Automotive Recall Solutions Innovator Adds Industry and Technology Leader to its Executive Team

April 23, 2019, Laguna Hills, CA – Recall Masters, Inc., the leading provider of automotive recall news, data, training, and communications, today announced the appointment of John Dunning as President. In this position, Dunning oversees all day-to-day operations, including finance, investor relations, human resources, sales, marketing, technology development, and client services. The appointment comes at a time when the recall solutions provider is growing fast and has become a top vendor in the automotive industry.

Dunning has a track record of taking new ideas and creating and implementing plans that successfully bring them to life, boosting revenue. He brings more than two decades of experience to Recall Masters as an entrepreneur, investor, and operational executive. His expertise ranges from founding CEO at Confident Financial Services (now DigniFi), currently the leading auto repair financing solution, to serving as a critical team member in several San Francisco-based software start-ups, to working as a venture capitalist. He also founded and served as CEO of two Boulder, Colorado-based technology start-ups and has served as an advisor to several software businesses. 

Most recently, Dunning ran San Juan Vacation Ventures, LLC, the largest vacation rental management agency in the San Juan Islands, northwest of Seattle. Dunning possesses a B.A. from the University of Oregon, where he studied Economics, International Studies and Spanish, and an M.B.A. from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

“I’m very honored and excited to join such an impressive team of individuals dedicated to vehicle safety,” Dunning stated. “This is a pivotal moment, not only for Recall Masters but also for the automotive industry, state and local government and consumers. While fingers point at who is to blame for the recall crisis, Recall Masters is procuring the most comprehensive knowledgebase of vehicle owners and recall data, developing innovative technology and deploying effective communications that engage consumers and compel recall compliance. We are beyond the point where blame plays any part in helping consumers and are focused on solutions.”

With more than 1 in 4 vehicles on US roads and highways having an open recall, and another year of record recalls for 2018, the recall crisis continues to grow. Recall Masters provides recall solutions directly, and through strategic partnerships, to more than 3,000 dealerships nationwide. Also, two auto manufacturers, BMW of North America (BMWNA) and Mazda North American Operations (MNAO), recently contracted with Recall Masters to assist with boosting recall completion rates for select dealerships in key US markets

“If we want vehicles to be safer, then we need the kind of transparency that encourages auto manufacturers and the government to work together at uncovering and disclosing potential dangers, and that seems to be working. The bigger challenge is locating the current owners of these recalled vehicles and helping them resolve it before tragedy strikes. Recall compliance is almost entirely a local issue. From the dealerships that have to perform the necessary repairs, to the consumers that need to bring their vehicles in, we have a serious disconnect from what law mandates and what the consumers and dealers need at the local level. We've bridged that gap and it is an exciting time to be here as we’re are doing amazing things,” Dunning explained.

About Recall Masters:

Recall Masters is the leading provider of automotive recall news, data, training, and communications, dedicated to helping automakers and their dealers expedite the repair of recalled vehicles and make the roadways safer for everyone. Greater recall awareness and proactive recall management helps automakers protect their brand and build trusting relationships between automotive dealers, rental car agencies, auto auctions and consumers alike. Recall Masters is a privately-held company based in Laguna Hills, CA. To learn more about Recall Masters and comprehensive recall management, please call 888.651.4480, email info@recallmasters.com or visit www.recallmasters.com.

Media Contact:
Sean Reyes
Chief Marketing Officer
sean@recallmasters.com
949.246.6023

One of the biggest obstacles many dealership service departments encounter is contacting and communicating with their customers. This is not only a problem with recall customers, but with all service customers in general. And failure to communicate can easily cost your dealership service revenue through declined recommendations.

A recent survey by J.D. Power finds that modern service customers prefer digital communications over analog. If they do not recognize your number, today’s consumers just don’t answer their phones. However, relevant text messages are viewed and responded to quickly. Unfortunately, due to strict federal guidelines, dealerships are backing off of texts in favor of simple phone calls.  Still, if the consumer has opted in, your dealership does not have to fear communicating with consumers via text. Let me explain….

It’s illegal to send unsolicited commercial email messages to wireless devices, including cell phones and pagers, unless you get the consumer’s permission first. It’s also illegal to send unsolicited text messages from an auto-dialer — equipment that stores and dials phone numbers using a random or sequential number generator. 

However, if your dealership has legitimate business with that consumer (servicing their vehicle), you are allowed to contact the customer via text for acceptance of recommendations, or to update them on their vehicle’s status. When servicing vehicles speed is key. Customers want their vehicles back quickly, so you can’t afford to lose time playing phone tag, waiting to receive authorization to proceed with the necessary repairs. By the time you eventually connect with the customer, the opportunity may be lost. The consumer declines service because they cannot afford to wait any longer for their vehicle. And that means a loss of service revenue for your dealership.

34% of service customers – whether customer-pay, warranty or recall customers – prefer contact via text message. When asked, they’ll opt in. But, according to the study, dealerships only use this mode of communication 9% of the time!

Today, we all desire the convenience technology provides. According to the J.D. Power study, customers are slowly shifting their preferred method of scheduling service toward the internet and away from scheduling via phone. In 2015, the industry average preference for these two methods was 20% and 64%, respectively. This year, preferences are 28% and 59%, respectively.

