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New Research on QR Codes and Mobile Apps: What Consumers Want
-- Auto service customers are far more likely to use mobile apps (44%) than QR codes (18%).
-- 2-in-3 auto service customers that use mobile apps, use them at least daily.
-- Only 10% of auto service customers are currently using a mobile app offered by their dealer/service provider.
-- Top two places consumers are being routed via QR code scans: 1) product info 2) links to a webpage - typically static, non-actionable destinations.
-- What consumers want in auto service providers' QR Codes and mobile apps: coupons and ability to schedule online appointments.
Daytona Beach, FL – December 18, 2012 – DMEautomotive (DMEa), the leader in science-based, results-driven automotive marketing, today released new survey findings on how - and how much - auto service customers are interacting with QR codes and mobile apps. The data also reveals which content and functionality customers most desire from a service center offering. With roughly half of all Americans now toting a smartphone,[1] mobile marketing by dealerships and auto service providers is rightfully surging. And DMEa's findings reveal some significant mobile marketing opportunities for the service industry, particularly with their customers' high, overall rates of mobile app usage (44%), but with relatively few of them now using a dealer or service provider app (10%).
"Given the massive adoption of smartphones, it's no wonder that mobile apps and QR codes are very hot topics in automotive marketing," said Doug Van Sach , Vice President of Strategy & Analytics at DMEautomotive. "But our survey reveals that businesses that adopt cutting-edge technologies and then feed people irrelevant sales messages, or generic product/business info, are wasting the customer's time and money. People demand real, tangible value, like coupons and discounts, and functionality that will make their lives easier, like instant online appointment scheduling and timely service reminders."
Findings are based on a national survey of 2,000+ U.S. vehicle owners conducted by DMEa's Strategy & Analytics division.
QR Codes Sending People to Non-Actionable and Sales-y Content: Less than a fifth of service customers have scanned a QR code. And that modest 18% reported to DMEa on where these "scans" took them (i.e., how they interacted with QR codes) in the last year:
|
Where QR Codes Sent Service Customers in the Last Year |
|
|
Obtain additional product information |
44% |
|
Open a webpage link |
44% |
|
Receive coupons or discount |
36% |
|
Enter a sweepstakes or promotion |
33% |
|
Obtain contact information for a person or business |
19% |
|
Make a purchase |
18% |
|
Connect to a social media site |
16% |
|
Access a survey |
15% |
|
Subscribe to receive emails or e-newsletters |
14% |
|
Make an appointment |
10% |
Notably, the top two "places" consumers are being directed to via QR codes are product info and links to a webpage. These are typically static, "not much in it for me" destinations, which can run the risk of quickly losing a customer's attention.
Auto service customers also reported on what they actually most desire from dealership/service provider QR codes:
|
Service Customers' "Most Wanted" from QR Codes |
|
|
1 |
Coupons/discounts |
|
2 |
Current store promotions |
|
3 |
Ability to schedule online appointments |
These top three demands ranked higher than all other attributes, including "connecting to provider's website" or getting "general automotive/maintenance info."
Mobile Apps – Higher, Intense Usage: More than twice as many service customers (44%) use mobile apps than scan QR codes (18%). And that app usage number jumps to 74% for the tech-obsessed 18-34 demographic. Furthermore, service customers using apps use them intensely, with 2 in 3 turning to them at least once daily. This is good news for service businesses because, compared to QR Codes, which are, by nature, scan and go, mobile apps enable them to forge daily, always-there customer connections.
Disconnect: High Consumer App Adoption, Low Service App Penetration: Despite the fact that nearly half of all service customers are now app users (a figure that will grow explosively), only 10% of survey respondents reported that they currently have a dealer/service provider app.
Current Service App Interactions: And these 1-in-10 service customers that now use a dealer/service center app reported on how they most interact with it. This data, shining some light on what features they find most useful, provides one window into what service app providers should most include in their offerings.
