Sweeping changes include a more balanced advertising approach,revised billing model in some states, consumer membership program, and formation of a Dealer Advisory Council 

Santa Monica, Calif. – January 16, 2012 – TrueCar, Inc., which is devoted to bringing innovation to the car buying process, today announced a nationwide, multi-faceted strategy totackle regulatory compliance issues and demonstrate its commitment to stateregulators, state dealer associations and to better serve its dealer partners.  Among other changes that are taking place nationally, TrueCar implemented a new flat fee-billing model in the Commonwealth of Virginia, which has been OK with flat fee billing since January 2001. This change marks a significant step in TrueCar’s ongoing compliance strategy. TrueCar’s proactive modifications will include introducing a new billing model in certain states, adjusting advertising presented through the TrueCar website, establishing a TrueCar National Dealer Council, and launching a new consumer membership program.

TrueCar announced this initiative as part of a “listening tour” by senior company executives that included visits with key constituents including dealer groups, dealer associations and manufacturers across the nation. “These meetings have been incredibly constructive.  We are in the business of innovation.  As such we have to embrace change as part of what we do,” said Scott Painter, Founder and CEO of TrueCar, Inc. “The feedback we have received, both good and bad, will enable us to better serve our dealer partners, and the industry overall. The changes announced in Virginia are a great signal thatcollaboration with state regulators can result in a constructive outcome for consumers and dealers.”

Compliance is an essential element of TrueCar’s mission. TrueCar has been engaged in discussions with regulators in several states regarding its fee structure and/or advertising issues.  TrueCar is responding immediately to any state concerns as part of a comprehensive national strategy, with a goal of achieving 100 percent national compliance. In the meantime, TrueCar has voluntarily suspended service in Louisiana, Colorado,Nebraska and Oklahoma in order to make certain changes to improve TrueCar’s service and to protect its dealer partners.  The company expects to have certain changes implemented in January.  “TrueCar’s dealer partners are central to our success and ensuring compliance is the foundation of TrueCar’s strategic commitment to dealers.  We will not put our dealer partners in jeopardy,” said Stewart Easterby, Executive Vice President of TrueCar, Inc.

Subscription Billing Model To Be Rolled Out Nationally

Most states have some version of either bird-dogging or brokering laws on the books.  TrueCar is taking a proactive national approach to this business model issue, shifting to a subscription-based billing model in those states where there is potentially an issue. For example, in California the company will be voluntarily and immediately commencing work on implementing its subscription-based model. 

Over the long term, TrueCar will continue to work with state regulators in an attempt to identify ways to update existing laws and regulations to take into account innovation made possible by the digital age.  These innovations include the ability to help dealers achieve accurate performance metrics for their marketing spend and 100 percent visibility into their partners’ performance.

Dealer Management System (DMS) Data Practices

TrueCar is committed to maintaining the highest data standards including limiting the collection of information. TrueCar does not sell dealer DMS data and does not use dealer DMS data for any purpose other than matching vehicle sales to customer leads and monitoring performance to enhance TrueCar’s service to its dealer partners. In addition to only collecting information with dealers’ permission, TrueCar is committed to working with dealers to enhance dealers’ control over access to and use of DMS data, including limiting the fields of data that are received from DMS to those fields necessary to perform the sales matching function.

Changes to Address Advertising Issues

TrueCar will implement important changes to the website to address certain advertising issues. As part of its commitment to its dealer partners, TrueCar will alsodevelop new messages that focus on important dealer attributes, like proximity, selection and service rather than simply price. “Bottom line is we’re out listening and talking to the industry. What we heard is that dealers feel our ads focused on price and did not tell a positive enough story about our dealer partners. We’ve listened to their concerns and are making adjustments. Qualitative considerations that drive purchase other than price will have greater prominence in future ads.” said Stephen Hansen, President of TrueCar.

National Dealer Council/Dealer Initiatives

TrueCar is also announcing several changes to take into account feedback and betterserve its dealer partners:  

• Effective immediately TrueCar will be enhancing its TrueCar Price Report to enable dealers to more effectively market themselves, by providing consumers and dealers a much more balanced view of the market.

• TrueCar will introduce its first-ever National Dealer Council in the next few weeks. The Council will serve as an important venue for TrueCar to hear dealer feedback – good and bad – on TrueCar’s products, processes and policies.

• TrueCar will enable statistical and other tools to identify dealers with extreme price outliers.  TrueCar recognizes that price outliers may interfere with a sustainable dealer/consumer ecosystem and will work to alleviate these issues and include important qualitative factors in the decision process.

• TrueCar will be making product, policy, and process changes throughout the entire business to enhance dealer confidence in TrueCar. 

