Welcome to AM Innovation Week 2026, where over the next five days we will unpack the technologies reshaping automotive retail and ask the question that matters most to dealers: what is genuinely in it for your business?
Dealerships are surrounded by promises about artificial intelligence, automation, connected data and digital retailing.
Yet buying more dealership technology does not automatically create a more efficient or profitable business. In fact, another disconnected platform can add cost, duplicate work and make the customer journey more complicated.
That is why AM Innovation Week will focus on evidence rather than hype and explore where technology is reducing costs, accelerating stock turn, improving conversion and retention, and creating additional revenue – while also examining where investment risks adding complexity without delivering a measurable return.
Building an effective dealership tech stack
Day 1 focuses on driving the advancement of motor retail and the foundations dealerships need to compete effectively.
Debbie Kirlew examines what a modern dealership technology stack should contain and, crucially, how its different components should work together.
The feature shows how Hilton Garage has used iVendi’s Finance Navigator to increase its finance approval rate from around 50% to almost 85%. Around three-quarters of accepted customers now progress to payout, while buyers can complete more of the finance journey online.
Using automation to manage enquiry volumes
It also considers how connected CRM and marketing technology can help retailers manage rising enquiry volumes. TekCor4 recorded a 19% year-on-year increase in enquiries generated by more than seven million messages sent for retailers during the first half of 2026.
We also look at the “integration gap” created when employees must manually hold disconnected dealership systems together.
Nexbotix’s chief Chris Porter says the typical dealer group operates between seven and 10 platforms and discusses how the business’ work with dealerships such as Arnold Clark has automated the processing of 200,000 invoices a year, removing 8,500 hours of manual work.
Day 1 also asks whether dealers’ widespread use of the same market intelligence and pricing signals could lead them towards the same stock and the same decisions. The competitive advantage may no longer come from simply possessing the data, but from combining it with retailers’ own customer insight and acting on it faster.
Better data can unlock more bookings
In our accompanying executive interview, Autoflows partner Marc Bauer explains how improving data quality could unlock 20% more aftersales bookings.
His message is simple: AI delivers the greatest value when it is connected to accurate data, the dealer management system, workshop availability and pricing – and can complete a customer booking rather than merely answer an enquiry.
Register for AM’s Innovation Week webinar
This issue will be explored further during AM’s free webinar, Identifying the innovations that count, at 2pm on Thursday, 24 September.
Our expert panel will examine how dealership leaders can distinguish technology that produces a meaningful return from tools that merely add another layer to an already crowded technology stack.
Reserve your place for the AM Innovation Week webinar now and follow AM throughout Innovation Week as we examine innovation in marketing, sales, aftersales and dealership culture.