For service-app-using customers, the functions that they interact with the most (coupons, dealer incentives, service reminders, etc.) - and the least (general car model/maintenance/financing info, or connecting to provider's website) - again clearly illustrate that consumers demand real, tangible value, and actionable info and tools that make their lives easier.
(Infographic: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121218/FL31163-INFO )
The Features That Would Make Them the "Appiest": The "wish list" of the app-less 90% of service customers provides an even more accurate window into the features consumers most desire in a service provider app. The top 5 are: 1) coupons, 2) online appointment scheduling, 3) service reminders, 4) recall alerts and 5) vehicle maintenance histories. It's interesting to note the very high percentage of respondents that report that they would embrace these key features if their dealer/service center offered them in an app. The data clearly indicates that far more customers would adopt service apps if they integrated the functionality people demand.
Also note: many of the most-wanted features (i.e., service reminders, vehicle maintenance histories, etc.) require that the app be fully integrated into the business' DMS. And since DMS-app integration allows dealers/service centers to send the right messages/offers about the right vehicles at the right time, it makes implementing these features a major "win" for both customer and business.
"Wave one with any new technology is adoption, and wave two is where businesses get it right, aligning their offerings with what consumers actually demand," said Van Sach . "While far more service businesses have jumped into QR codes than mobile apps, the former is essentially just a 'door' sending people to short-lived, and hopefully engaging, information. But mobile apps, which are always in that customer's pocket or purse, uniquely forge long-term, hyper-close customer connections. They're the 'big house' a business can build their service relationships on, but only if they build that house right."
[1] Pew Internet Life, 2012
About DMEautomotive
DMEautomotive (DMEa) is the industry leader in science-based, results-driven automotive marketing, and provides turnkey marketing to the largest and most innovative automotive organizations, from automobile dealers to many of the largest aftermarket companies in the U.S. DMEa's uniquely panoramic view of the complete automotive sales and service market, combined with its cutting-edge, science-based marketing programs, increases customer yield, conversion and retention.
DMEa does not take marketing performance on faith, and each product and service is measured by a simple, precise scientific approach: Is it true? Prove it. Will it work? Test it. Does it generate results? Show it! Supported by DMEa's proprietary, cloud-based Red Rocket Technology Platform, the DMEa product suite includes science-based, data-driven, multi-channel customer acquisition and retention marketing programs; best-in-class campaign reporting; data management and analytics; auto-focused Customer Interaction Center solutions, and complete on-site mail and email fulfillment services. Headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, DMEa also has major operations in Jacksonville, Fla.
Media Inquiries
Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, +1-424-603-4340, melanie@mwebbcom.com
Angela Jacobson, mWEBB Communications, +1-714-454-8776, angela@mwebbcom.com
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Naked Lime Marketing Adds New Mobile Website Packages for Dealerships
Mobile Marketing from Naked Lime Helps Dealers Reach Consumers on
All Web-Enabled Phones Across All Mobile Carriers
KETTERING, Ohio – Dec. 17, 2012 – Naked Lime Marketing, a full-service marketing, advertising, and web services agency for automotive retailers, has added two new mobile website packages for its Mobile Marketing service. These new mobile website packages provide dealers with additional flexibility and choice in carrying out their mobile marketing strategy.
“As consumer use of mobile technology grows, dealers are facing increased pressure to offer an optimal customer experience from their mobile website,” said Trey Hiers, who oversees marketing at Naked Lime. “These new website packages provide additional options for how dealers customize their mobile website pages to deliver a robust, pleasing experience to their customers.”
- The new “Mobile Ready Site – Inventory Custom Edition” package allows dealers to more easily customize mobile website templates and create custom mobile website pages – all in order to support dealers’ advertising campaign goals.
- The new “Mobile Ready Site – Hub” package provides additional flexibility for dealers in structuring their mobile website pages. This option can be especially beneficial to dealerships with multiple physical locations and, in turn, multiple mobile sites.
