How Toyota Thinks About Affordability, AI, and the Guest for Life with Marcus Williams
Thu Feb 05 2026
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Managing 76 dealerships and 11% of Toyota’s U.S. sales isn’t about control—it’s about trust, care, and showing up better every day.
Marcus Williams oversees Toyota’s Los Angeles Region—76 dealerships across Southern California representing 11% of Toyota’s total U.S. sales. That scale brings constant pressure, but Marcus’s approach stays remarkably grounded. His focus centers on leadership development, operational alignment, and making sure dealers are equipped to take care of guests across the entire ownership journey.
In this conversation, Marcus opens up about how Toyota thinks about affordability at the factory level, why captive finance and residual values matter more than most people realize, and how AI is already reshaping service and customer communication. He also shares his leadership philosophy rooted in Kaizen, care, and trust—and why consistent human connection still outperforms any tool or process when it comes to long-term success in automotive retail.
Timestamped Takeaways
0:00 Starting at Toyota’s 1-800 Line Changed How Marcus Leads
2:22 Why One Toyota Region Controls 11% of U.S. Sales
5:30 The Daily Conversations OEMs and Dealers Are Actually Having
6:57 Expanding the Dealer’s Role Beyond Selling the Car
9:04 Who Really Owns the Customer Relationship
9:56 How Toyota Builds Vehicles With Affordability in Mind
11:12 Why Toyota Is Investing in Its Own Battery Production
12:21 Using Residuals and Rates to Keep Payments Manageable
13:51 Care and Trust as the Foundation of Leadership
15:42 What It’s Like Managing 76 Dealerships at Once
17:01 How Dealers Should Be Using AI Right Now
19:46 What Makes a Speech Connect With People
Connect with Marcus Williams at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-williams-b3a1175/
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Send us a text Managing 76 dealerships and 11% of Toyota’s U.S. sales isn’t about control—it’s about trust, care, and showing up better every day. Marcus Williams oversees Toyota’s Los Angeles Region—76 dealerships across Southern California representing 11% of Toyota’s total U.S. sales. That scale brings constant pressure, but Marcus’s approach stays remarkably grounded. His focus centers on leadership development, operational alignment, and making sure dealers are equipped to take care of guests across the entire ownership journey. In this conversation, Marcus opens up about how Toyota thinks about affordability at the factory level, why captive finance and residual values matter more than most people realize, and how AI is already reshaping service and customer communication. He also shares his leadership philosophy rooted in Kaizen, care, and trust—and why consistent human connection still outperforms any tool or process when it comes to long-term success in automotive retail. Timestamped Takeaways 0:00 Starting at Toyota’s 1-800 Line Changed How Marcus Leads 2:22 Why One Toyota Region Controls 11% of U.S. Sales 5:30 The Daily Conversations OEMs and Dealers Are Actually Having 6:57 Expanding the Dealer’s Role Beyond Selling the Car 9:04 Who Really Owns the Customer Relationship 9:56 How Toyota Builds Vehicles With Affordability in Mind 11:12 Why Toyota Is Investing in Its Own Battery Production 12:21 Using Residuals and Rates to Keep Payments Manageable 13:51 Care and Trust as the Foundation of Leadership 15:42 What It’s Like Managing 76 Dealerships at Once 17:01 How Dealers Should Be Using AI Right Now 19:46 What Makes a Speech Connect With People Connect with Marcus Williams at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-williams-b3a1175/ ⭐️ Love the podcast? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your LinkedIn or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally! We have a daily email! https://www.asotu.com ✉️ Sign up for our free and fun-to-read daily email for a quick shot of relevant news in automotive retail, media, and pop culture. 🎧 Like and follow our other podcasts: Automotive State of the Union ASOTU CON Sessions