Choosing a new Dealer Management System (DMS) is a BIG decision. It impacts everything within your dealership. Your staff will need to learn how to use it, you’ll need to devote serious time to install it, every technology system must integrate with it, and you’ve got to find the right vendor you can trust. The relationship you build—and it’s a serious relationship—with your DMS vendor will set the standard from the day you sign the contract, to well beyond the day you flip the switch to the new technology. You understand all of this. The decision to make the change is one that generally takes a lot of consideration.
But, ultimately, one decision…one path…will lead you to a great change. So, we asked several real-life dealers what helped them make the switch.
It’s about learning.
For some dealerships, having a DMS that was easy, and fast, for their staff to learn was key. “The web-base is so easy…Trying to train somebody on a new DMS, back in the day, was such a lengthy process,” explains Dean Collins from Gerald Auto Group. The ability to bring new team members up-to-speed without the frustrations of an old, out-of-date system that requires memorization and lengthy manuals was worth the switch. See more.
It’s about connecting the dots.
Dealers are often surprised to discover that they have to pay integration fees simply to access their own data or to connect their technology platforms within their dealership. And franchised dealers, with multiple locations, pay even more to connect each store. Dealertrack DMS uses an Open Track system that allows dealers to access their data. As Ken Barczysyn of Dwayne Lane Auto Family said,“It doesn’t restrict us…that’s great!” See more.
It’s about making the switch.
Going through a DMS technology switch can be overwhelming. It’s a big change, and dealers must prepare for the work. But, with a supportive installation team, dealers are often surprised to find that making the switch isn’t as scary as they once thought. “It wasn’t overwhelming or unreasonable,” explains Kelly Webb Roberts from Webb Auto Group. See more.
It’s about partnership.
Your DMS vendor should be a partner, not a provider. Finding a vendor who is invested in your long-term success is rare, but it shows when you can count on your partner to show up, be available, and offer ongoing support. For David Alderson at Alderson Auto Group it means, “…both the pre-install, the initial install, and then the follow-up that we get well into five months after we’ve installed. And we still have people coming by to check on us.” See more.
The decision to make a technology change is influenced by many factors. Ultimately, finding the right DMS partner who checks all the right boxes is what matters most to your dealership. So, the ultimate question remains: what matters most to you?