Consumer Membership Program 

TrueCar remains committed to innovating to ensure higher lead quality for dealers and enhanced brand protection for OEMs.  Based on OEM feedback, TrueCar will introduce a new consumer membership program, which TrueCar believes will substantially alleviate the concern. With this change, dealer partners can expect even higher quality introductions from TrueCar. In the end, consumers and dealers benefit.

Dallas, TX – January 16, 2012 – RedBumper, (http://redbumper.com/) a new breed automotive inventory management company, today announced that it will unveil SmartLot at the 2012 NADA & ATD Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, NV, February 3-6.  SmartLot is the first auto dealer inventory analytic tool to truly blend historical performance with local market data, providing optimal inventory stocking recommendations. It is also the first comprehensive mobile inventory management solution; SmartLot works in real-time on a Smartphone mobile platform, providing the ultimate in flexibility; an inventory management tool in the palm of the hand. Workshops will be held throughout the convention to unveil the new system. To register for a workshop visit: http://redbumper.com/nada.aspx

“SmartLot uses a number of criteria to determine which top market performers are likely to perform well for a specific lot. Other systems in the industry rely on chance when recommending a market performer. We take the analysis to another level and add a bit of secret sauce. As a dealer buys and sells vehicles, SmartLot automatically makes slight adjustments to help improve sales and profits month after month. The longer a dealer is on our system, the better he becomes because the system is really designed like no other system on the market.  If a dealer wants to grow sales while improving sales times, they need SmartLot!” said RedBumper founder Bruce Thompson.

SmartLot includes a powerful market metrics tool, Market IQ, which provides dealers with unequaled market analysis.  As dealers acquire and liquidate vehicles, SmartLot seamlessly analyzes the performance of each and compares the dealership’s needs to the hottest current market performers, maintaining a continual pulse on market supply and demand.

MarketIQ turns SmartLot into the first inventory management tool to supply auto dealers with the turn time of each unit in the market and the profit per day. And that’s not all; because of exclusive relationships with key partners, MarketIQ then returns the average retail sold price and provides the dealer with all their competitor’s listings of that vehicle and suggested acquisition and listing price. 

These recommendations are provided in 3-5 seconds and, unlike other tools, it does not require that users search through charts and graphs. This tool is especially valuable in the hands of a buyer at auction or an appraiser at the store.

SmartLot is also the only inventory management tool that enables dealers to capture any and all inventory opportunities including existing service customers, trade-ins, auctions, and private consumer listings. It includes several tools to help dealers capture these sources of inventory.

Firstly, a built in Service Drive Harvester, a dynamic tool that helps dealers acquire inventory from their own customers on the service drive. Built right into SmartLot, Service Drive Harvester helps turn the service drive into an auction lane.  It Searches through a dealer’s DMS and finds vehicles on the buy list which are in a positive equity position. The service advisor simply scans the VIN and if vehicle is on buy list, the appraisal comes right across to the used car manager via his phone or desktop.

Secondly, to capture lucrative market of private consumer listings, SmartLot includes ConsumerLane.  Also built into SmartLot, ConsumerLane is perhaps best described as; “a used car superstore in a box”. The dealership simply enters specific used vehicles it needs and Consumer Lane automatically queries from its internet partners. It quickly delivers used vehicles listed for sale by only by consumers in the past 24 hours.   60-70% of consumers selling a used vehicle are in the market for a replacement, so ConsumerLane provides both used car inventory and in market car buyers.

SmartLot is in high demand and RedBumper is on pace to install well over 100 dealerships per month for the first quarter. For more information about RedBumper call:   888-339-1116      , visit, www.RedBumper.com or sign up for a demonstration at NADA at: http://redbumper.com/nada.aspx

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About RedBumper:

RedBumper is a new breed automotive inventory management company created by Bruce Thompson. Thompson is widely credited for pioneering modern day inventory management when he introduced new tools to the industry in 2001 with American Auto Exchange (AAX). RedBumper is a very powerful next generation system offered on a flexible Smartphone-centric platform, with tools that are both innovative and intuitive. Its objective is to streamline auto dealer workload by delivering a system that is simple to use and direct.  The company aims to take a new approach, offering fresh and creative tools the industry has never seen while at the same time leveraging proven technology. RedBumper prides itself for delivering ground- breaking tools that give auto dealers a significant competitive edge by being first to market. Creating the most powerful suite of tools on a flex platform allows RedBumper the opportunity to reduce much of the cluster and redundancy prevalent in current market products. It enables auto dealers to turn inventories faster while realizing more profit, month after month.

