AutoFacets is the industry expert in providing automotive consulting services in the digital transformation of the automotive world. AutoFacets’ automotive IT solutions are based on the new-age business models which focus on the satisfaction of end-users. Its dealer management solutions is one of the unique solutions for the automotive world to bring agility to your business process. The dealer management solutions is capable to enhance the in-store dealer experience with its immense capabilities and features. For more information about automotive consulting services.
Although most of the industries of today are transforming digitally, some skeptics do exist when it comes to investing in an automotive dealership management software. There could be many reasons behind it. They could either be too busy trying to meet the sales targets for the month. Or probably, the ‘Buy here pay here’ dealerships are cheaper as compared to their big box store counterparts.
Whether you are a newly-fangled automotive dealer or someone having a small business, you need to understand that investing in the right Dealership Management System can make a huge impact on the efficiency of your dealership. A dealership management system that is cost-effective, intuitive and user-friendly can help you boost profits and minimize expenses. Let’s find out how:
Boosting Profits through Dealership Management Solutions
Google the term ‘Dealership Management Solutions’ and you will find several options available in the market. But the question is, do they all come with the features and functionalities that can be customized according to the ever-dynamic and technologically transforming automotive market scenario? That being asked, do they help auto dealers boost their profits?
Certain sales and marketing related functionalities of DMS, if used correctly, can help to implement productive tasks leading to profits. Take a look at some of them given below:
Sales information right from customer notes and inventory to communication records is a must when it comes to running sales and marketing activities smoothly. An eagle-eye view of these aspects through a dashboard or a mobile app can help sales executives to find the information they were looking for. Not just that, it also helps them conduct functionalities that go beyond general dealership agendas.
An ideal sales pipeline should work like a well-oiled machine. With well-crafted features of a DMS, your sales executives can go from one lead to another without waiting for the manager’s order to move to the next assignment. Not just that, salespeople can also track email performances and eliminate poor performers to get qualified leads, ultimately boosting sales efforts.
Sending follow-up emails time and again can take up a lot of your time and effort. Moreover, a task like this when repeated every few days can get redundant and monotonous. By having a system in place, the sales team can schedule targeted emails and create customized templates to send personalized emails. Once a car buyer is happy with a certain dealership, there are more chances of retaining them. It is said that 70% of customers are more likely to make a purchase and 5% of the increase in dealership retention can boost profits by 25%
By customizing the workflow, sales executives can focus more on leads with high-probability. Moreover, the sales managers can keep a track of the sales team and their performance in real-time ensuring that they work to the best of that potential.
Minimizing Expenses through a Dealership Management Systems
As activities like making inventory lists and scanning licenses/VIN takes place with the help of a mobile app available with Automotive Dealer solutions, it saves the money spent on office supply. Scanning of documents like license also keeps human errors and discrepancies at bay.
With the help of communication tools, the dealers can drive effective sales campaigns via emails; eliminating the usage of paper-based mailer campaigns conducted via third-party vendors.
Using automation tools, managers and sales executives of Automotive dealers can execute multiple deals without compromising on the quality of output. DMS helps to curb the payroll costs, makes your existing sales team stronger, and eliminates the need to hire extra sales staff.
In a Nutshell…
For any dealership management to be successful, it must be designed in a way that meets the expectations of end-customers. Ensure that you invest in a Dealership Management Solution that helps you create long-lasting bonds with your customers. We wish you the best!
“There’s a bumper sticker on my Range Rover which says “Blow a horn if car parts fall off.” This new sticker is the replacement of a previous sticker which said: “Each part that falls out of this car is of superior European quality”. I am done dealing with airflow sensors, head gaskets, coil pack and heaters that ask for the removal of the entire dashboard. The revisits at auto dealers are not fun. And I forget my checkbook each time!”
This is what a rant from a customer done dealing with obsolete automotive dealers sounds like.
