Asbury Automotive Partners With Reynolds and Reynolds' Automark Group
18 January 2001
Asbury Automotive Partners With Reynolds and Reynolds' Automark Group
DAYTON, Ohio--Jan. 18, 2001--The Reynolds and Reynolds CompanyNew e-Business Partner to Provide Asbury Total Web Design and
Services, Drive Business Results. Selection Based On Proven 50 Percent Increase in On-line Vehicle Sales With Integrated System.
The Reynolds and Reynolds Company today announced it has signed a two-year agreement with the Asbury Automotive Group naming Reynolds' Automark division as the exclusive provider of integrated Web site development, technical services and training to Asbury's 120 dealerships across the United States.
As part of the agreement, Automark will provide the Asbury dealership platforms with customized Web sites and training services. Over the past year, Automark has helped many of the Asbury dealerships achieve success in their Internet departments. On average, the dealerships that have integrated Automark's technology and training sell 50 percent more vehicles on-line than they did prior to utilizing Automark's services.
"Asbury needed a totally integrated turnkey solution for Internet technology and training. But more importantly, we needed a true e-business partner that could drive greater business results within our platforms. Automark was our obvious choice," said Donna Colorito, vice president of IT and E-commerce at Asbury. She added that Automark also is the first provider to bring all Asbury dealerships nationwide onto one uniform Internet system.
"Prior to our agreement, our eight platforms all used different Web design and service providers. Automark and its superior training, technology and services was able to bring us all together as a group, which will ultimately help our enterprise serve customers better and grow revenues," said Colorito.
"Asbury Automotive is a great example of a retailing enterprise that has achieved tremendous success and growth through superior customer satisfaction. Their organization is focused on redefining the customer experience by emphasizing superior customer service at every level, a strategy supported by their technology and comprehensive employee training," said Greg Collins, senior vice president of Reynolds Transformation Solutions. "With the new tools and training provided by Automark, Reynolds can help Asbury accomplish even greater success and growth by elevating customer satisfaction levels, increasing service business, and growing repeat and referral business.
"Reynolds and Automark look forward to a partnership with the Asbury Group to continue to grow their e-initiatives profitably," added Collins.
Asbury Automotive Group is the largest private automotive retailer in the United States with pro forma 2000 revenue approaching $4.5 billion. The company is comprised of eight regional automotive groups located in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia and Texas. In addition, the company co-founded Greenlight.com, the fastest-growing online car-buying Web site.
Automark is part of Reynolds Transformation Solutions, and formerly a business unit of the HAC Group, LLC, the world's leading provider of learning, customer relationship management and Web services to automotive retailers and manufacturers. The Reynolds and Reynolds Company acquired HAC in April 2000. For more information about Automark, go to www.automark.net or call 1-800-877-1840.
Reynolds and Reynolds, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, is the leading provider of integrated information management solutions to the automotive retailing marketplace. The company's services include a full range of retail and enterprise management systems, networking and support, e-business applications, Web services, learning and consulting services, customer relationship management solutions and leasing services. To find out more about the company, its vision, products and services, visit www.reyrey.com.
Certain statements in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections of future company or industry performance based on management's judgment, beliefs, current trends and market conditions. Forward-looking statements made or to be made by or on behalf of the company may be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, forecasted or implied in the forward-looking statements. See also the discussion of factors that may affect future results contained in the company's Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 11, 2000, which we incorporate herein by reference. The company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.