Auto/Mate Dealership Systems's DMS is now fully integrated with automotive CRM and BDC solutions provider DealerMine.
DealerMine is a 360-degree automotive CRM solution designed to advance revenue in both the sales and service departments.
The solution’s CRM can handle prospecting, lead management, desking and campaigns for sales departments and help drive traffic and maximize dealer’s shop capacity through service scheduling, online scheduling and telephony solutions, according to Auto/Mate.
"We welcome DealerMine as an Open/Mate partner," Auto/Mate president and chief executive officer Mike Esposito said in a news release. "DealerMine's CRM solution provides way more than just contact management; it provides dealers with the actionable data they need to increase their competitiveness at every stage of the sales and service cycle."
Additionally, Auto/Mate said it currently offers 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," the dealership DMS software provider said.
Dominion Dealer Solutions' automotive equity mining solution, DealActivator, is now fully integrated with Dominion Autobase, one of the company’s customer relationship management systems.
The combination of Dominion’s DealActivator and Autobase platforms can provide dealerships with enhanced business intelligence and increased lead information, the company said as part of its announcement on Wednesday.
“Dealers need efficient ways to follow up all leads. With the new Autobase Equity Logbook, both new and used car dealerships can contact their equity leads through the same processes already in place for lead follow-up in the CRM. This makes it a seamless process and ensures that no opportunity falls through the cracks,” Dominion Autobase product manager John Hardacre said in a news release.
The integration can give dealership sales teams instant access to a vehicle’s DealActivator equity data within Autobase CRM, including Dominion’s DealActivator Priority Page.
Additionally, dealers are no longer be required to log into the systems separately for those utilizing both DealActivator and Autobase, the CRM equity information will appear on the same screen, according to Dominion.
“Customer updates, including calls, emails, texts or notes made in either system, will be reflected in both, eliminating the need for additional manual entry,” Dominion said in the release. “Dealers using Autobase CRM will find the follow-up process streamlined by this integration, since they can now contact customers in an equity position in priority order by filtering those most likely to close.”
For more information about both Autobase’s CRM and DealActivator call (877) 421-1040.
“We are excited to bring DealActivator's award-winning equity experience to Dominion's Autobase CRM,” added Alan Andreu, the company’s equity solutions general manager. “Automotive dealers using Dominion’s Autobase will be ecstatic to start experiencing smart priority leads and other equity enhancements directly in the CRM.”
Demonstrating what the companies say is the tremendous power of long-term collaboration, RMS Automotive and Mazda Motors UK this year are celebrating a decade-long partnership highlighted by innovation and performance-driven results.
In that time, RMS Automotive has helped Mazda sell more than 14,500 vehicles and reach more than 75 percent of the Mazda Dealer Network through its web-based vehicle portfolio management solution.
“RMS Automotive is a reflection of Mazda remarketing; in fact the two are synonymous,” said Tamara Brown, used car and remarketing manager at Mazda Motors UK. “Our accomplishments during the past decade illustrate the value of our partnership. We’re proud to have reached this important milestone with them and are looking forward to growing and continuing our relationship.”
Executives recounted that the two companies first collaborated in 2007 at a time when Mazda heavily relied on spreadsheets to monitor and administer their inventory. Hindered by this time-consuming process and limited access to its network of dealerships, Mazda tapped RMS Automotive to transform the management of its used vehicle inventory by implementing an online wholesale remarketing platform that would allow them to gain control and visibility over their entire vehicle portfolio for better, more informed decision-making.
Now, 10 years later, RMS Automotive continues to help Mazda enhance the value of its remarketing inventory by delivering faster remarketing time, improved residuals and reduced depreciation costs, all in a reliable, easy-to-use interface.
“We’re proud of our long-term partnership with Mazda Motors UK and of successfully helping them take the guesswork out of managing their vehicle portfolio,” RMS Automotive president Nick Peluso said. “We look forward to continuing to provide first-class remarketing services to Mazda Motors UK for many years to come.”
To commemorate the milestone, Mazda held an online auction hosted by Manheim UK in mid-April, during which RMS Automotive donated £50 (approx. $65) per vehicle sold for a total of £2,750 (approx. $3,600). The donation will be split across three charities — Grief Encounter, Max Appeal and Emilia’s Little Heart Foundation.
Auto/Mate Dealership Systems has fully integrated its dealership management system with Dashboard Dealership Enterprises to satisfy the current and emerging needs of its customers, the company announced on Wednesday.
Dashboard Dealership Enterprises develops dealership management reporting products and related services such as Executive Eye, the company’s flagship product.
"Managers at every level in automotive retail have more important things to do than spend time compiling data into reports, which quickly become inaccurate and don't tell the story behind the numbers," Auto/Mate president and chief executive officer Mike Esposito said in a news release. "Analytics and business intelligence software allow managers to drill down and identify why problems are occurring, so they can take immediate and appropriate action."
Dealerships using both Auto/Mate's DMS and Dashboard's reporting solutions can now take part in seamless data exchange and real-time updates across the two systems, according to Auto/Mate.
