Auto Dealer Software Data Integration Experts Blog

Automotive dealer management system selection is important and not that hard.

Retail automotive dealers face this question and set out to compare the many automotive Dealer Management System software solutions (DMS) available on the market today. Recently I wrote how different Dealer System Providers (DSPs) sell the same manufacturer integration in name, but differ in functionality. Considering what you really need and not just following the old adage that "more is better" is the challenge.

I would like to use a scenario that auto dealers know very well to demonstrate what I mean; the purchase of a new vehicle. Let's consider the following three customers:

• Recent college graduate that drives 40 miles each way for his/her first job.
• Couple with four kids which travels frequently to visit family in another state.
• Carpenter that hauls tools and materials for work.

Though each customer is similar in that they all need a vehicle to transport them from point A to point B, they differ greatly in what functionality they need in a vehicle.

By looking at just a couple of priorities for each customer, you can see that they will all need a different type of vehicle. Though they all need a vehicle for the basic function of transportation, they have different priorities that define the type of vehicle they should purchase.

This is the same with retail automotive dealerships. They need a system that exchanges data with the automotive manufacturer, but each dealership should consider their priorities when purchasing a new DMS. More is not always better; it may just be more expensive. Make sure you consider all features and functionality to find the best DMS to support your dealership.

Rich has over 19 years automotive solutions experience with auto dealer management software. Over his 15 years with Reynolds & Reynolds (then UCS), his responsibilities included dealer management software support, auto dealer software installation, auto manufacturer account management and dealership consulting.

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