Autolink.com Closes NADA 2000 With 247 Dealer Sign-Ups and Over 600 Potential Subscribers
27 January 2000
Autolink.com Closes NADA 2000 With 247 Dealer Sign-Ups and Over 600 Potential Subscribers
ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 27 -- The buzz at this year's NADA 2000
Convention in Orlando was all about dot-com solutions for dealers, and one of
the newest -- Autolink.com -- carried off more than its share of accolades
with 247 dealerships signing up for the new service and another 652 requesting
follow-up meetings.
That is remarkable, given that Autolink.com was just launched the week of
Jan 17.
"Just as noteworthy," says Autolink.com's chairman and CEO Steve
Nickelsen, "four dealers -- representing 95 stores among them -- signed up the
week before the Convention, including Hendrick Automotive Group in Charlotte,
NC with 65 stores; Denver's Burt Auto Network with 10 dealerships, Serra in
Colorado Springs with 3 stores, and Bergstrom in Wisconsin with 17 stores.
"In our first full week of operation, we signed nearly 250 dealerships.
I'd say that's pretty good!" says Nickelsen. "It was exciting the see the
response and interest at our booth at NADA. As a new dot-com company, we had
to explain that we are not a car-selling site, or lead-generation service.
Once that was clear, and dealers discovered that we really could help them
manage their businesses, they were hungry for our help!"
Autolink.com is a one-stop business to business web site that offers
dealers a full menu of online tools to help them run their businesses more
efficiently. The evolving site has interactive training courses, an
e-procurement solution, CRM programs to build relationships with customers,
and email, news and information. Dealers pay $189 a month for a list of basic
services, with many others available as pay as you go options.
Autolink.com is an enterprise representing the best thinking of seven
leading industry leaders: Ernst & Young LLP, one of the world's largest auto
industry consultants; Steve Nickelsen, a nationally recognized expert in
dealer management and training; and Data National Corporation, a leading data
management and direct marketing firm that specializes in customer relationship
management programs.
Other Autolink.com team members include Hewlett-Packard; American Express;
and Intelisys Electronic Commerce, a leading provider of Internet-based
business-to-business e-commerce applications for companies such as Ford Motor
Company and The Chase Manhattan Bank; and Thompson Publishing, the nation's
largest publisher of technical training courses and supplier of the well-known
Delmar Test Preparation Series for ASE certification of automotive service
technicians.
Autolink.com is the nation's first independent business-to-business web
site designed to help auto dealers and aftermarket service retailers improve
their competitive performance, business operations and profitability. The
site offers comprehensive training courses, customer relationship marketing,
service diagnostics, news and information, and the power of group supply
management, plus an array of additional programs to help dealers to succeed in
a dramatically changing industry -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For additional information on Autolink.com, visit the site at
http://www.autolink.com