Naked Lime also recently introduced a number of new mobile website templates available to all dealers using its Mobile Marketing service.
Mobile Marketing from Naked Lime works on all web-enabled phones across all mobile carriers and is available to any franchised dealership regardless of traditional website or dealership management system provider.
In addition to mobile websites, Naked Lime’s Mobile Marketing service includes a number of automotive mobile marketing features such as inbound and outbound text marketing, a send-to-mobile website widget, and reporting and analytics.
Naked Lime Marketing offers services that cover every aspect of a dealership's retail marketing, advertising, and web strategy, including traditional advertising, digital advertising, targeted marketing, SEO and social media, digital reputation management, mobile marketing, and web.
About Naked Lime Marketing
Naked Lime’s Naked Truth: Deliver fresh and innovative full-service marketing, advertising, and web solutions and services that help automotive dealers turn the heads of consumers and inspire consumer loyalty at every point in the retail process. Connect with Naked Lime Marketing on the Web: http://nakedlime.com, Facebook: http://facebook.com/nkdlime, or Twitter: http://twitter.com/nkdlime.
###
Media Contact:
Loretta Good
media@nakedlime.com
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Auto/Mate Recognized as “Best Place to Work” by the Albany Business Review for Third Consecutive Year
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – December 17, 2012 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems (http://www.automate.com) announced today it was named one of the “Best Places to Work” in New York State’s Capital region by the Albany Business Review. It is the third year in a row that Auto/Mate has received the honor.
“I believe what makes our team so great is having people share the company goals along with their individual knowledge,” said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate. “In addition we have a tremendously high level of mutual respect among the Auto/Mate team.”
The Albany Business Review honors just 30 companies each year with the “Best Places to Work” distinction. The business journal partners with Quantum Workplace, a Nebraska based research firm, to conduct anonymous employee engagement surveys at nearly 125 companies. The companies with the highest scores were recognized.
The surveys revealed that all the companies honored invest heavily in their employees to recognize them for hard work and talent, and also that they don’t let broader economic issues dictate whether to make additional investments in their employees.
“We are genuinely passionate about the work that we do and the customers we support,” said David Druzynski, Auto/Mate’s Director of Human Resources. “This has helped to foster a unique, fun and engaging work place where team members feel valued and are recognized for their contributions.”
The “Best Places to Work” winners were announced December 7th at a special luncheon that drew more than 575 people. Auto/Mate was subsequently profiled in a special supplement of the Albany Business Review.
For information on career opportunities with Auto/Mate, contact David Druzynski at (877) 340-2677 or visit www.automate.com/careers
About Auto/Mate
Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships. Its Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich dealership management software in use by more than 900 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate offers the best customer service in the industry; the company received top satisfaction rankings in NADA’s most recent DMS provider survey.
Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 300 years of combined experience working in auto dealerships – the foundation of its “designed by car people, for car people” slogan. For more information, visit www.automate.com, follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at http://blog.automate.com
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Volvo Car Financial Services Joins the Dealertrack Credit Application Network
Volvo Car Financial Services Selects Dealertrack as Exclusive Credit Application Processing Platform for Volvo U.S. Dealerships
Latest Captive Joins a List of Top Lenders on the Industry’s Leading Credit Application Network
Lake Success, N.Y., December 12, 2012 ─ Dealertrack Technologies (Nasdaq: TRAK) and Volvo Car Financial Services today announced that Volvo Car Financial Services has become a lender on the Dealertrack Credit Application Network.
Dealertrack is the exclusive credit application network through which Volvo’s 311 dealers in the United States can submit credit applications to Volvo Car Financial Services, the captive automotive financial services subsidiary for Volvo Cars.
Volvo dealers also use Dealertrack’s Mobile Sales and F&I app to track their Volvo Financial Services activity. The app supports dealers’ efforts to securely manage and monitor the status of consumer credit application and contract activities in real-time from their mobile devices.
