On Thursday, DealerSocket announced that after recently partnering with the insurance comparison website, FetchAQuote.com (Fetch), its newly released iDMS platform for independent dealers now allows dealer clients to easily use the site to find auto insurance for customers who have a hard time obtaining coverage.
"Our independent dealers often work with customers who have no insurance or are extremely difficult to insure,” said Jennifer Lee, vice president of product development at DealerSocket. “One of the biggest benefits of offering Fetch to iDMS users is that it helps buyers get insured quickly, cheaply and at all hours of the day. We focus on integrations that will save our dealers time and money. Fetch does both, so we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership."
Fetch offers a substantial collection of non-standard insurers who can provide coverage to customers with poor credit and bad driving histories.
"Every single day, car dealerships struggle to close deals for customers who either have no auto insurance or expensive insurance. As the buyer's insurance bill goes up, the amount the customer can spend on the vehicle, options and back-end products goes down," said Berk Jolly, chief executive officer of Fetch. "Why should dealers continually be asked to lower the price of the vehicle when the real problem in the negotiations is the customer's high cost of insurance? That's something Fetch can easily fix, and I'm excited we will now do so for iDMS users."
Now that the two programs have integrated, iDMs dealer clients can access Fetch using their DealerSocket login just by clicking on "Save Customers Money on Car Insurance" within the Deals module in iDMS.
Cox Automotive and Jive Software will discuss best practices for building an engaged workforce in a free live webinar next Thursday entitled, "Building an Engaged Workforce at Cox Automotive."
Cox Automotive communications manager Billy Auer will join Darshita Maniar, senior manager of product marketing at Jive Software, to examine the tools and technologies used to support employees through their careers at the company as well as how to overcome organizational fragmentation due to differing locations, devices and workstyles.
"With so many brands on one unified hub, we have a place for everything from communication to knowledge-sharing to social interaction across our entire organization," said Auer. "This has allowed us to not only better unite as a company, but also harness collaboration across brands, teams and locations in a way that helps everyone work better together."
Cox Automotive uses Jive, a provider of modern communication and collaboration solutions for business, to help maintain its vital human resources and corporate communications objectives, such as implementing company culture and broadening employee engagement.
For more information regarding the upcoming webinar and registration visit Jive’s "Building an Engaged Workforce at Cox Automotive" webpage.
Auction Management Solutions closed out the month by announcing that the firm has partnered with All Valley Dealer Auto Auction in North Hollywood, Calif., for business development consulting.
Tom Stewart and Richard Curtis of AMS now have relationships with 13 total auction locations; a collection that also includes:
— Columbus Fair Auto Auction
— Greater Quad City Auto Auction
— Rochester Syracuse Auto Auction
— Greater Erie Auto Auction
— DAA Chattanooga
— DAA Murfreesboro
— DAA Memphis
— DAA Huntsville
— DAA Mobile
— Southeastern Auto Auction
— Dealers Auto Auction of Idaho
— 166 Auto Auction
“We are very excited to be a part of the AMS group of auctions,” AVDA owner Victor Soghomonian said. “We have made a considerable investment into focusing on national accounts, and feel that Tom and Richard can be a great help in helping us achieve our goals.
“Tom and Richard will work closely with myself and my sons to identify new business opportunities as well as continuing to solidify existing relationships with our current consignors,” Soghomonian continued.
AVDA was started back in 1986 and is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. AVDA offers two sales weekly across four auction lanes on more than 30 acres of land. The operation offers more than 1,000 units weekly with sales on Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings.
AVDA is a full-service auction with full reconditioning, including in-house transportation services and an in-house repossession service. It is located in the San Fernando Valley, just outside of North Hollywood, Calif.
“We are very excited to be working with ADVA,” Stewart said. “Victor and his team have built a very strong auction in southern California, and now with less independent auction options for consignors in that part of the country, there is real opportunity for them to become a real powerhouse in that market.
“One of our goals here at AMS is to focus on providing our customers with the best service we can while working through a proven sales strategy to help them grow their business,” Stewart added.
