HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -

ADP Dealer Services this week announced the expansion of its service solution to make the service process quicker and more convenient for dealership employees and their customers.

On Tuesday, the company released information on the enhancements to its automotive dealership technology, including the ADP ServiceEdge retail workflow tool. All are designed to save the customer time, balancing self-service with a more personalized selling experience.

“At Dealer Services, we align our innovations with consumer trends,” said Justin Sprague, vice president of product marketing at ADP Dealer Services. “You see it everywhere; retail customers want control, personalization and self-service options. And there is no better place to innovate right now than the service area.

“In addition to making it a better experience for consumers, it makes it easier and more profitable for the dealers and the manufacturers we support,” he said.  

Highlights of the ADP ServiceEdge retail workflow include an end-to-end process, as consumers book service appointments through the ADP ServiceEdge Online Appointment scheduler, featuring integration to Cobalt Digital Marketing websites.

Tablet features include enhanced VIN scan to quickly identify the customer and his vehicle upon arrival, as well as e-signature authorization for repairs. And customizable menu selling from a tablet allows customers to self-select services applicable to their vehicle, increasing service upsell potential.

New features of the product include messenger tools to help service staff communicate information regarding repair orders, creating a full history of the communications for future reference, and ADP ePayments, allowing customers to pay via the web, mobile device or at the dealership.

Features also include dealer payment benefits, such as receiving cash back when paying monthly vendor invoices with AP Assist, and MyDealerLot, a new concept that utilizes RFID integration to automatically recognize a customer's vehicle, displaying appointment information that can be rolled into a repair order from the service advisor's tablet or PC.

“MyDealerLot's integration with ADP ServiceEdge gives dealerships a chance to make each customer's visit to the dealership a better experience for everyone involved,” said George Cresto, founder and chief executive officer of MyDealerLot.  “One of my favorite features is that customers will even be able to track the movement of their vehicle thru the service process. No more waiting to hear back from the dealership for information — it’s all right there in front of them.”