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

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.