U.S. Ford and Lincoln dealers using the factory’s FordDirect customer engagement platform now have a new employee in “Jerry,” Podium’s AI-powered virtual sales assistant that is programmed to instantly handle every inbound lead.

“FordDirect is proud to expand our partnership with Podium,” writes FordDirect CEO Dean Stoneley in a release. “This gives our dealers the ability to execute superior customer engagement, improving both customer and dealer satisfaction.”

Officially known as AI BDC, “Jerry” strikes a humanlike tone, executives say, and draws on input from individual dealerships as well as Podium’s collected data. The provider claims Podium AI users enjoy an average 80% increase in after-hours appointments and a 30% improvement in lead conversions.

“This partnership is about delivering an end-to-end communication platform that drives measurable results,” says Eric Rea, Podium’s co-founder and CEO.

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