Start with the Big Picture — Tell Us About Your Store

• Briefly describe your rooftop or group — brands, size (units/year), and who ultimately signs deal rollouts.
• Who are the people we should expect to involve in this pilot from your side? Options: Dealer Principal / Owner, General Manager, Internet Sales Manager (ISM), BDC Manager, IT/Systems Admin, Finance Manager / F&I Director, Fixed Ops / Service Manager, Other
• What digital tools and systems are already in place at this rooftop (select all that apply)? Options: CDK, Dealertrack, Reynolds & Reynolds, DealerSocket, Vinsolutions, Salesforce, Dealer.com / Dealer Inspire, Current digital retailing vendor, None, Other
• Roughly how many retail opportunities (leads or walk-ins) does this rooftop generate per month? Options: Under 100, 100–300, 301–600, 601–1,200, 1,200+
• What are the top three internal priorities for your leadership team this year (e.g., margin, CSI, move-in time, growth)?

Are You Losing Customers Without Realizing It?

• How confident are you that your current online shopper experience creates incremental sales versus simply shifting showroom traffic? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Unsure, Not confident
• What percentage of closed deals in the last 12 months began their journey online (even if they finished in-store)? Options: Unknown, 0–10%, 11–25%, 26–50%, 51%+
• Tell us about a recent online lead that surprised you — either in quality or behavior. What stood out?
• How do you currently define and track a 'unique digital lead' versus a repeat/contact point? Options: CRM lead record, Analytics session ID, Phone call attribution, Third-party attribution, We don't have a clear definition, Other
• Which part of the online-to-showroom journey do you suspect causes the most drop-off (search, pricing, trade, credit, scheduling, salesperson handoff)? Options: Vehicle search/UX, Payment/price clarity, Trade valuation, Credit application, Appointment scheduling, BDC/hand-off process, Other

What’s the Real Cost of 'Too Much Friction'?

• On average, how long does a digitally-started customer spend in the showroom compared with a typical walk-in? Options: Less than half the time, About half the time, About the same, Longer than walk-ins, We don't track this
• How does F&I penetration and per-deal F&I revenue for digitally-started deals compare to walk-ins today? Options: Higher, About the same, Lower, We haven't measured
• Describe any compensation structures or commission rules that might be disrupted if deals are pre-structured online.
• Which operational steps add the biggest time-to-sale or create negotiation friction (select all that apply)? Options: Manual DMS desking, Manual trade appraisal process, Offline lender submissions, Paper credit applications, F&I menu not mapped, BDC handoffs, Other
• How does it feel to your sales team when an Internet start turns into a lengthy in-store process—frustrating, neutral, empowering? Options: Frustrating, Neutral, Empowering, Depends on the deal

If We Could Build Your Perfect Deal Flow, What Would Change?

• Imagine a digitally-started deal that arrives at your desk ready to close — what three things would make you call that a win?
• Which of these outcomes matter most to you for a pilot (pick up to three)? Options: Unique leads generated, Digital → showroom conversion rate, Reduction in time-in-store, F&I penetration on digital deals, Per-deal gross/profit, Customer satisfaction/CSI, BDC efficiency
• What are realistic numeric targets you’d accept for a 60–90 day rooftop pilot (e.g., X unique leads/month, Y% conversion uplift, Z minutes less time-in-store)?
• What parts of your current customer experience must remain unchanged for legal, brand, or compliance reasons?
• If we achieved those targets but a small group of salespeople resisted the change, how would you want to handle it?

Integration: The Make-or-Break Reality

• Which DMS and CRM power your rooftop and which of them have open APIs or partner integrations today? Options: CDK Global, Reynolds & Reynolds, Dealertrack, DealerSocket, VinSolutions, Salesforce, Other, Unsure / need IT input
• Do you have existing middleware or an integration partner (e.g., JENN/Apex, RouteOne, DealerBuilt) that we must work through? Options: Yes - middleware in place, Yes - integration partner, No, Unsure
• Are there any legal, security, or compliance constraints (credit consent, SSO, vendor firewalls) that would limit data access? Options: Credit consent restrictions, Firewall/VPN restrictions, Contractual vendor clauses, No constraints, Unsure / need IT
• How quickly could your IT team provide sandbox/API credentials, data mappings, and a test environment (typical lead time)? Options: Within 1 week, 1–2 weeks, 3–4 weeks, More than 4 weeks, Unknown
• Who will be the owner for data mapping and go‑live sign-off on your side (title/role)? Options: IT/Systems Admin, BDC Manager, General Manager, Third-party integrator, Other

People and Pay: Who Wins and Who Loses?

