Vehlo AMP/CX 2025: Focusing on the Customer and Innovation

Jan. 24, 2025
Vehlo kicks off 2025 with their AMP/CX event and strong focus on customers and AI.

Year after year, the umbrella of companies under Vehlo gather for a unique occasion that promises innovation, education, and networking–the annual Vehlo AMP/CX. The 2025 event, held at Hyatt Regency in Tulsa, Oklahoma, over a 2-day period focused mainly on the operational side of the business with presentations and sessions from the leaders of customer operations, product and development.

The hosting presenters Cavan Robinson, VP, Andy Meadows, executive leader of 360 Payments, and Rob Hough, executive VP, lead the opening kick-off session on the first day focusing on the company’s financial state along with the customer-success goals for 2025. Day 2 was led by Shishir Gundavaran and Chris Nimsky, who spoke about the new product released and upcoming partnerships. Both keynote sessions were followed by an extensive series of breakout sessions. This year’s event also included a trade show space with over a dozen sponsors, the most ever for the AMP/CX, that was held during the afternoon hours of the second day.

Vehlo has followed a consistent strategy of acquisitions and mergers with Shop-Ware being the last company on board in late 2024. The company is always on the lookout for emerging companies with new technology and systems, so Shop-Ware is likely not to be the last to be added to an already very complete line-up to suit the auto repair industry as whole.

One of the most innovative aspects of the Vehlo AMP/CX 2025 has been the inclusion of a customer advisory board, comprised of some of Vehlo’s best and most successful customers. The board included Ryan Goff, co-owner of Roger’s Tire Pros & Auto Care, Lucas Underwood, owner of L&N Automotive, Steve Waibel, director of information technology at Brake Masters, Brandon Harrell, owner of Harrell’s Automotive, Parham Parastaran, CEO of Left Lane Auto, Taylor Mitchell, CTO of GreatWater Garages, Sal Garcia, owner of Fremont Auto Center, Jim Anderson, owner of Anderson Automotive, Josh Baughman, owner of Van’s Tire Pros, Zack Wiygul, owner of Wiygul Automotive Clinic, Thomas Andrews, owner of CDT Automotive, and Bill Adams, owner of Adams Autoworx.

This board has played a key role in the event, and the input received from the members over the 2 days of the event both in breakout sessions and panel discussions, is partly what can drive product development and operations for many of the Vehlo companies. According to the company’s leadership the approach that the umbrella of Vehlo companies should follow is that of adapting to customer needs in order for the product offering to better serve the customer. While this approach is not industry-unique, Vehlo has also spent part of the year visiting customers in order to understand how their products can be improved, and made more useful.

Artificial Intelligence is a prominent topic within the industry, especially when it comes to shop management software. The 2025 program included a session called the Power of AI and Data that was followed by a customer advisory board group session. The main question remains mainly in which areas of the process it can be more useful, and how to implement systems that can facilitate this use.

During the educational sessions, some of the shop owners were asked, divided into working groups, the detailed ways in which AI tools could assist them to improve their business. While the answers were varied, as to be expected, due to the nature of the different shops catering to different customers, the most common response was estimates and ticket writing. This part of the process is often the lengthiest one and can lead to missing items that may have been pointed out during the DVI.

Service writing is the backbone of any auto repair shop's operations. It involves communicating with customers about their vehicle's needs and documenting the repairs and services to be performed. Traditionally, this process has relied on manual practices, leaving room for human error and inefficiencies. With the advent of AI, however, auto repair shops can now leverage intelligent systems to improve service writing dramatically.

The open participation of customers as drivers of the products offerings and services that Vehlo companies can improve upon had been a highlight of the 2025 Vehlo AMP/CX. The event concluded, as did the previous editions, with a gala dinner and awards ceremony to celebrate those outstanding team members across the entire umbrella of companies.

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