In this episode of Under the Brand, I interviewed David Schetky, co-owner of Schetky Bus and Van Sales, the largest bus dealer in the country.
David shares how AI is transforming field-sales operations and why teams grow through clear communication instead of pressure.
We discuss leadership during disruption, the future of sales teams and the practical ways AI is reshaping communication and decision-making.
Watch the full conversation and subscribe for more founder interviews and insights.
0:00
What is it about AI that makes you feel like this is going to truly change your business?
0:05
It goes back to self-scouting. When you’re running a business and visiting customers, everyone likes to ask, “What can I do to earn your business?” I try to get our salespeople to focus on a different question: What aren’t you getting? What aren’t we doing?
0:21
Let’s put all the cards on the table. What’s not working?
0:28
When you really listen to what customers say isn’t working — or what they’d like to see improved — a lot of it boils down to internal processes within our business.
0:41
It’s communication. Moving information from one place to another. Making sure it’s accurate. All of those small details matter.
0:53
By the time the customer receives the final product, even a few slip-ups can cause delays or incorrect orders.
1:00
Buses aren’t like cars. You don’t just choose from a few trim levels.
1:07
Everything is custom-built. It’s actually closer to building a house than building a car. Our build sheets are ten pages long, and we have to specify everything — window sections, emergency exits, passenger seating, all of it.
1:29
There are so many opportunities for things to go wrong if communication or planning breaks down, especially when you’re not accounting for lead times on parts.
1:44
To clarify, we’re a dealer — we don’t manufacture the buses. We essentially build them on paper. The factory builds them, delivers them to us, and then we handle additional dealer options in-house.
2:00
Some of these options are too specialized for the factory, or they’d slow production lines down too much, so they’re handled by us instead.
2:15
With that much communication involved, there’s a lot of opportunity for things to be missed — even something as simple as opening an email and forgetting to respond. These are old-school problems.
2:34
We’re also not like a car dealership where customers come to us. We have to go out and earn the business.
2:42
Our customer base is very defined — transit agencies, school districts, senior living communities. We know exactly who they are, but we have to go to them.
2:53
For transit agencies and school districts, buses are their entire world. For senior living communities, buses are more of a necessary responsibility than a core focus.
3:16
They may not want to be involved with buses, but they have to be. And having a quality, well-maintained bus actually matters when families are evaluating where to place a loved one.
3:44
So staying in touch is critical — and this is where AI comes in.
3:57
AI helps solve this puzzle. I wouldn’t say it’s fully solved yet, but we’re actively using it to improve how we stay connected and prepared.
4:07
No one wants to talk to a bot, and no one wants to replace human relationships. But AI allows us to access past emails, quotes, and conversations before a visit or call.
4:28
It packages all of that information so our team can walk into a meeting fully prepared and tailor the conversation.
4:42
We don’t want to waste anyone’s time. Asking basic questions that we should already know the answers to doesn’t help anyone.
4:56
Having all the information upfront is crucial. We can pull past builds, review what has and hasn’t worked, and make smarter recommendations.
5:11
AI isn’t replacing people — and we wouldn’t want it to — but it excels at handling data, scanning emails, and automating notifications.
5:31
For example, if a part arrives, an automatic notification can go to our shop so prep can begin immediately. That eliminates unnecessary delays.
5:50
It removes time-wasters for both us and the customer.
5:55
Switching topics slightly — let’s talk about tariffs. How have they impacted your business?
6:04
Tariffs do affect us. Our buses use a lot of steel and raw materials.
6:16
That said, it hasn’t impacted us too heavily so far. Pricing has remained stable, and a lot of that depends on who your manufacturing partners are.
6:28
It comes down to purchasing power and economies of scale — whether manufacturers can plan ahead, place larger orders, and minimize the impact.
6:51
We’ve been fortunate to work with strong manufacturers who are proactive and manage their purchasing well.