“This partnership with Dealertrack will significantly enhance support for our retailer's financing process,” said Peter Wexler, vice president, Sales and Marketing, Volvo Car Financial Services U.S., LLC
“Over the years, Volvo dealers have leveraged a broad range of Dealertrack solutions and services, including Dealertrack DMS, eMenu, Aftermarket, Compliance and Inventory solutions, across their dealerships as part of their overall sales and F&I workflow,” said Allan Stejskal, vice president and general manager, Sales and F&I Solutions, Dealertrack. “The addition of Volvo Car Financial Services to the Dealertrack network will help Volvo dealers accelerate and streamline the financing process across each of their dealerships.”
The Dealertrack Credit Application Network allows dealers to electronically submit credit application data to the industry’s most diverse network of banks, independent finance companies, captives and credit unions. The Dealertrack Credit Application N
etwork, which has grown from five lenders in 2001 to more than 1,200 lenders today, continues to expand and remains the automotive retail market’s largest finance network.
About Volvo Car Financial Services (www.volvocarfinancialservices.com)
Volvo Car Financial Services U.S., LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volvo Car Corp. of Gothenburg, Sweden, and provides financial services products to Volvo consumers and Volvo retailers in the United States.
About Dealertrack Technologies (www.dealertrack.com)
Dealertrack Technologies’ intuitive and high-value web-based software solutions and services enhance efficiency and profitability for all major segments of the automotive retail industry, including dealers, lenders, OEMs, third-party retailers, agents and aftermarket providers. In addition to the industry’s largest online credit application network, connecting more than 19,000 dealers with more than 1,200 lenders, Dealertrack Technologies delivers the industry’s most comprehensive solution set for automotive retailers, including Dealer Management System (DMS), Inventory, Sales and F&I, Interactive and Registration and Titling solutions. For more information visit www.dealertrack.com.
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SureSale(TM) Launches Nation’s First Dedicated Certified Marketplace
SureSale Marketplace offers dealers free express listings of eligible to-be-certified inventory; turnkey process exposes dealership inventory to certified shoppers in minutes
Venice, CA – December 11, 2012 – SureSale, the certified pre-owned marketing program that is changing the way used vehicles are bought and sold, today launched the nation’s first dedicated certified marketplace and announced free express publishing of eligible-to-be-certified inventory through the SureSale Certified Marketplace, so that dealerships across the country can reap the benefits of booming certified used car sales. The SureSale Certified Marketplace, which is dedicated to showcasing vehicles up to 150,000 miles and 15 years of age, specifically targets and attracts the growing population of used vehicle shoppers who are looking for the assurance of (and who are willing to pay a premium for) a certified vehicle.
Industry data confirms that the certified marketplace is thriving and on track to surpass last year’s record-breaking sales1. Meanwhile dealers who are certifying longer life vehicles are reporting turn rates that are over 60% faster than that of the average used vehicle and an additional 23% or $2,300 per-vehicle gross on average. 2
“The new SureSale Certified Marketplace’s Express listings program allows dealers who are not yet participating in this booming market to get in early and easily to ‘test the certified waters’. All it takes is a few minutes, and SureSale does the rest, automatically publishing eligible-to-be-certified inventory across the marketplace,” said Jeffrey Schwartz, president and CEO of SureSale. “And, because we can display certified eligible vehicles as ‘on-demand’ – meaning consumers can request certification, but dealers are under no obligation to provide it – dealers maintain complete control of their inventory, while at the same time having the opportunity to reap the benefits of these high-value buyers if they choose to certify.”
Schwartz pointed out that a huge certification gap exists in the industry between the small percentage of used vehicles eligible for OEM Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programs and the approximately 30 million used vehicles sold each year without the price and assurance benefits of certification. SureSale’s mission is to help close this gap for dealers by expanding the range of vehicles eligible for certification on dealer lots, online marketplaces, and remarketing channels to up to 15 years old and 150,000 miles.
