Established technology advisor and early LotLinx investor brings years of AI and data-driven experience to the company 

CHICAGO, April 24, 2018 -- LotLinx, the industry’s #1 Automotive /AI/™, announced today that veteran adtech executive and Founding IAB Chairman Rich LeFurgy will be added to the company’s Board of Directors. LeFurgy has a seasoned background and expertise with programmatic data, mobile, social and AI, and will be a valuable asset to the LotLinx team and its customers.

LeFurgy has over 20 years of dynamic experience in the advertising industry, and a deep understanding of granular-level data for numerous companies and verticals. LeFurgy currently serves as General Partner and Founder of Archer Advisors, an advisory services consultancy that has helped both startup companies and giants like Google accelerate their business ideas.

Recently, LeFurgy served on the Board of Directors of Placecast, a location-based intelligence platform that was sold to Ericsson. Earlier he was Chairman of the Board of x+1, a company that was early to programmatic marketing that was sold to Rocket Fuel. LeFurgy was on the Board of adtech network Blue Lithium, which was sold to Yahoo, and Founding Chairman of the Interactive Advertising Bureau, a digital media and marketing trade association with over 650 member companies. He has been an active advisor or investor in over 60 digital advertising companies.

“I have known Rich for over 20 years and worked with him on a variety of projects,” says Len Short, Founding Chairman and CEO of LotLinx. “He has unparalleled experience and understanding of today’s online advertising ecosystem, and has helped numerous marketing technology companies succeed. We are excited and eager to welcome him to our growing team.”

“I’m delighted to be working with Len again,” says Rich LeFurgy. “I was a sounding board and early investor in the company, and quite impressed by how LotLinx was early to recognize the importance of machine learning for dealers. Artificial Intelligence is clearly one of the driving forces of where online advertising is headed, and I look forward to helping the company take VIN-level marketing to the next level.”

Next month dealer executives can learn more about how /AI/ is changing the automotive industry at the DrivingSales Presidents Club event in Fort Lauderdale on May 6. At the event LotLinx president Eric Brown is a presenting finalist for the highly regarded Most Valuable Insight award.

To schedule an interview please reach out to kevin@clarity.pr and to learn more visit www.LotLinx.com

About LotLinx

LotLinx is an award-winning Automotive /AI/ company dedicated to empowering automotive dealers and the agencies that work with them, up to the OEM level. LotLinx-VIN Specific™ digital marketing can transform dealer results, dramatically increasing online engagement and net-new shoppers while eliminating digital advertising waste. Founded in 2012 and based in Chicago, LotLinx works with thousands of dealers including rooftops under the nation’s Top 100 auto groups, and recently expanded into the Canadian market. For more visit www.lotlinx.com

BMW Tops Industry Followed By Jeep® Brand and Toyota

NEW YORK — March 29, 2018 — The automotive industry ranked second out of the 15 studied in MBLM’s Brand Intimacy 2018 Report, which is the largest study of brands based on emotions. The industry was dethroned for the first time by media & entertainment, highlighting the trend toward escapism, relaxation and distraction. BMW came in first in the automotive industry followed by the Jeep brand and Toyota. Brand Intimacy is defined as a new paradigm that leverages and strengthens the emotional bonds between a person and a brand. This year’s study again revealed that top intimate brands in the U.S. continued to surpass the top brands in the Fortune 500 and S&P indices in revenue and profit over the past 10 years.

The Top 10 in the automotive industry was rounded out by: Honda, Harley-Davidson, Chevrolet, Ford, Mercedes, Chrysler and GMC.

“While slipping slightly, the automotive industry still performed strongly due to the bonds it creates with consumers,” stated Mario Natarelli, managing partner, MBLM. “The Jeep brand has risen in our 2018 Brand Intimacy Report. We just released an analysis of Jeep and found that its recent marketing efforts have been focusing on powerful emotional themes at the core of its brand, leveraging nostalgia well and utilizing today’s marketing channels to build dialogue and strong bonds.”