PCG Digital Marketing is pleased to announce that Allan Chell from cDemo will present at the 2012 Digital Marketing Strategies Conference February 1st – 3rd in at the Monte Carlo Hotel Las Vegas prior to the 2012 NADA convention.

Allan’s workshop, the “Impact of Rich Content” workshop will explore and discuss three primary elements that impact the dealer’s ability to generate online leads and facilitate online transactions with unique content. The purpose of this workshop is to enlighten and educate the participants on the importance of generating the unique content that consumers are searching for in the online environment.

Workshop attendees will explore the current processes being used by dealers to capture, manage and distribute vehicle content as well as discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each process

About Allan Chell

Allan Chell is a 30-year veteran of online sales. His career has spanned on-line sales, management and technology roles.

Allan leads a team of industry professionals that have over 50 years of combined experience in the automotive industry.  Their unique industry experience has been acquired through the deployment of online auctions, direct to dealer fleet remarketing operations and online sales programs.

About the Digital Marketing Strategies Conference

Attendees of the 2012 Digital Marketing Strategies Conference will fine-tune their social media, advertising, customer service, and Internet marketing strategies for the year ahead.  The workshops and keynote speakers will demonstrate how dealerships can create a powerful digital marketing roadmap and refine their automotive marketing and operations plans for 2012.

The conference is designed for dealer managers and Internet sales professionals who want to stay ahead of the competition. It is an intimate event that is limited to 150 dealership employees.  This allows the instructors and speakers to work hands-on with dealers in attendance.

With over 20 different marketing workshops specifically targeted to the needs of dealerships, DMSC is laser focused on winning strategies.  DMSC topics will include workshops on SEO, SEM, Social Media, Lead Management, BDC Process, Reputation Management, Automotive Advertising, Marketing Strategy, Fixed Operations, and the latest insights into Google.

The conference has a variety of educational formats including workshops, top industry panel discussions, and general sessions.  The variety of presentation styles and the world-class educators makes DMSC the best investment for dealers who are attending NADA. 

For more information about the conference and registration, visithttp://www.digitalmarketingstrategies.org/registration/

The Digital Marketing Strategies Conference is created and executed by First Class Educators, the new sister company of PCG Digital Marketing. First Class Educators will take ownership of and build upon PCG Digital Marketing’s widely recognized educational events.

About First Class Educators

First Class Educators (FCE) is a new company created by PCG Digital Marketing, a full service automotive digital marketing agency.  FCE offers high impact digital marketing education, private or partnered events and a variety of consulting opportunities for all industries throughout the US and Canada. 

Featured national events include the Digital Marketing Strategies Conference, Automotive Marketing Boot Camp and PCG Pit Stop.

FCE also offers the Automotive Internet Program, an intense online training program that provides certificates in Digital Marketing and Social Media for dealership employees across the US and Canada as well as private partnered events with top vendors and industry leaders.

http://www.firstclasseducators.com/

VinSolutions unveils their ‘VinCycle’ program for the New Year as their first companywide green initiative.

Overland Park, KS – January 9, 2012 – VinSolutions, an industry-leading developer of Internet-based Customer Relations Management (CRM) and Internet Lead Management (ILM) software, has launched an internal recycling program coined “VinCycling”. Capitalizing on the New Year, this marks the first sponsored and companywide green initiative as they campaign in-house to “Bleed Blue, Go Green”.

The immediate goals at VinSolutions are to reduce disposal inefficiencies, increase use of resources available by incorporating waste reduction practices into their daily operations. They have teamed up with RecycleWorks to provide strategic placement of paper, plastic and aluminum recycling bins throughout the offices and have additionally formed an advisory board that will handle the collection process, present educational opportunities and report future milestones.

“With major company growth comes an increase in disposable waste. We want to ensure that we are doing our part to lessen our footprint on the environment,” said Keith Polsinelli, Chief Operations Officer at VinSolutions. “As we continually strive to make a positive impact on our business community and in the lives of our staff, I am proud that VinSolutions is taking a leadership role in the state of Kansas to help increase the percentage of waste properly recycled compared to the national average.”

