The problem
A car that isn't advertised isn't selling. Writing a decent advert for each auction buy and part exchange, with the spec, options and history, takes about 20 minutes, so it gets left until the evening. A forecourt taking in 15 cars a month spends 5 hours on it, and if each car goes live a day late, that's 15 car-days a month of stock nobody can see.
What the AI does
MotorDesk is a UK dealer management system, and its site says its AI vehicle descriptions are generated from the vehicle's data in seconds; the feature is listed on every plan. Add the car by registration, check the spec and options it pulls in, generate the description, then read it and correct anything wrong before it goes to your website and AutoTrader. MotorDesk's sample descriptions are long and enthusiastic, so cut them down to what a buyer wants: mileage, history, owners, options and condition. You stay responsible for every claim in the advert.
A worked example
A family-run forecourt in Doncaster keeps about 25 cars in stock and takes in 15 a month from auctions and part exchanges. The owner writes every advert. On MotorDesk Growth, the description is generated as soon as the car is added, and the owner edits it on the forecourt before the photos go up.
Before
20 minutes per advert, 15 a month: 5 hours, with most cars going live a day after they're ready
After
About 5 minutes checking each AI draft: 1.25 hours a month, with cars advertised the day they're ready
What it's worth
About $452£340€405A$653C$639 a month, at assumed values for time and stock days. 3.75 hours saved at $40£30€36A$58C$56 an hour is about $150£113€134A$217C$212 and 15 cars each advertised a day sooner, at an assumed $20£15€18A$29C$28 a day for each car sitting unseen (stocking finance, depreciation and forecourt space), is $299£225€268A$432C$423. That is against $198£149€177A$286C$280 a month for MotorDesk Growth, which is also the dealer's stock system, website and invoicing; a 50-car forecourt needs Scale at $358£269€320A$516C$506.
How to set it up
- Start MotorDesk's 30-day free trial and pick the plan for how many cars you have for sale at once: Growth ($198£149€177A$286C$280 a month plus VAT) covers 25.
- Connect your AutoTrader account so vehicle data and valuations come in free, rather than at 15p and 50p each.
- Add a car by registration and check the spec and factory options it pulls in against the car itself and the V5C.
- Generate the description, then cut it to the facts and correct anything wrong: mileage, service history, number of owners, known faults.
- Publish once the photos are on, and track how many days each car takes from arrival to advert.
What goes wrong
- An advert is a statement of fact to a buyer. If the AI says 'full service history' when there are gaps, that misleads a consumer and gives them grounds to reject the car. Check every claim.
- Optional extras taken from vehicle data can be wrong for a particular car. Check the car before an advert names them.
- Starter ($105£79€94A$152C$149) allows only 5 cars for sale at once, so most forecourts need Growth or above. Prices exclude VAT.