• If digitally-started deals shorten in-store time and shift pre-work to online, how do you expect that to affect salesperson compensation and morale?
• How are BDC/Internet leads currently credited and compensated (select all that apply)? Options: BDC owns lead until sale, Salesperson credited on delivery, Split credit model, No formal rule, Other
• Would you be open to a temporary incentive program for digitally-started deals during the pilot (e.g., bonus per closed digital start)? Options: Yes, Maybe — depending on terms, No
• Which roles must receive formal training before go-live to avoid execution errors? Options: BDC agents, Internet Sales Managers, Sales consultants, F&I managers, Finance/Accounting, Service advisors, Other
• Who has final approval authority for compensation changes or incentive trials? Options: Dealer Principal, General Manager, HR / Payroll, Group Compensation Committee, Other

Pilot Design — Let’s Make This Easy to Decide

• What are the non-negotiable commercial or data commitments you need from a vendor to run a pilot?
• Which pilot duration do you consider meaningful for decision-making? Options: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, Prefer guidance from vendor
• How many vehicles or customers would you like the pilot to include (select one)? Options: Small sample (10–20 deals), Moderate (21–50 deals), Large (51–100 deals), Open to vendor recommendation
• What reporting cadence do you want during the pilot to feel informed but not overloaded? Options: Daily digest, Weekly summary, Bi-weekly deep dive, Monthly review
• If the vendor suggests A/B tests (pricing display, trade messaging, F&I menu order), which areas are you most willing to experiment with? Options: Payment display, Trade valuation messaging, F&I presentation, Appointment scheduling flow, None / conservative

Show Me the Proof — Monitoring, Acceptance, and Decision Points

• What is a single, clear acceptance criterion that would make you say ‘pilot succeeded’?
• Which KPIs must be tracked and reported for acceptance (select all that apply)? Options: Unique digital leads, Digital → showroom conversion, Average time-in-store, F&I penetration per digital deal, Per-deal gross/profit, Customer NPS/CSI
• Who will review weekly pilot reports and who signs the final acceptance decision? Options: General Manager, Dealer Principal, Group Operations, IT Manager, Internet Sales Manager, Other
• How would you prefer issues to be raised and resolved during the pilot (channel and escalation path)? Options: Daily Slack/Teams channel, Weekly stand-up call, Email + ticketing system, On-site weekly review, Other
• If the pilot misses targets but shows promise in one area (e.g., leads up but F&I down), what decision framework should we use?

Commitment & Next Steps — What's a Realistic Path Forward?

• Are you willing to commit to a controlled rooftop pilot that may require temporary workflow changes to prove measurable gains? Options: Yes — ready now, Yes — need internal approvals, Maybe — need more info, Not at this time
• What internal approvals are required (legal, owner, finance) and what is the expected timing for those approvals?
• Who will be the day-to-day point of contact for coordination, and who is the executive sponsor? Options: Internet Sales Manager, BDC Manager, General Manager, Dealer Principal, IT Manager, Other
• What are realistic calendar windows for a 2–3 week integration period and a 60–90 day pilot start?
• What's the single biggest reason you might pause before launching a pilot, and what would remove that barrier?

