Mitsubishi and ARKONA Announce Launch of New Dealer Management Solution
LAS VEGAS--July 16, 2002--Mitsubishi Leads the Way by Offering an ASP Based Solution that is
Cost Effective, Scalable and Easy to Manage for Its Dealerships
Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. (MMSA) today announced at its annual dealer business meeting that it is teaming with ARKONA Inc. (OTCBB:ARKN) as a provider of an innovative and fully factory integrated dealer management system (DMS) which is available to the nearly 600 MMSA dealers in the U.S.
The result of this partnership is expected to greatly reduce dealers' costs for DMS solutions and improve the factory communications between dealers and MMSA.
MMSA will be the first U.S. automaker to integrate ARKONA's DMS into its retail network. ARKONA delivers a full-featured DMS package for dealerships, including an ASP delivery capability, a web-enabled centralized dealer management system, wireless communications to include PDAs and tablets, storage of unlimited years of vehicle and customer data, complete system functionality for service, sales, parts, F&I and all accounting operations in a real-time transaction based environment. The ASP capability provides dealers with complete functionality without the attendant worries and costs of maintaining an onsite server and the associated technical personnel.
"Mitsubishi retailers will realize marked cost savings and will finally experience complete factory integration with the ARKONA system," said Greg O'Neill, President and Chief Operating Officer, MMSA. "Our retailers will have a competitive advantage due to ARKONA's advanced software design that meets our current requirements and will accommodate future technologies."
According to Forrester Research (June 2002, "Connecting Dealership Computing"), implementation of "next- generation DMS providers like ARKONA... (will) lower costs for dealers as much as 50% over what major players charge today -- and better data integration for OEMs."
"Working with Mitsubishi Motors provides their dealers with a complete solution which will lead to a higher level of operating excellence," said Alan Rudd, CEO, ARKONA. "We expect to contribute to the tradition of successes Mitsubishi Motors has achieved over the past years. Their search for and selection of a comprehensive next-generation DMS demonstrates a level of leadership and vision that complements our objectives."
With the launch of the ARKONA solution, all Mitsubishi dealerships have the opportunity to implement this new DMS. "My dealerships have been using the ARKONA DMS for several months now and it is now completely integrated in all five of my stores," said Michael Cohen, dealer principal, Bell Mitsubishi. "I'm completely satisfied with my decision and the cost savings are huge as compared to our previous DMS supplier."
It is anticipated that a significant number of Mitsubishi's dealers will move to ARKONA's DMS.
About Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc. was established in 1982 by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Tokyo, and markets a full line of vehicles, including coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles through a network of nearly 600 dealers in the U.S. For more information about Mitsubishi Motors, visit the web site at www.mitsubishicars.com.
About ARKONA
ARKONA Inc. is a leading supplier of fully integrated business management solutions targeted at the automotive dealership industry. The company has a strong heritage in this industry resulting in a keen awareness of the technology needs of new car dealers. ARKONA has enjoyed steady growth since initial product shipment late in 1998 -- with customers in all regions of the US representing all the major car manufacturers. Basing dealer solutions on flexible, industry standard technology that easily adapts to the evolving needs of the dealership is ARKONA's principle benefit. Learn more about ARKONA at www.arkona.com.
This release may contain forward-looking statements as well as historical information. Forward-looking statements, which are included in accordance with the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, may involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the company's actual results and performance in future periods to be materially different from any future results or performance suggested by the forward-looking statements in this release. Such forward looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements found herein to reflect any changes in company expectations or results or any change in events.