? Six. Six steps. And do you know why? Why are there six steps?"
They’re talking about a simple, repeatable checklist of steps for handling leads. The goal is to make sure every call follows the same winning process.
The speaker outlines a structured “six steps” process for handling leads and calls. It’s presented as a repeatable sales workflow that improves consistency across dealers.
scripting
"I don't think so because the first step is speed. The second step is helping the dealer with scripting, so training."
Scripting means having a planned way to talk to customers on the phone. It helps the salesperson ask the right questions and keep the call moving.
Scripting refers to using prepared talk tracks and questions during calls to guide the conversation. In lead handling, good scripts help reps ask the right questions and move toward an appointment efficiently.
inspect what you expect
"Step five is inspect what you expect. So as a basketball coach, you have four quarters and four timeouts. If you don't know the score, you cannot change the techniques."
It means you have to check the results you’re trying to get. If you don’t look at what’s happening, you can’t improve it.
“Inspect what you expect” means you can’t manage outcomes unless you measure the right things. The analogy is that you need the current score to adjust your strategy during a game.
six percent rule
"So I have to know the steps in the six percent rule where I'm at. And step six is coaching."
They mention a “six percent rule” as a guideline for tracking progress. The idea is that where you are in the process matters, and you should know it so you can act.
The “six percent rule” is referenced as a way to determine where you are in the process based on measured progress. In sales/lead handling contexts, it typically implies that small timing/engagement differences can strongly affect outcomes.
response time
"Okay. I know you in one way as being the one that took what a 12 and a half hour response time average to two minutes or something like that. Eight hours and 20 minutes with an OEM Toyota to two minutes and 30 seconds on 60,000 leads and 100 dealerships."
They’re talking about how fast a dealership gets back to someone who shows interest in a car. The quicker they respond, the more likely they are to start a real conversation and sell the car.
The episode is focused on how quickly a dealership responds to new leads. In sales, faster response times often lead to more conversations, which can translate into more vehicle sales.
60,000 leads
"Eight hours and 20 minutes with an OEM Toyota to two minutes and 30 seconds on 60,000 leads and 100 dealerships. What happened as a direct result of speeding up the connection?"
They mention “60,000 leads” to show this wasn’t a tiny experiment. It’s a big number of customer inquiries, which makes the results more meaningful.
The speaker uses “60,000 leads” as a scale indicator for the response-time improvement results. It frames the strategy as tested on a large volume of inquiries across many dealerships.
100 dealerships
"Eight hours and 20 minutes with an OEM Toyota to two minutes and 30 seconds on 60,000 leads and 100 dealerships. What happened as a direct result of speeding up the connection?"
They say it worked across “100 dealerships,” meaning it wasn’t just one dealer trying something new. That suggests the approach could be used in many places.
“100 dealerships” indicates the response-time and lead-handling approach was rolled out broadly rather than confined to one store. This supports the claim that the method scales across dealer locations.
lead follow-up
"But if you train your salespeople to follow up leads online leads for sure, they will follow up trafficking your showroom or proposes did not buy the same day to follow up those leads also actually better."
Lead follow-up is what you do after someone shows interest, like calling or messaging them again later. The idea is that good follow-up turns “not today” into “maybe later,” which can lead to more sales.
Lead follow-up is the process of contacting and nurturing prospective buyers after the initial inquiry. The speaker argues that training salespeople to follow up leads online—and even when customers don’t buy the same day—improves sales outcomes.
online leads
"And if you don't better do the process, but you have more dialogues, you still sell more cars because you have more dialogues. But in salesperson, not a BDC because a BDC is like an heroin that makes your life better for one second and then is worse. Yeah. But if you train your salespeople to follow up leads online leads for sure, they will follow up trafficking your showroom or proposes did not buy the same day to follow up those leads also actually better."
Online leads are customer inquiries generated through digital channels (like websites, ads, or forms) that dealerships can track. The speaker emphasizes that online leads are measurable—cost and return on investment—making them easier to manage and optimize.
ROI
"And the online lead and that's why I'm loving online leads is the only lead you know what it costs when it came in and what return on investment was. Be better at it."
ROI (Return on Investment) measures how much profit or value you get compared to what you spend. The speaker highlights that online leads come with clear cost and ROI visibility, which helps dealerships decide where to focus.
BDC
"No, for a special, we have our own BDC. I'm the co-owner of a BDC where we have about 70 people. And that's a lot and fire fast."