• Solution Experience — Prep: Data, Roles & One‑Sentence Current State
• Current State Mapping Workshop
• Future State Definition — Outcomes, KPIs & Acceptance
• Real Deal Walkthrough — Live End‑to‑End (Digitally‑Started Deal)
• Validation, Pilot Readiness & Pilot Parameters Decision

• CustomerNode to produce a gap list with owner and ETA for each integration/config issue found during the walkthrough.
• Present proposed one-sentence Future State
• Agree a concise Future State sentence that defines the operational improvement.
• Lock in measurable KPIs and numeric acceptance thresholds for the rooftop pilot.
• Assign owners for metric collection, reporting, and pilot signoff.
• Document the Future State sentence and distribute for stakeholder signoff.
• Finalize KPI definitions, targets, and the pilot acceptance checklist.
• Assign and confirm the metric owners and schedule the reporting cadence.
• Recap Current State, Consequence & Future State
• Demonstrate proof that the platform achieves the defined Future State for at least one live scenario.
• Obtain explicit validation from dealer SMEs for each step that it addresses the stated problem.
• Produce a prioritized list of integration/configuration gaps and workflow changes needed for pilot readiness.
• Introductions & Outcome of this meeting
• Dealer to confirm any required compensation or workflow policy changes to handle digitally‑started deals.
• Agree on final platform configuration changes and schedule for implementation before pilot.
• Review Key Findings & Proof Points
• Achieve explicit go/no‑go signoff for pilot readiness or a clear remediation plan with dates.
• Lock the pilot scope, rooftop config, KPI targets, and reporting cadence.
• Confirm training and change management plan owners and timeline.
• Finalize and sign the pilot acceptance checklist with named signatories.
• Schedule the technical integration window (2–3 weeks) and assign technical leads.
• Set training dates and owner for BDC/sales workflows prior to pilot go‑live.
• Establish the first pilot performance report date and designated recipients.
• Produce a clear one-sentence Current State statement signed by dealer SMEs.
• Document quantified consequence metrics needed for the experience.
• Obtain commitments for data, test access, and named stakeholders.
• Agree on 1–3 live deal scenarios to be used in the walkthrough.
• Dealer to deliver sample DMS/CRM/inventory extracts and historical metrics (conversion, time-in-store, F&I rates).
• CustomerNode to provide test API access instructions and data format requirements.
• Named decision owner to confirm acceptance criteria owners and signoff process.
• Confirm scheduled date/time for the live walkthrough and attendees.
• Read-back the one-sentence Current State
• Create a validated, step-by-step current process map with named owners for each step.
• List top failure modes and attach numeric consequences to each (e.g., X lost deals/month).
• Identify integration and comp-model constraints that must be respected in the future state.
• Produce a documented process map and circulate to participants for signoff.
• Prepare a short list of the top 5 failure modes with supporting metrics.
• IT to confirm technical constraints (DMS fields, CRM API limits, lender interfaces) in writing.
• Review Open Gaps, Risks & Mitigations
• Live Scenario Setup
• Create the one-sentence Current State
• Map Future Flow to Eliminate Specific Breakpoints
• Stepwise Process Walkthrough (Lead → Deal)
• End‑to‑End Execution — Customer Journey
• Confirm Pilot Parameters and Acceptance Checklist
• Identify Breakpoints & Failure Modes
• Define Pilot KPIs and Numeric Targets
• Surface the Consequence
• Acceptance Criteria & Decision Rules
• Data & Access Checklist
• Tieback & Validation Pauses
• Training & Workflow Enablement Plan
• Quantify Consequences
• Go/No‑Go Signoff & Next Steps
• Stakeholder RACI and Decision Criteria
• Identify Measurement Owners & Reporting Cadence
• Exercise Exception Paths
• Integration & Compensation Constraints
• Capture Configuration Gaps & Workflow Changes
• Select Live Deal Scenarios & Personas

• DMS Inventory Feed Integration
• CRM Lead Sync and Field Mapping
• Lender Rate and Real‑Time Decision Integration
• Real‑Time Payment Calculator Deployment
• Trade‑in Valuation Engine Activation
• Credit Application Soft‑Pull Enablement
• F&I Menu Mapping and Digital Presentation
• Online Deal Structuring and Desking Engine
• Checkout and Reservation (Deposit) Processing
• Digital Deal Summary and Contract PDF Generation
• Sales Team Enablement Training for Digital Deals
• BDC Response Template Deployment
• Performance Analytics Dashboard Activation
• A/B Test Variant Deployment for Pricing and UI

DMS Inventory Feed Integration

• Which DMS vendor(s) do you use on the pilot rooftop? Options: CDK, Dealertrack, Reynolds & Reynolds, Auto/Mate, Other
• Do you currently expose an inventory feed for third-party integrations? Options: Yes - API (REST/SOAP), Yes - Scheduled CSV/XML export, No, but can enable, No / not available
• Which inventory fields must be included in the feed (VIN, stock#, price, mileage, photos, options)? List any mandatory fields.
• What is your required update cadence for inventory (real-time, hourly, daily)? Options: Real-time / push, Every 15 minutes, Hourly, Daily, Other
• Are photos, option packages, and condition notes available at VIN level in the feed? Options: Yes - full media and options, Partial (photos only), No
• Who is the technical owner for DMS access and approvals (name/role/contact)?

