Ability to see an instant "business snapshot" is a key requirement of dealer management systems

26 November 2007

 

Tough trading conditions means that the ability for dealer principals and others in senior positions to see what is happening in any part of their business, whatever the set up, becomes a key requirement.

 

Neville Briggs, managing director of dealer management systems specialist Pinewood, explained: "Dealers today are looking to be as nimble and responsive as possible to changing business conditions and to seize new opportunities, especially when trading conditions continue to be difficult.

 

“The availability of increasingly advanced IT as applied to Dealer Management Systems means that it is possible to gain an instant insight into your dealership’s performance by department or in the case of a multi-site business - by retail outlet.

 

“As this technology is a key part of our Pinnacle DMS system it means that we are seeing increasing numbers of management users switching on to what this innovative technology is able to provide for them.

 

"In the past, IT didn't necessarily help dealer managers to do this because the nature of their DMS systems meant that information was irregularly updated and reports were not easy to run off.

 

"However, as we provide our DMS as a hosted solution, senior managers can gain an instant overview of their dealership’s performance by accessing their system via a web browser whatever their location. Authorised users can dip in and get exactly the information they want when they need it and know that it is accurate.

 

"We are very much seeing a change in the way that DMS systems are used in dealerships. Previously, a DMS was predominantly used by employees in process driven roles as part of their day-to-day activities - now they are increasingly being used by senior management teams to turn data into decisions quickly."

 

For example, a dealer principal could run a general report and notice that service department utilisation is low. Within a matter of hours, he or she could have spoken to his or her staff and issued an SMS or e-mail promotion such as a free winter motoring check designed to generate workshop traffic.

 

Similarly, a report could highlight which used cars were "sticking" on the forecourt and decisions made to discount them, search for customer or find other ways to move them on.

 

Briggs said: "This is a really good way to get IT proactively working for you. Because the DMS presents you with both a report to highlight issues and a set of tools to resolve them, a much more dynamic style of management is possible.”

 

 

For further details please contact Simon Wells at
Paperchase Public Relations on 01283 711311
or e-mail simon@paperchasepr.co.uk