We sit down with Friendemic CEO Steve Pearson and President/CPO Jason Barber to discuss how dealerships can leverage their reputation.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – Dec.15, 2020 – CDK Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDK), a leading retail automotive technology company, today announced Eric Guerin will join the Company as executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) on January 18. The appointment of Guerin will enable Joe Tautges to complete his transition to the role of chief operating officer (COO) early in 2021.

In his role, Guerin will be responsible for driving the Company’s financial strategy, growth opportunities, and performance to ensure they are pursued efficiently, profitably, and with minimal risks.

“We are looking forward to Eric bringing his more than 20 years of finance experience from well regarded, publicly-traded companies to help us strengthen our balance sheet and accelerate growth in our business,” said Brian Krzanich, president and chief executive officer, CDK Global. “As we welcome Eric, I want to thank Joe for his tremendous contributions as CFO and look forward to him continuing to play a critical role as COO as we build on our momentum and transform the way the industry connects.”

Guerin joins CDK Global from Corning Incorporated, where he served as division vice president and sector CFO, Corning Glass Technologies. Throughout his career, Guerin has held various leadership roles, including vice president, Finance and CFO, Aftermarket Services and Solutions at Flowserve Corporation; vice president, Finance, Global R&D, Alcon Division at Novartis; and finance director, WWR&D and New Business Development, Ethicon at Johnson & Johnson.

“I’m excited to join CDK Global at a time of significant opportunity when the Company is investing in its growth,” said Guerin. “I look forward to helping CDK execute on its strategy to provide innovative solutions to automotive retailers and OEMs that allow them to connect better, manage, analyze and grow their business, as well as enhance value for shareholders.”

Guerin holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting with a minor in Economics from the College of Staten Island and a Master of Business Administration from St. John’s University. Guerin has also earned his CPA and CMA designations (both inactive).

Guerin will be based in the Company’s Hoffman Estates, Ill. office.

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About CDK Global, Inc.
With approximately $2 billion in revenues, CDK Global (Nasdaq: CDK) is a leading global provider of integrated information technology solutions to the automotive retail and adjacent industries. Focused on enabling end-to-end automotive commerce, CDK Global provides solutions to dealers in more than 100 countries around the world, serving approximately 30,000 retail locations and most automotive manufacturers. CDK solutions automate and integrate all parts of the dealership and buying process, including the acquisition, sale, financing, insuring, parts supply, repair, and maintenance of vehicles. Visit cdkglobal.com.

DrivingSales is pleased to announce a partnership with the Schumacher Auto Group. The DrivingSales Human Capital Management platform will be used by the Schumacher Auto Group to facilitate the training and development of their staff.

With over 900 employees, the Schumacher Auto Group has served the Palm Beach and Delray Beach communities for over 45 years across their family of dealerships.

“As we grow at Schumacher Auto Group, so does our need for trained employees,” said Jean Wihbey, VP Schumacher University of the Schumacher Auto Group. “Dealerships should consider joining DrivingSales HCM to expand outstanding organizational and leadership performance. HCM will assist with developing and improving our dealerships’ work environment, highlight the importance of customer relationships, improve technical skills, enhance policy and procedure knowledge, and advance the love and understanding of the car culture.”`

“We are extremely excited to partner with the Schumacher Auto Group.” Said Jason Volny, National Training Manager of DrivingSales. “ The Schumacher Auto group has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to developing the careers of its employees. I’ve been really impressed by how much they prioritize a positive culture across their stores.”

The Human Capital Management platform automates the most important dealership processes that lead to success. HCM is used by leading dealers around the world to maximize employee performance and increase dealership success. Visit here for more information.

http://www.drivingsales.com/about/see-how-hcm-can-increase-your-bottom-line/?utm_campaign=Schumacher%20Auto%20Group&utm_medium=Press%20release&utm_source=Community

Jason Barrie will help guide Digital Air Strike’s product strategy and market development as the company continues to grow and release new technology to help businesses transact virtually with consumers.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., - (December 10, 2020) Digital Air Strike, the leading consumer engagement technology company, is proud to welcome Jason Barrie to its award-winning executive leadership team. Barrie will serve as senior vice president of product strategy and market development. 

Barrie spent 14 years at Dealertrack Technologies Inc. and Cox Automotive where he held leadership positions including serving as an associate vice president for Market Performance, VinSolutions, and Dealertrack F&I, as well as vice president and general manager of Dealertrack Dealer F&I.  Most recently Barrie was chief operating officer and general manager at Carmatic, a technology company geared toward simplifying the car buying experience for consumers. 

