ADP Dealer Services has announced their Advanced Elite 5.0 Enhancements package. This upgrade provides 70 enhancements including tools to identify, map, and eliminate duplicate names, tools to merge multiple name/vehicle data bases to one and maximize use of multi-company features/functionality, and improved stability of product and enable multi-company functionality for Management Advisor.
Through their newly developed e-Risk coverage, Universal Underwriters Group is once again responding to their customers' needs. Risk related to e-commerce (e-Risk) is a growing reality for auto dealers. The term "e-Risk" means the chance of physical or financial loss involving an electrical device including telephones, computers, cash registers, and shop equipment. Universal provides coverage for losses caused by computer viruses, trademark violations, hacker attacks, electronic theft, and business interruption, just to name a few. All dealers have some form of e-Risk exposure to address in their business, and they have a need for far-reaching insurance protection. Universal's e-Risk coverage is the result of an ambitious research and development initiative targeted at their Unicover policy, current and newly-developed ISO policies, other insurance policies in the market, and the vast array of complex e-commerce related insurance issues. Universal broadened coverage definitions to the benefit of their customers.
ARKONA Inc., a provider of business management solutions and data distribution, has announced they are offering the premier Ensign Dealer Management Suite in an ASP (Application Service Provider) model. The ASP model has all the features and functionality of the dealer owned system with the added benefit of a flat monthly fee that eliminates most of the up-front hardware investment and the need for technical personnel on-site. It also obviates the cost of building and maintaining an IT infrastructure. The Ensign applications are hosted on IBM's new I Series servers and is fully accessible through the Internet. Mobile workers have complete access to the system from any PC that has access to the Web. With client VPN, mobile users can obtain the same secured functionality available to dealership personnel. www.arkona.com
EDS Automotive Retail Group has announced a complete Dealership Management System (DMS@NET) for Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury. DMS@NET a browser-based, Web-enabled, open architecture in-house system which offers maximum flexibility and functionality also integrates with Microsoft products and provides a user friendly point-and-click graphical interface that uses Windows standards. The EDS Ford Corporate Dealer Systems (CDS) product interface offering is a PC based dealer-to-factory communication system that will allow for seamless integration between EDS' DMS@NET system and Ford Motor Company's host systems. EDS' offerings contain all of the features required by Ford Motor Company's CDS for both off-line (batch) processing, as well as online access to critical Ford Motor Company applications.
Sales
Who's Calling.com has introduced Voice View, the newest enhanced service option that records the content of toll-free inbound calls, allowing client firms to evaluate customer service responsiveness and provide specific training to improve call handling skills. Auto dealers who signed up with Who's Calling at NADA overwhelmingly chose subscriptions that included multiple toll-free numbers for use over a 12-month period. Seventy percent selected packages offering 8 to 15 toll-free numbers. Each number represents at least one direct response marketing program, and dealers can re-use the numbers for several different campaigns. Who's Calling is a call measurement, ad tracking, and lead-producing service that helps auto dealers nationwide maximize the revenue-generating potential of the telephone. With proprietary patent-pending technology, the system captures important data for all inbound telephone calls, provides clients with real-time access to the information, and permits immediate evaluation of customer service skills through innovative call recording technology. Who's Calling has a nation-wide client base of more than 1,000 businesses, including Toyota Motor Sales, AMS Mortgage, AutoTrader.com, and Swift Transportation. Additional information on Who's Calling is available at <http://www. whoscalling.com>.
ARKONA Inc., has announced a new mobile computing technology for extracting information (vehicle inventory) from the Ensign Dealer Management Suite and makes the information available on PDAs through the ARKONA Universal Conduit and Aether Scout Server. As the information in the Ensign Dealer Management Suite changes, updates are tracked by Universal Conduit and automatically sent to the Aether ScoutSync Server, then synchronized and made available to PDAs. Unlike other PDA data synchronization tools, updates happen quickly since only the changes are sent. PDA users can synchronize through regular methods or wirelessly using their current wireless service providers.
Internet Sales
Aether Systems, a provider of wireless data solutions, has released Merchant Notification System (MNS) 2.1, the updated version of its signature product which allows automobile dealers to receive and track leads from consumers' online requests via a handheld wireless device - leading to higher return on investment, shortened sales cycles, increased online sales, and customer retention for dealerships. A recent poll among online automobile shoppers found that roughly 20 percent of dealers never respond to online inquiries and about 55 percent respond more than a day after the Internet query. To solve this problem MNS enables dealerships to track all online leads that come through the system and respond to existing customers' requests via e-mail on their handheld wireless devices, which provides a critical edge in capturing impatient customers who often abandon dealers who don't respond to them quickly. Current Aether customers Autotrader.com, Lexus, Hyundai, The Brandow Group, EdMorse.com and Hitchcock Automotive, to name a few, all utilize MNS to tap into the online car buyer market.
