CDK held its CONNECT Live summit May 19021 in Nashville. The three-day event was focused on advancing parts, service and overall dealership performance, the company says, with heavy truck dealership leaders, OEM partners and industry leaders.
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The event delivered a heavy truck experience with hands-on workshops and breakout sessions designed to improve shop productivity, streamline operations and drive stronger financial outcomes. Attendees went to networking sessions and workshops that delivered practical applications helping dealers connect data, workflows and tools to improve performance.
CDK Chief Marketing Officer Barb Edson, left, and CEO Brian MacDonald, host a leadership Q&A session.
Some of the more than 50 workshops included:
- Sessions on accounts receivable, real-time cashflow visibility and customer data platform capabilities to show how integrated data and reporting support faster, more informed decision making.
- Parts operations attendees went to workshops on modern inventory workflows and CRM-driven strategies to increase efficiency and drive revenue growth.
- For service operations, CDK CONNECT Live held sessions on AI-powered scheduling, mobile check-in and enhancing efficiency and the customer's experience.
- Several workshops highlighted the power of CDK to manage documents, including leveraging AI to process documents and drive efficiency and confidence in audit trails.
- Lastly, sessions showed attendees how to improve accuracy, streamline procurement and strengthen financial performance.
Futurist Jonathan Brill and keynote speaker Sanjay Almeida, chief product officer at CDK, talked about the importance of integrated technology and data in shaping the next generation of dealer performance. Attendees could also ask questions directly to CDK CEO Brian MacDonald and CMO Barb Edson. Dedicated breakout seasons offered insights into OEM product updates, strategic priorities and partnership opportunities.
ATD President David Bell and CDK Vice President of Market Intelligence Justin Falk presented the Heavy Truck State of the Industry Report and Panel, which investigated market conditions, policy impacts, labor and the impact of technology.
