Today I’m joined by Eric Cohen, CEO at Merchant Advocate.
We break down why credit card processing is one of the most overlooked expense lines in dealerships, how 60–70% of stores are overpaying, and which “non-negotiable” fees are actually negotiable.
Eric explains where the hidden charges live, how to audit statements properly, and why transparency matters more than ever in a largely unregulated space. The payoff: real strategies dealers can use to reclaim margin without cutting people or growth.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. Flai Technologies Inc - Your best people know how to turn an opportunity into an appointment—but they can't be everywhere. Flai is an AI communications platform that handles calls, texts, and emails before your team takes care of customers. Every call gets answered. Every lead gets followed up. Appointments get booked. Flai works with some of the largest dealer groups in the US, and some dealers have seen appointments double. They're offering free pilots to CDG listeners till January 31. Book a meeting @ http://useflai.com
2. Ikon Technologies delivers a connected vehicle program for dealers that maximizes Customer Lifetime Value by driving sales efficiency and securing non-cancellable PVR on your front end while delivering an average of 50 additional customer-pay ROs every single month for your service bays. At NADA 2026 in Las Vegas, visit Stand 1763 West to see the benefits for yourself and take your chance to roll the dice to win a Rolls Royce (terms and conditions apply; no purchase necessary). Plus, as an exclusive offer for listeners, mention “Car Dealership Guy” when you sign up at NADA to have your entire initial installation fee waived—book your demo today @ http://ikontechnologies.com/CDG
3. Merchant Advocate - Merchant Advocate saves businesses money on credit card fees WITHOUT switching processors. Find out how they can help your dealership with a FREE analysis. Click on @ http://merchantadvocate.com/cdg for more.
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
For dealers:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Dealership recruiting ➤ http://www.cdgrecruiting.com
Fix your dealership’s social media ➤ http://www.trynomad.co
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
For industry vendors:
Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ http://www.cdgpartner.com
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
Topics:
00:14 What are the top dealer concerns today?
04:43 How do credit card processing fees work?
07:44 What are the best optimization strategies?
14:03 What are the most common hidden fees?
16:56 What is the Merchant Advocate's unique approach?
21:40 What is your most impactful client success story?
Car Dealership Guy Socials:
X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership
LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy
Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com