Fixed Ops Roundtable

The AI Search Wake-Up Call Every Dealer Needs to Hear in 2026 with Brian Kramer

• Ted Ings

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0:00 | 8:15

Your website says 60-minute oil changes. Your Google reviews say two and a half hours. And AI just chose your competitor.

Brian Kramer, one of the most influential voices in automotive retail and VP at Cars Commerce, joins Sarah and Ted for a conversation that every dealer, service director, and fixed ops leader needs to hear RIGHT NOW — because the rules of digital visibility just changed permanently.

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What we discuss in this episode:

In this episode, Brian unpacks the single biggest shift happening in automotive marketing: the rise of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and why your Google reviews, Yelp page, Reddit presence, and Dealer Rater profile are now make-or-break factors in whether AI search engines even recommend your store.

What you'll learn:

  • Why bots and AI agents now conduct MORE searches than humans, and what that means for your website structure
  • The EEAT framework (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trustworthiness) and how to reverse-engineer Google's algorithm to dominate local search
  • How mismatched information across your platforms is silently destroying your ranking and how to fix it fast
  • Why paid search is losing power (down from 70% to 50% of search share in one year) and what replaces it
  • The real reason most dealers never crack 0.5% service drive acquisition, and what the top performers do differently (hint: no amount of automation can replicate it)
  • Why Reddit is the #1 untapped platform for recruiting technicians right now

Brian also breaks down why the dealerships hitting 3–5% service drive conversion rates all share one thing in common and it has nothing to do with the technology they're using.

If you think you can buy your way to the top of AI search, Brian has a wake-up call for you. And if you're still relying on the same digital playbook from three years ago, this episode will tell you exactly what to change.

Listen to the episode featuring Brian Kramer for even more insights!

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Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fixed-ops-roundtable/id1608656237

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15HHYoyvCo1PSFwYn02UXY

Thanks, Brian Kramer

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