You're missing targets. And it's not clear why.
Who I help
I work best with companies that know performance is off, but do not yet have a clear answer for why.
No real strategy
You have targets and KPIs, but no clear strategy for how to reach them. Teams are busy, activity is happening, but there is no real roadmap tying effort to outcomes.
Strategy exists, but execution is inconsistent
The plan looks right on paper, but it is not translating into results. Execution varies across teams, locations, channels, or customer touchpoints, creating inefficiency and missed targets.
Everything exists, but it is not aligned
The strategy, the tools, and the teams all exist, but they are not working together. Ownership is unclear, priorities compete, and breakdowns between functions are hurting performance.
Thirty years in the work. Not on the sidelines.
I have spent 30 years in automotive, working inside the organizations most people only advise from the outside.
At Ford, I managed a $150M+ enterprise fleet portfolio across Fortune 500 clients. At Audi, I spent 11 years as Area Director of the Southern Region, overseeing a $360M+ dealer network, delivering a 289% increase in new vehicle sales, and leading the region to #1 in Return on Sales and #1 in national CSI. I then served as Director of Retail Transformation, leading the nationwide rollout of Audi's customer experience platform across 300+ dealerships.
Most recently, I led Business Development, Enterprise Relationships, and GTM Strategy for LeadVantage.ai, an AI-powered automotive SaaS platform. I built the enterprise pipeline from zero, drove 200% pipeline growth, and secured partnerships with OEMs and large dealer groups across automotive, powersports, and marine.
I have been on both sides. I know how OEMs think, how dealers operate, and where the gap between the two creates the most damage. I also know what it takes to build a GTM motion that actually works in this industry. That combination is what I bring to every engagement.
How I work
I do not start with a canned framework or a prepackaged answer. I start by identifying what is actually driving the performance problem.
Diagnose
I assess where performance is breaking, whether the issue is strategy, execution, or both. That includes looking at goals, operating rhythms, ownership, customer journey gaps, and how work actually gets done.
Align
Once the real issues are clear, I help align the people, priorities, and processes that need to work together. This is where confusion gets replaced with focus and accountability.
Execute
Then we fix what matters. That may involve refining strategy, tightening execution, improving cross-functional coordination, or rebuilding the operating model around what actually drives results.
Results that came from doing the work.
Inherited an underperforming region and transformed it into a consistent top-quartile national performer. Delivered a 289% increase in new vehicle sales and a 5-point lift in market share. Led the region to #1 in Return on Sales nationwide. Achieved sustained #1 national rankings in both Sales and Service CSI by rebuilding accountability, coaching discipline, and execution standards across the dealer network.
Handpicked by senior leadership to build Audi's first nationwide customer experience transformation from the ground up. Designed and launched the Audi Retail Experience platform across 300+ U.S. dealerships, connecting digital and in-person experiences across 1.2M+ annual customer interactions. Achieved 80% dealer adoption in the first 12 months without financial incentives.
Managed a $150M+ annual enterprise portfolio across 6,000+ units, negotiating 100+ enterprise contracts including multiple $20M+ agreements. Improved customer satisfaction from 63% to 93% across Fortune 500 fleet clients while reducing goodwill expense by $1.5M.
Built the enterprise pipeline from zero for an AI-driven SaaS platform, growing opportunities by 200% and validating product-market fit across automotive, powersports, RV, and marine. Secured OEM and large-group adoption including BRP, Genesis, Harley-Davidson, KPA, and Alan Ram Training.
If you are missing targets and not sure why, that is exactly where I start.
Tell me what is happening. I will tell you if I can help.
From the people who have seen the work.
“Kirk brings a rare blend of OEM-level insight and practical, in-store experience that makes him uniquely effective in driving real-world results. He listens, collaborates, and tailors solutions that work in the real world.”
“Kirk has outstanding industry knowledge on the automotive industry. His keynote speech and panel discussions at Reuters Auto Retail USA 2023 were insightful, informative, and full of passion.”
“I have always been impressed with his drive to deliver great customer experience while keeping in mind the needs of the automotive retail network. He is humble, attentive, collaborative and a pleasure to work with.”
“I am particularly impressed by Kirk's ability to draw a clear strategic vision and bring it to life most efficiently. His ability to communicate clearly throughout the organization in a transparent manner is outstanding.”
“Kirk is a thoughtful person who genuinely attacks every opportunity with a 'Never Settle' attitude. He challenges the status quo while being incredibly respectful of everyone around him. I would recommend Kirk for any leadership role where strategic vision and tenacity will be necessary for success.”
“It is not easy to effect change between OEMs and dealers, but Kirk's commitment to improving the customer experience will influence positive improvements throughout the industry.”
“Kirk has always been ahead of the game when consulting with his dealers. Kirk wants to change the industry one dealer at a time. I know with each endeavor Kirk will change the industry on a larger scale.”
On the record.
Keynote stages, podcast conversations, and industry panels. The same perspective you get in an engagement, applied publicly.
AI in Automotive Dealerships: Opportunities, Future Trends, and Risks
Spotlight Series keynote at the National Automobile Dealers Association annual show in New Orleans. Covered AI adoption, lead management, and the risks of deploying unproven technology at scale.
View Announcement→Improving Lead Performance: New Automated Opportunities for Dealers
Joined Micah Tindor (Sr. Director of Strategy, Kelley Blue Book) and Jade Terreberry (Cox Automotive) to discuss AI-driven lead management, automated follow-up, and what separates dealers who convert from those who do not.
Listen→Kirk Preiser: Why Customer Experience Matters
A one-hour conversation on the real barriers to CX transformation in automotive retail. Why dealers know what needs to change and still do not change it, and what actually moves the needle.
Listen→Kirk Preiser, Director of Retail Buying Experience, Audi of America
Recorded live at the 2023 NADA Show. Discussed Audi's approach to modernizing the retail buying experience and the gap between OEM strategy and dealer-level execution.
Listen→Keynote & Panel: The Future of Automotive Retail CX
Keynote address and panel discussion on the future of automotive retail customer experience. Described by Reuters Events as "insightful, informative, and full of passion."
View Profile→The field reports.
Six articles on the execution problems that cost automotive companies the most. Written from inside the work, not from the sidelines.
Why AI Is Failing in the Dealership (And It's Not the AI)
Despite record investments in dealer technology, the gap between what these tools promise and what they actually deliver has never been wider. The technology isn't broken. The problem is the execution gap.
The Activation Illusion: Why Dealers Go Live and Never Change
Activation metrics are vanity metrics. The real measure is behavior change. That requires a different operating system entirely.
The Field Execution Gap: When the Strategy Doesn't Make It to the Service Lane
Strategy is clean in the boardroom. It exists in PowerPoint decks and multi-year roadmaps. The problem is what happens between the boardroom and the field.
Scaling Without Breaking: The GTM Trap for Automotive SaaS
Early traction with innovative dealers does not predict mainstream adoption. The GTM motion that got you here will not get you there.
The Lead Graveyard: Why 81% of Dealer Leads Die in the BDC
Lead quality is rarely the problem. The problem is the broken workflow between lead receipt and human follow-up.
The Human Handoff: The Missing Link in Automotive AI Integration
AI does not replace humans in automotive retail. It amplifies them. But only when the handoff protocol is designed correctly.
Tell me what is not working. I will tell you if I can help.
Describe what is happening in your business. I read every message personally. If there is a fit, I will respond within 24 hours with a direct assessment. If there is not, I will tell you that too.
OEMs, automotive SaaS companies, dealer groups, and automotive technology platforms that are missing targets and need to understand why, then fix it.