Russell Tabone’s Formula: Love People, Love Cars, Use VINCUE

In this episode of Cue the Next Leader, host Michael Hopkins sits down with Russell Tabone, General Manager and Dealer Operator at Carter Myers Automotive. Under Tabone’s leadership, CMA’s Hyundai of Lynchburg has expanded its capabilities significantly, unveiling a state-of-the-art showroom and preparing to complete a cutting-edge service department. His vision continues to help CMA push the boundaries of what a modern dealership experience should feel like.

After spending 19 years working in the car wash industry, he wasn’t sure what his next step would be. In his own words, he went from thinking “I don’t want to be one of those slimy car guys” to becoming the leader of one of the most successful automotive dealerships in the CMA group. A graduate of the NADA Academy and a strong advocate for CMA’s employee-owned model, Tabone emphasizes the power of shared success and community involvement. At the core of his leadership philosophy is one simple truth: it all comes down to the people.

“Without the people, it’s just a building with walls. You have to care about your people first,” Tabone says.

He believes that when employees feel valued and supported, they’ll not only have a better experience, but they’ll also deliver their best work, ultimately creating an environment where both employees and customers genuinely love being in the showroom.

In today’s automotive market, Tabone doesn’t see inventory shortages or vehicle availability as the biggest challenge, instead, it’s perfecting the customer experience that keeps him focused. His people-first management approach means paying close attention to every touchpoint in the customer journey.

For him, the goal is to create a relaxed environment, free from pressure or uncomfortable back-and-forth negotiations. Transparency is key. Providing clear, easy-to-understand data empowers customers to feel confident in their decisions, like they’re doing business with the right people, at the right place, for the right reasons.

“When the customer feels like they won, they’re going to feel good about their purchase,” Tabone says. And that kind of experience doesn’t just reflect well on his store, it represents the entire CMA brand in the best possible light.

Like many dealers, CMA Hyundai of Lynchburg faced some operational hurdles, especially as ongoing construction at the store limited traffic and disrupted normal business patterns. But even with these headwinds, they’ve seen strong results, including one of their busiest months shortly after joining VINCUE, with 73 units sold.

One of the major challenges they were looking to solve when coming to VINCUE was improving their days-to-frontline and growing their used car inventory. With VINCUE, Tabone and his team have been able to refine their used car processes dramatically, focusing on turn rates and look-to-book ratios. Access to real-time, accurate market data allows them to price and market their vehicles more competitively, comparing apples to apples, rather than relying on incomplete or inaccurate pricing information.

“We’ve had very impressive results in our used car turn that comes directly from trusting the data and process, and revamping those processes to match the market,” Tabone says.

Beyond the performance results, Tabone points to VINCUE’s ease of use and dealer-centric innovation as major advantages. Not only was VINCUE a cost savings over their previous system, but the platform’s ability to adapt and evolve based on dealer feedback means they’re always improving.

When asked what advice he’d give to other dealers considering VINCUE, Tabone keeps it simple: “Talk to your partners, talk to the VINCUE team, and let them walk you through it. The ease of use is incredible once you see it in action.”

As for the future of the automotive industry, Tabone sees great potential in AI tools, not as a replacement for human interaction, but as a way to speed up communication, get to customers faster, and enhance the follow-up process with meaningful conversations. At the end of the day, it’s still about serving people at the highest and most authentic level possible.

And for those just starting out in automotive sales? His advice is timeless: “Be comfortable talking to people and being uncomfortable. Build consistent disciplines. Love people. Love cars.”

That’s how Russell Tabone leads, and that’s how he’s helping drive the next generation of leadership at CMA Hyundai of Lynchburg.

Watch the quick testimonial video to see how Carter Myer’s Automotive driving operational excellence with VINCUE.

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