CRM Lead Sync and Field Mapping

• Which CRM(s) will receive leads from the platform on the pilot rooftop? Options: DealerSocket, Dealertrack CRM, VinSolutions, CDK CRM, Other / Custom
• Do you require real-time lead push (webhook/API) or scheduled batch sync? Options: Real-time push, Near real-time (polling), Scheduled batch (e.g., every 15/60 min), One-time CSV export
• Which lead fields must be mapped to your CRM (name, phone, email, VIN, offer, payment, lead source)? Specify any required custom fields.
• What deduplication or lead matching rules should apply (match on phone, email, VIN)? Options: Match by phone, Match by email, Match by VIN, No dedupe - create new lead, Custom rules
• Do you need lead status/workflow automation created in the CRM (e.g., Digitally Started → Appointment Set)? Options: Yes, No
• Who will own CRM mapping approvals and testing on the dealer side (name/role)?

Lender Rate and Real‑Time Decision Integration

• Which lender types do you want integrated for real-time rates/decisions on pilot (captive, bank, credit union, finance companies)? Options: Captive (e.g., Toyota, Ford), Banks / Finance Companies, Local Credit Unions, Buy Here Pay Here / Subprime, Other
• Do you require real-time credit decisioning (instant soft pre-qual) or rate lookup only? Options: Real-time decisioning (soft pull), Rate/look-up only, Manual lender submission
• How are lender integrations currently handled (SFTP, API, portal access, aggregator)? Options: Direct API, Aggregator (e.g., RouteOne), SFTP/Batch, Manual portal access, Unknown
• What customer data fields will be provided to lenders for decisions (SSN last4, DOB, income, address)?
• Are there state-specific lender restrictions or compliance requirements we should know about? Options: Yes, No
• Who signs off on lender integrations and will coordinate test credentials?

Real‑Time Payment Calculator Deployment

• Which inputs should the calculator expose to customers (price, tax, fees, trade, down payment, term, APR)? Options: Price, Tax, Dealer Fees, Trade-in, Down Payment, Term, APR/Rate, Rebates/Incentives
• Should the calculator display multiple payment scenarios (term and down payment variants) or a single recommended payment? Options: Multiple scenarios, Single recommended payment, Both
• Are there pricing guardrails or minimum margins required to protect profitability? Options: Yes - fixed margin %, Yes - fixed dollar floor, No guardrails
• Do payments need to match the DMS/desking output exactly for acceptance (tolerance threshold $/%)? Options: Exact match required, Within $10, Within $50, Within %
• Do you require taxes and registration to be estimated by ZIP code or calculated from DMS? Options: ZIP code estimate, DMS-calculated, Provided by dealer tax table
• Who will approve payment rule logic and test cases on the dealer side?

Trade‑in Valuation Engine Activation

• Do you have a preferred trade valuation provider to activate (KBB, NADA, Black Book, proprietary)? Options: KBB, NADA, Black Book, Proprietary/Dealer appraisal, None - need recommendation
• Should trade valuation be shown as an instant online estimate, or a conditional offer requiring appraisal? Options: Instant estimate only, Conditional offer requiring appraisal, Instant + conditional appraisal
• Do you want trade adjustments based on condition or reconditioning costs to be visible to customers? Options: Yes - adjustments visible, Yes - internal only, No
• Do trade values need to sync to the DMS as pending trades with VIN reference? Options: Yes, No
• Are photos and vehicle history reports required as part of the trade flow? Options: Yes - photos & history, Photos only, No
• What acceptance criteria define a successful trade integration (e.g., VIN match rate, valuation variance)?