“We are very pleased with the Jeep brand’s improved performance in the 2018 Brand Intimacy Study,” stated Olivier Francois, Chief Marketing Officer, FCA US. “I am most proud of what we were able to do on behalf of all of our brands last year. We continued to focus on our brands’ unique identities, what differentiates them from other brands. Storytelling is a critical part of marketing and being successful hinges on the ability to make it resonate emotionally outside the walls of your company.”

Other notable automotive findings in MBLM’s Brand Intimacy 2018 Report include:

·The Jeep brand ranked first among women

·BMW ranked first among men

·The industry had a Brand Intimacy Quotient score of 44.9, which is higher than the average of 27.1

·Two automotive brands were in the top 10 overall, BMW ranked third and Jeep brand ranked fourth

·Harley-Davidson made the biggest drop, falling from the fourth overall brand in 2017 to 18th and from first in the automotive industry to fifth in 2018

·The Jeep brand moved up from 15th overall in 2017 to fourth in 2018

This year’s report contains the most comprehensive rankings of brands based on emotion, analyzing the responses of 6,000 consumers and 54,000 brand evaluations across 15 industries in the U.S., Mexico and UAE. MBLM’s reports and interactive Brand Ranking Tool showcase the performance of almost 400 brands, revealing the characteristics and intensity of the consumer bonds.

To view the automotive industry rankings, visit: https://hubs.ly/H0btKxS0. And to view MBLM’s detailed look into the Jeep brand, visit: https://hubs.ly/H0bvmXT0.

 To download the full Brand Intimacy 2018 Report or explore the Ranking Tool please visit: http://mblm.com/lab/brandintimacy-study/.

 Methodology

During 2017, MBLM with Praxis Research Partners conducted an online quantitative survey among 6,000 consumers in the United States (3,000), Mexico (2,000), and the United Arab Emirates (1,000). Participants were respondents who were screened for age (i.e. 18 to 64 years of age) and annual household income ($35,000 or more) in the U.S. and socioeconomic levels in Mexico and the UAE (A,

B, and C socioeconomic levels). Quotas were established to ensure that the sample mirrored census data for age, gender, income/socioeconomic level, and region. The survey was designed primarily to understand the extent to which consumers have relationships with brands and the strength of those relationships, from fairly detached to highly intimate. It is important to note that this study provides more than a mere ranking of brand performance and was specifically designed to provide prescriptive guidance to marketers. We modeled data from a total of 54,000 brand evaluations to quantify the mechanisms that drive intimacy. Through factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and other sophisticated analytic techniques, the research allows marketers to better understand which levers need to be pulled to build intimacy between brands and consumers.

# # #

About MBLM: MBLM is the Brand Intimacy Agency, delivering expertise and offerings across three areas of focus: Agency, Lab and Platform. With offices in seven countries, our multidisciplinary teams help clients build stronger bonds and deliver optimized marketing outcomes and returns for the long term. To learn more about how we can help you create and sustain ultimate brand relationships, visit mblm.com.

Rashid Ismail joins vehicle intelligence executive team to enhance customer success

IRVINE, Calif., March 28, 2018 — Spireon, the vehicle intelligence company, has appointed Rashid Ismail as senior vice president of customer success, joining the company’s executive leadership team. Tapping into an extensive background in operations and customer experience, Ismail will be responsible for customer lifecycle management, bringing even greater strength to Spireon’s award-winning customer service program.

“Rashid has a proven track record of aligning operations, technology, business needs and customer requirements to drive customer success, operational efficiency and revenue growth,” said Kevin Weiss, CEO at Spireon. “With a deep understanding of the importance of customer experience and satisfaction, he will be an integral part in making sure we deliver higher expertise that helps our clients improve how they run their businesses.”

Ismail joins Spireon with nearly 20 years of experience, most recently at CoreLogic, a leading provider of property data and analytics, where he served as senior vice president of operations with a focus on improving customer retention, productivity and processes and achieved significant results. Prior to that, he was a vice president, head of broker dealer and retail customer experience, at MetLife insurance.

“I’m delighted to join Spireon, a company that already has an extraordinary commitment to customer focus, as evidenced by multiple service awards and outstanding Net Promoter Scores across the business,” said Ismail. “I look forward to expanding upon the work that has been done to successfully launch and support more than 20,000 existing customers with refined processes and approaches that will nurture customer relationships for years to come.”

