Hendrick Automotive Endorses The Cobalt Group's e-Business Solutions

    SEATTLE--June 25, 2001--Hendrick Automotive Group, one of the nation's largest privately held automotive dealer groups, has named The Cobalt Group its sole endorsed provider of e-business services for Hendrick corporate (www.hendrickauto.com) and its 60 dealers nationwide. Cobalt , a leading provider of e-business products and services to the automotive industry, will provide a powerful suite of e-business management tools customized specifically for Hendrick as part of the two-year agreement.
    Cobalt developed and hosts Hendrick Automotive Group's corporate site and more than 60 of its dealer sites. As a result of this endorsement, Cobalt will extend the services it provides Hendrick to include a broad range of e-business tools to provide the dealer group with more power and flexibility for its online business.
    "Cobalt has enjoyed a successful long-term partnership with Hendrick Automotive Group over the years, and we are looking forward to boosting their Internet capabilities to new levels," said Terry Smail, executive vice president of sales and account services for The Cobalt Group. "Our continuing work together will enhance the online experience for Hendrick customers and drive more sales to Hendrick dealers."
    Cobalt's offerings include a broad range of consumer-oriented features including searchable new and used vehicle inventory listings, a payment calculator, and quick quote and finance forms. Hendrick dealers can provide enhanced customer relationship management using Cobalt's myCarTools product and online service reminders. Dealers can also generate more sales with Cobalt's Lead Manager, an Internet-based customer relationship management software application that helps dealers manage and respond to all of their customer inquiries.
    "Cobalt has been instrumental in our e-business success and has handled the multi-layered issues of supporting a large dealer group with great service and innovative tools. Hendrick is known for not accepting every technology that comes down the pipe, but choosing the right technology and executing with excellence," said Matthew Belk, e-business manager for Hendrick Automotive Group. "We believe Cobalt is the right partner for our continued online success."