Whether you already own an automotive dealership or you are about to start a new one, you need to take care of several aspects and stay on top of them. If your data is an amalgamation of details scattered all over the place including CRM, emails, ERP, local files and manual documents, there’s bad news! You will not be able to cope with the expectations of modern customers.
What you need is a comprehensive, robust, and reliable car dealership management system that makes the process of dealing with customers streamlined, time-saving and stress-free. So, what are some of its major features and what makes them so important for the automotive industry? Let’s find out:
Dealership Management System and Features You Must Know About
Dealership management involves taking care of record-keeping and day to day operations in several areas including finance, sales, inventory, vehicle pricing, parts ordering, administration, warranty claims, creating credit reports and more. A perfect dealership management system is the one that takes care of all of the above-mentioned aspects and more:
Take a look at some of the dealer management system features that are a must-have for today’s times:
Now that you’ve known about the features and functionalities of a DMS, let’s understand how it can benefit you and your organization.
Marketing (Banner)
A good quality dealer management solution helps campaign managers to design the right automotive retail experience for the current and potential customers. They can ensure customer loyalty by rolling out rewards and benefits program for their loyal customer base resulting into more customer retention.
Sales (Banner)
Think about this. A system that is intuitive enough to give you tangible inputs and data about the traffic on your website so that your sales executives can book a test drive with customers. A survey functionality that motivates customers to participate in a survey so that you can improve your services based on the customer feedback.
And last but not the least, a feature that offers visibility to sales professionals do that they can arrange for a demo with their customers and review cars to smoothen customer experience.
After Sales (Banner)
The umbrella of aftersales is huge. Managing after sales activities asks for a lot of modernized functionalities. Take a look at some features that can help you ace at after sales activities.
Customer Delight
Modern dealership management systems come with a web portal or a mobile app using which the B2B and B2C customers can handle their aftersales journey with dealerships digitally. Not just that, they can also track service appointments through online status updates. Through smart and interactive kiosks, you can encourage self-service and enhance customer engagement with your brand.
Perks of Integrating a Dealer Management System
Automotive Dealer Management systems are continually evolving. AutoFacets plays a major role in making automotive platforms that are feasible, scalable, and profitable. Why not get in touch with us and know about our offerings in detail? Drop an email to us on info@autofacets.com now!
“You can innovate your brains out and get a great product. But it is hard to sell cars. It is a hard business.” — Mark Reuss, Executive Vice President, General Motors.
Automotive dealers thriving in the technology-driven world are often overwhelmed with technology. Especially, the old school ones. The ones that are reluctant to change. On the other hand, car freaks are already fantasizing about the digital versions of their choice, make, and model. Also, they do not want to rent or lease cars by visiting automotive dealers. They want the car to be delivered at their doorstep. In a scenario like this one, there arises a dire need to invest in a technologically advanced dealer management system.
But the question is, what should a modern dealer management solution entail? And how is it likely to change the customer experiences? Let’s take a drive down the trail of future of automotive dealerships:
VR Test Drives & Remote Purchasing
A survey conducted by Auto Trader in the year 2017 proved that nearly 42% car buyers make use of multiple devices to search for a new vehicle. And 68% of auto dealers customers hold a negative impression of the brand when the websites of automotive dealers are not responsive. Last year, 60% of the people chose to buy car online as compared to the 20% who visited dealerships.
Although there are individuals who prefer an on-hand car driving experience, there are several inclined towards taking a virtual test drive of the car of their choice before they visit the showroom. Or, they might not.
As an Automotive dealer, you must think about the ways in which you can deliver value to your customers. It is also possible to acquaint your customers with the look and feel of car interiors by offering a 360-degree experience, by leveraging the potential of virtual reality. The next thing you know; your customer places an order remotely! Auto dealers can also lease and rent vehicles on the website after making financial approvals online. Now, although every automotive dealer doesn’t offer this kind of service, it is certainly possible to do that through a streamlined and user-friendly system.
