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Case study

Smart Motors Toyota × Alpha Drive AI

One of America's oldest dealerships. Still ahead of the curve. From 55 a day to 100+ appointments. Read the full story below, print it, or download the PDF.

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Serving Wisconsin since 1908 · Alpha Drive AI partner

One of America's oldest dealerships. Still ahead of the curve.

Smart Motors Toyota, Madison, Wisconsin

In 1908, O.D. Smart sold his first car. More than 117 years later, Smart Motors is still one of the nation's oldest — and most forward-thinking — dealerships.

1908Founded by O.D. Smart
1stToyota dealer in Wisconsin
2×Toyota President's Cabinet Award
240Team members
The story

O.D. Smart sold his first car, an Apperson Jackrabbit, out of his father's livery business in 1908 and brought Smart Motors to Madison in 1912. Three generations of Smarts led the company, through J.R. Smart, who spent 52 years there and became CEO like his father and grandfather.

In 1966 Smart Motors became Wisconsin's first Toyota dealer — ahead of the trend for fuel economy. Today it is the Midwest's largest hybrid dealer and Wisconsin's only two-time President's Cabinet Award recipient from Toyota for superior customer service and sales volume.

The timeline
  • 1908O.D. Smart sells his first car
  • 1912Smart Motors comes to Madison
  • 1966Wisconsin's first Toyota dealer
  • 2023115 years in business
  • 2024Joins the Baxter Auto Group family
The O.D. Smart principles
01Commitment to quality
02Customer satisfaction
03Continuous improvement

Values handed down by the founder and still the guiding light for the Smart Motors team.

The Smart Motors promise
Over a century of exceptional service.
  • One of the nation's oldest automotive dealerships
  • The Midwest's largest hybrid dealer
  • Wisconsin's largest Toyota Certified Used Vehicle dealer
  • Smart kept its name — and every team member — in 2024
Founded in 1908. Still ahead of the curve.

From the first Toyota in Wisconsin to a dedicated AI agent, Smart Motors keeps choosing what's next.

Continued →
Excellence chooses excellence
From 55 a day to 100+ appointments.

Smart Toyota × Alpha Drive AI

A shared BDC split across 22 dealerships couldn't keep up with Wisconsin's largest Toyota service lane. A dedicated Alpha Drive AI agent named "Alex" could.

55→100+Appointments per day
2Biggest days ever, in one week
WeeksTo see the jump
1Dedicated AI agent, "Alex"
Before and after
The challenge
  • Shared BDC agents split across 22 dealerships
  • Appointments booked to the wrong store or schedule
  • Daily volume capped around 55 appointments
→
With Alpha Drive AI
  • A dedicated agent, "Alex," built for this store's schedule
  • Books the soonest available appointment automatically
  • Advisors spend less time on the phone
The results
  • Jumped from ~55 to 100+ appointments a day within a few weeks
  • The two biggest appointment days in dealership history — in the same week
  • Advisor phone time dropped, freeing time for customers on the drive
In their words
“I love how "ALEX" sets appointments for the soonest appointment time instead of letting the customer choose it. We have seen a lot more appointments… You will make your money back in the first few weeks.”

Derek Battin, Service Manager, Smart Toyota

Excellence, matched
Smart Motors
Alpha Drive AI
Wisconsin's first Toyota dealerAhead of the curve since 1966
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A dedicated AI agent per store"Alex," built for Smart's schedule
Two-time President's CabinetSuperior service and sales volume
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Dealers' Choice Award winnerBest Virtual BDC, voted by dealers
117+ years in businessOne of the nation's oldest dealerships
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Running dealership BDCs since 1993Built by BDC people, not Silicon Valley
Excellence recognizes excellence.

"You will make your money back in the first few weeks." — Derek Battin, Service Manager

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