 About Spireon

Spireon, Inc. is North America’s leading connected vehicle intelligence company, providing businesses and consumers with powerful insights to track, manage and protect their most valuable mobile assets. The award-winning Spireon NSpire platform supports nearly 4 million active subscribers across the company’s growing suite of products for new and used car dealers, lenders and financial institutions, rental car agencies, commercial and local fleet operators, and consumers. Learn more at www.spireon.com.  

###

For more information, contact

Emily Lynn Ashley
Havas Formula for Spireon

Spireon@HavasFormula.com 
619-234-034

In a Modern Dealership article from November 2017, David Mondragon wrote that the automotive industry was preparing for a big change that would bring far-reaching structural and economic implications for both dealers and the workforce.

“On the surface, key economic drivers remain well positioned for growth,” he said. “Market indicators that should be high are high, and indicators that should be low are low. Consumer confidence is at a seven-year high, the stock market is at an all-time high, and housing starts are up from prior year … a leading indicator for truck sales.”

In other words, the signs of a healthy industry and strong economy are all there.

But, according to him, two upcoming trends will challenge the automotive industry: segmentation shifts and long-term financing.

Segmentation Shifts

Between 2009 and 2017 YTD, the U.S. car segment dropped 17 points, with car sales only making up 36 percent of the retail industry.

Supported by lower gas prices and an “aging population” seeking the confidence and functionality of their vehicles, trucks and SUVs saw strong growth over the same period of time.

Once upon a time, cars acted as the “gateway” vehicle to automotive brands; first-time buyers would purchase a car, and gradually “move up” the brand ladder as time went by.

“Over time, high-cost entry associated with SUVs and trucks will challenge certain brands and their ability to attract and retain highly coveted first-time buyers with fewer low-cost car entries in market,” Mondragon said.

Long-Term Financing

According to Edmunds, the average retail contract length in 2016 was 69 months, the highest on record. Incentives were also at record highs, and vehicle pricing is growing as new models, trucks and SUVs, and electric vehicles come to market.

Household income, however, is not growing at the same rate, which means new forms of financing and longer-term financing models are “imperative” to support higher industry volumes.

Additional Challenges

The world - and the automotive industry - is in flux.

Analog has quickly given way to a digital era, and consumers use lots of data to drive their decisions.

Now, they can (and do) track all aspects of life online; according to Digital Commerce 360, researchers predict that e-commerce will account for 17 percent of all U.S. retail sales by 2022.

Ride-sharing services (e.g. Uber and Lyft) and new subscription-based models (e.g. Clutch) will challenge conventional purchase models.

Other pay-as-you-go platforms will likely rise as Millennials choose from the new, emerging options that fit both their lifestyles and their budgets.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Millennials and Generation Z will “shift the stage” for a new retail environment. “Today, millennials represent only 30 percent of car sales,” said Mondragon. “According to Automotive News, these consumers will represent 40 percent by 2020, with a tipping point of 50 percent coming soon after.”

Add on the development of electric and autonomous vehicles and you’ve got a horizon brimming with up-and-coming changes to the industry.

The Future

While change is coming and adaptation is required, it’s not all happening overnight.

According to the NADA Dealership of Tomorrow study released last January, “the majority of vehicles will continue to be transacted at or by a dealership through 2025.”

EY published a study on the future of automotive retail, emphasizing the shift from transactional to a more customer-centric approach, including data and advice on managing consumer trust to ensure consumer loyalty, adapting to changing mobility options, creating an engaging digital experience, and more.

“Dealers who see these shifts not as threats, but as opportunities, will prevail,” Mondragon said. “The U.S. franchise model is the envy of the world, and dealers, brands, and manufacturers who stay ahead of the curve and adapt quickly will not only survive, but thrive.”

In the 2016 DrivingSales Executive Summit, John Boudreau introduced a concept called "separate the work".  He defines this as identifying the parts of a job role that can see increased performance from training.  Let me explain.

Think of a receptionist.  For our example, let's assume that one of the tasks of this role entering customers into the CRM.  This needs to be done properly, with good spelling and grammar, and it needs to be done in a timely fashion.  But there isn't much more to it than that.  The difference between a poor receptionist and a good receptionist wouldn't be drastic here.

