Reynolds and Reynolds Introduces Open Architecture For Auto Industry Communications.But Will The Factories Adopt It?
DEARBORN, Mich.--Jan. 15, 2002--Automotive News World Congress--The Reynolds and Reynolds CompanyStrategic alliance with Microsoft establishes .NET
architecture as technology building block for
Reynolds Generations Series
The Reynolds and Reynolds Company today introduced a new family of solutions and services that helps automotive retailers and car companies make better use of information, strengthen their relationships with consumers and improve operational efficiencies.
The Reynolds Generations Series(TM) encompasses more than 100 applications and services relating to all aspects of dealership operations, including Web services, contact management, sales management, finance and insurance, service and parts operations, and business and employee management. Its first release, available in April, incorporates advanced customer relationship management (CRM) solutions and reporting tools that provide new customer insights and information when and where automotive retailers and car companies need it. Based on application service provider (ASP)-based modules, these solutions are available in April with a full complement of Reynolds' award-winning professional services, support and education.
The new family of solutions is built on an open architecture platform utilizing Microsoft .NET technology. The .NET Platform is based on a comprehensive family of products including Web services, programming tools, and servers built on Internet industry standards. It provides for each aspect of developing, managing and using next generation applications. The platform allows the Reynolds Generations Series to be offered as a series of modules, each with a full complement of services and technology options, packaged so that automotive retailers can adopt new capabilities as their business demands change.
Incorporating extensive customer input, the Reynolds Generations Series has been lauded by automotive retailers for the unprecedented flexibility, modularity and connectivity it provides.
"In our work with more than 18,000 customers -- both automotive retailers and car companies -- several themes have repeatedly emerged," said Lloyd "Buzz" Waterhouse, Reynolds' chairman, president, and CEO. "At a very basic level, automotive retailers want to make better use of the information they have already collected so that they can sell more cars. They want to develop better relationships with their customers, the automotive consumer. And they want to improve their operational efficiencies so that they can make more money.
"Car companies want to build strong brand loyalty, improve their delivery chain efficiency and obtain timely consumer information so that they can build the cars people want. And consumers want a positive experience that makes the most of their time and allows them to easily obtain the information they're seeking.
"The Reynolds Generations Series is the automotive industry's first suite of solutions and services that fully addresses each of these needs," he said.
Built on Microsoft .NET architecture
Through a strategic alliance with Microsoft, Reynolds is utilizing .NET technologies for the enhancement, development and deployment of the Reynolds Generations Series. These technologies deliver a complete framework for building Web-based services.
"Reynolds and Reynolds is using .NET to provide automotive retailers with new tools that will fundamentally enhance the way they interact with customers," said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. "By helping establish deeper relationships with customers, .NET Services such as .NET Passport and .NET Alerts will create significant new opportunities to increase sales while increasing customer satisfaction."
With .NET Passport and the Reynolds Generations Series, dealership employees can choose to receive alerts or reminders about new sales leads and key customer activity events such as a lease expiration. In future releases, consumers will be able to utilize .NET Passport and .NET Alerts to request alerts from the dealership to change their oil, get a tune-up or rotate their tires. This streamlined communication will provide up-to-the-minute, relevant information for both dealership employees and consumers on virtually any Web-enabled digital device they own.
Flexible approaches, new capabilities
The Reynolds Generation Series will help automotive retailers and car companies take advantage of changes in technology to achieve the following:
| -- | Build and maintain customer loyalty through CRM programs that provide real-time, transaction-based information sharing |
| -- | Combine and connect information systems through a common technology platform --once information is captured, it can be utilized across multiple applications |
| -- | Leverage open standards and protocols such as XML and HTTP |
| -- | Add new features and capabilities on their own schedule through phased modules |
These capabilities will be delivered through practice area-based solutions and service modules affecting every aspect of an automotive retailers' operations, ranging from strategic planning to Web brand management, customer contact management, finance and insurance, service and parts operations management and business and employee management. The modules in the Reynolds Generations Series will be made available over the next year, each building on the capabilities of the last and providing the real-time, proven integration necessary for seamless business support.
A key component to the Reynolds Generations Series is the industry-leading training and support the company is offering to automotive retailers.
"CRM technologies will fundamentally change -- and, we believe, improve -- the already strong relationship between the customer and the automotive retailer," said Christopher Fletcher, vice president and managing director of Aberdeen Group's CRM practice. "Reynolds and Reynolds, with its Reynolds Generations Series, has developed a robust service offering supported by world-class technology which will build on and integrate with Reynolds' back-office solutions for the retailer. The Generations Series will enable a retailer to leverage the multiple channels of customer interaction -- including the Internet, e-mail, the telephone, and the showroom floor -- and make them an integral part of the total customer experience."