Autobytel.com has announced the launch of iManager, a multi-functional dealer management system offering consolidation of the multiple lead tracking, customer relationship management (CRM) and reporting systems now bedeviling dealership Internet departments. Developed in conjunction with, and tested by, dealerships throughout the country, iManager helps improve dealer response time to Internet customer requests, provides dealers with turn-key customer retention programs, maintains databases of customer information, deal status and Internet department performance, and allows dealers to eliminate several of the lead management systems they currently employ.
AutoTrader.com, an online auto classified destination in the United States, today launched new features to make selling a car even easier. Through AutoTrader.com's "Sell A Car" program, sellers of used automobiles can now easily add enhanced features like bold text and photographs to their online classified using two new packages: a Premier Package and a Deluxe Package. The Premier package includes bold text, a color photo, and an e-mail link, with the option to "Run 'til it Sells," allowing the seller to maintain the special features in the ad until the car has been sold. The Deluxe Package includes an e-mail link, color graphics, and highlighted text. With one simple step and an affordable price, the new packages offer sellers the chance to create an eye-catching ad that makes their listing stand out among the sea of classifieds.
Chrome Data Corporation, has announced the availability of Chrome LotRunner, the first vehicle search and locate tool designed to bridge the gap between retail automotive supply and demand by connecting online buyers with multiple dealer inventories. Existing vehicle inventory search tools are only equipped to search a single database on a single Web site where an online buyer has configured a vehicle, thereby limiting buyers' exposure to available inventory. With LotRunner, online buyers can instantly search multiple dealer inventories, increasing their chances of connecting with the dealer who has the closest-matching vehicle. LotRunner's ability to search multiple inventories benefits dealers, online buyers, and vehicle buying sites. LotRunner enables dealers to extend their inventory and online presence to an expanded audience of online buyers in an environment that they control. With Chrome's ability to offer daily updates, LotRunner allows dealers to post both new and used vehicle inventories and decide what inventory is posted and who has access to it. With LotRunner online buyers gain access to multiple inventories, increasing their chances of connecting with the vehicle they want, or a close match. Vehicle buying sites can provide a comprehensive service to their users by delivering access to multiple dealer inventories, thus increasing time spent on their site and improving the overall user experience. Chrome has also announced the availability of Chrome AutoBuilder, a major step forward in the retail automotive industry's ability to develop custom applications using Chrome's configuration technology platform. AutoBuilder is a suite of vehicle configuration and pricing tools separating the user interface and data presentation tiers from the underlying logic engines powering the industry's most accurate configuration technology platform. These tools enable OEMs, Dealer Service Providers (DSPs), online buying sites, fleet management companies, and mega-dealers to access Chrome's vehicle information and inventory databases and quickly create custom applications for the automotive market. AutoBuilder is a powerful open-architecture, object-oriented solution for automotive commerce based on standard and proven technologies such as Java, CORBA, and XML. It is highly scalable and reliable. Because it works across all major platforms, clients can leverage their existing technology investments. The company also announced a major upgrade of its best-selling desktop vehicle research, configuration and pricing tool, PC Carbook. With this upgrade, PC Carbook clients will be able to view and calculate pricing and technical specification information for medium-duty trucks in real-time. This upgrade also helps fleet managers create bids for government contracts by supporting bid assistance price adjustments.
VSI Holdings, a provider of customer relationship management services, Internet/Intranet communications, education and training, and Chrome Data Corporation, a business-to-business provider of automotive data, configuration technology, and software, have announced a new AccuSpec line of Web-based tools helping consumers and dealers select light-duty trucks based on needs. This is slated to be the first in a product line that will encompass all trucks and passenger cars, resulting in the right vehicle for a specific application.
The Reynolds and Reynolds Company today introduced ReySource .com, an Internet solution that provides an additional procurement option to automotive retailers to help manage the purchase of business forms, office supplies, and other products and services in their dealership. They have also announced that it will continue to grow its ASP services by focusing on the front-office dealership applications that provide a quicker return on investment to dealers.
