In this PartsEdge podcast recorded at the NCM Fuel the Future FixOps Summit, host SPEAKER A interviews David Anderson of Evenflo AI. They discuss the unique, small‑group format of the summit and how it fosters deeper networking compared to large industry events. The conversation then shifts to Evenflo AI’s core offering: an intelligent shop‑load scheduling platform that maximizes technician utilization while improving the customer experience. Anderson draws parallels between automotive service scheduling and other sectors, notably healthcare (CPT codes vs. service codes) and airlines (booking widgets on homepages), highlighting how those industries manage scarce, high‑value time slots. They stress the importance of proactive, automated customer communications—learned from Anderson’s experience at United Airlines—to keep customers informed and reduce anxiety. The interview also touches on practical suggestions such as placing a scheduling widget prominently on a dealer’s website. Throughout, Anderson emphasizes that AI can further enhance efficiency, though a deep dive into AI is left for another conversation. The dialogue ends with mutual appreciation for the summit’s collaborative atmosphere and confidence in Evenflo’s solution to a long‑standing service‑scheduling problem.
Chapters
Welcome everyone to the PartsEdge Podcast. I have Dave here with Evenflo AI. Welcome.
Hi.
And so, we are at the NCM Fuel the Future FixOps Summit, first FixOps summit that NCM's doing. What do you think? Like, you're, you're, I know we've talked to you, you're coming from outside the industry.
Yeah.
I mean, you guys have been around a couple years, right?
Yeah.
Like, I can't remember when you first started.
Yeah, about 4 years.
4 years. Yeah.
Yeah.
So, you're, you're not that new into the industry.
Yeah.
But what are your thoughts on this? Like, in your other experience outside of auto, did you go to conferences like this or did they have stuff like this?
I think this format's pretty unique in that It's a smaller group and, you know, you're all kind of traveling together, you know, uh, for like 2 and a half days. So it's, it's really cool versus, you know, some more of my experience is something comparable like NADA conferences. It's just like, you know, thousands of people and you get like maybe 3-minute touch base, you know?
Yeah.
And, and a lot.
And you never get to wait. Hey, you guys are, am I picking up the noise if you guys are talking? Do you know?
Probably. That was a funny move.
Yeah. No, I really wasn't being like a jerk. I was just like— I'll fix it in post if that's not— Okay. Yeah, you'll fix it. But whisper. Okay. Uh, okay. So sorry, we'll edit that. Um, yeah. So when you, like other conferences that you went to outside the industry, it's like probably larger and you only get a couple minutes. You don't really get to spend time with the, the people that you wanna network with.
Yeah, and I think one of the really, like, I think neat features of this is you might have like a 5, 10-minute conversation with someone and then you see 'em like 8 hours later and then you continue the conversation.
Yeah.
Or you just bypass work and you just talk socially, which is also like a nice thing about this.
Yeah, it really is. Yeah, because when you're at NADA or the bigger conferences, it's really hard to connect 'cause there's just so many people to see. And I'm, I've been really happy 'cause I don't, I don't go to a lot of conferences or summits like these. So, I've seen so many people that I'm like, oh, I know you, or like, it's great to see you in person, because it's like the nice person, you know, in-person experience.
Yeah, yeah, totally.
So, with your guys, what you guys are doing with Evenflo, what, hearing some of the presenters and all the stats, is it kind of validating? Because from what I'm understanding, what you guys do is you really help with the whole scheduling process, right?
Yeah, we're trying to load the shop in a more intelligent way that maximizes the technician's, you know, flag hours, but it also improves customer experience. So yeah, I'd say every presentation I think kind of has some tie to this, but like it's setting the shop up for success. And so yeah, it is definitely validating.
And your experience too, um, coming from health and you said airlines too, can you share that comparison that you, you share of how it's relatable to the cart? Because we're selling hours and then With like airlines are really good at selling all the seats. So can you share that?