Waterhouse said that the Reynolds Generations Series builds on the company's many strengths.
"The Reynolds Generations Series builds on Reynolds' position as the dealer management market share leader in North America...our unsurpassed portfolio of products and services...our deep industry knowledge and know-how...our award-winning customer service and support...and the largest customer-facing organization in the industry. We have leveraged these best-in-class attributes into a single, integrated offering wrapped with value-added solutions that will enable automotive retailers and car companies to reach new levels of success."
Technology and Automotive Leaders on the Reynolds Generations Series
"Reynolds and Reynolds is using .NET to provide automotive retailers with new tools that will fundamentally enhance the way they interact with customers. By helping establish deeper relationships with customers, .NET Services such as .NET Passport and .NET Alerts will create significant new opportunities to increase sales while increasing customer satisfaction."
-- Steve Ballmer
CEO, Microsoft Corporation
"CRM technologies will fundamentally change -- and, we believe, improve -- the already strong relationship between the customer and the automotive retailer. Reynolds and Reynolds, with its Reynolds Generations Series, has developed a robust service offering supported by world-class technology which will build on and integrate with Reynolds' back-office solutions for the retailer. The Generations Series will enable a retailer to leverage the multiple channels of customer interaction -- including the Internet, e-mail, the telephone, and the showroom floor -- and make them an integral part of the total customer experience."
-- Christopher Fletcher
Vice President and Managing Director CRM Practice
Aberdeen Group, Inc.
"Our most recent survey on dealership satisfaction with dealership system providers highlighted software integration and flexibility as key criteria of their satisfaction. We are pleased that Reynolds and Reynolds is responding positively to that survey by incorporating integration and flexibility improvements into its new DMS solutions."
-- Don Gentry, Chief Information Officer
National Automobile Dealers Association
"The Reynolds Generations Series advances a key goal shared by Reynolds and Reynolds and The First American Corporation : that of fundamentally improving the finance and insurance process by allowing real-time transactions to take place on individual F&I managers' desktops with dealerships. The joint expertise of Reynolds, First American CREDCO, and First American CMSI is moving automotive retailing toward a paperless F&I environment in which the consumer's loan application is accepted by the bank within moments, the contract is sent and approved electronically, and payment is made through electronic funds transfer to the dealer as the car is driven off the lot."
-- Parker S. Kennedy, President
The First American Corporation
"Hewlett-Packard supports the Generations Series' ease of migration, investment protection and state-of-the-art, open technology with the space-saving HP Netserver platforms and HP Vectra desktop PCs. As a long-standing provider of computing solutions and services to Reynolds and Reynolds, we look forward to continuing our relationship to deliver ever-stronger, more flexible information solutions to automotive retailers and car companies."
-- Duane Zitzner, President
Hewlett-Packard Computing Systems
"WorldCom is pleased to work with Reynolds and Reynolds to provide a flexible, tiered approach to meet the growing e-business requirements of the automotive industry. The Reynolds Generations Series, in conjunction with WorldCom managed Web and application hosting solutions, addresses industry needs for high performance, security and reliable Internet access in a Net-centric computing environment."
-- Brian Brewer, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer
WorldCom
"The Reynolds Generations Series is a huge advance for automotive retailers. Reynolds has listened to its customers and has incorporated the perspectives of a wide variety of franchises. Its biggest advantage is its flexibility--it allows retailers to grow at their own pace and select the pieces that make sense for their business. It will make the lives of retailers easier and help them to flourish."
-- Linda Cerrone, Dealer Principal
Crest, Inc.
Woburn, Mass.
"Reynolds and Reynolds is taking a leadership role with the Reynolds Generations Series. It's geared toward the future of automotive retailing and anticipates where dealers are going, where car companies are going and where consumers are going. It integrates dealership operations from top to bottom and front to back--the entire dealership benefits from information relating to contact management, accounting, parts and other areas that only has to be captured once. With the Reynolds Generations Series, dealers will spend less time managing data and trying to tie everything together and more time selling cars and pleasing their customers."
-- John Peabody, System Administrator
Rothrock Motor Sales
Allentown, Penn.
The Reynolds profile
Reynolds and Reynolds, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, is the leading provider of integrated information management solutions to the automotive retailing marketplace. The company's services include a full range of retail and enterprise management systems, networking and support, e-business applications, Web services, learning and consulting services, customer relationship management solutions, document management and leasing services. To find out more about the company, its vision, products and services, visit www.reyrey.com.
Certain statements in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections of future company or industry performance based on management's judgment, beliefs, current trends and market conditions. Forward-looking statements made or to be made by or on behalf of the company may be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, forecasted or implied in the forward-looking statements. See also the discussion of factors that may affect future results contained in the company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 7, 2001, which we incorporate herein by reference. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.