On Monday, Dealer.com announced that General Motors certified its Digital Advertising Solution as an in-Market Retail (iMR) Turnkey Product.
The approval gives GM Dealers access to purchase Dealer.com's advertising product and receive co-op reimbursement from GM for their investment.
"GM's approval of Dealer.com Advertising will create more lucrative advertising and sales opportunities for their entire dealer network," said Andy MacLeay, director of digital marketing at Dealer.com. "Dealers now have greater choice on where to most effectively spend their digital advertising dollars."
Dealer.com provides dealers multi-channel advertising that integrates paid search, retargeting and display advertising, as well as unified analytics into a combined strategic portfolio.
Additionally, with the certification, Dealer.com Advertising will be included within GM's Dealer Vendor Advisor Portal that connects iMR Turnkey Vendors with GM Dealers.
Costco Auto Program has announced that the Chevrolet Corvette is now available during its General Motors Holiday Sales Event.
“We are excited to be able to offer an additional value with General Motors on the distinctive Corvette,” said John Conlon, services director at Costco. “This opportunity for Corvette enthusiasts to be able to purchase their dream car at a great value is almost unbelievable. If you’ve been waiting for the opportune moment to buy a Corvette, there’s no better time than now.”
This is the first time the Corvette has been included in a Costco limited-time offer.
Costco said in response to requests from its members, the new promotion addition includes all trim levels of the iconic American sports car.
The GM Holiday Sales Event also features a wide variety of 2016 and 2017 models from Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac.
Members who register for the promotion will receive both GM Supplier Pricing and most currently available GM incentives.
In addition, executive members will receive a $700 Costco Cash Card and Gold Star and Business Members will receive a $300 Costco Cash Card after purchasing a qualifying model, completing all eligibility requirements and taking delivery by Jan. 3.
CarClicks recently introduced its partnership with Autobytel that integrates its Autobytel Direct product to CarClicks’ existing automotive network, which promotes dealership inventory online.
“Online automotive has evolved, and the need for digital agencies to provide innovative, results-driven solutions has never been more critical,” said Jeff Coats, president and chief executive officer of Autobytel Inc. “Autobytel is in pole position to deliver these products with proven results for engaging millions of consumers and driving quality car buying traffic to dealer and manufacturer websites. We are pleased to be partnering with a progressive company like AIM to drive premium, filtered, and qualified traffic to its clients.”
CarClicks, a product of Automotive Internet Media (AIM), links in-market auto shoppers online directly to vehicle display pages of its dealership clients nationwide.
The product will add high-quality Autobytel Direct traffic to all of its dealership clients’ initiatives in order to increase their number of website visitors. CarClicks said the move provides its dealership clients added exposure and merchandising to both their new and used inventory.
Autobytel provides consumer leads to automotive dealers and delivers consumers with online automotive content.
“We tested Autobytel Direct with a few of our dealerships and were delighted with the quality of traffic it provided,” said Tony French, president of AIM. “Our CarClicks program is dedicated to driving only the highest-quality traffic to our dealer clients and Autobytel is an excellent addition to our network.”
“Adding another quality new-vehicle traffic source only strengthens the overall value of the CarClicks program,” he continued. “Any time we can provide a better mix of potential new and pre-owned buyers to our dealer websites is a win for our clients.”
Clarivoy has announced the native integration of its Multi-Touch Sales Attribution solution into Google AdWords, giving dealers insight into how many vehicles AdWords helps them sell.
The integration includes Clarivoy’s proprietary Anonymous Attribution technology, which identifies the online and offline purchase paths of buyers who opt to remain anonymous. This ensures sales are properly attributed to specific keyword, YouTube and display campaigns.
Dealerships piloting the native integration have reported favorable results. According to Alan Krutsch, director of marketing and e-commerce at Apple Autos, Clarivoy was able to identify $2.2 million of previously unattributable monthly sales for his dealership, helping him to see which ads actually contributed to sales.