How SureSale Express Listings Works
- Dealers simply register at www.suresale.com to activate their free account and start receiving leads.
- Once qualified, the dealership’s eligible-to-be-certified inventory is automatically published on the SureSale Certified Marketplace and viewable by car shoppers.
- Dealers can access their eligible inventory feed at any time to make listing enhancements, list additional vehicles and view leads.
- Dealers have the option to submit vehicles that have received consumer interest via the SureSale dealer tool for SureSale certified inspections for a nominal fee and sell them to consumers with all the benefits of a SureSale certified vehicle (including warranties, buy-back guarantees and vehicle service contracts).
Dealers who find success with SureSale’s express listings are eligible to enroll in the comprehensive SureSale Certified program which includes an easy ‘one-click’ vehicle certification platform; best-in-class limited warranties, buy-back guarantees and vehicle service contracts and certified vehicle inspections -- all of which generate greater customer and financial institution confidence, quicker inventory turn rates and more profit opportunity for the dealership. The SureSale Certified program also provides a mobile certification app, a new self-certification process, and free dealer microsites with additional marketplace listing syndication.
For all the latest news on SureSale follow us on Twitter or Facebook.
1 http://www.autoremarketing.com/trends/autodata-gauges-historic-full-year-cpo-level
2Based on analysis of SureSale vehicles' sale price + addl. VSC revenue averages (all SureSale vehicles 5 yrs and older sold March-May) compared to averages on similar vehicles (Y/M/M) from KBB suggested values (average of wholesale + 'as-is' + retail pricing).
About SureSale
SureSale is a leading provider of online vehicle certification and selling platforms. Dedicated to bringing a new transparency and trust to the used car marketplace, the Company enables sellers to sell with new confidence and buyers to buy with a new peace of mind. The Company's team of technology experts and automotive veterans develop solutions that take advantage of the best of the information-empowered digital marketplace. The SureSaleTM platform provides used-car buyers with unmatched certification on a far wider variety of used vehicles than has ever been offered before, while providing used-car sellers with a 'one-click' certification process for their vehicles. SureSale is based in Venice, California.
Media Contact
mWEBB Communications for SureSale
Melanie Webber, 424.603.4340, melanie@mwebbcom.com
Crystal Hartwell, 714.987.1016, crystal@mwebbcom.com
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Webinar: The Lead to Appointment Show
Free DealerOn Webinar: The Lead to Appointment Show
Presented by Joe Webb, Founder of DealerKnows Consulting
Thursday, December 13, 2012
12 PM EST/9 AM PST
Dealers must recognize that all of the leads in the world won’t do their Internet departments any good if they’ve not yet mastered the art of Internet engagement. The absolute key to success for every Internet department and BDC is the necessity of converting online prospects into completed showroom appointments.
Joe Webb will present a fun and educational game-show-influenced webinar that demonstrates how to get an online shopper out from behind their monitors and into your showroom. In this engaging and entertaining webinar, dealers will be shown the best practices of lead management process in a format inspired by today’s game-shows.
From lead retrieval to showed appointment, no dealer can look toward the future unless they excel at this today. So sit back as a contestant or audience member as your host, Joe Webb, delivers the game with The Lead to Appointment Show!
PRESENTER: Joe Webb is the Founder of DealerKnows Consulting, an automotive Internet sales training firm specializing in assisting dealers with the advancement of their online efforts through hands-on/on-site and virtual consulting. Joe has been called “the funniest guy in the car business” and has consulted nationwide, showing dealerships success by instilling proven Internet marketing practices. As a Chicago guy with a history of true dealership retail success, his primary goal, as he always states, is “to better the culture of car sales”. Joe has written for multiple publications, now dedicating most of his content to the primary automotive resource sites, and is a regular top-rated speaker at industry conferences. Joe Webb also speaks at NADA and NCM 20 groups, digital summits, and state dealer associations on a myriad of topics facing automotive dealers today. Joe Webb can be reached at joe@dealerknows.com.
