TruVideo

TruVideo operates as a business-to-business software-as-a-service (SaaS) company, providing a communication platform centered around video, messaging, and artificial intelligence for the transportation industry. The company was founded in 2015 by Joe Shaker and Douglas Chrystall. The founding partnership combines deep industry knowledge with technical expertise; Shaker is a long-time auto dealer and principal owner of the Shaker Auto Group, while Chrystall is a seasoned technologist with previous successful software ventures. Shaker's experience in the automotive retail world, where he became a dealer principal at age 24, highlighted a need for greater transparency and trust in the dealer-customer relationship, which became the foundational idea for TruVideo.

The company's primary clients are automotive dealerships, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and commercial trucking service centers. Revenue is generated through a subscription-based model, offering customizable and flexible packages to clients. TruVideo's core service is a platform that enables service technicians to record and share videos of vehicle inspections with customers. This allows vehicle owners to visually understand recommended repairs, fostering trust and streamlining the approval process for service work. The platform is designed to be embedded into a client's existing user interface and technology ecosystem through a software development kit (SDK) and low-code/no-code solutions, supporting integration with major platforms.

Key features of the TruVideo platform include high-definition video streaming, text and video messaging, mobile payments, and detailed analytics on customer engagement. The company has heavily invested in AI-driven capabilities, which it has trained on a dataset of over 100 million customer interactions. This AI suite offers functionalities such as noise cancellation for clear audio in loud service bays, live sentiment analysis to gauge customer satisfaction in real-time, automated text responses (TruText and TruAssist), and AI-generated video summaries. By providing these tools, TruVideo aims to help its clients increase revenue per repair order, improve customer satisfaction scores, and reduce instances of customer disputes, such as damage claims. A significant milestone was reached in December 2024, when the company secured a $40 million minority growth investment from TZP Growth Equity to fuel further product development and market expansion. Keywords: automotive communication, video messaging platform, SaaS, automotive technology, dealership software, OEM solutions, customer engagement, vehicle inspection video, repair authorization, transportation industry, service lane technology, AI in automotive, sentiment analysis, low-code integration, mobile payments, Douglas Chrystall, Joe Shaker, Shaker Auto Group, TZP Growth Equity, commercial trucking solutions, customer experience management, video analytics, auto repair transparency