Stella Automotive AI

Company Overview

STELLA Automotive AI is a provider of artificial intelligence technology solutions for the automobile industry, specifically focused on customer communication and service appointment scheduling. The company is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. STELLA’s core product is an AI-powered digital voice assistant that can handle inbound calls, answer customer questions, and book service appointments for car dealerships.

Products Overview

STELLA’s main product is an AI digital voice assistant that can:

• Answer an unlimited number of calls simultaneously
• Route calls to appropriate departments
• Answer frequently asked questions
• Book, change, cancel and confirm service appointments
• Integrate with dealership service schedulers and phone systems
• Provide personalized interactions with customers

The AI assistant is designed to improve customer service index (CSI) scores while lowering costs for dealerships. It can handle tasks like a live receptionist, providing consistent branding and collecting essential customer data.

Additional features include: - Integration with major service scheduler systems like Xtime, Reynolds and Reynolds, and Affinitiv - Executive dashboard with reporting on call handling, booking activity, and customer satisfaction - Customizable greetings and call transfer options - No long-term contracts required

STELLA also recently announced a new product called STELLA 360CX CoPilot, an AI platform built specifically for automotive customer experiences.

Founding Team

The leadership team includes:

• Rich Sands - CEO Rich has extensive experience launching solutions for the automotive industry, having worked at companies like Covisint, Ford, J.D Power and Microsoft. He previously founded and ran an industry advisory firm focused on automotive data and technology companies.

• Stephen Brown - CTO
  Stephen was an original member of the engineering team that built STELLA’s underlying conversational AI platform. He previously led development of retail/inventory management systems for major retail and hospitality brands.

• Josselyn Boudett - Chairman

Problem and Market Fit

STELLA aims to solve major pain points for car dealerships around answering phones, engaging with customers, and scheduling service appointments efficiently. The AI assistant can handle high call volumes, reduce hold times, and book appointments quickly, allowing dealership staff to focus on higher-value tasks. This addresses common frustrations customers face when trying to contact dealerships while also helping dealerships improve their customer service and operational efficiency.

Business Model

STELLA appears to operate on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, providing its AI assistant technology to dealerships on a subscription basis. The company emphasizes that it does not require long-term contracts and offers a flat pricing structure without per-minute charges.

Funding and Runway

In May 2024, STELLA announced the closing of a $19.7 million Series A funding round. The round was oversubscribed and included investments from Reynolds and Reynolds as well as major dealership groups. This funding is intended to support the expansion of STELLA’s automotive AI solutions.

Competitive Landscape

While specific competitors are not named, STELLA positions itself as a leader in conversational AI for the automotive industry. The company emphasizes how its solution differs from general AI chatbots like ChatGPT by being specifically trained for automotive use cases and integrating with dealership systems.

Customers

STELLA serves hundreds of car dealerships across the United States. While specific customer names are not provided, the company mentions working with major dealership groups. STELLA has also partnered with several automotive technology and service providers, including:

• FordDirect (approved partner for Ford and Lincoln dealerships)
• Cox Automotive’s Xtime
• UpdatePromise
• Volie Inc.
• Solera

Relevant News

• February 2024: Announced collaboration with Microsoft to advance automotive retail with generative AI-powered technology
• February 2024: Partnered with Solera to integrate AI technology into dealership operational processes
• February 2024: Integrated with Volie Inc.’s automotive BDC software
• January 2024: Launched new brand tagline “Everyone Wins”
• December 2023: Announced data integration with Cox Automotive’s Xtime service scheduling platform
• December 2023: Integrated with UpdatePromise for appointment scheduling

STELLA has also won several industry awards, including recognition from Kain Automotive, Automotive Website Awards (AWA), and Auto Success.