The Cobalt Group has announced an all new version of MotorPlace.com. The company's online business management and industry information resource for auto dealers now offers three online marketplaces: personalized dealer pages, extensive automotive and industry news coverage, as well as an enhanced look and feel, and all-new navigation. MotorPlace.com is an online portal that offers dealers a complete, "one-stop" resource for managing all of their e-business initiatives. They have also announced Pick-or-Pass, the e-business service that provides automotive dealers with the ability to control their online lead costs and increase their return on investment associated with Internet leads. With Pick-or-Pass, dealers view the lead information and "pick" which leads they want to purchase, and "pass" on the unwanted leads, paying for only those leads they want to pursue. Pick-or-Pass offers a low-cost alternative to online buying services that require expensive fixed subscription fees and provide no control over the type or quantity of leads. Dealers access Pick-or-Pass and purchase leads through Cobalt's MotorPlace.com dealer portal. To enroll in the program, dealers visit MotorPlace.com, provide their lead preferences, including the vehicle makes and zip code range for which they will accept leads. The service is then activated and dealers begin receiving lead alerts the next business day.
F&I
SafeSell Systems has announced the launch of its newest product, the "Companion," a specialized audio/ video recording device to protect and improve the selling integrity of F&I products. This product is constructed using micro-components enabling them to be non-threatening, compact, customer friendly, and versatile. The phrase, "This call may be recorded for quality purposes" is standard telephone procedure with almost any customer service representative or financial institution. Customers now expect this. These protection systems carry this blanket of protection forward into automotive F&I departments. This system is proven to improve employee performance, increase customer satisfaction, and prevent consumer manipulation or lawsuits. "Being in the automotive business for 17 years, I have always looked for a way to improve the F&I process," commented JR Rozier, President of SafeSell Systems. "I specifically designed this product as a solution to the problems I, and many other dealers, experience firsthand." SafeSell successfully beta tested the product at two local dealerships. After the beta-test was over, both dealerships purchased the Companion permanently. "I endorse SafeSell products as an effective tool for increasing F&I performance," said Tony Rehn, general manager at Issaquah Chevy in Washington. SafeSell Systems is a privately held company founded in January 2000. SafeSell is located in Seattle, Washington. 206-417-4720. www.safesellsystems.com
TurboCoverage (www.turbocoverage.com) has released a Web-based auto insurance service exclusively for dealerships for the non-standard market (uninsured motorists). TurboCoverage enables uninsured car buyers to instantly purchase coverage at the time of the vehicle sale, shortening the insurance transaction to about 10 minutes from an hour or more. Dealers love TurboCoverage because it keeps the deal moving along, removes the insurance obstacle to the sale, and improves buyer satisfaction. Today, roving pager agents are summoned to a dealership when a car buyer needs insurance. Using TurboCoverage-installed workstations, car buyers can do the transaction online, or call the TurboCoverage call center if they have questions. Also critical is that TurboCoverage helps dealers reduce the legal exposure to the insurance transaction and generally implements new controls in what is typically an unwieldy process.
MicroBilt Corporation, a nationwide provider of credit bureau data retrieval announced the launch of the CREDITCOMMANDER.COM site - a Web based solution for delivering instant credit bureau data retrieval. The new CreditCommander.com Web site allows customers to make on the spot credit decisions from data gathered from all the major credit bureaus.
Parts, Service and Body Shop
EDS' Automotive Retail Group (ARG) has released their Body Shop Interface in conjunction with CCC's PathwaysR Enterprise Solution, Collision Estimating System. The seamless movement of information from Pathways Collision Estimating works with both ARG's DMS@NET and DEALERLINE Dealer Management Systems. The new capability streamlines the process of closing repair jobs and delivering the vehicle back to the consumer. Due to the fact that information is now shared seamlessly between product offerings, dealers will find they can substantially reduce the time it takes to complete a final repair order while greatly improving the accuracy of information such as parts prices and work estimates.
