Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced this week that its dealership management system now is fully integrated with Singlethread, a service department text-message platform.

Auto/Mate’s dealer customers now have the option to implement Singlethread’s messaging tool to communicate with service customers and have all records saved in each contact in the DMS.

“Many customers prefer to communicate via text so when a dealership makes that effort it has a tremendous impact on customer satisfaction,” Auto/Mate president and chief executive officer Mike Esposito said.

“Additionally Singlethread speeds up the process for approving estimated repairs and even has a system to measure customer satisfaction,” Esposito continued.

Singlethread can help dealers communicate the way their customers prefer, eliminating phone calls and voice mail tag that lead to frustrated customers. Singlethread's multi-media messaging platform can allow service advisors to text MPIs, photos and videos to customers, increasing transparency and boosting RO approval rates.

 Singlethread is fully compliant with text messaging regulations and enables secure mobile payments.

“Integrating with Auto/Mate's Fixed Ops Suite was quick and inexpensive, which we really appreciate as keeping integration costs low allows us to keep our costs low for dealers,” Singlethread co-founder Patrick Southward said.

 According to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, 37 percent of Gen X, 38 percent of Gen Y and 22 percent of Baby Boomers prefer to receive service updates via text message or email. Yet only 2 percent of all dealership customers currently receive service updates via text message or email.

 Auto/Mate's Fixed Ops Suite is a full-featured solution that can offer the following benefits to dealership service departments:

• One-screen access allows all service merchandising functions to be accessed within one screen via user-friendly pull-down menus and buttons

• Automated dispatch and electronic RO capabilities enable hands-free, customized and flexible dispatching

• Graphics-rich calendar allows service managers to view color-coded appointments on a daily, weekly or monthly basis at a glance

• Instant merge feature that merges duplicate customer information with a single click of a button

• OEM button to access manufacturers’ online information at any time within Auto/Mate's DMS

Auto/Mate offers low-cost, seamless integration for third-party vendors with its Open/Mate program. Auto/Mate is an advocate of open standards integration as a way to increase competition, lower prices and improve the quality of products offered by all vendors.

For more information visit www.automate.com or call (877) 340-2677.