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DealerRater Releases Enhanced Testimonials Feature
DealerRater Releases Enhanced Testimonials Feature and Expands Review Feed Sources to Enable Dealers to Leverage Online Reviews from Multiple Third-Party Review Sites
Waltham, Mass. – December 10, 2012 - DealerRater, the world’s premier car dealer review web site, today released an enhanced feature of its Certified Dealer Program that will enable dealers to better leverage positive online reviews from multiple third-party review sites. This new enhancement supplements an existing popular program feature that enables DealerRater reviews to automatically feed to dealership websites as well as to a custom tab on the dealers’ Facebook fan pages. Dealers enrolled in DealerRater’s 360Certified Program – the premium level of the Certified Dealer Program – can now boost their review feed by including content and ratings from several additional sources, such as Google+ Local, Yelp, Citysearch, Cars.com, Edmunds, Insider Pages and Yahoo! Local.
Also included in this new release are expanded review feed customization tools for all Certified Dealers. These new features include the ability to select the number of reviews to feed, set a minimum star rating for inclusion of reviews in the feed, and select/deselect functionality to further customize the mix of content. Finally, the consumer-facing display of the review content fed to dealership websites or to Facebook fan pages now has a cleaner, refreshed layout.
“Given that online consumer reviews now represent the second most trusted form of advertising, we’re pleased to offer a powerful new enhancement that enables our dealer partners to promote and leverage positive reviews from multiple third-party review sites,” said Chip Grueter, DealerRater president. “It is our goal to provide our Certified Dealers with the most innovative tools to build, manage, and leverage their online reputation. And this latest feature update is further testament to that commitment.”
The DealerRater site receives an average of 1,000 new reviews per day during the week, with a new review submitted every 55 seconds. With its unparalleled volume of dealer reviews now approaching 900,000, 25% of all franchised dealers in the U.S. have embraced DealerRater and its popular Certified Dealer Program as a critical component to their online reputation efforts. By taking advantage of the full suite of review-gathering and leveraging tools included in the Certified Dealer Program, Certified Dealers on average boast nearly 9 times the review count as non-certified dealers and also experience a full 1-Star average overall rating lift compared to non-certified dealers.
For more information, visit www.DealerRater.com or call 800-266-9455.
DealerRater was founded in 2002 as the first car dealer review website worldwide. DealerRater is the world’s #1 online resource for anyone seeking trusted third-party information on automobile dealerships. DealerRater features nearly 41,000 U.S. and Canadian car dealers, 860,000 consumer reviews and more than 1 million cars for sale. DealerRater attracts more than 9.5 million consumers every year who visit the site to search for car dealerships, read reviews, write their own descriptive reviews, and find car deals – all for free. In addition, DealerRater offers qualified car dealers a Certified Dealer Program as a reputation management tool to help them grow their online presence and achieve higher SEO rankings across the Web. Today, more than 4,600 dealers are members of the DealerRater® Certified Dealer Program.
DealerRater is proud to have been awarded the #137 position on the 2012 Inc. 500 list, an exclusive ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. For more information, visit www.DealerRater.com or call 800-266-9455.
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Webinar: Mobile Search & Mobile Web: What Dealers Need to Know
December 6, 2012
12 PM EST/9 AM PST
w/ Bill Leake, CEO of ApogeeResults.com
Every dealer’s marketing team is currently deluged by vendors pushing mobile apps, mobile strategies, mobile websites, mobile this and mobile that. What’s a dealer marketing department to do? Where to begin? What are the pitfalls?
Did you know that 25%-30% of most dealers’ website traffic is coming from a mobile device? By the end of 2013, its projected that about half of your website traffic will be mobile.