Digital Disruption in the Automotive Industry
Most of the customers today ask for personalized treatment from automotive dealers and expect to get value out of car buying experience. Also, for customers, OEMs and dealers are no different. Their expectations are built based on the experiences built by their interaction with disrupted industries. Most of the Netherland car dealers understand the importance of ever-increasing customer expectations and have installed a dealer management system that enables smooth transactions with their clients.
However, it is important to change the perception of going digital and think of it as a means to render a personalized, engaging, and seamless experience rather than thinking of it as being an end.
Driving the Future…
Whether it is a retail industry or an automotive one, customer interactions are of paramount importance. Also, these interactions have to be driven by continuous engagement with customers and providing them with technologies that save time, offer convenience, and above all, luxury.
As autonomous driving and connected cars are becoming common, one must think about embracing voice-enabled services, 3rd generation kiosks, virtual showrooms and providing 360-degree customer experience. This holistic and collaborative approach between OEM, auto dealers and customers is sure to bring about a paradigm shift in the way that the automotive industry works.
If you have specific requirements, we would be more than happy to hear them out and customize our solution for you. Why not drop us an email about the dealer management issues you face? We would be more than happy to help!
It is quite common for fleet managers and fleet operating companies of today to be struggling with the daily chaos of vehicle monitoring, ensuring drivers’ safety, and undertaking cost-reduction as well as fuel efficiency initiatives. Companies that are responsible for managing more than thousands of vehicles and drivers operating in different countries employ a fleet management software to handle their fleet management cycle. Other smaller fleet firms probably rely on traditional spreadsheets for recording and management of different activities.
But the question is, do these systems suffice? In other words, do these solutions meet the exact requirement of fleet owners?
Well, not all fleet management solutions available today are developed according to the requirements of fleet management companies. As a result, they put their fleet to risk, both financially and operationally. The answer to these concerns, is a complete, user-friendly, end-to-end fleet management software that operates by leveraging telematics and workflow automation.
So, what does an ideal fleet management system looks like. And how does it help resolving complexities of daily fleet operations. Let’s find out:
Guaranteed Drivers’ Safety
Managers do not physically travel with the drivers. Also, although drivers know how to drive, when they are running on tight schedules and deadlines, they tend to speed up or compromise with the speed limits. During such times, it becomes essential for fleet managers to analyze drivers’ behavior.
Fleet management solutions of today come with a drivers’ management module using which, fleet managers can ensure that drivers follow organization’s policies pertaining to driving behavior. It can include the measurement of several behaviors like speeding, applying frequent brakes, lack of seatbelt usage, accident monitoring, crossing boundaries illegally etc. You can also get functionalities like:
● Get details about the location of drivers through geo-location
● Keep records of all their documents including licenses
● Know about the number of hours and distance travelled
Through the above features, it gets extremely easy to give real-time feedback to the drivers and make them aware of actions that make a breach.
Enhanced Fuel Efficiency
According to Phoenix Zhang, the senior analyst at Forrester Research, Fleet optimization solutions help fleet manager create efficient routes for the fleet so that its usage is optimized leading to enhanced fuel efficiency. As a fleet owner, you must be aware that CO2 emissions lead to an increase in carbon footprint. Also, if fuel efficiency is not maintained, it increases your costs spent on the fleet fuel.
By employing Vehicle Management Module, you can:
● Track the consumption of fuel in fleet
● Bring digitization through vehicle telematics and curb the amount of fuel consumption
● Check instances fuel over usage
● Maintain delivery accuracy
Apart from these features and functionalities, you can generate detailed reports and metrics which enable you to go through all the fuel data and monitor driver behavior associated with increased fuel costs. Isn’t it a great way to save the amount spent on fuel?
Assured Compliance
Compliance refers to operations that are in adherence with the government policies, industry standards, third party disclaimers and internal policies of the organization. For your fleet to perform at its optimum potential, it is important to achieve complete compliance. Erroneous form submissions, missed paperwork deadlines, and delays can make government authorities grounding your fleet.
