The Cobalt Group and the National Automobile Dealers Association Deepen Partnership to Accelerate Dealer E-Business Success
8 January 2001
The Cobalt Group and the National Automobile Dealers Association Deepen Partnership to Accelerate Dealer E-Business Success
SEATTLE & WASHINGTON--Jan. 8, 2001--The Cobalt Group and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) today announced an expanded partnership to help dealers incorporate the Internet as a key element of their overall business strategy.
NADA has endorsed five Cobalt e-business packages, designed to help auto dealers successfully manage their online businesses and strengthen their customer relationships. Cobalt, a leading provider of e-business products and services to automotive dealers, is one of only three companies and the only e-business provider ever to be endorsed by NADA.
NADA is the most recognized and influential trade group for the nation's automotive dealers. The association currently represents more than 19,400 franchised new-car and truck dealers holding nearly 40,000 separate franchises, domestic and import.
"Cobalt is honored to be NADA's exclusive endorsed automotive e-business partner," said John Holt, president and CEO of The Cobalt Group. "NADA and The Cobalt Group have always believed that dealers had the assets, experience and skills to be the ultimate winners in a digital world, and this partnership underscores our commitment to dealers' online success."
"Over the past year, we have seen a significant shakeout in automotive e-commerce. Increasingly it is becoming apparent that the best model for online retailing is the traditional auto dealer, armed with the right e-business tools and practices," said NADA Chairman Harold B. Wells. "Our partnership with Cobalt is an important asset in NADA's strategy to prepare our members for success in the online economy."
NADA and Cobalt entered into a partnership in January 2000 to accelerate Web site adoption among NADA's members and to develop DriversSeat.com, NADA's consumer Internet portal. The original endorsed packages, NADA Essentials Package and NADA Premier Package, were designed to help dealers get started on the Internet. In 2000, more than 1,200 dealers purchased one of the NADA-endorsed packages.
"The next level for the successful online dealership is fully integrating e-business technology and practices into the entire dealership," said Holt. "The new NADA-endorsed packages from Cobalt will help dealers maximize online technology throughout the entire dealership and will greatly strengthen brand awareness while improving dealership operational efficiencies, profitability and customer service."
The following new NADA-endorsed packages provide dealers with more comprehensive e-business solutions that are designed to enhance customer relationship management (CRM) and the online buying processes:
| -- | NADA Premier CRM Package adds value to the NADA Premier Package with integrated CRM products such as Cobalt's myCarTools, Lead Manager and AdWizard Plus, as well as eDealer Academy, Cobalt's dealer e-business training program. |
| -- | NADA Sales Accelerator Package builds on the NADA Essentials Package with the addition of several process-driven site features to help consumers quickly and easily research, find and reserve a vehicle for sale through dealers' Web sites. |
| -- | NADA Ultimate eBusiness Package is the most advanced and comprehensive offering available from Cobalt. The package features a full CRM solution and includes all Cobalt e-business products as well as eDealer Academy. |
The new NADA packages and the NADA Premier Package feature NADA Guides' Dealer WindowLink, providing access to NADA Official Used Car Guide values dating back to 1946.
NADA continues to endorse the following Cobalt packages:
-- NADA Essentials Package, as the name implies, provides
fundamental Web development and business management tools.
Features include Web site content and hosting, e-mail forms,
automated new and used vehicle inventory listing capabilities,
traffic reporting and links to manufacturer and NADA
resources.
-- NADA Premier Package builds on the NADA Essentials Package
with advanced e-business tools such as Cobalt's Lead Manager
and AdWizard Plus. This package also includes the PartsVoice
Parts Locator.
All five packages will be showcased at the annual NADA Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, Feb. 3-6, 2001.
Cobalt and NADA will continue to develop DriversSeat.com, NADA's consumer portal that launched in June 2000. The portal gives consumers direct online access to over 780,000 new and used vehicles and thousands of participating NADA member dealers' Web sites.
About NADA
The National Automobile Dealers Association represents more than 19,400 franchised new-car and truck dealers holding nearly 40,000 separate franchises, domestic and import. NADA provides its members counsel on legal and regulatory matters, represents dealers on Capitol Hill, develops data on the auto industry and operates training programs to improve dealership business operations.
About The Cobalt Group
The Cobalt Group(TM) , headquartered in Seattle, is a leading provider of e-business products and services that help automotive dealers and manufacturers effectively manage their businesses online. Cobalt's suite of e-business solutions includes Web services, Web site hosting, e-commerce applications, Internet-based customer relationship management applications, data management, and best practices training and consulting.
Nearly half of the nation's auto dealers use Cobalt's technology, including 6,400 Web services clients, and approximately 10,000 PartsVoice(R) (www.partsvoice.com) clients. Cobalt's e-business products and services are endorsed by 15 automotive manufacturers and more than 50 of the 100 largest dealer groups in the United States. Cobalt is the only e-business provider endorsed by the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Cobalt operates MotorPlace.com(TM) (www.MotorPlace.com), an online business management and industry information resource for auto dealers. At MotorPlace.com, dealers utilize Cobalt tools to manage their Web sites, buy wholesale used vehicles, locate and market OEM parts, and access industry information, news, events, and stock quotes. Cobalt also operates DealerNet(R) (www.dealernet.com), one of the most widely visited consumer automotive information portals on the Web. IntegraLink Corporation, a Cobalt company, is the auto industry's premier provider of automotive data collection and reporting services.
Cobalt has offices in Seattle, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; Detroit, Mich.; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas. For more information, please visit www.cobaltgroup.com or call 800/909-8244.