Dealer Principal from AutoSoft Helps Dealers Run Sharper Operations

WEST MIDDLESEX, Pa.--July 25, 2006--Auto dealers who are able to more quickly access financial and operational reports from their dealer management system (DMS) at any time, in brief summary format, are better positioned to make more informed, timely business decisions.

One DMS that provides dealers such convenient and easy-to-access financial tools is from AutoSoft International and its Dealer Principal reporting module. This reporting tool summarizes key financial and operational data in quick-review format and quickly generates a report in print-to-screen or print-to-printer PDF format.

A more typical scenario in many dealerships is a month-end financial statement the dealer principal must ask the business office to generate. This report is often multiple pages in length.

The Dealer Principal report delivers fast-read, real-time metrics about the dealership's financial statements, inventory, sales, expenses, parts and service, customer history and other essential financial and operational facts.

DMS consultants say such reporting gives dealers greater access, in real time, to the financial well-being of their dealership.

"I hate for dealers to wait for the monthly financial statement to make the decisions that should have been made weeks ago," said Sandi Jerome of Sandi Jerome Computer Consulting.

Kentucky dealer John Burford leverages the quick reporting for its full advantage.

"With Dealer Principal I can quickly review important data - without having to ask my office manager to compile it for me first -- like inventory, aged units, expenses, parts and service sales, or customer life-time service value," said Burford of Jack Burford Chevrolet, Richmond, KY.

With it getting harder for dealers to make a sound profit, one key to survival is having such timely access to and utilizing key information daily.

Burford offers an example:

"I spent some time today looking at the Expense Trend Analysis in Dealer Principal, which helped me identify expenses I could eliminate and others that were incorrectly spread among departments. That hour on Dealer Principal will save me $4,000 a month."

A privately held company, AutoSoft has provided technology solutions to new-car dealerships for more than 20 years. AutoSoft today provides DMS solutions and support services to more than 1,700 dealerships nationwide. Its Windows-based DMS operates on PCs and other equipment the dealership may already own, saving users hardware costs. The AutoSoft DMS provides full DCS integration with all domestic and most import manufacturers' systems, including the GM RIM program, plus integration with many third-party solutions providers such as RouteOne and DealerTrack.

For more information, contact Jeff Harmer, vice president, Sales and Marketing, at 877-427-4367, Ext. 1201 or jeff_harmer@autosoft-asi.com.