And when it comes to the in-store experience, consumers also like personalized treatment, where they feel as if the service advisor cares about their individual safety and their vehicle’s needs. Dealerships that inform customers about the work being performed; know the vehicle’s history and keep the customer informed of their vehicle’s status at every step; build trust in their service advisors and the dealership.  It’s still astonishing to me that many dealerships service vehicles without first checking the VIN for open recalls. There is no better way to lose trust with the consumer than to expose them to danger. 

Franchise dealers would be wise to take note of the J.D. Power study’s findings that independent repair facilities are outpacing dealerships in customer satisfaction. In 2017, independent repair facilities improved by 22 points, while franchised dealers only improved by 17. Service quality has also experienced a shift towards independents; independents increased 23 points while franchise dealers increased by 17.

Franchised dealerships definitely have the edge when it comes to warranty and recall work. However, routine maintenance is a significant percentage of overall repair orders which lead to additional services --- and additional revenue. As vehicle sales revenue decreases, dealerships are relying more on service revenue that cannot be lost to independents.

My advice is to pay attention to technologies that make it easier for consumers to do business with you and also that make it easier for your dealership to effectively communicate with your customers.  Independents aren’t improving faster because they do better work, but because they adopt technologies that make for a better customer experience and facilitate easier transactions.

If you monitor and adopt the same technologies, you will see customers that prefer convenience and quality dealership service over independents. Quality will always trump quantity…

But convenience may easily trump them both.

San Francisco, CA – March 21, 2016 – Recall Masters, Inc., a leading provider of automotive recall news, data, training, and communication today announced the appointment of Dan Beres as Chief Operating Officer. Beres will oversee the company’s communication and software services offerings for the direct to dealer sales channel, as well as OEM and enterprise business development opportunities. He will also be responsible for operations management, team development, driving performance standards for the organization, ongoing execution of business strategy and policy implementation, and the management of the company’s new office in Laguna Hills, CA.
 
Prior to joining Recall Masters, Beres held the role of Vice President, Corporate Development, for Confident Financial Solutions, a consumer finance company that offers auto repair financing to service centers and their customers. Beres helped grow the company’s sales distribution to over 25 resellers in Michigan, Arizona, and Florida, which led to over 80 dealership and independent shop enrollments. Beres also managed and executed strategic partnership relationships including integration with Moxy Solutions and the vehicle service contract industry.
 
Previous to that, Beres served as Executive Vice President at MyCustomerData for seven years, where he created, developed and managed the sales force from three to 25 salespeople and was responsible for the company's explosive sales growth at that time. He also initiated and developed vendor approved relationships with BMW, MINI, and Volvo, while managing an existing relationship with Mercedes-Benz.
 
Prior to MyCustomerData, Beres held the role of Director of Sales for DMEautomotive, where he brought on seven new accounts in less than three months, drove over $1 million in revenue and was named the Top New Business Producer of the Year. Before joining DMEautomotive, Beres served for five years as the National Sales Director at Who's Calling, Inc., where he drove sales from $3 million to $42 million in revenue in less than three years.
 
“Recall Masters is growing rapidly as a leading total solutions provider by addressing everything dealers need to operate a successful recall department -- our dealers are really stepping up to protect consumers and get recalled vehicles off the road by becoming true recall centers for their communities. I am excited to add Dan to our team. The timing is perfect and solidifies our standing, growth, and commitment in the retail automotive sector. Dan brings a strong skill set to the table and I look forward to a spectacular year ahead,” said Chris Miller, President of Recall Masters.

 According to Beres Recall Masters estimates that over 18 percent of vehicles on the road today are high risk safety issues; a total of over 47 million. “It’s no secret, we have all seen the overwhelming numbers of open safety recalls and have a moral and ethical obligation to identify and provide a solution to the automotive industry to get these vehicles in to the dealerships for repair. I am therefore extremely excited to join the Recall Masters team,” said Beres. "Being part of an organization that offers actionable solutions to dealerships and OEMs to help alleviate this problem in mass quantities is something I am eager to be a critical part of. Recall Masters not only provides the most comprehensive information, but also passes data to the dealer such as the OEM parts availability, warranty reimbursements and financial projections for each recall campaign. In fact, Recall Masters provides a complete end to end solution including a Call Center operation and a Training Academy to help dealerships master and solve the recall epidemic. This makes Recall Masters a very unique offering in the marketplace,” Beres added.
 
To learn more about Recall Masters complete beginning to end solution, schedule a demo or a free trial call: 888-651-4480; email info@recallmasters.com; or visit: http://www.recallmasters.com.
 
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About Recall Masters:
Recall Masters is a leading provider of automotive recall news, data, training, and communications. The company is dedicated to helping automakers and their dealers expedite the repair of recalled vehicles and make the roadways safer for everyone. Greater recall awareness and proactive management helps automakers protect their brand and build trusting relationships between automotive dealers, rental car agencies, auto auctions and consumers alike.  Recall Masters is privately held and based in the San Francisco Bay Area. www.recallmasters.com