"Our mission is to exceed customer expectations for services, quality, speed of implementation, ease of use and support," Dashboard Dealership Enterprises chief executive officer Josh Blick said. "The Open/Mate integration process with Auto/Mate was painless and we are thrilled that more auto dealers now have an enterprise option to analytics and business intelligence."
Last week, CDK Global announced that it had signed a deal to acquire Auto/Mate.
CDK said in a news release it will integrate the Auto/Mate DMS into its product offering.
Each of the company’s boards has approved the deal, which is subject to customary closing requirements and regulatory approval. The deal, whose terms were not disclosed, should close this summer, the companies said.
Frontier Car Group, a new global company that builds and runs marketplaces for used cars in five countries, recently announced the closing of a $22 million investment made by a portfolio of global investors led by Balderton Capital.
With operations in Chile, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey, the group said it will put the funds toward growing the emerging markets within each country.
"Frontier Car Group is an exciting company with huge potential and we are delighted to lead an investment in this company," Balderton Capital general partner Daniel Waterhouse said in a news release. "The co-founders have a clear vision for the future of automotive sales and are leading a Berlin-based team who have developed a technical solution and operational model that allows the company to scale effectively at great speed. The fact that they are already live in five continents is a testament to their diligence and determination."
EchoVC+, TPG/Satya, NEA and Partech Ventures also partnered with Balderton Capital in the investment round. Waterhouse and Eghosa Omoigui of EchoVC+ have assumed seats on the FCG board of directors.
FCG's current businesses include VendeNosTuAuto of Chile, VendeTuAuto of Mexico, Cars45 of Nigeria, CarFirst of Pakistan and Ototrink of Turkey.
Founded last year, the global company has grown to have 200 employees around the world, including operations in Berlin, home of its technical, financial and operational headquarters.
"The automotive sales sector is fundamentally broken in top tier emerging markets around the world. Despite massive consumer demand, there is no good scalable way for people to sell their used cars efficiently for a fair price," FCG co-founder and chief executive officer Sujay Tyle said. "Our vision is to reinvent how the used automotive sales sector works in global emerging markets through technology and infrastructure creation."
Tyle, along with Peter Lindholm and Andre Kussmann, launched FCG in September.
Before launching the group, Tyle co-founded Hired.com and served as its chief operations officer, Lindholm was an investment manager at Millicom, and Kussmann was director of engineering at Auto1 in Berlin.
Since adding Kelley Blue Book to its list of data providers, PERQ said the addition has increased the number of trade-in leads generated by PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement platform for its dealer customers by up to 300 percent.
The integration of Kelley Blue Book’s data with FATWIN provides online visitors both increased confidence in the valuations of their used vehicles and a better online experience, PERQ said.
“We’re excited to work with PERQ and further extend our market-reflective Blue Book Values,” said Damon Bennett, senior director of syndication for Kelley Blue Book. “Given that determining whether pricing is fair is among the biggest pain points when transacting, Kelley Blue Book is providing consumers with the confidence of how much to expect for their car.”
Initial results have shown that combining Kelley Blue Book data with FATWIN’s trade appraisal is drawing more online visitors and yielding higher conversion.
“Dealerships are, on average, experiencing a 3-time increase in trade-in leads, 5 times the volume of trade-in sales and a 9.2 percent higher average gross profit per unit sold,” PERQ said.
There are more than 300 dealership websites currently utilizing PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement solution, according to the company.
“The consumer experience is of paramount importance to engaging online visitors and converting leads into dealership sales,” PERQ executive vice president of product Stephanie Ragozzino said. “By combining Kelley Blue Book’s valuation data with PERQ’s uniquely intuitive interactive online experience, dealerships have an even more powerful opportunity to engage more visitors via our trade-in tool and turn more of those leads into car sales.”
For more details about FATWIN’s use of Kelley Blue Book’s data, click here.
AutoNation has teamed up with Andretti Autosport's 2014 Indy 500 champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and Indy 500 rookie Jack Harvey for TV advertising campaigns that celebrate the company selling 11 million vehicles and raise cancer awareness.
This month, Hunter-Reay kicked off AutoNation's, "Race to 11 Million" major TV campaign along with the "#DRINKTHEMILK" challenge, which reinforces AutoNation's commitment to fighting cancer.
By supporting the company’s Drive Pink initiative, Harvey, who is scheduled to drive in his first Indy 500 on Sunday, will also join AutoNation in raising cancer awareness.
During the race, the rookie will drive the #50 AutoNation car, painted in bold pink and black colors, AutoNation said.
The company directed all charitable efforts towards cancer research, awareness and prevention after partnering with Hunter-Reay and Racing for Cancer four years ago, according to AutoNation.
“In conjunction with the company's Drive Pink Initiative, AutoNation has committed nearly $11 million towards cancer-related organizations in 18 markets coast to coast,” the retailer said in a news release.
Additionally, Harvey will also participate in the company's summer-long national TV advertising campaign and sales event, "PAYCATION! Buy a new car or truck and make no payments for 90 days."
“AutoNation is committed to drive out cancer, create awareness and support critical research. AutoNation continues to be a proud supporter of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and other cancer-related charities," the company added.