Yeah. So, um, actually healthcare is almost like a, a, a closer analogy.
Okay.
Yeah. You know, in some ways, like doctors are selling hours themselves. Um, and it's the same thing of like, uh, instead of an op code, they got a CPT code. And for that CPT code, they can only— oh, I'm sorry.
You're okay.
Um, for that CPT code, they can only bill a fixed amount. Um, so there's a lot of analogies or parallels between healthcare and, you know, uh, service there. And it still is the same concept, right? Like, how do you, you know, maximize the time, you know, of the doctor or the technician?
Yeah, because if you think about a doctor and a technician, they're certified, they're trained, they, you know, they're very valuable people and their time is very like Expensive, I guess, or if you wanna say that, or valuable. I don't wanna say expensive. That's not the right way to say it.
Yeah. Yeah.
But yeah. Um, so other than, you know, what you guys are doing, is there any other takeaways that you've learned from this? Like all the other information that you just didn't realize?
Well, I think this is, I think the unique nature of, uh, this conference is I get time to actually ask dealers questions, right? Like normally you're just trying to give 'em like a 2-minute commercial or whatever. But then, um, then you, you have a chance to go back and ask them questions and learn. So, yeah, I'm sorry.
It's okay. You can cough.
I don't know.
I don't have any water to give you.
I don't know what got me. Sorry.
It's okay.
Um, I'll repeat that.
Okay. Like, yeah, repeat it.
So it's the opportunity to learn more from the dealers. You know, you have a chance to go back and ask them questions about something that they might've just saw or a question they asked you, and you can engage them in conversation and just, and For me, it's like a learning process.
Yes. Yeah, I think that NCM has done a great job creating that environment here where it's not like everyone just demoing and it's like we're asking questions, we're trying to learn, everyone's trying to learn. And, you know, how can we best utilize all the technology that's available and especially AI? Like, that's obviously a big conversation to make us more efficient and to make us better and improve. That's really what it's all about.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, AI is a whole nother subject. We could, we could spend an hour on that easily. So.
But, you know, the biggest things are, you know, uh, updating the customer. Cause I was like with the ratings and like the reviews, that's the biggest, um, downfall and the bad ratings is they weren't updated. And then the scheduling, getting, you know, having a better process to schedule. I think even someone mentioned like having the scheduler on the homepage of the website, cause that's what the number one thing people are going to the website for.
Yeah, it was crazy because this like just reminds me 20 years ago in the airline because that's on the website. We made the big choice of like we always have the booking widget at like either some part of the homepage because that's what they're going for.
Yeah.
So that and then the updates, you know, it was almost 20 years ago I was, you know, running some call centers at United Airlines and like We figured the number one driver of calls was like updates.
They wanted to know what's going on. Yeah.
Yeah. And so that's where we just did proactive automated communications. And it's like what we learned there, and I think it's true in any context of like, if a customer doesn't know, not knowing is what drives 'em crazy.
Yes. Yeah. Because they can't plan their day. Like there's just so much going on, especially with cars. It's like, you don't know how much it's going to cost. You're just stressed out until you hear that there's a problem with your car. And then if there's not, you're just regular maintenance, you know, you have things to do. You have your whole day to plan. It takes a full day to go to a dealership, basically.
You're trying to factor, like, I gotta pick up kids or I gotta make dinner. So, like, when am I going to slot this in? And then you don't know. And that part, I know it just drives people crazy. I understand it.
I've had to take, like, a whole day off of work just to go to the dealership to, like, whatever, if I was having an issue with my car. It's crazy. I don't really have to do that now, but most people do. I still do that. I have to take time off work, like a whole day. Yeah. Um, so it was so great to talk to you on the podcast, you know, um, and be and meet you in person.
Yeah, no, that's fun.
I'm glad. I'm happy with what you guys are doing. I think it's a great solution and, um, solving a much-needed problem. So, okay. Thank you so much.