Mobile is REAL, and it’s here, and your customers are using mobile web approaches in their research & buying decision process, so you need to meet them where they are. But what gets sold as mobile is rarely needed. And how do you do the first things first and what has the highest & most profitable impact?
Subject expert & author, Bill Leake, will walk you through where mobile is today, where it’s predicted to go over the next couple of years, and what precisely you need to do to capitalize on mobile web marketing…NOW!
If you want to hear from one of today’s most prolific experts in the industry on the subject of Mobile, then you gotta be here for this webinar!
PRESENTER: Bill Leake is the CEO of ApogeeResults.com, THE Online Marketing Authority serving top global brands such as Whole Foods, IBM & Hewlett Packard and one of the fastest growing companies on the Inc. 500 list. Bill has been driving provable revenues through Internet marketing since the mid 1990s. Bill draws on a deep expertise in both business and marketing to help increase revenues for a wide range of clients. Bill has guided Apogee-branded companies to success, creating strategies for many of the 20 largest independent online marketing agencies in N. America. Apogee has been particularly instrumental in building dozens of “Internet Retailer 500”, “Software 500”, and VC-backed companies, growing more Inc. 500 & Inc. 5000 companies than anyone else in the industry. Bill Leake is the author of the Book “Complete B2B Online Marketing” and was also was the chairman of Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization N. America committee. Bill speaks frequently at industry shows including SXSW, Shop.org, Internet Retailer, Search Engine Strategies and ad:tech and can be reached at leake@apogee-search.com.
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200 Children of Soldiers Receive New Bikes From Reynolds and Reynolds Employees and Their Families
6th Annual Bike Build Continues Holiday Tradition at Reynolds and Reynolds
DAYTON, OHIO, and HOUSTON – Dec. 1, 2012 – Families of Reynolds and Reynolds associates in Dayton and Houston got together in their respective offices on Saturday, Dec. 1, to build more than 200 bicycles to give as Christmas gifts to the families of area soldiers.
In Dayton, the bicycles were given to children whose parents are serving with the Dayton-based 155th Chemical Battalion.
In Houston, the bicycles were given to the Texas Military Forces, which includes the Air Force, Army, Army National Guard, Coast Guard, and Navy.
“Reynolds associates volunteer hundreds of hours each year in their local communities and this is one more example of our employees reaching out to help others,” said Trey Hiers, vice president of Marketing at Reynolds and Reynolds. “The company purchases the bikes, which is the easy part. It’s our employees and their families who put in the time, and every year we have a record turnout of Reynolds families who stop by to help put the bikes together.”
During the Bike Builds in Houston and Dayton, the children of Reynolds associates worked with their parents to assemble the boy’s and girl’s bikes, which ranged from 12-inch children’s bikes sporting training wheels to 26-inch multi-speed bicycles. Each bike was then put through a final inspection and tagged with a hand-made holiday card signed by the youngsters who built the bike.
The Bike Builds concluded with the soldiers arriving to receive the new bikes. Once the last of the bicycles had been finished and inspected, Reynolds associates and their families helped the soldiers wheel the bikes outside to be loaded up and transported to military unit Christmas parties where they will be handed out.
Since launching the Reynolds Bike Build in 2007, Reynolds families have assembled more than 700 new bicycles during the Christmas holidays for children of military members.
About Reynolds
Reynolds and Reynolds is the automotive industry’s leading provider of automobile dealership software, services, and forms to help dealerships improve business results. The company is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, with major operations in Houston and College Station, Texas, and Celina, Ohio. (www.reyrey.com)
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Dominion Dealer Solutions and Microsoft Establish Strategic Relationship for Next- Generation Dealer Management System
New DMS based on Microsoft Dynamics AX to drive enhanced customer experience and operational efficiency for automotive dealers and manufacturers.
