In this ASOTU CON 2025 session, Elizabeth Shults of RML Automotive joins Brad Gelber on the podcast stage to unpack one of the most contentious issues facing dealership marketers today: one-size-fits-all mandates from OEMs. Elizabeth shares firsthand how top-down directives—like Stellantis’ recent GMB access requirements—create operational chaos at the dealership level. Drawing on her deep experience with domestic brands, she highlights the disconnect between OEM decision-makers and the day-to-day realities of running a marketing operation inside a dealership. Elizabeth argues that many OEMs operate on outdated assumptions and fail to understand the sophistication and capabilities of their top-performing dealers.
The conversation critiques the inefficiency and unintended consequences of universal digital governance policies. From duplicate Google Business Profiles to wasted time executing unclear mandates, Elizabeth lays out the tangible costs of misaligned strategies. But she also offers solutions, advocating for OEMs to embed specialized digital talent, develop tiered support based on dealer performance, and stop treating innovation as a threat. For anyone who’s ever felt bogged down by compliance over strategy, this episode will strike a chord—and offer a path forward.
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⏱️ Timestamped Takeaways
0:00 Intro
0:11 Elizabeth Shults joins to discuss OEM mandates and dealer misalignment
0:44 OEM decision-makers lack front-line experience and real-world context
1:39 Stellantis GMB mandate creates confusion and duplicate profiles
3:30 Many OEMs demand control without providing actionable support
4:38 Ford praised for greater flexibility and feedback loops
5:47 Franchised dealerships need individual flexibility—not uniform digital policies
6:09 GMB strategy fails by focusing on the wrong performance tiers
7:52 Dealership marketers are forced to fix problems OEMs create
8:41 OEM digital governance often blocks innovation
9:07 Solution: embed digital specialists and modernize dealer performance scoring
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