“As dealers we spend all of this money on marketing tactics and not enough energy and money on analysis and insight,” he said. “This new integration enables us to make smarter decisions based on facts and data. As marketers we need to optimize campaigns based on data that is flowing through AdWords or our bid management platform.
"The native integration of Clarivoy’s Multi-Touch Sales Attribution solution into AdWords gives us vital insight and certainty on what is working — and that’s priceless."
Chief executive officer Steve White said Clarivoy’s native integration into Google AdWords allows dealers to optimize their AdWords campaigns based on actual sales data — not so-called vanity metrics.
“There is a total disconnect,” White said. “Many dealers think AdWords is working for them. However, they only know half of the story with clicks and don’t truly know what sales can be attributed to their campaigns. And even those that have taken on the arduous task of matching buyers to their AdWords tracking codes are extremely disappointed with the low amount of sales they can identify, since a large percent of buyers never self-identify in their buying journey.
“Now, for the first time ever, auto dealers will know how many vehicles AdWords sold for them in any given month.”
Clarivoy’s Multi-Touch Sales Attribution platform is focused on user-level attribution, allowing clients to transparently view a consumer’s full purchase path while sorting and ranking the influence of each channel’s contribution — paid search, display ads, TV, email, third party websites, organic search, social and brand website.
The integration into Google AdWords collects and pairs all AdWords clicks and calls to the appropriate vehicle buyer while dividing the credit within AdWords, ensuring no over-attribution to any particular keyword, campaign or ad group. Dealers simply need to do is install Clarivoy’s tracking code and provide DMS access to sales.
Clarivoy’s native integration into Google AdWords will be unveiled at the Kain Automotive Clients & Friends Digital Success Workshop set for Nov. 15-17 at the
21c Museum Hotel in Lexington, Ky.
For more information, or to sign up for a product demonstration, visit www.clarivoy.com.
PureCars has been named a Kia Certified Digital Advertising Partner by KiaMotors.
The partnership will make PureCars’ digital advertising solutions available to Kia dealers across the U.S.
Kia’s Certified Digital Advertising Program allows dealers to use paid search and online advertising from certified providers to drive incremental local traffic to their respective websites.
Now, Kia dealers can take advantage of PureCars’ Smart Advertising offerings for improved targeting efforts. SmartAdvertising provides a singular digital advertising solution that executes campaigns across various media channels, enabling dealers to follow consumers’ journeys across search, social, display and video.
“We are honored to be recognized by Kia as a valuable advertising partner for their dealers,” said Jeremy Anspach, chief executive officer of PureCars. “Working with Kia will allow PureCars to continue helping dealers take the guesswork out of search architecture and digital advertising.
“Now, PureCars can provide even higher quality service, technology and online marketing expertise to Kia dealers and help them effectively reach customers across all channels.”
PureCars recently earned a spot on the annual Inc. 500|5000 list for the third consecutive year, following the launch of social and video extensions of its SmartAdvertising platform in early 2016 and a major acquisition by Raycom Media last October for $125 million.
“With a vast majority of consumers going online to research a vehicle prior to purchase, search engine marketing must be a key component of any dealership’s digital marketing strategy,” said Anspach.
“As a Kia partner, PureCars will help Kia dealers more efficiently serve car shoppers' tailored, relevant advertisements at the right time and in all the right places, driving more consumers to the lot as a result.”
Click here to learn more about the Kia Certified Digital Advertising Partner Program.
Customers of Fletcher Jones Auto Group’s Mercedes-Benz dealerships now have access to a digital sales and finance app powered by AutoGravity.
AutoGravity’s FJ Drive app, for iPhones and Android devices, enables Fletcher Jones’ customers to enjoy a seamless car shopping and financing experience that lets them choose from a large selection of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, secure a loan or lease through FJ Drive, and pick up their Mercedes-Benz at the Fletcher Jones location of choice.
