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Expense receipts shouldn't require a search party
Adam spent 20 minutes looking for a $36 receipt. His finance team sent three Slack messages. Someone made a sticky note.
Ramp would have matched it automatically the moment he swiped. Auto-coded, in-policy, synced. Nobody had to ask Adam for anything.
This is what finance looks like when it runs itself.
Your team can be Adam. Or they can not be Adam.
IS YOUR BUSINESS IMPROVING WORKFLOWS WITH AI?
Most aftermarket businesses are losing critical field intelligence every single day, information that dies in spiral notebooks and voicemails. In this Smart AF, Lauren McCullough from Tromml explains why AI tools, especially when they are industry specific, are game-changers for protecting relationships while future-proofing your business.
I met Lauren a little over a year ago at the SEMA Businesswomen’s Women’s Leadership Forum and knew that once we started a brand-focused podcast, she needed to be a guest! What her team has built is badass and while we’re on different sides sides of technology, we’re kindred companies, in that we are both super passionate about the problems we’re solving. I loved this conversation with Lauren, and I hope you enjoy it too.
Also, a quick note about this newsletter's sponsor: Ramp. We don't use it ourselves yet, because we're still a small team and don't have many travel or business expenses. But we know plenty of companies that do have those expenses and have loved using Ramp for them. I actually want us to grow and have more expenses just so I can use them - ha! So if you or your team has to do expense reports, do yourself a favor and get a demo of Ramp - I promise, you’ll love it!
Cheers,
Erica Sietsma
Autofluencer CEO & Founder
SMART AF PODCAST: LAUREN MCCULLOUGH
Lauren McCullough, Founder & CEO of Tromml, joins Erica Sietsma to discuss how AI can transform aftermarket operations while preserving the human relationships that drive the industry.
Highlights from this episode:
Sales reps spend 80-90% of their time selling, not drowning in admin work, through AI-powered note capture and follow-up automation
Modern tech should enhance human interactions, not eliminate them. AI works best as an augmentation tool, not a replacement
Generic enterprise software fails in relationship-driven spaces like the automotive aftermarket
Digitizing field conversations (calls, rep notes, market intelligence) builds organizational knowledge that generic tools miss
By linking priorities to outcomes and measuring what actually works, companies can future-proof their business
The aftermarket deserves modern technology that attracts top talent and protects the spirit of the industry
“I love this industry… I want to extend the value of what humans are contributing to this organization. I want to increase the value per human, and I think that’s how we protect our jobs, protect the spirit of our industry, protect our relationships, stay resilient, and bring in new talent too.”
WHY USE AI TO ENHANCE, NOT REPLACE
There's a misconception that AI is meant to eliminate jobs and automate everything away. That's not the strategy that works in the aftermarket. Lauren made it clear that the goal is to amplify human value, not replace it.
Here's why:
AI as a suggestion engine, not a decision engine
The human touch still matters, especially in a relationship-driven industry
Tech should free up time for reps to sell and build trust, not eliminate jobs
Quality interactions are better than quantity of interactions (the future has fewer touchpoints but they need to be gold-star moments)
Industry expertise + AI = better outcomes than generic tools alone
IS YOUR BUSINESS READY FOR AI ENHANCEMENT?
Is your field data digitized or does it live in notebooks?
Can your managers see what's happening in the field in real-time?
How much time do your reps spend on admin work vs. selling?
Are you capturing customer conversations or losing that intelligence?
Can you link your priorities to actual outcomes?
Do your reps have visibility into their follow-ups and commitments?
Are you using industry-specific tools or generic enterprise software?
In search of help? Reach out to Lauren
TECH CORNER: AI WORKFLOW SYSTEMS
Here are some AI-powered tools designed to streamline operations, capture field intelligence, and keep your team focused on building relationships:
Claude API - Route optimization and rep scheduling based on priorities and customer data
Apollo.io- Apollo is an all-in-one sales platform that helps teams find leads, automate outreach, and close deals.
Fathom - Call recording and transcription to digitize customer conversations
Zapier - Automate data flow between your tools and systems
Does your business or team use any specific tools? Let us know!
LEARN MORE ABOUT TROMML & GET A FREE ANALYSIS
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