To get over the above mentioned challenges, you must partner with companies that offer solutions adhering to industry standards and government policies. Employing an authentic solution will curb your costs, lessen your burden and ensure that your fleet:
● Remains legally safe during its road journeys
● Adheres to the latest performance standards, technologies, and practices
● Follows the objectives and rules set by the fleet organization
Before you select a fleet management software partner, always ensure that the company has ample amount of technology resources, experience and integrity necessary for compliance.
Ensured Fleet Security
Vehicle and equipment threats are quite common. However, they lead companies to incur huge losses every year in terms of finances, property, and stock. These fleet thefts often occur when expensive accessories and equipment are used by the fleet. Now, although you cannot physically stop the attackers from targeting your vehicles, you can mitigate the intensity of risk that your fleet might face using a fleet management solution.
Fleet managers across Europe and other countries are benefitting out of the intuitive strategies. These solutions help with the following:
● Advanced security and control for your fleet through security code
● Vehicle monitoring & location tracking
● Anti-tamper technology
● Identification & protection of driver
● Vehicle access control through acceleration control system
● Eyes on screen for high value cargo monitoring
● Geo-Fencing with alerts
If you want to get over the fleet theft risks and blues, it is advisable to choose a system that provides an end-to-end, modernized fleet security system.
AutoFacets: An End to Your Fleet Management Blues
Every fleet organization owner wishes to have a simpler, faster, and a more secure way of managing their fleet. The reason is simple. They want to get over the daily turmoil of fleet administration through traditional sheets and focus on growing their business.
If you wish to achieve all four of the above-mentioned and more benefits for your Fleet Business, AutoFactes is what you are looking for. Fleet organizations all over the world make the most out of our smart and customizable platform for planning and keep a real time track of their fleet. What kind of fleet management issues do you go through? Why not share with us on mailto:info@autofacets.com and we would be more than happy to help you!
How to Get Over Fleet Management Challenges Seamlessly?
However, tasks as multifarious as these can’t possibly be handled manually or by using basic backend system. One needs to have a comprehensive solution that helps to undertake fleet management seamlessly.
Using a fleet management system, businesses owners can keep the track of their fleet, employees, as well as assets in the most cost-effective way. So, what are the ways in which you can get over your fleet management blues? And in what ways can a vehicle management system come to your rescue? Let’s find out:
Keep Uncertainties at
With a lot of activities changing rapidly at every level, it is quite difficult for fleet managers to operate with certainty. In fact, in today’s advancing times, fleet managers also expect autonomous vehicles to be a part their fleet.
But until vehicles become fully autonomous, one needs to continually trace the journey of drivers, keep in tandem with the change in driver schedules, and manage the full-lifecycle from purchase to remarketing. A superior quality Fleet Management system has modules which provide real-time updates enabling you to know about the on goings of your fleet and their whereabouts.
Enhance the Productivity of Drivers
The significance of drivers’ times is the most undermined factor when it comes to fleet management. As a fleet manager, one needs to ensure that there are minimal or no down times. Which means, you need to enhance your drivers’ productivity. Now, how can you take care of this remotely?
The technology of today has digitally transformed a lot of aspects pertaining to drivers including routing, reporting, and refueling. An ideal fleet management system should be able to provide you with a driver management module that enables you to keep details of drivers, track their behavior in real-time, and get information about the distance travelled along with the travel time.
Apart from boosting the productivity of your drivers, you can also up your productivity as a fleet manager using an automated solution. A solution that keeps you connected with your drivers at all times, follow up on their tachograph discrepancies, and provide them with feedback. Ensure that you look for a system that helps you enhance productivity of both; your driver and you.
Keep Customer Information Handy
Fortunately, or unfortunately, fleet management is not just confined to the realms of managing your vehicles and drivers. You also need to keep your customers happy, for which some business owners use a separate basic fleet software. To make it all easy, you can have an all-inclusive software solution which also keeps all your customer related information (from accountancy to payment details) and helps you to get the details as and when you want.