Barrie and Digital Air Strike’s co-founder and CEO, Alexi Venneri, were colleagues at Dealertrack where Venneri was part of the senior team that took Dealertrack public as the vice president of marketing, communications, and investor relations. 

“Since working with Jason at Dealertrack, I have continued to be impressed by his stellar contributions and career advancement in the automotive industry,” said Venneri, “We are looking forward to Jason bringing his exceptional product strategy and leadership expertise to Digital Air Strike’s executive team as we continue to expand our offerings through both organic and acquisitive avenues.”

"Digital Air Strike is the perfect blend of technology and managed services, and when you combine that with the company's industry experience, OEM and partnership relationships as well as overall leadership position, it's an opportunity in which I wanted to play a part,” said Barrie. “My goal is to help the company’s growth by aligning product roadmaps to market needs, ensuring we continue to deliver innovative technology solutions that help our clients be even more successful. Digital Air Strike is a proven partner in digital retailing and enhancing consumer engagement in the automotive and adjacent industries."

Barrie graduated from Miami University and lives in the New York area. He will divide his time between New York and Digital Air Strike’s headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona.  

About Digital Air Strike

Digital Air Strike is the leading social media, intelligent lead response, and consumer engagement technology company helping 5,000 businesses increase consumer response and conversions in digital and social media environments while generating measurable ROI. A pioneer in digital response, social media marketing and online reputation management solutions, Digital Air Strike deploys industry specific mobile apps, software, intelligent messaging, and managed service platforms to monitor, engage, improve, and manage consumer interactions for businesses in the United States, Canada and 33 additional countries, including working with seven of the largest automotive manufacturers. More information is available at www.digitalairstrike.com

and www.facebook.com/digitalairstrike.

Lincoln (Luxury) and MINI (Mass Market) Rank Highest in Sales Satisfaction in Respective Segments

TROY, Mich.: 10 Dec. 2020 — Decreased showroom traffic caused by COVID-19 shutdowns fast-tracked dealer adoption of remote selling capabilities, according to the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study,SM released today.

“The pandemic provided dealers with a wide-open path to allow different approaches to sell vehicles outside of their traditional showroom sales process,” said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “It’s revealing, too, that 44% of online shoppers are now selecting the exact vehicle they want from inventory on a dealer’s website, which is an increase of 13 percentage points from January of this year.

“The more shoppers are exposed to remote communication and actual online buying options, the more they may prefer these methods in the future over traditional showroom visits to wade through inventory and negotiate. In fact, nearly one in four buyers say their purchase experience during the pandemic will make them less likely to shop in person in the future, indicating that digital retail processes are here to stay. These lasting effects make it imperative for dealers to step up their digital offerings to remain competitive.”

The study, now in its 35th year, has been redesigned for 2020 and places a much greater emphasis on digital retail and remote buying. Digital retail activities measured in the study include the ability to select vehicle from inventory; receive credit approval; review F&I products; agree on purchase price; and complete purchase paperwork. All saw a spike during the onset of the pandemic and, while many declined in the May-June timeframe, all are still up nearly 50% from January.

The study also finds that, as dealers implemented and refined digital procedures at the onset of the pandemic (March-April), buyer satisfaction among digital customers increased. Most notably, satisfaction among buyers who finalized a price online was nearly identical to those who didn’t finalize a price online before the pandemic began. By the May-June timeframe, satisfaction among buyers who agreed to a price online was 42 points higher (on a 1,000-point scale) than among those who hadn’t. This demonstrates how quickly dealers were able to implement and refine processes that resonated with buyers.

Following are some key findings of the 2020 study:

• Key pandemic-related buying activities improve satisfaction: Even though most buyers say COVID-19 affected their buying process in ways they didn’t expect, many were more satisfied as a result. In fact, satisfaction among buyers who say their process wasn’t affected at all is seven points lower than among those who were affected. Buyers who completed most of their paperwork online are the most satisfied, with satisfaction averaging 873, which is 35 points higher than among those who didn’t complete paperwork online. Similarly, satisfaction scores among those who had more virtual communication are 17 points higher than among those who didn’t. These activities illustrate why such trends are likely to continue.

