Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail — an information technology organization aimed at bringing together the global retail automotive industry — began a new initiative with several manufacturers including Ford, General Motors, Nissan and Volkswagen, along with dealer system providers. The goal is to streamline and simplify the daily transfer of business information among dealers’ […] [Read More]

Effective customer follow-up can be key to sealing a deal, but it takes time to make sure every potential buyer is getting the attention they need — time most dealers may not have.  In an effort to make sure dealers take advantage of every potential lead, marketing company OneCommand revealed a new solution it contends […] [Read More]

New automotive technology advancements continue to stream out of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. This morning, Toyota revealed that beginning this year, the OEM will significantly increase the availability of SiriusXM across its entire vehicle line-up. Officials shared that SiriusXM will now be standard on the majority of Toyota's multimedia systems.  […] [Read More]

As the Consumer Electronics Show gets underway in Las Vegas, automakeres are revealing new technologies and developments by the hour. With new offerings ranging from apps to mobile products, online radio functionality and more, the in-car technology race is heating up. First up, Chrysler Group introduced Internet radio capability to its Uconnect Access suite of […] [Read More]

Though many see apps as tools specific to smartphones, AutoTrader.com is exploring another facet of this emerging market. The company said Thursday it has launched a new app for Samsung Smart TVs. "People are increasingly using mobile, consoles, TVs and many other emerging technologies to gather automotive information and make purchase decisions," said Nick Park, […] [Read More]

Thanks to a new offering from the automaker’s Mopar brand, Chrysler Group dealerships will have factory-connected tablet technology in their service drives that can help them move customers through much quicker. The automaker compared Mopar’s wiADVISOR platform to the check-in service one might find at a high-end hotel, where guest information and preferences would already […] [Read More]

Regional third-party vehicle sale website KSL Cars announced Wednesday that advertising dealerships can now use online chat features  to connect with potential buyers. The Utah-based company has added Contact at Once live chat capabilities in the site’s automotive ads. KSL Cars will bundle Contact At Once in its auto dealer packages, officials noted. [Read More]

DealerRater revealed this week it has launched a new tool in the Canadian market to help dealers monitor and improve their online reputation. The new 360Certified is the premium level of the company’s  Certified Dealer Program, which offers dealerships an online reputation and social monitoring platform. This new offering was launched in the U.S. this […] [Read More]

There’s no arguing it: Thanks to mobile devices, consumers are always connected to the Internet—and the constant stream of information that comes with it. I spoke about this topic at the DrivingSales Executive Summit in Las Vegas, and in this six-part blog series, I’ll recap the highlights. Part I: The new-car shopper Part I begins […] [Read More]

A dealer has more to consider these days than a simple website when designing a digital marketing plan. And the ways to snag a potential buyer over the Internet are growing. According to a recent survey of online vehicle shoppers commissioned by Chrome Data, consumers are increasing their use of mobile devices and social media […] [Read More]