Dealer Concepts has launched a Dealership Gift card program. Similar to Home Depot, Hudsons, Gap, & K-Mart gift cards, Dealer Concepts provides dealerships with a turn-key gift card solution. These cards can be given out at time of delivery with a set dollar amount which guarantees that a customer will come back to the dealership at least once! "Over the holidays most consumers gave or received a gift card from other major retailers; we decided the timing was right to launch a gift card program ourselves to stay ahead of the industry trends and offer our customers the latest in retention technology" said Marla Feldman, executive manager at Marty Feldman Chevrolet of Novi. "These cards act like miniature billboards in our customers wallets, constantly reminding them about our dealership," continues Feldman. Other customer retention products offered by Dealer Concepts include dealership guide books, CD ROM/Virtual Reality Dealerships, and dealership candy bars. www.dealerconcepts.com
The Cobalt Group, a provider of e-business products and services to the automotive industry, has announced two new e-business parts products: PartsVoice Discount Parts Locator and PartsVoice Idle Stock Relocator. The products are designed to help automotive dealerships reduce slow moving and obsolete parts inventory and associated holding costs. Accessed through PartsVoice.com, the largest database of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts on the Web, Discount Parts Locator allows dealers to easily sell slow moving parts at reduced prices. Idle Stock Relocator matches dealers' idle and obsolete parts inventory with buyers searching for those parts. The two products work together to provide dealers with a cost-effective and complete idle parts management solution. The Discount Parts Locator allows dealers to list slow moving parts at a reduced rate on the PartsVoice Parts Locator, www.partsvoice.com. Through a password-protected account management section on PartsVoice.com, a dealer that is selling a slow moving part can set a discounted price based on a percentage above dealer cost or below retail price, or the dealer can display a "call for pricing" message. A buyer searching for the part enters the OEM part number into the system and results are automatically displayed, listing dealers stocking the part at a discount, along with the discount percentage. Using the E-Mail Parts Request Form, the buyer then submits an online part order form to the seller to arrange the purchase and delivery of the part. Idle Stock Relocator provides dealers with an aggressive way to sell parts that have not sold for an extended period of time. Using parts inventory and sales history information collected from the dealership dealer management system (DMS), Idle Stock Relocator automatically matches idle and obsolete parts from the selling dealers with buyers looking for the parts. The matches are sent to the selling and buying dealers to facilitate the transaction and delivery of the parts.
The Cobalt Group has also announced the release of PartsVoice DirectLink, a new Internet-based product that makes original equipment (OEM) parts inventory easily accessible on a dealer's Web site to anyone searching for parts. DirectLink allows wholesale parts purchasers and consumers to find and order parts on a dealer's Web site, increasing inventory turn rate and reducing the time parts counter staff spend on the phone responding to parts requests. With DirectLink, anyone looking for an OEM part can visit a dealer's Web site to search a dealer's actual parts inventory. If the dealer has the part, the customer can then submit an online part order form to the dealer. Cobalt's state-of-the art data collection from dealership dealer management systems (DMS) ensures that a dealer's parts inventory is current and accurate.
EDS' Automotive Retail Group has announced its latest software offering designed to assist automotive dealers in providing superior levels of service and convenience to their retail clients. Expert Service Pricing (ESP) provides dealer job pricing on operations for virtually all major manufacturers, franchises, and vehicle lines. ESP helps dealers improve productivity in both the parts and service departments because parts counter people, technicians, and service advisors aren't spending valuable time looking up and waiting for parts information. The system accurately identifies the parts needed, provides the price, and determines availability. Service advisors gain access to accurate and consistent pricing information through ESP, which combines parts and labor time detail. Electronically accessed information includes: repair descriptions, operation codes, labor time, parts, material charges, taxes, and a bottom-line price. Ultimately, dealers reduce the time it takes to identify and locate parts information and may improve customer response time.
ServiceEngine, Inc., a Shelton, CT. business software company, has introduced the a Web site software application for the automotive industry that combines the primary benefits of customer relationship management (CRM), sales automation, and e-mail management technologies all in a single, affordable package. Now, any auto dealer who wants to use "powerful business-building technologies," but can't justify expensive offerings from key players like Kana, Siebel, and Oracle, has an affordable and immediate option. www.ServiceEngine.com
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which has used its Automated Rental Management System (ARMS) to process over five million rentals for more than 100 insurance companies, including 20 of the top 25 U.S. carriers, is launching a free, new Web-based version. Developed in conjunction with adjusters, for adjusters, ARMS/Web is the online extension of the communication system created by Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 1996 with insurance companies to simplify the rental management process and better manage claims. As an Internet-based connection, ARMS/ Web enables insurance carriers or service providers to link directly to Enterprise to exchange data electronically via the Internet, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Manhattan Projects LLC, a technology developer for the automotive retail industry has introduced ServiceMan, a service writing system. ServiceMan uses a state-of-the-art wireless, handheld device to instantly scan vehicle VINs, retrieve customer records and query manufacturer databases for recall and service notices. The tool accesses dealer DMS and DCS systems to build repair orders right on the service drive and processes a perfectly written service order within seconds, beaming the completed transaction to the dealership's database.
ADP Dealer Services Group has announced the 2.0 release of their myautogarage.com tool. Together, ADP and International Business Machines Corporation have re-architected myautogarge.com to enable deep integration with Web sites and dealer management systems that are highly customizable in both appearance and services to match the individual retailer's or manufacturer's business strategy. This integration draws the connection between the online car care and maintenance tools with the dealer's brand, in turn building greater owner loyalty. myautogarage.com release 2.0 delivers a number of key advantages to dealers and manufacturers. New Architecture: myautogarage.com can be easily modified so its appearance and click-through consumer services look and function like their own Web site. DMS Integration: The deep and rich integration of myautogarage.com with the dealer management system seamlessly connects the consumer real-time to service scheduling, repair status, and job quoting. Palm® and Windows® CE Synchronization: For consumers who use myautogarage.com, their ownership experience is now portable with Palm and Windows CE synchronization.