“We are excited to be helping VinSolutions move toward a more sustainable workplace,” says Steve Greene, Director of Business Development for RecycleWorks. “They were looking for a workable, real-world solution for coordinating their recycling efforts, and we are able to customize our services to accommodate just about any office environment. VinSolutions is one of our largest projects to date, and we’re looking forward to growing their program as much as possible.”
About VinSolutions (http://www.vinsolutions.com)

VinSolutions, headquartered in Overland Park, KS, consolidates data from all areas of an automotive dealership helping dealers to find, sell and keep customers more profitably with their fully-integrated “Dealership Marketing System.” VinSolutions’ all-in-one internal management and external sales and service marketing solution platform includes search marketing, online advertising, social media marketing tools, mobile marketing, websites, ILM (Internet Lead Management), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), sales force automation, desking, appraisal, finance, used vehicle marketing and market pricing, inventory management and distribution, window stickers, automated video tours, loyalty management and targeted marketing with email, text, direct mail and telemarketing services. This cloud-based system is available for large dealer groups and individual dealerships from anywhere an Internet connection is available and can be viewed from any smartphone including BlackBerry, Google DROID and iPhone. VinSolutions’ Dealership Marketing System is installed by their implementation experts and supported by best practice retail strategy consultation, process training and customer care.

VinSolutions was named on the Inc. 500|5000 in 2010 and 2011 and has received many industry accolades including the Automotive Website Award for Best Integrated Website Platform and the Driving Sales Innovation Cup for VinLens™. VinSolutions is certified by GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Acura, Mazda, Toyota, Subaru, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Kia, Saab, Mitsubishi, Infiniti and Nissan and is ADP, Reynolds & Reynolds and DealerTrack DMS certified. Other alliances include, but are not limited to, Kelley Blue Book, Black Book, Galves, NADA, CARFAX, R.L. Polk, AIS Rebates, KnowMe, AutoSoft, Arkona, Autodata and RouteOne. Founded in 2006, VinSolutions became a subsidiary of AutoTrader.com in 2011.

##
VinSolutions Media Contact: Gina Reuscher (gina.reuscher@vinsolutions.com), (800) 980-7488

http://bit.ly/VinCycling

Dallas, TX – January 09, 2012 – RedBumper, (http://redbumper.com/) a new breed automotive inventory management company, today announced that it will unveil the first true mobile inventory management system at the 2012 NADA & ATD Convention and Expo in Las Vegas, NV, February 3-6.  The new system is entirely Smartphone-centric and enables auto dealers to achieve faster turns, higher profits and volume sales, all at around 1/3 the cost of current products on the market.  It also enables dealers to capture any and all inventory opportunities including existing service customers, trade-ins, auctions, and private consumer listings. Workshops will be held throughout the convention to unveil the new system. To register for a workshop visit: http://redbumper.com/nada.aspx

RedBumper was founded by Bruce Thompson, former CEO and founder of American Auto Exchange (AAX). Thompson is credited for creating and pioneering the modern day inventory tools that are broadly used in dealerships across the United States. When AAX was acquired by JM Family Solutions in 2005 it was the management tool of choice for 4 out of the top 5 largest dealer groups in the country.  Thompson is once again introducing revolutionary tools to the industry with the launch of RedBumper, which offers tools and efficiencies that are far beyond anything available on the market today.  The tools are in high demand; RedBumper is currently installing at the rate of 100 dealerships per month.

“Auto dealer inventory management systems have not kept up with the advances in Internet and mobile technology over the last decade. Sure, there are stocking tools with graphs and charts; pricing tools that show us how our competitors are pricing cars on AutoTrader and Cars.com, but where’s the real innovation?  In my NADA workshops I’ll reveal the first real mobile inventory management system that is not only intuitive, but also the most powerful on the market. RedBumper’s mobile platform enables auto dealers to capture EVERY imaginable source of inventory, and it’s completely mobile. It’s like taking current inventory management systems and putting them on steroids,” Thompson said.

RedBumper’s new product suite to be unveiled at NADA includes:
 

SmartLot: SmartLot works in real-time on a Smartphone mobile platform, providing the ultimate in flexibility; an inventory management tool in the palm of the hand. SmartLot is the first inventory analytic tool to blend historical performance with local market data and provides the optimal inventory stocking recommendations. As dealers acquire and liquidate vehicles, the tool seamlessly analyzes the performance of each and compares the dealership’s needs to the hottest current market performers, maintaining a continual pulse on market supply and demand. Recommendations are provided in 3-5 seconds and, unlike other tools, it does not require that users search through charts and graphs. SmartLot is also the only tool that has a built in Service Drive Harvester, a dynamic tool that helps dealers acquire inventory from their own customers on the service drive.

Service Drive Harvester:  Built into SmartLot, Service Drive Harvester helps turn the service drive into an auction lane.  It Searches through a dealer’s DMS and finds vehicles on the buy list which are in a positive equity position. The service advisor simply scans the VIN and if vehicle is on buy list, the appraisal comes right across.

