Printable dealership worksheet

Dealership AI vendor evaluation checklist

Evaluate an AI product’s permitted actions, data, safeguards, audit trail and supervised launch plan.

Scope

□Exact use cases, channels and hoursNotes:□Source data and refresh frequencyNotes:□Permitted actions and prohibited topicsNotes:□Languages and user populationsNotes:□Human handoff rulesNotes:

Control

□Consent, suppression and quiet hoursNotes:□Identity and duplicate handlingNotes:□Uncertainty and unsupported-answer behaviorNotes:□Transcript and CRM auditabilityNotes:□Security, retention and subprocessorsNotes:

Prove

□Adversarial test setNotes:□Pass/fail criteriaNotes:□Limited rollout and monitoring sampleNotes:□Outcome and complaint measuresNotes:□Immediate disable and rollbackNotes:

How to run it

Getting a comparable result

A worksheet only works if every candidate meets the same one.

Use the same worksheet for every candidateA shortlist scored on different questions is not a comparison. Run all 3 sections of this worksheet against every provider you are considering, in the same order, with the same people in the room.

Score during, not afterThere are 15 items here. Recollection after three demos favours the most recent and the most polished presenter, not the best fit. Mark each item while the provider is still in front of you.

Record the evidence, not the impressionAgainst each item, write what you were shown rather than how it felt. 'Demonstrated on our data' and 'described verbally' are different findings, and the difference matters at signature.

Separate native, configured, partner and roadmapFor every capability, note which of those four it is. Demonstrations blend them seamlessly and the distinction decides who supports it when it breaks.

Bring the departments that will use itThe office manager and the service drive routinely surface issues nobody else sees. A worksheet completed only by management measures management's priorities.

Keep the completed copyA completed worksheet is the record of what was promised during selection. It is the document you want when the implementation does not match the demo.

Use boundary

This worksheet organizes operational diligence. It does not certify a provider or replace dealer-specific legal, security, accounting, compliance or technical review.

Questions about this worksheet

Dealership AI vendor evaluation checklist FAQ

What is the dealership ai vendor evaluation checklist for?

It structures one part of a dealership technology decision so every provider is assessed against the same questions, in the same order, with the evidence recorded. It is a working document, not a certification.

Do I have to use every item?

No. Remove what does not apply to your store and keep the removal deliberate. What matters is that whatever remains is applied identically to every candidate.

Can I share this with vendors in advance?

Yes, and it usually improves the process. Providers who know what will be asked arrive prepared to demonstrate rather than to present, and the ones who object to a structured evaluation have told you something.

Does completing this mean a provider is approved?

No. This worksheet organises operational diligence. It does not certify a provider, and it does not replace dealer-specific legal, security, accounting, compliance or technical review.

Where does this stop being enough?

At anything requiring qualified professional judgement — contract language, security assessment, accounting treatment and regulatory obligations. Use the worksheet to find the questions; use qualified advisers to answer them.