Getting input from the dealer network – and building dealer buy-in – is critical to successful OEM decision-making. Most OEMs rely on some form of dealer council, often made up of larger dealers, to provide feedback on strategy, operations, and program changes. In this session, we will dig into how effective those structures really are and what best practices may exist for gathering representative dealer input. We’ll cover who participates in dealer councils, how OEMs avoid over-reliance on a small number of voices, and how they assess broader dealer sentiment beyond the formal council structure. The discussion may also examine how OEMs interpret dealer feedback, when they choose to act on it, and when they decide to move forward despite concerns. The session will include case studies from OEMs with different approaches, along with dealer perspectives through interviews or focus groups on how these mechanisms work today and what they would like to see improved.