Autotrader announced that for every red, white or blue vehicle that is saved on its website from Labor Day through Sept. 30, it will donate $1 to The Mission Continues organization in support of veterans. Autotrader said it will gift up to a total of $25,000 to the organization, which helps U.S. military veterans to find purpose […] [Read More]

Solar technology provider SunPower is now working with dealerships across the country to put empty rooftops and parking lots to better use with cost-saving, high-efficiency solar energy systems. In addition to producing enough energy to significantly curtail dealership's electricity costs, SunPower said systems serve a dual purpose because solar panels can also protect what’s beneath […] [Read More]

Pearl Technology Holdings announced Wednesday it has entered into a new agreement to integrate Kelley Blue Book’s Instant Cash Offer within its ShowroomXpress (SRX) retail platform. The integration allows consumers shopping through the SRX retail widget to get a real instant cash offer for their current vehicle. Kelley Blue Book Instant Cash Offer asks car […] [Read More]

Carvana is opening a car-vending machine in Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday, its first on the East Coast and sixth overall. The five-story glass facility holds 18 cars and arrives less than two years after the online retailer began free delivery in the North Carolina capital. Carvana’s other vending machines are in Austin, Texas, Dallas, Houston, […] [Read More]

Donlen has released FleetWeb Intelligence Visualization Suite, its latest solution in fleet performance management. The tool can show intuitive charts and graphs that are designed to help fleet professionals improve productivity and reduce spending. With the new solution, a fleet professional can quickly view important trends that impact their fleet and identify a fleet’s challenges, […] [Read More]

DealerSocket has a new president and chief executive officer. Sejal Pietrzak takes over for Jonathan Ord, the co-founder of the company who has been its CEO for 16 years. Ord remains a strategic investor and board member. Pietrzak had spent the past 12 years at ACTIVE Network, a provider of intelligence solutions, where her most […] [Read More]

Contact At Once! announced Monday that the United States Patent and Trademark Office recently issued it a patent for a system designed to analyze messages and initiate communication sessions for clients. The new patent was developed to enhance the service that Contact At Once! customers are able to provide consumers who wish to communicate with businesses via […] [Read More]

CDK Global announced recently that it has partnered with ActivEngage to create Concierge Chat, a messaging tool built directly into CDK Next Gen Websites. The integration of Concierge Chat with the CDK platform provides customers with a professionally managed chat service fitted with features designed to help to drive qualified sales opportunities, the company said. […] [Read More]

Podium recently announced the appointment of Matt Murray as senior vice president of strategic accounts as well as new partnerships with DealerSocket and DealerVault. Podium’s latest integration with DealerSocket and DealerVault automates dealers' common interactions, such as collecting reviews and sending text messages. The new partnerships will allow dealers using DealerSocket and DealerVault to integrate […] [Read More]

Having worked on a number of recent home improvement projects, I’ve learned that a weekend warrior is only as good as her tools. Through my work in the automotive software industry, I’ve learned that the reverse is also true — a tool is only as good as the person using it. The DMS is an […] [Read More]