Using details from your customer management module, you can make reports, generate invoices, and create workflows from any location. It’s ideal to go for a fleet management system that comes integrated with a basic fleet software and provides you with a user-friendly dashboard for handling customer administration tasks with ease.
It’s Time to Get Over the Fleet Management Chaos!
AutoFacets, your trusted Automotive Digital Partner is here to help you get through your Fleet Management chaos. It renders you with a seamless and user-friendly way of organizing the fleet of vehicles and keeping a track of your drivers through a fleet management system.
If you have specific requirements, we would be more than happy to hear them out and customize our solution for you. Why not to drop us an email about the fleet management issues you face? We would be more than happy to help!
Conventional automotive dealers must recognize the use of digitization; the alarming dealer return decrease is a concern. The digital disruption in the automotive world is supported by innovations like dealer management software and car dealer management solutions to get a healthy return for the dealer. There has been a paradigm shift to digitization when it comes to offering improved experience for end-users.
Enhancements Needed in Car Buying Journey
There is a surprising fact here. In the year 2017, there was 1.2% increase in the used car sales compared to new cars in the Netherlands region. The statistics at the individual dealership has made a huge difference of 5% to 8% in their respective used car sales. Yet, adding the new car sales statistics will reduce it to 1,916 Euros sales figure.
Outflow of Experienced Technicians a Concern
With the constant decline in external sales for 3 years, there is a quick jump of 16.2% in the year 2018. In this development, there is an increase in 11.1% of the total technicians compare to previous year. This has resulted into a decrease in the department’s overall result from 24.6% to 22.9% respectively in the year 2017 to 2018. The significant increase in the new technicians clearly indicates that experienced resources are going out, though replaced with young engineers, but efficiency and productivity got affected.
Digitization Required for Process Optimization
Bert de Kroon, the chairman of BOVAG Car Dealers shared his concern by saying “The figures show that process optimization is crucial and it becomes a major challenge with an amateur staff. The general costs cannot be kept under control and in combination with the disappointing sales figures from the beginning of 2019.” It creates a space for legacy transformation to digital platform. And dealer management system should be instrumental here.
In a Nutshell…
Digitization and Digital Transformation are now essential for conventional automotive dealers when it comes to having significant increase in dealer return. Following are the key factors to improve dealership business.
AutoFacets, a European major transforming automotive business experience globally. A preferred digital automotive partner for engineering smart automotive solutions powered by analytical intelligence platforms using ROI driven service models. Talk to us today and set your digital transformation on the right path.
Today, consumer behavior is a multidisciplinary science that investigates not only the consumer decision-making process and the acquisition of product but also the further activities of the consumer after the purchase of the product, such as using, evaluating and rejecting the product or service.
Download this fact & figures rich infographic comprising 15 surprising facts, which will help in;
1. Deep understanding of the latest consumer behavior that are impacting your Marketing Strategies
2. Secrete of the most successful dealerships leading in the Market
3. Unlocked tips to convert your every lead in the deal.
It is quite common for fleet managers and fleet operating companies of today to be struggling with the daily chaos of vehicle monitoring, ensuring drivers’ safety, and undertaking cost-reduction as well as fuel efficiency initiatives. Companies that are responsible for managing more than thousands of vehicles and drivers operating in different countries employ a fleet management software to handle their fleet management cycle. Other smaller fleet firms probably rely on traditional spreadsheets for recording and management of different activities.
But the question is, do these systems suffice? In other words, do these solutions meet the exact requirement of fleet owners?
Well, not all fleet management solutions available today are developed according to the requirements of fleet management companies. As a result, they put their fleet to risk, both financially and operationally. The answer to these concerns, is a complete, user-friendly, end-to-end fleet management software that operates by leveraging telematics and workflow automation.
