CDK Global
CDK Training
The obstacle we were facing
As a marketing organization, our team regularly communicates
complex ideas to a variety of audiences, from dealership customers
and OEM partners, to executive leadership and internal stakeholders.
While many of our product marketers are responsible for delivering customer-facing presentations, not everyone had formal training in presentation skills, storytelling, audience engagement or executive presence.
Initially, we brought in Eloqui to strengthen our Product Marketing
team's ability to present confidently and effectively to dealers.
However, as we evaluated the broader needs of CDK, we recognized
that presentation skills were not just important for customer-facing
roles. We also needed a scalable way for our team to deliver impactful communicators, regardless of their role or audience.
What did Eloqui deliver?
Eloqui delivered a highly immersive presentation and communication experience that went far beyond traditional public speaking training.
Rather than teaching a one-size-fits-all methodology, their training focused on participants discovering and leveraging their own communication strengths.
Participants received practical frameworks, real-time feedback and opportunities to immediately apply these new techniques in a supportive environment.
What stood out most was Eloqui's ability to create an environment where participants felt comfortable stepping outside their comfort zones, while receiving personalized coaching and feedback.
Kim Saylor
Senior Director - Product Marketing
CDK Global - Fixed Operations
The program allowed employees to:
Build confidence when presenting to both external and internal audiences.
Better understand audience needs and their intent.
Develop more authentic and persuasive communication styles.
Learn practical techniques for preparation, storytelling and engagement.
Practice delivering presentations using an outline that felt natural rather than scripted.
What was the outcome?
The impact was immediate and measurable through both participant
feedback and real-world application.
Attendees reported significantly increased confidence in preparing for and
delivering presentations.
Many participants described the experience as the most valuable
presentation training they had received in their careers.
Several employees immediately applied what they learned to training
sessions, leadership presentations and stakeholder communications.
After attending the Eloqui training, one participant completely redesigned an
internal training program and received feedback including "awesome," "epic"
and "a model example to follow in the future."
Another noted that the training fundamentally changed how they prepared
for presentations and to focus on audience intention, rather than simply
delivering information.
Unexpected Benefit
The most surprising outcome was the value that extended beyond presentation skills.
Participants found the training improved everyday communication, collaboration, leadership influence and interpersonal effectiveness.
The Eloqui Communication Index allowed employees to better understand colleagues' communication styles and identify opportunities to collaborate more effectively across teams.
Several participants noted that the lessons were applicable not only
to presentations, but to meetings, coaching conversations,
executive communications and cross-functional teamwork.
What began as an initiative to strengthen dealer-facing presentation skills evolved into a broader development program that benefited employees across the marketing organization. It also enhanced the overall effectiveness of how teams collaborate and influence others.