A BDC is a team that works leads for a dealership. They contact people who might buy a car and help set up the next step, like a test drive.
BDC stands for Business Development Center. In dealerships, a BDC team handles lead management—calling, texting, and scheduling prospects—so sales reps can focus on appointments and closing.
EV
"When I was in Europe last, you shared that there are, I want to say 30 EV. Oh, yeah."
EV means an electric car. The conversation is about how electric cars are being sold and promoted differently in different regions.
EV means electric vehicle. The segment discusses how EV adoption and sales strategies differ between Europe and America, including how brands market and distribute EVs.
boycotting an EV
"First of all, boycotting an EV like you are doing here is not making you better. So that's something you have to reorganize or rethink that an electric car, if the market is demanding for it, you should sell it."
“Boycotting an EV” here refers to discouraging or refusing to sell electric vehicles rather than meeting customer demand. The speaker argues that if the market wants EVs, dealers/brands should sell them instead of trying to block them.
online first models
"They have direct to consumer models. They have online first models. They are having do it by myself models."
Online-first models emphasize digital shopping and lead capture before a customer ever visits a dealership. The segment frames this as part of the direct-to-consumer approach used by some Chinese EV brands.
dealer model
"In the end now, after three years in the market, most of the brands are like this. And most of the brands are returning to the dealer model because that's the only model which actually works."
The dealer model is the normal way most cars are sold: a local dealership sells the car for the brand. The claim is that it’s the approach that reliably helps brands sell more cars.
The dealer model is the traditional retail setup where brands sell through franchised dealers that manage inventory, customer service, and sales. The speaker argues that after early experimentation, most brands return to this model because it “actually works” for scaling sales.
MG
"So the brands are doing good, BID, MG, for example, the OEMs, which are working with the dealers."
MG is a car brand. Here it’s mentioned as one of the brands that works with dealerships instead of trying to sell only through its own direct channels.
MG is an automotive brand known for offering value-oriented vehicles, including EVs, in multiple global markets. In this segment, MG is mentioned as an example of OEMs working with dealers rather than fully bypassing them.
BID
"So the brands are doing good, BID, MG, for example, the OEMs, which are working with the dealers."
This sounds like a misspelling of BYD, a big Chinese EV brand. The point is that BYD is working with dealerships rather than only selling directly.
“BID” appears to be a transcription error for BYD, the Chinese automaker that’s a major EV and plug-in hybrid player. The context groups it with MG and OEMs working with dealers, implying BYD is using a dealer-supported approach in some markets.
rethink the regulation that we have around EVs
"So we need to rethink the regulation that we have around EVs. Hold on. I just have to point out, Tom Cruise."
This refers to policy and regulatory frameworks affecting how EVs are sold, marketed, or distributed. The speaker suggests current rules may be slowing adoption or creating friction, and that changes could improve EV sales outcomes.
32 different countries
"And what a lot of Americans thinks that Europe is one, it's actually 32 different countries with more than 40 languages, with more than 50 cultures."
The speaker emphasizes that “Europe” is not one uniform market—there are many countries with different cultures and languages. For EV sales and dealer operations, this matters because marketing, compliance, and customer expectations vary by country.
Germany
"And we will start with Germany, which actually are seven different cultures in one country to go there deeper. And it's our neighbor. We are culturally fit with the Germans."
Germany is where they plan to start expanding in Europe. It’s a big, important car market, so doing well there can be a good sign for the rest of Europe.
Germany is singled out as the starting point for expansion. In automotive retail, Germany is a major market with established dealer networks and strong EV infrastructure, so it’s often used as a benchmark for European rollout strategies.
market share
"[894.16s] We are the obnoxious, the little brother who knows it better. And to gain more market share there."
Market share just means how much of the business in an area you’re winning compared to other sellers. If you gain market share, you’re selling more than competitors.
Market share is the percentage of total sales in a market that a company (or dealership group) captures. The phrase “gain more market share” typically means improving sales volume relative to competitors through better lead response, marketing, or customer experience.
"[917.7s] the coffee machine of automotive, especially in the Netherlands, is LinkedIn. I know for a fact that [923.5s] we talked 12 years ago, 15 years ago about that, that topic why it's so important for us."
LinkedIn is a website/app for professional networking. People use it to connect with businesses, share updates, and find customers or partners.
LinkedIn is a professional social network where dealerships and automotive vendors can build relationships, generate leads, and recruit talent. In sales-focused discussions like this, it’s often used to reach decision-makers and establish credibility over time.
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