Reynolds and Reynolds Acquires MSN Autos' Dealerpoint Business Tool

            DAYTON, Ohio, Jan. 22 The Reynolds and Reynolds
Company today announced that it is acquiring the MSN Autos
Dealerpoint automotive lead management service, the leading provider of these
services for the automotive industry.
    Dealerpoint is an automotive retail customer relationship management (CRM)
service built on Microsoft .NET technologies.  Currently managed by MSN Autos
(the Autos channel of the Microsoft Network), Dealerpoint is licensed to car
companies as a platform for their retailers' lead management programs.  The
platform is used to deliver sales leads to more than 4,000 Ford, Lincoln
Mercury, Honda, Acura and Isuzu dealers.  The leads originate from multiple
sources, including the car companies themselves and online third-party buying
services.
    Reynolds will offer Dealerpoint to car company and retail users as a core
CRM service.  It supplements the company's existing contact management
solution, which was introduced as part of the Reynolds Generations Series(TM)
in 2002.
    "The acquisition of Dealerpoint enables us to provide fundamental
advantages to automotive retailers and car companies," said Randy Harvey,
senior vice president, Reynolds Software Solutions.  "In response to varying
retailer and car company needs, Reynolds is now able to offer a family of
customer management solutions.  Each is backed by Reynolds' 75 years of
automotive retailing expertise and supported by Reynolds' industry-leading
training and business process consulting services."
    Reynolds will continue to provide a series of open systems interfaces to
Dealerpoint that will fit into multiple dealer management systems.
Dealerpoint's Web-based architecture enables services that are accessible from
anywhere over the Internet.  It is compatible with more than 70 lead data
formats, including the ADF 1.0 auto industry standard.
    Reynolds will offer Dealerpoint as a basic Internet lead management tool.
It will be focused on delivering ease of use in the context of an entry-level
Internet lead management solution.  The company's existing contact management
solution, on the other hand, represents the company's premium offering.  It is
focused on comprehensive inbound and outbound dealership management system
integration and sales process reinforcement to ensure that a retailer's
customers are always contacted with the correct message.
    The Ford Motor Company has used Salespoint, a private-label version of
Dealerpoint, for Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers since 2000.
    "Salespoint has proven to be a very effective solution for dealers in
handling ever-growing volumes of incoming sales leads, especially through the
Web," said Chuck Sullivan, manager of e-Commerce for Ford.  "Ford works
closely with Reynolds, and we're pleased to see them make this move given
their breadth of experience in automotive retailing."
    "Dealerpoint is an outstanding solution for inbound phone, Internet lead
and showroom processes," Harvey said.  "Our existing contact management
solution addresses these needs as well as sold and unsold follow-up, service
communication, and database prospecting for dealership business development
centers."
    Harvey said that Reynolds will offer process consulting services to help
retailers maximize their CRM strategy for both Dealerpoint and its existing
contact management solution.
    "We are committed to working with our customers to provide the processes
and training they need to obtain the maximum benefit from our solutions,"
Harvey said.  "Statistically, 72 percent of the retailers who implement a CRM
solution without proper processes and training are unsuccessful.  With
hundreds of consultants boasting a combined tens of thousands of years
experience, Reynolds can help retailers achieve their goal of selling more
cars via CRM."
    Ryan Hamlin, general manager of MSN Autos for Microsoft, said, "We believe
that the Reynolds-Dealerpoint union is a very positive and natural next step
for the product, as a result of Reynolds' deep domain expertise and commitment
to the automotive industry.  We are confident that Dealerpoint customers will
continue to benefit through Reynolds' stewardship."
    In 2002, Reynolds announced a strategic alliance with Microsoft through
which Reynolds is using .NET technologies for the enhancement, development and
deployment of its Reynolds Generations Series family of solutions.  Through
the .NET platform, the Reynolds Generations Series helps automotive retailers
and car companies make better use of information, strengthen relationships
with consumers, and improve operational efficiencies.  These benefits are made
possible through technologies that integrate systems, applications and
partners through a variety of XML Web Services.