Impel, Ford partner to expand AI usage at dealerships
Retail automotive software company Impel sealed a new partnership with FordDirect to bring its conversational AI to more than 3,000 Ford dealerships and Lincoln retailers across the U.S.
Impel, of Syracuse, N.Y., produces an AI-centered digital marketing platform for dealerships. FordDirect, of Dearborn, Mich., is a marketing platform and joint venture between Ford Motor Co. and its franchised dealer network.
“This partnership is not just about implementing technology — it’s about building more meaningful relationships that inspire lifelong customer loyalty,” Impel co-founder and CEO Devin Daly said in a statement.
The deal follows testing of Impel’s technology at some Ford dealerships, which FordDirect CEO Dean Stoneley said have shown promising results.
“The results from our early pilots with Impel demonstrate the power of intelligent automation for dealers and consumers alike,” Stoneley said.
Impel said its pilot with Ford produced gains in sales team productivity and service repair orders.
Both companies plan to celebrate the announcement at Impel’s booth at the NADA Show in New Orleans with a ceremony and demonstration.
Impel has been expanding in recent months. In July, the company paid more than $100 million in cash for Outsell, a technology company that uses first-party data, machine learning and predictive AI to automate and maximize customer engagement. The combined company served more than 8,000 dealers in 51 countries that month
