Episode #1451: Michael Cirillo is back from Istanbul with a look at how dealers around the world approach marketplaces, AI and the business differently—and what they still have in common.

Today’s show is made possible by our friends at AutoHub, helping dealers buy cars from their own customers in minutes, whether they’re in the showroom, service drive, or online. Learn more at AutoHub.io.

Show Notes:

• Michael Cirillo is back from Istanbul after spending time with dealers and automotive leaders from Russia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and beyond. His biggest takeaways: marketplaces play a much larger role in many international markets, AI adoption is still early, and the similarities between dealers may outweigh the differences.

  • In the Russian market, Cirillo found marketplaces extending well beyond vehicle listings into CRM, DMS, advertising, HR consulting and leadership training. One HR training program discussed at the event costs roughly $200,000 for 90 days.

  • Cirillo described AI conversations outside the U.S. as roughly 18 months behind where American dealers are today. Dealers know the headlines but remain skeptical, asking for tangible adoption, ROI and proven business results rather than hypothetical use cases.

  • The group visited OtoBid, a consignment auction model where private sellers bring in vehicles for inspection and dealers bid on them live. Sellers can receive their money nearly instantly after a sale, and Cirillo said the company expects 25 or 26 locations in the region by next year.

  • Cirillo’s keynote focused on tools dealers already have rather than new technology to buy, including how dealers can optimize Yandex Business Profile for greater visibility in maps and AI.

  • Cirillo’s biggest takeaway from being in the room with dealers from several countries: “We’re all people, we’re all living under the same sky and we all kind of care about the same things in this business.”