• Online F&I review can enhance take rates: Reviewing F&I products online increased after the COVID-19 outbreak, but it’s still uncommon—only 7% of buyers say they reviewed products online during the March-June timeframe. However, the take rate among buyers who reviewed products online is higher compared with those who reviewed products in the showroom, especially for extended warranty (36% vs. 28%); prepaid maintenance (23% vs. 16%); and tire protection (18% vs. 12%).

• Brand and dealer advocacy aren’t aligned: On average, vehicle brands have a higher Net Promoter Score® (NPS)[1] than their dealer base, with nearly a 20-point gap (on a 100-point scale) between the scores. However, there’s also a wide range of gaps between the two groups that vary by brand, the largest of which is 34 and the smallest of which is -2. Key performance indicators (KPIs) that have the highest effect on buyer satisfaction index scores include sales consultant completely understood needs (+94); vehicle delivered in perfect condition (+55); and finance staff not too pushy selling additional products (+52). These KPIs are met nearly 90% of the time. NPS measures customer advocacy for the model they own and can be a strong predictor of future business growth.

• Tesla profiled for first time: Tesla receives an SSI score of 804. The automaker is not officially ranked among other brands in the study because it doesn’t meet ranking criteria. Unlike other manufacturers, Tesla doesn’t grant J.D. Power permission to survey its owners in 15 states where it is required. However, Tesla’s score was calculated based on a sample of surveys from owners in the other 35 states.

Study Rankings

Lincoln ranks highest in sales satisfaction among luxury brands, with a score of 827. Lexus (826) and Mercedes-Benz (826) rank second in a tie.

MINI ranks highest in sales satisfaction among mass market brands with a score of 824. GMC (804) ranks second and Buick (803) ranks third.

The U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study measures satisfaction with the sales experience among new-vehicle buyers and rejecters (those who shop a dealership and purchase elsewhere). Buyer satisfaction is based on six factors (in order of importance): delivery process (28%); dealer personnel (21%); working out the deal (19%); paperwork completion (19%); dealership facility (10%); and dealership website (4%). Rejecter satisfaction is based on five factors: salesperson (28%); price (27%); negotiation (18%); dealership facility (14%); and variety of inventory (13%).

The study is based on responses from 35,816 buyers who purchased or leased their new vehicle from January through June 2020. The study is a comprehensive analysis of the new-vehicle purchase experience and measures customer satisfaction with the selling dealer (satisfaction among buyers). The study also measures satisfaction with brands and dealerships that were shopped but ultimately rejected in favor of the selling dealership (satisfaction among rejecters). The study was fielded from July through October 2020.

To learn more about the 2020 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, visit

http://www.jdpower.com/resource/us-sales-satisfaction-index-ssi-study.

See the online press release at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2020076.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power is headquartered in Troy, Mich., and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

Media Relations Contacts

Geno Effler, J.D. Power; West Coast; 714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com

Shane Smith; East Coast; 424-903-3665; ssmith@pacificcommunicationsgroup.com

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

DECEMBER 9, 2020 - DrivingSales is pleased to announce a partnership with the Key Auto Group. The DrivingSales Human Capital Management platform will be powering the employee management and people development of the Key Auto group. 

With nearly 500 employees, the Key Auto Group is one of the leading auto groups in New England and has served its customers for over 25 years.

“If you’re looking to build a team that breaks away from the negative ‘dealership” stereotypes, DrivingSales will help you make it happen.” said Armando Rodriguez, Sales Development Coordinator of the Key Auto Group. “Our employees are our biggest asset and engaged employees who have a clear direction and an understanding of their job will yield significant results in the long run. If you’re looking to take your dealership to the next level and join the likes of some of the most successful companies in the world such as Apple, Hilton and Amazon it’s important to take a page of their book and invest in your people just as you would with advertising and technology. 

“The DrivingSales team is extremely excited to Partner with the Key Auto Group.” Said Jared Hamilton, CEO and Founder of DrivingSales. “The Key Auto Group has proven to be a leader in the industry that other dealers should follow. Their commitment to developing their people demonstrates their understanding of the importance of dealerships to invest in the success of their employees. We are excited to have the Key Auto Group join the DrivingSales Community and we look forward to seeing their progress as Human Capital Management leaders.”