Credit Application Soft‑Pull Enablement

• Will you enable soft-pull prequalification (no hard inquiry) on the pilot? Options: Yes - soft only, Yes - soft then hard with consent, No - full application only
• Which data fields are required to complete the soft-pull application (SSN last4, full SSN, DOB, income)?
• Which soft-pull provider or aggregator will be used (RouteOne, Dealertrack, other)? Options: RouteOne, Dealertrack, Aggregator - Other, Direct to lender, Not yet decided
• What consent and disclosure wording must appear prior to the soft-pull in your state(s)? Options: Use our legal copy, Use platform standard copy, Requires custom legal review
• What SLA do you require for prequalification responses (seconds, minutes)? Options: <5 seconds, <30 seconds, <5 minutes, No SLA
• Who will handle privacy/compliance sign-off (legal/GM/IT)?

F&I Menu Mapping and Digital Presentation

• Do you have a digital F&I menu file to import (CSV, XML, DMS export)? Options: Yes - CSV/XML, Yes - DMS export, No - need creation
• Which F&I products must be available by lender or by vehicle (GAP, service contract, appearance, prepaid maintenance)? Options: GAP, Service Contract, Appearance, Prepaid Maintenance, Tire/Wheel, Other
• Should product pricing be static, percentage-based, or based on lender rules? Options: Static price, Percentage of sale, Lender-specific rules, Hybrid
• Do you require product descriptions, images, and disclosures visible to consumers? Options: Yes - full descriptions & images, Short descriptions only, No
• Do F&I selections need to map back to the DMS for contract printing and revenue posting? Options: Yes - full mapping required, Optional mapping, No
• Who will review and approve the F&I menu mapping and legal disclosures?

Online Deal Structuring and Desking Engine

• Which deal types must be supported in desking (cash, finance, lease)? Options: Cash, Finance, Lease
• What desking rules need to be enforced (reserve, reserve splits, front/back gross, doc fees, incentives)?
• Does the dealer require overrides, manager approval steps, or audit trails for edits? Options: Manager approval required, Audit trail only, No approval required
• Should the desk push finalized deals to the DMS with a specific transaction format or fields? Options: Yes - specific DMS mapping, Yes - generic export, No push required
• Are incentives and manufacturer programs to be applied automatically or manually? Options: Automatic application, Manual selection, Hybrid / conditional
• What are the acceptance criteria for a successful deal export (field completeness, error rate threshold)?

Checkout and Reservation (Deposit) Processing

• Which payment methods should be accepted for deposits (card, ACH, third-party wallets)? Options: Credit/Debit Card, ACH, PayPal/Wallet, Other
• Do you have a preferred payment gateway or merchant account? Options: Stripe, Adyen, Authorize.net, Vantiv/Worldpay, Use dealer processor, Need recommendation
• What deposit/refund policy should be enforced (amount, refundable/non-refundable, timeout)?
• Is PCI compliance handled by the dealer or should the platform manage tokenization? Options: Dealer handles PCI, Platform handles tokenization, Unsure
• Do you require invoice/receipt generation tied to deposit transactions and stored in DMS/CRM? Options: Yes - store in DMS, Yes - store in CRM, No
• Who will provide merchant account credentials and sign documentation for payment processing?

Digital Deal Summary and Contract PDF Generation

• Do you require templated deal summaries and fully populated contract PDFs per state? Options: Yes - state-specific templates, Yes - generic template, No
• Which e-signature provider do you prefer (DocuSign, AdobeSign, other) or will you use DMS signing? Options: DocuSign, AdobeSign, DMS e-sign, Other, No e-signature
• Should generated PDFs be stored back into the DMS, CRM, and platform records? Options: DMS, CRM, Platform only, All three
• Are there specific disclosures or state-required language that must be included in the PDF? Options: Yes - provide text, No - use platform defaults
• What acceptance criteria define a correct contract PDF (field completeness, legal sign-off)?
• Who will approve contract templates and coordinate e-signature testing?

• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Pilot Agreement / Addendum
• Commercial Terms & Pricing Schedule
• Data Processing & Access Agreement (DPA)
• Integration & Technical Access Authorization
• Success Metrics & Acceptance Criteria Annex
• Pilot Governance & Escalation Plan
• Sales Compensation & Workflow Impact Agreement
• Change Order & Scope Modification
• Termination & Exit Plan
• Billing Authorization & Payment Method
• Publicity & Reference Consent

• Pilot Performance Review — Executive
• Operational Validation — Sales & BDC
• Technical & Data Review — IT & Integrations
• Learnings & Enhancements Workshop — Product, Ops & Customer
• Rollout Planning & Commercial Agreement

• Create the prioritized enhancement backlog in the agreed tracking channel and assign owners and target dates.
• Confirm that the digitally‑started deal workflow delivers the intended future state in practice, not just in theory.
• Surface and document operational gaps and immediate process changes required before rollout.
• Assign owners and schedule training to address identified skill or script gaps.
• Update BDC and sales scripts and handoff checklist to reflect validated process changes.
• Schedule and run a role‑play training session for BDC and sales within two weeks.
• Document 3 representative pilot deals as case studies for onboarding/training materials.
• Current Integration Health Snapshot
• Confirm technical readiness and data integrity for scaling beyond the pilot or define required fixes before rollout.
• Agree on prioritized defect list, owners, and SLAs for remediation with clear timelines.
• Validate tracking and attribution so leadership can trust the reported pilot metrics.
• Create a prioritized technical defect list with owners, target fix dates, and verification steps.
• Implement analytics event fixes and run an integrity check on historical pilot data.
• Schedule a technical re‑signoff meeting after fixes are completed (target within 2 weeks).
• Synthesis of Top Pilot Learnings
• Capture a complete, prioritized enhancement backlog with acceptance criteria and owners.
• Agree on a shared channel and governance for issues and enhancement requests to enable transparent tracking.
• Define validation plans so each change has measurable success criteria post‑release.
• Opening & Objectives
• Set up the shared communication channel and the triage cadence (weekly or biweekly).
• Draft A/B test plans or pilot extension scopes for the top 2 enhancements and schedule execution.
• Confirm Decision Rationale
• Secure agreement on commercial terms and the phased rollout plan aligned to pilot learnings.
• Confirm resource commitments, training plan, and support model for the rollout.
• Document risk mitigations and assign owners for each identified risk area.
• Execute contract amendment or PO reflecting agreed commercial terms and pilot credits, if any.
• Publish a detailed rollout schedule with wave owners, technical windows, and training dates.
• Create a launch playbook that includes rollback criteria, escalation paths, and a 30/60/90 day post‑roll metrics review cadence.
• Ensure executive alignment on whether pilot results meet the agreed success criteria and business expectations.
• Secure a clear decision (rollout, extend, or iterate) with named owners and timeline.
• Surface any commercial or compensation issues that must be resolved before rollout.
• Produce a one‑page executive summary with KPIs, financial impact, and recommended decision for distribution to stakeholders.
• If approved to roll, issue a target rollout timeline and assign a rollout lead and executive sponsor.
• If conditional or pause decision, list gating requirements and deadlines for follow-up decision.
• Pre‑work & Expectations
• Data Flow Verification (DMS, Inventory, CRM, Lenders, F&I Menu)
• One‑Sentence Current Operational State
• Commercial Terms & Pricing Adjustments
• Capture & Clarify Enhancement Requests
• One‑Sentence Current State (Pilot Summary)
• Prioritization Exercise (Impact / Cost / Urgency)
• Rollout Phasing & Timeline
• Metrics Dashboard Walkthrough
• Live Walkthrough: Representative Digitally‑Started Deal(s)
• Error Log & Incident Triage
• Consequence & ROI Analysis
• Analytics, Attribution & Event Tracking
• Define Success Criteria & Validation Plan for Top Items
• Metrics by Workflow & Handoff Quality
• Resource, Training & Support Plan
• Security, Access, & Risk Controls
• Frontline Feedback & Customer Sentiment
• Risk Mitigation & Change Management
• Shared Channel & Governance Setup
• Future State Recommendation
• Decision & Criteria Confirmation
• Fix Plan, Ownership & SLA
• Release & Testing Schedule
• Issues, Workarounds, and Quick Wins
• Sign‑offs, Contracting & Next Milestones