Another function of this receptionist's role is greeting customers on the phone and transfering them to the proper department.  The difference between a poor and high quality receptionist is drastic here.  We've listened to a lot of phone calls.  Trust me.  There is a difference.  Between their greeting, the tone of voice, how efficient they are in transferring, there are multiple opportunities to create a favorable impression here.

Using this example, most of the training efforts should be spent on phone skills and interacting with customers.  Your dealership can benefit most by focusing here.

Let's take a look at the sales manager position.  If you walk into a dealership, the sales manager is always busy.  There are no shortage of tasks for them to do.  In my opinion, there are two functions essential to this job role.  The first is having high-quality conversations with customers.  Selling cars.  The other?  Having high-quality conversations with the sales staff.  Developing people.  How often are your managers doing 1 on 1's with your staff?

Here's another way to separate the work.  What tasks are your managers doing that you could pay someone $10 an hour to do?  Not that you need to add more staff, but if these tasks can be accomplished by someone with a lower skill set, they probably are functions of that job that require emphasis and training.

Bottom line: separate the functions of the different roles in your dealership and identify the elements that need focus and training.  Build your training regimen around these important areas and see lift from your training efforts.  The bigger the opportunity, the higher the priority.

Check out John's entire interview here.

Chino, CA (October 31, 2016) – Award winning artist Jim Hetzler will be performing live hand painting on the UpdatePromise360 Motorcycle at UpdatePromise360’s booth during the 2016 SEMA Show. Jim will be present at the booth on November 2nd at 1:00pm, and will be live streamed from the UpdatePromise360 YouTube Account.  Curtis Nixon, Chief Executive Officer of UpdatePromise360, says, “Jim is a remarkable artist. We are thrilled and honored Jim is going to be at our booth this year showcasing his skills at our booth.”

About Jim Hetzler

Jim Hetzler is an award winning custom painter and artist, who has been pinstriping and custom painting for over 40 years. His artwork has been showcased throughout the Automotive Industry by companies such as AutoArt Magazine, Airbrush Action Magazine, Autobody News, Street Rodder, Rod and Custom, Hot Bike, American Iron and West Coast Customs. Jim also co-owns and operates JC Hetz Studio with his wife, Chris. Jim and JC Hetz Studio will be at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, appearing at both the House of Kolor, and UpdatePromise360 booths.

About UpdatePromise360

UpdatePromise360 is a leading communication and information technology provider serving the Automotive and Insurance industries throughout North America. UpdatePromise360 has created leading-edge products that outperform the competition at every level. For more information about UpdatePromise360, call or email (800) 276-9107 / info@updatepromise.com.

About the SEMA Show

The SEMA Show is one of the foremost automotive specialty products trade show events throughout the world. This year’s SEMA Show is running from November 1 - November 4, 2016 at the Las Vegas Convention Center located at 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109. SEMA is not open to the general public. To attend, go to  www.semashow.com to register.

UpdatePromise360

41850 Central Avenue

Chino CA 91710

info@updatepromise.com

https://www.updatepromisepay.com/

###

Chino, CA (November 1st, 2016) – UpdatePromise360 launches UpdatePromisePay at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Modernizing the automotive industry, UpdatePromisePay leverages technology to revolutionize the consumer payment experience.

According to Richard Pannazzo, the Chief Operating Officer for UpdatePromise360, the consumer’s payment experience is now simplified and convenient for the customer: “UpdatePromisePay incorporates an Express Payment option to our status messaging which allows a customer to pay their invoice from the comfort and convenience of their home or office, allowing them to bypass the line and take advantage of Express Pay Checkout solutions.”

UpdatePromisePay’s modern self-serve customer kiosk brings their simplified payment experience to the cashier, estimator or service writers’ stations--including finance offices in dealerships. Mobile technicians can take advantage of pre-payments or deposits on parts, glass etc, which increases their appointment capture rate, and they can complete the transaction onsite.

About UpdatePromise360

UpdatePromise360 is a leading communication and information technology provider serving the Automotive and Insurance industries throughout North America. UpdatePromise360 has created leading-edge products that outperform the competition at every level. For more information about UpdatePromise360, call or email (800) 276-9107 / info@updatepromise.com.