The Human Capital Management platform automates the most important dealership processes that lead to success. HCM is used by leading dealers around the world to maximize employee performance and increase dealership success. Click here for more information on the Human Capital Management platform.

https://hcm.drivingsales.com/hcm

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. – Dec. 7, 2020 – CDK Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDK), a leading retail automotive technology company, announced today that David Hahn has joined the company as chief information security officer (CISO). He will also be a member of the executive leadership team. 

In his role, Hahn is responsible for developing a global strategy and executing the roadmap for managing technology risk and information security across the company’s IT, product engineering, and research and development departments.

“Product security and protecting from, detecting and responding to cybersecurity threats are critical components of our plan to innovate, scale and modernize our technologies,” said Mahesh Shah, executive vice president and chief product and technology officer, CDK Global. “David’s diverse experience across information security—including fraud, identity, monitoring, application security and cloud enablement—helps us further ensure a safe, reliable network and suite of products for our customers, while protecting our organization.”

Hahn has a history in information security as a trusted business partner addressing the ever-growing and complex cybersecurity landscape. He recently served as the chief security officer (CSO) for Silicon Valley Bank and focused on information security, physical security and business continuity. Prior to Silicon Valley Bank, Hahn held leadership roles of increasing responsibility with Wells Fargo Bank, Intuit and Hearst Corporation. He also serves as an advisory board member for companies focused on information security and risk management, including LogicHub, SafeBreach and Eclipz. Hahn holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from San Jose State University and a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University.

“I am excited to be part of the CDK Global team and to build a strategy that continues to ensure security for the company and our customers,” said Hahn. “My initial focus is to review our current state of information security, identify additional opportunities to further safeguard our data and information, and create a plan to mitigate future risk.”

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About CDK Global, Inc.
With approximately $2 billion in revenues, CDK Global (Nasdaq: CDK) is a leading global provider of integrated information technology solutions to the automotive retail and adjacent industries. Focused on enabling end-to-end automotive commerce, CDK Global provides solutions to dealers in more than 100 countries around the world, serving approximately 30,000 retail locations and most automotive manufacturers. CDK solutions automate and integrate all parts of the dealership and buying process, including the acquisition, sale, financing, insuring, parts supply, repair, and maintenance of vehicles. Visit cdkglobal.com.

Leader in Consumer Engagement Solutions for the Automotive Industry Adds New Review Site Partnership Giving Additional Value to Dealership Clients

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ – (December 3, 2020) Digital Air Strike, the leading social media, intelligent lead response and consumer engagement technology company, today announced a partnership with Women-Drivers.com, the car dealer review platform focused on attracting and retaining women car buyers.  

According to Digital Air Strike’s 8th Annual Automotive Digital Retailing Consumer Trends Study, 87% of women look to social and review sites for help in their dealership selection.

“Women have a great deal of buying power and also have unique considerations when making one of the largest purchases most families make,” said Alexi Venneri, the co-founder and CEO of Digital Air Strike. “We’re proud to continually look for new partners, such as Women-Drivers.com, to help our dealer clients find new ways to engage consumers and showcase their excellent experiences.” 

Because of the partnership, participating Digital Air Strike dealership clients will receive Women-Drivers.com Certified Active Dealer badges. Dealerships with enough reviews will be eligible for the Certified Trusted Dealer badge which will enrich their credibility and market share with an elevated trust-based model. There is no additional cost to Digital Air Strike dealership clients as long as they remain clients. Additionally, the company will integrate reviews from the site into the Digital Air Strike platform and provide technology and services for reviews to be responded to easier.

Women-Drivers.com, a free platform for car dealers and consumers, empowers women and families to locate Certified Trusted Dealers as certified by the website, where they can expect to be treated with respect in a fair and trustworthy manner. Women-Drivers.com Certified Trusted Dealers have a satisfaction score of 97.1%, which is 12% higher than uncertified dealers. Women like the relatability of reviews from their peers, trust the authenticity of this feedback, and make a point of visiting these stores first. 

According to an Ipsos Socialogue poll, women use car dealer reviews 50% more than men. Women-Drivers.com reports that trust is the No. 1 reason women purchase at a dealership. Women buy 45% of all vehicles for themselves totaling 11 million new and used cars every year, averaging 675-750 vehicles per franchised rooftop. 

“I personally have had customers share with me and my team members that they chose to visit Kelly Ford because of the Certified Trusted Dealer program,” says Chris Saraceno, vice president of Kelly Automotive Group. “Women felt reassured, confident and comfortable because reviews came from other women. This evidence-based, easy-to-locate research allows shoppers to find a destination dealer. That is exactly what we want. Guests have benefited and we have certainly gained market share because of this blueprint. It’s a game changer.”