Used Cars
AutoTrader.com, an Internet auto classifieds destination and marketplace in the United States, today unveiled a new advertising service for auto dealers. Interactive Display Advertising will give auto dealers who advertise on AutoTrader.com the option to create a full-page, color display ad that links from their vehicle listings. Now customers searching for a used vehicle on AutoTrader.com can click on a "See our Specials" link next to their selection and be taken directly to an interactive display ad, where they can get more detailed information, learn about other promotions, view the dealer's entire inventory and even e-mail the dealer directly through an E-mail Seller Link.
"Interactive Display Advertising is just another way that AutoTrader.com provides auto dealers and consumers with tailored services to meet their needs," said Clark Wood, vice president of marketing, AutoTrader.com. "IDA is a cost-effective option for online auto classifieds that allows dealers to promote more vehicles, generate more leads and move more inventory quickly to boost sales."
Dealers who advertise their vehicles on AutoTrader.com using a new interactive display ad can choose from four full-page templates, where they can list up to ten special deals from their inventory. Features like the specials link and e-mail seller link allow dealers to capture more price sensitive shoppers, target a wider audience range and generate more immediate contacts, all with one ad. If dealers have their own Web site, they can provide customers with a link to view their entire inventory through the interactive display ad. Dealers also have the convenience of updating their advertisement with new deals and special listings any time and as often as they like, by calling AutoTrader.com. The cost of an interactive display ad includes an initial setup fee, plus a monthly fee with contract.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, can now offer participating dealers round-the-clock access to its used car inventory through a contractual agreement with Autodaq Corporation. Using the power and convenience of the Internet, the online system, which is free to participating dealers through Enterprise, is designed to significantly reduce the cost of procuring inventory, which consumes time and adds expenses. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the online system enables dealers to view available inventory, and with the click of a mouse, select only the cars they want, when they want them.
CRM - ProspectManager, a new prospect-managing system from Conquest Marketing, gives car dealers the ability to automatically follow-up with prospects, track what is happening on the sales floor, and build a marketing database. ProspectManager enables a dealership's sales force to close more sales by aggressively following-up with every prospect, which increases the chance of bringing prospects back to buy - meaning increased sales. And salespeople don't have to do anything differently than they already do, which keeps compliance high. And it only takes 30 seconds to use. ProspectManager automatically follows-up with prospects using the Internet, mail, phone, e-mail, and greeting cards. A live phone call will be made to a prospect within 24 hours of visiting a dealership, soliciting information about the prospect's shopping experience, attempting to identify what is necessary to complete the deal, and encouraging the prospect to return to the dealership. A report is sent to the dealership outlining the status of all prospect contact. ProspectManager provides automated follow-up by mail using four-color oversized postcards and greeting cards. The colorful, glossy, personalized, large postcard will include a photo of the make and model of the vehicle the prospect drove, along with a letter signed by the salesperson that met with the prospect. These will be received by prospects within 48 hours of their visit to the dealership. Seven days later, greeting cards that include a photo of the make and model of the prospect's interest, will be received by the prospect. Conquest Marketing also sponsors a free vehicle give-away on a dealer-specific promotional Web site, with prospects directed to the Web site via the 48-hour postcard. The Web site visit includes representation of the test-driven vehicle and a customized message from the appropriate salesperson. The Web site asks for the prospect's e-mail address. ProspectManager then provides an automated follow-up e-mail 48 hours later and five days after the prospect's visit. It restates dealership and salesperson contact information, displays a hyperlink to the dealership's Web site, and has the option for a dealership to send e-mail follow-ups directly.
Pricing is $3995 upfront, plus $500 a month support with an additional $1,000 for DMS extraction upfront and an additional $300 a month for continued DMS extraction. There is a small fee for each letter, postcard, etc.
CowboyCorp, a Web centric Application Service Provider (ASP) has introduced Prospector v2.0. Prospector v2.0 is a customer relationship management tool for the automotive industry. Using Prospector allows dealerships to develop a functional, online database that is simple to use and is the key to securing new customers and keeping them for life. Prospector v2.0 features include a Daily Agenda, E-mail Manager, Inventory Tools, Request Forms, E-mail or Post Franchise Comparisons, Marketing Analysis and Sales Reports, Productivity Reports by Sales Person, Live Desk Log, Wireless Capabilities, and a Web Trend Analysis.
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