Join Brian Pasch and Ted Rubin of ActivEngage as they discuss the power of live human assistance on websites for active shoppers. Do consumers need more data or do they want to establish a connection? Do they want to fill out forms or get their answers right away? Why are dealers acting like they control the information which is so readily available online? They discuss it all in an active discussion on Smart Balance: the right amount of human touch powered by AI insights.
In this episode, Brian Pasch sits down with Ted Rubin, CEO of ActivEngage, to unpack the growing disconnect between dealership website strategy and consumer expectations. As AI dominates headlines, Ted makes a compelling case for why human-led messaging still outperforms bots—and how dealers might be confusing cost-efficiency with conversion loss.
ActivEngage has been powering human-first messaging for over 18 years. With deep roots in automotive—including developers and executives from OEMs, CRM pioneers, and major dealer groups—the company has focused solely on optimizing live communication between dealers and shoppers. Their integrations span dozens of platforms, but their core focus remains unchanged: deliver live engagement that builds trust and closes sales.
Many dealers have replaced live chat with AI under the belief that it’s cheaper or more efficient. Ted challenges this assumption. In many cases, AI tools cost the same or more than live messaging—without the upsell capability, relationship building, or nuanced conversation that leads to appointments. Without human interaction, dealers often capture a lead but fail to advance the customer toward a sale.
Today’s shoppers already know the specs and pricing—they come to your website seeking validation, clarity, or confidence in your store. AI tools often default to verbose, robotic responses that frustrate users. In contrast, live agents can respond quickly, inject empathy, and guide the customer through friction points—especially when tools like trade-in forms or OEM widgets conflict or confuse.
Brian highlights how common website CTAs like “Check Availability” or “Unlock Price” are designed to stall communication, not enable it. Consumers recognize these tactics as games and drop off. A better strategy? Offer a direct conversation with a live person who can clarify pricing, trade-in value discrepancies, or payment tool confusion on the spot—before the customer leaves.
Instead of relying on cold forms and delayed follow-up, dealers should adopt a “serve, don’t chase” model. According to Ted, ActiveEngage sees conversion rates nearly double when conversational CTAs trigger real-time human engagement instead of form submissions. These messaging leads close at higher rates and eliminate the dead zone between interest and response.
While Ted is bullish on AI for operational and backend efficiencies, he urges dealers to deploy it where it works best—not in frontline engagement. ActivEngage uses AI internally to summarize data and assist agents, but the customer-facing experience remains human-first. This hybrid model ensures AI enhances communication without replacing the warmth, adaptability, and persuasion of a real person.
When AI bots simply gather info and submit a lead, they often replicate the cold experience of lead providers. There’s no rapport, no urgency, and no relationship. Ted argues that the difference between a lead that closes and one that doesn’t often comes down to how the conversation was handled—and whether the dealer moved the customer further down the funnel.
Dealers are spending thousands to drive traffic but failing to serve visitors once they arrive. The solution isn’t more AI—it’s more connection. Website design, CTAs, and chat tools should be restructured to prioritize service, speed, and simplicity. The dealers who lead with transparency and live conversation will outperform those still chasing lead form submissions.
Dealers can connect with ActivEngage at activengage.com or meet the team live at the Modern Retailing Conference. Whether you’re optimizing your first-party strategy, rethinking CTA structure, or exploring AI-human balance, this is a conversation every dealer needs to revisit in 2025.
In this episode, Brian Pasch sits down with Ted Rubin, CEO of ActivEngage, to unpack the growing disconnect between dealership website strategy and consumer expectations. As AI dominates headlines, Ted makes a compelling case for why human-led messaging still outperforms bots—and how dealers might be confusing cost-efficiency with conversion loss.
ActivEngage has been powering human-first messaging for over 18 years. With deep roots in automotive—including developers and executives from OEMs, CRM pioneers, and major dealer groups—the company has focused solely on optimizing live communication between dealers and shoppers. Their integrations span dozens of platforms, but their core focus remains unchanged: deliver live engagement that builds trust and closes sales.
Many dealers have replaced live chat with AI under the belief that it’s cheaper or more efficient. Ted challenges this assumption. In many cases, AI tools cost the same or more than live messaging—without the upsell capability, relationship building, or nuanced conversation that leads to appointments. Without human interaction, dealers often capture a lead but fail to advance the customer toward a sale.
Today’s shoppers already know the specs and pricing—they come to your website seeking validation, clarity, or confidence in your store. AI tools often default to verbose, robotic responses that frustrate users. In contrast, live agents can respond quickly, inject empathy, and guide the customer through friction points—especially when tools like trade-in forms or OEM widgets conflict or confuse.
Brian highlights how common website CTAs like “Check Availability” or “Unlock Price” are designed to stall communication, not enable it. Consumers recognize these tactics as games and drop off. A better strategy? Offer a direct conversation with a live person who can clarify pricing, trade-in value discrepancies, or payment tool confusion on the spot—before the customer leaves.
Instead of relying on cold forms and delayed follow-up, dealers should adopt a “serve, don’t chase” model. According to Ted, ActiveEngage sees conversion rates nearly double when conversational CTAs trigger real-time human engagement instead of form submissions. These messaging leads close at higher rates and eliminate the dead zone between interest and response.
While Ted is bullish on AI for operational and backend efficiencies, he urges dealers to deploy it where it works best—not in frontline engagement. ActivEngage uses AI internally to summarize data and assist agents, but the customer-facing experience remains human-first. This hybrid model ensures AI enhances communication without replacing the warmth, adaptability, and persuasion of a real person.
When AI bots simply gather info and submit a lead, they often replicate the cold experience of lead providers. There’s no rapport, no urgency, and no relationship. Ted argues that the difference between a lead that closes and one that doesn’t often comes down to how the conversation was handled—and whether the dealer moved the customer further down the funnel.
Dealers are spending thousands to drive traffic but failing to serve visitors once they arrive. The solution isn’t more AI—it’s more connection. Website design, CTAs, and chat tools should be restructured to prioritize service, speed, and simplicity. The dealers who lead with transparency and live conversation will outperform those still chasing lead form submissions.
Dealers can connect with ActivEngage at activengage.com or meet the team live at the Modern Retailing Conference. Whether you’re optimizing your first-party strategy, rethinking CTA structure, or exploring AI-human balance, this is a conversation every dealer needs to revisit in 2025.
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