Anne Fleming, president of Women-Drivers.com, will be sharing valuable insights about women car buyers and what dealerships can do to attract and retain female consumers during a free Digital Air Strike-hosted webinar on December 17th. Click here to reserve your spot or to watch the webinar on-demand at a later date.

“Authentic reviews by women help this segment locate dealers that demonstrate trust and a welcoming and equitable culture,” said Anne Fleming, the president of Women-Drivers.com. “The economic benefit of being a Certified Trusted Dealer is achieving an average of 5% increase in annual revenue which translates into $1.5 million per dealership.” 

About Digital Air Strike

Digital Air Strike is the leading social media, intelligent lead response, and consumer engagement technology company helping 5,000 businesses increase consumer response and conversions in digital and social media environments while generating measurable ROI. A pioneer in digital response, social media marketing and online reputation management solutions, Digital Air Strike deploys industry specific mobile apps, software, intelligent messaging and managed service platforms to monitor, engage, improve and manage consumer interactions for businesses in the United States, Canada and 33 additional countries, including working with seven of the largest automotive manufacturers. More information is available at  www.digitalairstrike.com and  www.facebook.com/digitalairstrike.

About Women-Drivers.com

Women-Drivers.com is the leading car dealer rating and review site for women by women. We are a marketplace that showcase Certified Trusted Dealers who consistently demonstrate trust, respect and unbiased experience as reflected in authentic, peer reviews. The Company provides innovative SurveySpark® women’s predictive analytics to dealerships and OEMs that shows new patterns, behaviors, and preferences to increase sales, conversion, and retention. These customized 400 data sets are available and prepare insights into the Purchase, Service Drive and Shopping experience trends.  Our passion and why we exist is to support the transformation of how the industry interacts with women and to help foster an improved, inclusive customer experience.

Media Contact:
Christina Wofford
(480) 421-5901 – direct
(602) 363-0134 – cell
cwofford@digitalairstrike.com

DSES 2020 was fun. I wish we could have met everyone in person, but we were able to gain some great insights from experts in automotive. 

One of the cornerstones of DSES every year is the Innovation Cup. This contest is a product bake-off that is judged by dealership personnel. Applicants submit their new or significantly updated products, and our dealer panel selects a chosen few to present their idea on stage (or, in this case, on-Zoom). 

Check out the video of this year's contest, and congratulations to Foureyes for coming away with the trophy.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CDK Global, Inc. (Nasdaq: CDK), a leading retail automotive technology company, announced that Kirsten Garen has joined the company as chief information officer (CIO). She will also be a member of the executive leadership team.

In her role, Garen will execute the IT strategy to drive innovation and operational excellence in support of the customers, partners and employees of CDK Global.

”Kirsten’s ability to align operational execution and technology transformation with business outcomes make her the perfect fit to accelerate our vision to modernize, transform and support a digital future for our customers and employees,” said Mahesh Shah, executive vice president and chief product and technology officer, CDK Global. “She prioritizes developing talent and team collaboration that matches well with our core values and corporate culture.”

With more than 30 years of experience in technology and operations roles, Garen brings a diverse experience in driving transformations in customer-centric, growing organizations. Most recently, she served as CIO for Delta Dental of California where she led all technology functions. Prior to Delta Dental, she served as CIO for Bank of the West. Garen has also held senior executive technology and operations roles at VISA, Charles Schwab and Bankers Trust.

She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School.

“I’m delighted to join CDK. I see tremendous opportunity for enterprise collaboration to drive efficiency and scale that will allow us to grow and work with our clients to transform their businesses,” said Garen. “We will focus on streamlining and optimizing the work of our teams to allow them to innovate and create new client solutions.”

About CDK Global, Inc.

With approximately $2 billion in revenues, CDK Global (Nasdaq: CDK) is a leading global provider of integrated information technology solutions to the automotive retail and adjacent industries. Focused on enabling end-to-end automotive commerce, CDK Global provides solutions to dealers in more than 100 countries around the world, serving approximately 30,000 retail locations and most automotive manufacturers. CDK solutions automate and integrate all parts of the dealership and buying process, including the acquisition, sale, financing, insuring, parts supply, repair, and maintenance of vehicles. Visit cdkglobal.com.