About the SEMA Show

With over 60,000 domestic and international buyers in attendance in 2015 alone, the SEMA Show is one of the foremost automotive specialty products trade show events throughout the world. This year’s SEMA Show is running from November 1 - November 4, 2016 at the Las Vegas Convention Center located at 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109. SEMA is not open to the general public. To attend, go to  www.semashow.com to register.

UpdatePromise360

41850 Central Avenue

Chino CA 91710

I've always called it passion.

Its the way a salesperson interacts with a guest and not what they say.

Its transferring their enthusiasm to their customers and explaining their knowledge in a fun and interactive way.

Seth Godin calls it Emotional Labor.

Every salesperson should read Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin.

I don't want this to sound like a book report but he writes about a topic that transfers perfectly to car sales.

Seth defines Emotional Labor this way:

"...it's work you do with your feeling, not your body."

He states that emotional labor is what differentiates an artist from a painter.

In most occupations this emotional labor won't translate to a higher income.

It just makes a person indispensable.

But sales is different.

In sales its essential.

I've met salespeople that know the product better than the engineers that designed it.

I've met salespeople that could quote every script in the dealership's sales process.

Verbatim.

But can they sell cars? 

Without this emotional labor, no.

How does a salesperson develop emotional labor?

Here are some tips:

1. Treat your job as a career. How many of us are selling cars until something better comes along? Customers can sense that. Are you in or out?

2. Care. Don't treat the customer like a pork chop. Every guest that comes in has a problem. That's why they are at your store. Find out what that problem is and help them solve it. The money will come when the customer feels you have their best interest in mind.

3. Believe in what you sell. Zig Ziglar tells a great story about a friend that sold pots and pans. His friend was struggling and couldn't figure out why. Zig asked him if he owned a set of the pots and pans and his friend said he didn't. They were too expensive. Zig then asked what his friend said when customers told him they were too expensive. Point made. His friend bought a set of pots and pans and his sales increased. He believed in what he sold. Now I'm not suggesting you all go out and buy a new car, but you must believe you have the best product, process, and dealership if you want to succeed.

4.  Smile and relax. This business can be tough. Most salespeople hear three "no's" for every one "yes". There is no safety net. Hero one day and zero the next. But you have to smile. Customers can sense your tension. Be grateful you aren't digging ditches. I know these are all warm and fuzzy tips and none of them are concrete tasks you can complete and measure. But thats just the point.  Look around your dealership and see who is selling cars. Chances are they have passion and emotional labor.

Thoughts?

One constant in this business is the poor communications between the manufacturer and the dealer.  My background was somewhat limited to Ford, Mazda, and Chrysler, but if my experiences are the norm there could be some definite improvements made. 

The problem always seemed to be the reps.  If you couldn't get in touch with your rep you were out of luck.  It seems like an archaic way to handle things.  The contact info was always somewhat hard to find if you wanted to try and reach someone other than your rep.

Another problem is the experience of the people representing the manufacturer.  Most of them have never sold a car or worked a service drive.  The cannot empathize with what dealers go through on a daily basis.

The manufacture's customers are the dealers.  End of story.  There should be multiple channels of communication with the confidence that someone will pick up the phone, answer the email, etc.  What if the only way to get in touch with Dell was to go through one person over the region in which you lived?  That would be ludicrous.  Dell has many different ways to handle customer's concerns.

Here is the question:  As I stated earlier my experience is somewhat limited.  It this the norm?  If so what could the manufacturers do to fix this?

I just read a post on TechCrunch on the latest Fiesta experiment in social media.  Its called American Journey 2.0 and its pretty ambitious.  You can read the article here. 

We won't be able to see how effective the Fiesta Movement has been until the cars roll out this summer (more proof on social media being a long-term strategy) but we can't deny the buzz that has been created.

The question is this:  Obviously this is a national campaign with the resources of Ford behind it, but how can dealerships get onboard and get some mileage out of this as well?  Are Ford dealers aware of this?  It appears the cars will be making stops at some universities but it doesn't mention if dealers can participate.