Speed Digital announced it will partner with HemmingsPRO Auctions to host a battle more than 50 years in the making: Mustangs versus Camaros.
On May 26, the new partners will bring collectors and enthusiasts a Mustangs versus Camaros sale, the first of a series of monthly themed, timed online auctions.
This event will help settle the long-standing rivalry between the two sporsts car brands and determine which American classic is truly most popular, Speed Digital said.
"We look forward to bringing this unique auction format to millions of Mustang and Camaro fans," Speed Digital president Neil Pitt said in a news release. "It will be exciting to see which fan base has a stronger showing. Will a Mustang or Camaro bring in the highest winning bid? Will more Mustangs find new homes or will it be Camaros? Only time will tell, but it will be fun to watch it all unfold on May 26."
Mustangs and Camaros from 1964 to 2017 will be included in the auction and all inventory will be provided by dealers within Speed Digital's Dealer Accelerate network.
Interested buyers can currently bid at hemmings.speeddigital.com. The timed online auction will close on the night of May 26.
During the live auction, a 2017 Petty's Garage King Premier Edition Mustang powered by a 5.0L V-8 engine producing 825 HP will be auctioned off at 7 p.m.
The customized car signed by Richard Petty himself comes in the Petty's Garage signature limited "ghost series" black and silver paint scheme. According to Speed Digital, the proceeds from the sale of the car will go to charity.
"The Petty's Garage Mustang won't be the only vehicle drawing interest during the Mustangs vs. Camaros online auction. You would be hard-pressed to find more premier Mustangs and Camaros in another auction," Speed Digital added. "Two of the most sought-after vehicles that will have bidders reaching for their wallets include a 1969 Ford Mustang estimated to go between $236,000 and $355,000 at the auction and a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro COPO."
Other sought after cars include the 1968 Shelby GT500, the 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 and the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS, which are estimated to go for $133,000 to $187,000, $99,000 to $134,000 and $90,000 to $122,000, respectively, according to Speed Digital.
For more information about the upcoming auction email [email protected] or visit hemmings.speeddigital.com.
The power and capability of artificial intelligence with the consumer comfort of a kiosk are now being leveraged to improve the dealership service drive and showroom.
UpdatePromise recently announced an exclusive partnership with GoMoto, to combine the companies’ platforms into one fully embedded dealership management system with a connected consumer experience and engagement solution.
With this tool, the companies explained, dealers and OEMs will now be able to provide their customers with seamless omnichannel automated, mobile and self-service kiosk experiences.
“At UpdatePromise, our solutions have always been aimed at enhancing the customer experience through convenience, speed and transparency. GoMoto’s kiosk solution is consistent with that vision,” UpdatePromise founder and chief executive officer Curtis Nixon said.
“Integrating our communications, payments and survey platforms with GoMoto’s kiosk solutions is an ideal fit for both companies,” Nixon continued.
As a result of the partnership, UpdatePromise’s customers will immediately gain access to GoMoto’s kiosk platform, while GoMoto’s kiosk customers will be able to incorporate the UpdatePromise Consumer Experience Lifecycle Solution.
The GoMoto Kiosk Platform is a cloud-based, customizable software and hardware system that can create comprehensive, dealer‐focused solutions that can drive sales and provide customer captivating interactive technology in-store.
“We are thrilled to partner with a company whose vision and philosophies are aligned with ours,” GoMoto co‐founder and CEO Todd Marcelle said. “Both companies have developed customer centric solutions that create demonstrable differentiators for dealers and OEMs.
“Together, we will be able to provide one integrated solution to accommodate all customer preferences,” Marcelle went on to say.
Edmunds has introduced a new Amazon Alexa Skill for voice-enabled access to Edmunds' automotive content, which creates a source for Edmunds data within the Alexa Skills store that goes beyond a computer or mobile device, the company announced on Thursday.
"The freedom to simply ask questions to find relevant information about a vehicle is an invaluable asset, both in the short term when shopping for cars and on an ongoing basis once purchased," Edmunds chief digital officer Phil Potloff said in a news release. "We love how tapping into the power and convenience of natural language with Alexa brings Edmunds content to life for our users and underscores our commitment to innovation that brings increased value for shoppers and owners."
Using Alexa, Amazon's cloud-based voice service, allows users who access the new skill to easily research, shop and keep tabs on vehicle options.
Edmunds said its new Alexa Skill delivers both high-level overviews and in-depth reviews of specific vehicles’ safety, driving and powertrain information.
Alexa is also capable of answering questions about a wide range of vehicle specifications, such as miles per gallon, cargo space, horsepower and basic warranty details.
Edmunds’ Alexa Skill can provide the MSRP for any vehicle and give device users information regarding local inventory and current lease deals.
Additionally, Alexa allows drivers to keep track of their current vehicles’ recall information and maintenance schedules.
"Car owners can ask Alexa what their car is worth and immediately learn the real-time Edmunds True Market Value for their car, or ask when their next oil change is due," Edmunds said.
Edmunds' new Alexa Skill will work with any Alexa-enabled device, such as Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets.
The skill is free and available now. For more information and a list of the skill's supported requests and intents, visit www.edmunds.com/alexa.
