Hayes: Harnessing AI and Hospitality to Transform Customer Service in Auto Repair

When I sat down with CEO Joe Adams of Adams Automotive in Houston, he said something that made me pause.

“The work that actually grows a shop isn’t flashy,” he points out. 

He’s right. In this business, it’s easy to get excited about new software, dashboards, or side projects that feel productive. But as Adams explains, those gains often vanish the moment the phone rings and a customer wants a straight answer.

“Daily success comes down to three things,” he says. “Communicate early, sell with confidence, and fix the car the right way with integrity.”

Those are the real levers that move the needle: trust, timeliness, and truth. Everything else is just noise.

The Technology Filter

At Adams Automotive, every new tool must earn its place.

“If it doesn’t improve communication, help an advisor sell more professionally, or make the repair more reliable, it doesn’t get our time,” Adams relates. “There’s too much tech out there that distracts from the basics. The key is protecting our attention.”

That philosophy led Adams Automotive to develop the AutoShop AIX Script Engine, powered by AutoShop Answers. It integrates approved sales language and objection-handling scripts into an AI assistant to help new advisors learn faster and experienced ones stay sharp.

“Even basic, out-of-the-box AI can keep the message clear,” Adams says. “The goal isn’t to replace people, it’s to make great communicators even better.”

Serve, Don’t Debate

When it comes to pricing objections, Adams’ philosophy is to validate, empathize, and educate.

“When a customer pushes back on price,” he says, “a lot of advisors—good ones—get defensive without meaning to. They start debating, and that turns into an argument instead of a conversation.”

Instead, Adams encourages using AI-powered scripts to provide precise, pre-approved language to guide those moments. 

“Our goal isn’t to win a debate,” Adams says. “It’s to serve the customer, set clear expectations, and finish the job right.”

Automotive Hospitality Meets AI

One of Adams’ biggest cultural shifts is something he calls automotive hospitality.

“We started recruiting people from restaurants and hotels,” he explains. “They already know how to take care of customers. We can teach them the technical part.”

That’s where technology bridges the gap. The script provides a preventive maintenance presentation exactly as written and provides short, plain language technical references.

“It helps new advisors sound confident from day one,” Adams notes. “They don’t have to fake it; they can focus on serving.”

Culture Still Wins

Even with the best technology, culture makes the difference.

“We’ve listened to thousands of calls,” Adams notes. “The advisors who use AI to enhance their communication do not hide behind it, they sound more professional, more consistent, and more confident. Customers absolutely notice.”

Adams’ advice to other shop owners is simple:

“Start small. Write down your best phrasing for how you want things said. Load it into a basic AI tool like ChatGPT. Tell it to mirror your style. You don’t need to overcomplicate it.”

And if you want to see how Adams Automotive does it, the door is open.

“Come to Houston,” Adams encourages. “Sit with an advisor, listen to a few calls, and decide if this approach would help your team.”