Norfolk, VA - December 2, 2012 - Dominion Dealer Solutions and Microsoft have established a strategic relationship to collaborate and create a next-generation Dealer Management System (DMS) based on Microsoft Dynamics AX. The two companies are combining the powerful foundation of Microsoft Dynamics AX with Dominion Dealer Solutions’ extensive automotive retail expertise and assets into an industry leading solution that will enable automotive dealers and manufacturers to enhance customer experience, increase revenue and profit and drive operational efficiencies. The solution will utilize Microsoft Dynamics AX, along with Microsoft server solutions and tools and the Windows Azure platform to take advantage of the efficiencies and flexibility offered by Microsoft’s public cloud offerings.
“Our strategy with Microsoft Dynamics AX is to provide a robust platform for game-changing solutions like the new Dealer Management System from Dominion,” said Christian Pedersen, General Manager of Microsoft Dynamics AX. “The power and flexibility of Microsoft Dynamics AX enables partners like Dominion to rapidly and cost-effectively develop line-of-business solutions that drive accelerated business value for their customers.”
“Combining Dominion's experience crafted through relationships with over 11,000 rooftops and Microsoft's technology will result in a tremendous, forward-looking Dealer Management System,” said Robert Berndt, President of Dominion Dealer Solutions. “The automotive DMS market has been dominated by large, legacy systems that severely limit the ability of dealers and manufacturers to meet customers' expectations and differentiate themselves from their competition. Our relationship with Microsoft gives us the capability to meet the needs of the market, and more, on day one. Dealers who use our DMS will experience flexibility they never dreamed possible, and they will be positioned for the future of automotive retailing."
The relationship between Microsoft and Dominion is part of Microsoft Business Solutions’ strategic Global Independent Solutions Vendor (ISV) program, resulting in collaboration in R&D, marketing and sales. Dominion selected Microsoft Dynamics AX as the platform for the DMS, which offers the combination of industry leading ERP capabilities required for a DMS, along with rich integration and custom development capabilities that are ideal for a meeting the dynamic needs of a rapidly evolving retail market.
“We are excited to welcome Dominion as a member of the Global ISV program,” stated Doug Kennedy, Vice President of Partners for Microsoft Dynamics. “Their long history of delivering value for their customers aligns directly with our goals for the initiative.”
The new dealer management system will be initially rolled out to new vehicle dealerships in the United States, starting in Q1 2013.
About Microsoft Dynamics
Microsoft Dynamics solutions empower your people to be more productive and your systems to last longer and scale as your organization grows, while enabling you to derive the insights necessary to respond quickly in an ever-changing world.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
About Dominion Dealer Solutions
Dominion Dealer Solutions helps car dealers attract, retain, and service customers for life. Dominion Dealer Solutions' marketing performance system includes: lead generation, mobile apps, reputation management solutions, web-based customer relationship and lead management tools; custom digital marketing tools including websites, SEO, SEM, digital advertising, specialized data aggregation; and inventory management analytics including market reports. Every OEM and more than 60 percent of auto dealers nationwide utilize the Dominion Dealer Solutions' technologies to solve their marketing challenges. For more information, visit our website, like us on Facebook, Pinterest or YouTube, or follow us on Twitter.
About Dominion Enterprises
Dominion Enterprises is a leading marketing services and publishing company serving the automotive, recreational and commercial vehicle, real estate, apartment rental, employment, parenting, and travel industries. The company’s businesses provide a comprehensive suite of technology-based marketing solutions including Internet advertising, lead generation, customer relationship management, website design and hosting, and data management services. The company has more than 45 market-leading websites reaching more than 17 million unique visitors monthly. Millions of For Rent®, Employment Guide® and HotelCoupons.com® publications are distributed across the U.S. each year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the company has 3,300 employees in more than 145 offices in the United States, Canada, England and Italy. For more information, visit DominionEnterprises.com.
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Media Contact:
Dominion Dealer Solutions
Peyton Hoffman
Media & Industry Relations
757.351.7271 (office)
757.748.4533 (cell)
Peyton.hoffman@drivedominion.com
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