FordDirect

FordDirect, the exclusive provider of digital marketing solutions for Ford and Lincoln dealers, recognized that fragmented data systems were impeding the sales force's ability to focus on the customer experience. To address this, they partnered with OneMagnify to develop Insight Engage, an AI-powered assistant that allows salespeople to dynamically receive real-time answers on the showroom floor.

5 minute read

Who Should Read This?

This case study will be especially relevant for those interested in the following topics:

Data Management
Artificial Intelligence and Automation
Data and AI Readiness
Generative AI
Predictive Analytics and Optimization
Automation and Agentic AI
Machine Learning
Strategic Analytics
Customer Analytics

THE CHALLENGE

FordDirect sought to redefine the dealer experience with an AI-powered assistant capable of providing instant, accurate answers to common questions. The existing process for accessing customer information was clunky, requiring sales associates to leave the sales floor to manually retrieve data from multiple in-house reports and dashboards. These disconnected systems lacked predictive insights and actionable information, leading to delays that negatively impacted the customer experience.

Instead of adding more dashboards to an already fragmented system, FordDirect envisioned a novel solution: an AI assistant that could interpret natural language queries, search across multiple databases, and return accurate, actionable responses in real time.

THE BRAND

Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, FordDirect connects the worlds of data, analytics, and technology to provide best-in-class digital marketing and advertising solutions exclusively for Ford Dealers and Lincoln Dealers.

Phase 1: Laying the Data Foundation

To bring this vision to life, a single, unified customer journey platform was developed to consolidate siloed data sources into a source of truth. This platform integrated key data streams, including:

CRM
Website analytics
Advertising performance
Leads
Inventory
Sales

With the data foundation in place, OneMagnify implemented data governance standards to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and reliability. This infrastructure was designed to support secure, enterprise-level access for dealer audiences, setting the stage for the next phase.

Phase 2: Building Insight Engage

With a solid data foundation established, the focus shifted to creating Insight Engage, a proprietary AI assistant that allows dealers to type questions in natural language and receive actionable insights from a wide range of sources.

The development process included:

Testing large language model (LLM) options to identify the best fit.
Analyzing common dealer questions to ensure relevance.
Connecting diverse data sources for seamless integration.
Classifying prompts to optimize query accuracy.
Designing an intuitive, mobile-friendly user interface for easy engagement.

The result? Insight Engage, a tool that delivers context-aware responses by intelligently connecting data across platforms, making it a powerful tool for efficiency and decision-making.

In Their Own Words

The Dealer Co-Pilot is a convenient, single point of access that eliminates time, expense, and hassle. It empowers dealers to make smarter decisions by providing quick answers to customers or to help them in their role at the dealership.

- Tom Thomas, FordDirect VP of Data Strategy, Analytics & AI

Results

The Insight Engage AI assistant has been piloted in select dealerships, and the feedback from FordDirect dealers has been overwhelmingly positive. Dealers are excited about the program’s potential to enhance customer interactions and streamline operations.

By enabling salespeople to focus on building relationships with customers, Insight Engage is transforming the dealership experience and redefining efficiency.

Partner with OneMagnify

Turn data into a competitive advantage. Partner with OneMagnify to learn how your business can build AI assistants that accelerate insights, empower decision-makers, and scale across complex business networks.

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