AutoGravity uses proprietary technology to connect car shoppers, lenders and dealers. The company’s collaboration with leading banks and captive lenders provides users with up to four personalized auto finance offers. AutoGravity offers its one-of-a-kind smartphone-based car sales and financing experience with AutoGravity branded iOS, Android and Web apps, and partners with select OEM, lender and dealership brands to offer branded experiences, powered by AutoGravity, for their customers.
“FJ Drive powered by AutoGravity is a new platform that delivers an unparalleled mobile car shopping and financing experience right to the smartphones of the rapidly growing segment of tech-loving millennials,” said Andy Hinrichs, founder and chief executive officer of AutoGravity.
“The innovation-driven team at Fletcher Jones is embracing AutoGravity technology to set another benchmark in the increasingly digital world of automotive sales and finance.”
Shoppers simply choose the Mercedes-Benz they wish to buy, select their preferred Fletcher Jones Mercedes-Benz dealership, customize the terms of their loan or lease and apply for indirect financing with AutoGravity lenders, including Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. They can then take their approval to the showroom to pick up their vehicle.
“Our whole industry is going digital. By launching FJ Drive powered by AutoGravity, we’ve cemented our standing on the forefront of innovation and positioned Fletcher Jones to pull ahead and win with an unmatched digital car shopping and financing experience,” said Keith May, president of Fletcher Jones.
“AutoGravity is the clear technology leader in this space and Fletcher Jones works only with the best. Our partnership with AutoGravity extends our reach and empowers our guests through their favorite technology, anytime and anywhere they want.”
Both FJ Drive and AutoGravity are available for download on Apple devices running iOS 8.4 or higher from the App Store and Android devices running Android 4.1 or higher from Google Play.
AutoGravity said additional app features, network expansions and broader accessibility options are under development and will be announced shortly.
Editor's Note: Garth Blumenthal and the team at Fletcher Jones Motorcars — which are part of the dealership group— is Auto Remarketing’s 2016 CPO Dealer of the Year, sponsored by NCM Associates.
In an effort to give dealerships and independent shops more access to valuable information for their service business, Unotifi has integrated its customer relationship management (CRM) system with myCarfax Service Shop tools.
Shops using Unotifi software can join the myCarfax Service Shop program and take advantage of free resources like Carfax Service History Check. In addition, vital VIN-specific open recall information from Carfax is directly available through Unotifi.
Carfax data suggests that one out of every five vehicles in the U.S. has at least one open safety recall. With open recall information from Carfax integrated into the Unotifi Communicator platform, dealerships and service shops can enhance their customer service efforts by alerting new and existing customers about safety recalls on their vehicles.
“Our goal is to provide our customers with the industry’s most advanced and robust customer engagement system,” said Fred van der Neut, founder and president of Unotifi. “Unotifi is a pioneer and one of the first companies to fully integrate the myCarfax tools and recall information into our suite of services.
“Our users know and trust Carfax and are seeing a net positive impact on customer satisfaction and retention, as well as shop efficiency. Integrating reported service and recall information from Carfax into our already robust vehicle data provides our users with a more holistic view of the customer’s vehicle needs — all on one platform at their fingertips,” van der Neut continued.
Carfax Service History Check shows a vehicle’s reported maintenance history. Armed with this information, service technicians can make better service recommendations to their customers which, when combined with other myCarfax benefits like Carfax QuickVIN, helps avoid parts-ordering errors, increases ticket averages and ultimately, shop revenues.
“Unotifi is the greatest tool I have used in my 14 years in the auto industry,” said Michael Dooley, director of parts and service at Dayton Toyota. “Unotifi brings us much closer to our customers in a convenient way, from making them aware of upcoming services to updating them on the status of their vehicle when it is in our hands.
Plus, it saves our service team tons of time on busy days,” Dooley continued. “Having Unotifi build access to the myCarfax tools into the system is a huge benefit for us, since we’re already a myCarfax Service Shop. It’s great — we have access to service data we can’t get anywhere else, our RO averages are rising and we’re seeing more repeat customers.”
Dealers and independent shops interested in using the Unotifi solution integrated with the myCarfax Service Shop tools can visit automotivemarketingcrm.com.
