Cars.com Launches CustomerCenter, an e-CRM Tool Directly Linking Car Dealers to Customers

    CHICAGO, May 16 Cars.com, a leading automotive Web site,
today launched CustomerCenter, a Web-based customer relationship tool for car
dealerships.  CustomerCenter provides car dealers a direct online link to
customers for information on such dealer offerings as maintenance service,
special promotions, and aftermarket product sales.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000415/CARSLOGO )
    "Research shows that customer loyalty increases as service satisfaction
rises and we know fifty percent of dealer profits are generated by the service
and parts department," said Mitch Golub, senior vice president, product
development and marketing for Classified Ventures and acting general manager
of cars.com.  "CustomerCenter positively impacts the key revenue drivers of
the dealership by providing dealers an easy to use tool that strengthens
customer relationships, delivers greater brand awareness and offers more
effective marketing."
    According to cars.com research, service, parts and accessories facilitated
by the Web is a $30 billion market.  CustomerCenter allows dealers to tap into
the market potential by establishing a personalized Web page for all car
buyers and service customers that promotes local dealers' brands.  The
personalized Web page integrates into a dealer's Web site and serves as a
personal reference point for customers to receive email reminders for factory
recommended service and lets them learn about promotions specifically related
to their vehicle.  In addition, customers can directly schedule service
appointments at the site and track their vehicle's service history.
    The customization and personalization features of CustomerCenter motivate
customers to return to their Web sites, but more importantly to dealerships
for service.  CustomerCenter records and certifies all services completed at
the dealership.  This feature provides an accurate record of services rendered
that can be beneficial when a customer plans to sell their vehicle.
CustomerCenter also allows customers to post their vehicle pictures and track
their mileage.  This feature allows consumers to know exactly when to conduct
vehicle maintenance activities.
    CustomerCenter enables dealers and automobile manufacturers to create cost
effective targeted marketing campaigns informing customers of special offers
and dealer events via email and posting it directly onto customers'
personalized Web pages.  In addition, CustomerCenter is integrated with
dealers' Web sites, resulting in constant online customer contact with the
dealers' brand over a lifetime.

    About cars.com
    Cars.com simplifies local new and used car shopping on the Internet.  With
Inventory in 26 of the top 30 U.S. markets, cars.com is the only automotive
Web site to provide daily updates of dealer inventories.  Cars.com allows
consumers to search vehicle listings by zip code, vehicle make, model and year
and easily submit a quote request to a car dealer by e-mail, fax or telephone.
In addition to vehicle pricing, cars.com provides consumers with trusted
automotive information, including rich editorial content pertaining to
real-life issues such as how to purchase a vehicle and tips for parents of
young drivers.  The site also provides consumers with tools such as an auto
loan calculator, news and reports on new and used vehicles, more than 3,500
independent vehicle reviews (from 1983 to the present), vehicle performance
data and vehicle recall information.  Cars.com is a division of Classified
Ventures, Inc., which is based in Chicago.

    About Classified Ventures
    Classified Ventures, Inc. provides nationally branded online services in
the classified advertising market place that build upon the capabilities and
local expertise of its national affiliate network of more than 130 newspapers.
The company currently operates the national Web sites Apartments.com(TM),
http://www.apartments.com, Auctions.com(TM), http://www.auctions.com, cars.com(TM),
http://www.cars.com, Moving Center(TM), http://www.movingcenter.com and
NewHomeNetwork.com(TM), http://www.newhomenetwork.com.  Classified Ventures, Inc.
also operates HomeHunter(TM), a local resale real estate service.