116. FWRD - The ART of Ai: How Dealers can learn, adapt, and prepare for the future with Sean Hartman from TOMA Ai
Thu Feb 05 2026
AI is everywhere in automotive right now, but not all “AI” is the same.
On this episode of FWRD, Corey Smith and Erick Jauregui sit down with Sean Hartman, VP of Sales at Toma, to talk about the practical side of AI for dealerships, especially in service and customer communications. Sean shares how dealers can avoid the hype, start with clear goals, and choose solutions that actually move the needle.
You’ll learn:
The simplest way to think about AI in a dealership: start with the use caseTwo common dealer scenarios where AI delivers fast wins (overwhelming call volume vs. repetitive BDC calls)How to spot real AI vs. advanced IVRThe “Art of AI” framework: Adoption, Resolution, TailoringWhat to ask vendors (learning over time, benchmarks, call-tree placement, integrations)Where the human touch still matters most (status calls, tough conversations, upset customers)What the next 3–5 years may bring: smarter, more dynamic workflows and communicationsIf you are exploring AI, this is a strong starting point to evaluate tools with clarity and confidence.
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AI is everywhere in automotive right now, but not all “AI” is the same. On this episode of FWRD, Corey Smith and Erick Jauregui sit down with Sean Hartman, VP of Sales at Toma, to talk about the practical side of AI for dealerships, especially in service and customer communications. Sean shares how dealers can avoid the hype, start with clear goals, and choose solutions that actually move the needle. You’ll learn: The simplest way to think about AI in a dealership: start with the use caseTwo common dealer scenarios where AI delivers fast wins (overwhelming call volume vs. repetitive BDC calls)How to spot real AI vs. advanced IVRThe “Art of AI” framework: Adoption, Resolution, TailoringWhat to ask vendors (learning over time, benchmarks, call-tree placement, integrations)Where the human touch still matters most (status calls, tough conversations, upset customers)What the next 3–5 years may bring: smarter, more dynamic workflows and communicationsIf you are exploring AI, this is a strong starting point to evaluate tools with clarity and confidence.