So, what does an ideal fleet management system looks like. And how does it help resolving complexities of daily fleet operations. Let’s find out:
Guaranteed Drivers’ Safety
Managers do not physically travel with the drivers. Also, although drivers know how to drive, when they are running on tight schedules and deadlines, they tend to speed up or compromise with the speed limits. During such times, it becomes essential for fleet managers to analyze drivers’ behavior.
Fleet management solutions of today come with a drivers’ management module using which, fleet managers can ensure that drivers follow organization’s policies pertaining to driving behavior. It can include the measurement of several behaviors like speeding, applying frequent brakes, lack of seatbelt usage, accident monitoring, crossing boundaries illegally etc. You can also get functionalities like:
● Get details about the location of drivers through geo-location
● Keep records of all their documents including licenses
● Know about the number of hours and distance travelled
Through the above features, it gets extremely easy to give real-time feedback to the drivers and make them aware of actions that make a breach.
Enhanced Fuel Efficiency
According to Phoenix Zhang, the senior analyst at Forrester Research, Fleet optimization solutions help fleet manager create efficient routes for the fleet so that its usage is optimized leading to enhanced fuel efficiency. As a fleet owner, you must be aware that CO2 emissions lead to an increase in carbon footprint. Also, if fuel efficiency is not maintained, it increases your costs spent on the fleet fuel.
By employing Vehicle Management Module, you can:
● Track the consumption of fuel in fleet
● Bring digitization through vehicle telematics and curb the amount of fuel consumption
● Check instances fuel over usage
● Maintain delivery accuracy
Apart from these features and functionalities, you can generate detailed reports and metrics which enable you to go through all the fuel data and monitor driver behavior associated with increased fuel costs. Isn’t it a great way to save the amount spent on fuel?
Assured Compliance
Compliance refers to operations that are in adherence with the government policies, industry standards, third party disclaimers and internal policies of the organization. For your fleet to perform at its optimum potential, it is important to achieve complete compliance. Erroneous form submissions, missed paperwork deadlines, and delays can make government authorities grounding your fleet.
To get over the above mentioned challenges, you must partner with companies that offer solutions adhering to industry standards and government policies. Employing an authentic solution will curb your costs, lessen your burden and ensure that your fleet:
● Remains legally safe during its road journeys
● Adheres to the latest performance standards, technologies, and practices
● Follows the objectives and rules set by the fleet organization
Before you select a fleet management software partner, always ensure that the company has ample amount of technology resources, experience and integrity necessary for compliance.
Ensured Fleet Security
Vehicle and equipment threats are quite common. However, they lead companies to incur huge losses every year in terms of finances, property, and stock. These fleet thefts often occur when expensive accessories and equipment are used by the fleet. Now, although you cannot physically stop the attackers from targeting your vehicles, you can mitigate the intensity of risk that your fleet might face using a fleet management solution.
Fleet managers across Europe and other countries are benefitting out of the intuitive strategies. These solutions help with the following:
● Advanced security and control for your fleet through security code
● Vehicle monitoring & location tracking
● Anti-tamper technology
● Identification & protection of driver
● Vehicle access control through acceleration control system
● Eyes on screen for high value cargo monitoring
● Geo-Fencing with alerts
If you want to get over the fleet theft risks and blues, it is advisable to choose a system that provides an end-to-end, modernized fleet security system.
AutoFacets: An End to Your Fleet Management Blues
Every fleet organization owner wishes to have a simpler, faster, and a more secure way of managing their fleet. The reason is simple. They want to get over the daily turmoil of fleet administration through traditional sheets and focus on growing their business.
If you wish to achieve all four of the above-mentioned and more benefits for your Fleet Business, AutoFactes is what you are looking for. Fleet organisations all over the world make the most out of our smart and customisation platform for planning and keep a real time track of their fleet. What kind of fleet management issues do you go through? Why not share with us on info@autofacets.com and we would be more than happy to help you!