Derek Simonds
Derek Simonds, Executive Vice President, Automotive at Numa will be hosting an insightful session at Digital Dealer Conference & Expo 2025! The 25-minute talk is titled “The Silent Revolution: How AI Agents Are Redefining Service at Automotive Dealerships.”
In the world of automotive dealerships, service is everything—but it’s also where everything breaks down. Missed calls. Unreturned voicemails. Long hold times. These aren’t just inconveniences—they’re the leading cause of customer churn and over a million dollars in lost revenue per dealership each year.
Enter AI Agents: intelligent, always-on assistants that do more than just answer phones. They book appointments instantly, deliver real-time repair updates, and—perhaps most powerfully—coach service teams to be sharper, faster, and more responsive.
In this session, you will uncover how AI Agents are rewriting the rules of customer service in dealerships—restoring your customers’ trust, driving revenue, and helping stores hit the holy grail of 100% fixed ops absorption.
Through powerful stories and real data from dealership floors, you’ll get a firsthand look at the transformation already underway—and what it means for the future of automotive retail.
Key Takeaways:
- Identify how communication breakdowns—missed calls, slow responses, and lack of follow-up—drive customer churn and cost dealerships over $1 million annually.
- Learn how AI-powered service transformation contributes to increased customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and the path to achieving 100% fixed ops absorption.
- Understand how AI Agents improve service operations by automating communication, booking appointments, escalating customer heat cases, and sending RO status updates—while also coaching teams for higher performance.
About Derek Simonds
Derek Simonds is the Executive Vice President of Numa’s rapidly expanding automotive division. With over 35 years of leadership in the auto industry, Simonds oversees a wide array of critical functions, including operations, partnerships, OEM relationships, customer success, and go-to-market strategy.
His extensive background encompasses finance, sales, marketing, and operations, honed through decades of direct engagement with dealerships. This comprehensive experience grants him a rare 360-degree perspective on the industry’s evolution, from its historical roots to its current landscape, positioning him uniquely to anticipate its future trajectory.
Before joining Numa, Simonds served as the Chief Operations Officer at Zeigler Automotive Group, a prominent player in the U.S. automotive market. Before that, he spent 17 years as the National Sales Manager at The Cardone Group, further solidifying his expertise in the field. Additionally, Simonds contributes to the industry as a board member for RevDojo, underscoring his commitment to advancing automotive excellence.
Explore DDCE2025
#DDCE2025, coming to the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on October 14 and 15, is the event that brings the auto retail community together. Attendees are able to cultivate business relationships and growth through its expo hall, networking activities, and insightful sessions that attract dealership and OEM professionals from across the U.S. who are seeking new ways of enhancing dealer operations.
The show has been redesigned in 2025 to offer a more focused experience over two days, with restructured sessions and expanded expo hall time. The new format gives attendees the time and space to focus on what matters most to them.
“We’re excited for attendees to experience the innovative updates Digital Dealer has put in place,” said Group Show Director Jaymie Nielsen. “All content is thoughtfully scheduled with no overlap and includes dedicated expo hours to maximize engagement.”
Digital Dealer Conference & Expo will include:
- Dedicated Expo Hall hours to discover new solutions, make connections with peers, and fast-track your buying decisions.
- 25-minute expert led talks that provide a deep understanding of the topics and trends dominating the industry today, all in an easy-to-digest package.
- 90-minute hands-on, immersive sessions so you leave with a clear understanding of not just what to do but how to execute it.
- The Ultimate AI Hackathon, an exhilarating workshop designed by Brent Wees of idea.meet.plan where teams battle it out to create innovative AI-driven marketing solutions.
- And more!
Digital Dealer offers full conference and expo badge options, as well as an expo hall-only option for Dealerships/OEMs. There is also Non-Exhibitor Conference & Expo Pass.
Two days. Endless value. Check it out and save your spot!
Click here to register now.
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