Deal Central Insider

Meet the Buyer Where They Are

Today’s car buyer starts the deal long before they walk in. Data from Cox Automotive’s 2025 Car Buyer Journey Study found that 63% of buyers say a blend of online and in-store, omnichannel, would be their ideal experience. Yet about half still complete the entire purchase in person. The opportunity sits in that gap: meet buyers where they’re already shopping and bring them in ready to move. 

Across more than 20 million leads, dealers using Deal Central are seeing exactly that pattern, deals starting earlier, buyers showing up more often, and paperwork moving faster. 

Start Deals Earlier. Create More Momentum.

Deal Central can help your dealership begin the deal conversation earlier in the buying journey. Instead of waiting until a customer arrives in the showroom, you can start building the deal while the customer is still researching, shopping, or communicating with the store. 

Why does that matter? Because when you create deals earlier, you’re often better positioned to keep the process moving. Across more than 20 million leads, Deal Central dealers were more likely to have a deal in place before key milestones in the buying journey: 

• Before first contact: 21.4% vs. 3.2%
• Between first contact and appointment: 12.4% vs. 2.0%
• Between appointment and showroom visit: 16.2% vs. 2.5%

It’s not just that early deal creation is unique to Deal Central. It’s that Deal Central helps make it easier for your dealership to start the deal earlier and create momentum throughout the buying process. 

Best Practices: Put the Numbers on the Screen

Creating momentum doesn’t require a complete process overhaul. Often, it’s the small habits that help keep customers engaged and deals moving forward. Here are a few practices we see successful Deal Central dealerships using every day: 

• Attach a deal to every touchpoint, even early in the shopping process. Early deals are associated with roughly 2x more showroom visits.
• Set up the deal before the test drive. Have numbers ready when customers return so the conversation can keep moving.
• Present options side-by-side on screen. Showing lease and finance scenarios together helps create a transparent, collaborative experience for your customer.

DEALER SPOTLIGHT 

MASANO AUTO GROUP: KEEP THE DEAL MOVING

For Masano Auto Group, customer engagement starts with momentum. The dealership adopted Deal Central to reduce delays, streamline the deal process, and help customers spend less time waiting.  

According to Sales Manager Jeremy Denunzio, having the deal in one place helps the team spend less time tracking down information and more time helping customers move forward. In one example, a customer arrived on a Saturday afternoon and completed the purchase in just 45 minutes. 

“Deal Central saves about 30 to 45 minutes of my time on every deal.” 

— Jeremy Denunzio, Sales Manager, Masano Auto Group    

For dealer Johnny Masano, the value goes beyond efficiency. His focus is keeping customers engaged throughout the buying process. When conversations keep moving and customers can stay involved in the deal, the experience becomes better for everyone.  

“It’s very hard to be engaged for four hours straight when buying a car. Deal Central keeps the process moving.” 

— Johnny Masano, Masano Auto Group 

Every dealership has its own approach, but the goal is often the same: reduce friction, keep customers engaged, and move the deal forward. That’s the common thread we’ll continue exploring in future editions of Deal Central Insider. 

What‘s New at Deal Central?

Stay up-to-date with Dealer Release Notes and the latest enhancements designed to keep your team productive and working efficiently.