Consumer Lane:  Also built into SmartLot, this tool is perhaps best described as; “a used car superstore in a box”. The dealership simply enters specific used vehicles it needs and Consumer Lane automatically queries from its internet partners. It quickly delivers used vehicles listed for sale by consumers in the past 24 hours.   60-70% of consumers selling a used vehicle are in the market for a replacement, so Consumerlane provides both used car inventory and in market car buyers.

SmartApp:    The first mobile app on the market to include both a built in VIN scanner and QR code scanner. This dynamic tool enables dealerships to be at the forefront when consumers are shopping for a vehicle. When the consumer downloads the app, visits any dealer’s lot and scans a vehicle, this data is immediately provided to the dealership that sponsors the app. It enables that dealer to offer to beat any dealer’s price, or make the best bid to the consumer.  It also provides the dealer with an insight into the consumer’s shopping habits with data on all vehicles the consumer has scanned, providing powerful information to help in the sales process. The app can also send coupons to specific consumers, offering attractive offers to help incentivize them in the buying process.

For more information about RedBumper call:   888-339-1116      , visit, www.RedBumper.com or sign up for a demonstration at NADA at: http://redbumper.com/nada.aspx

# # # # #

About RedBumper:

RedBumper is a new breed automotive inventory management company created by Bruce Thompson. Thompson is widely credited for pioneering modern day inventory management when he introduced new tools to the industry in 2001 with American Auto Exchange (AAX). RedBumper is a very powerful next generation system offered on a flexible Smartphone-centric platform, with tools that are both innovative and intuitive. Its objective is to streamline auto dealer workload by delivering a system that is simple to use and direct.  The company aims to take a new approach, offering fresh and creative tools the industry has never seen while at the same time leveraging proven technology. RedBumper prides itself for delivering ground- breaking tools that give auto dealers a significant competitive edge by being first to market. Creating the most powerful suite of tools on a flex platform allows RedBumper the opportunity to reduce much of the cluster and redundancy prevalent in current market products. It enables auto dealers to turn inventories faster while realizing more profit, month after month. 

Dallas, TX – January 3, 2012 – Auto dealer inventory management systems on the market today have not kept up with the advances in Internet and mobile technology. Inventory Management pioneer Bruce Thompson, former CEO and founder of American Auto Exchange (AAX), will sponsor a workshop with Digital Dealer on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 11:30 am EST, to reveal the latest tools from his new company RedBumper; revolutionary new Smartphone-centric tools that optimize auto dealer inventory and maximize profit. To sign up for the workshop visit:  https://dealer-communications.webex.com/dealer-communications/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=666597251

RedBumper is a company founded by Bruce Thompson, former CEO and founder of American Auto Exchange (AAX). Thompson is credited for creating and pioneering the modern day inventory tools that are broadly used in dealerships across the United States. When AAX was acquired by JM Family Solutions in 2005 it was the management tool of choice for 4 out of the top 5 largest dealer groups in the country.  Thompson is once again introducing revolutionary tools to the industry with the launch of RedBumper, which offers tools and efficiencies that are far beyond anything available on the market today.

“Most dealerships in the country have some sort of inventory management system. In my opinion, each is a simply a variation of the other with a few differences here and there. There has been no real innovation in the industry in the last decade. Sure, there are stocking tools with graphs and charts; pricing tools that show us how our competitors are pricing cars on AutoTrader and Cars.com, but where’s the real innovation?  I’ll reveal some exciting new product innovations in my workshop,” said Thompson.

Thompson will demonstrate RedBumper’s revolutionary new technology to auto dealers in this Digital Dealer workshop on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 11:30 A.M. EST, 10:30 A.M. CENTRAL, and 8:30 A.M. PACIFIC.

The workshop will reveal how RedBumper, the first real Mobile Inventory Management System, is not only intuitive, but also the most powerful on the market.

Workshop participants will learn about:

·         How a true mobile inventory management system is vastly superior to current products on the market

·         How RedBumper, the most advanced system on the market, is about 1/3 the cost of others

·         Two new revolutionary products from RedBumper that have not yet been revealed to the industry

·         A system that will enable auto dealers to achieve faster turns, higher profits and volume sales, month after month.

Thompson added: “Over the past decade, technology has literally changed our world and the way we live. The auto industry has largely failed to keep pace and we’re years behind where we need to be. It’s time to understand that a Smartphone is a computer and it’s not just a nifty way to book out a vehicle.  Finally, with RedBumper, we have a tool that is conducive to what dealers do each day. They don’t sit in front of computer terminals. They’re at auctions, on the lots doing appraisals, doing trade walks, etc. With RedBumper, we’ve created a system that is Smartphone-centric and dealers are raving about it. I’m excited to reveal more on January 26.”

For more information about RedBumper call:   888-339-1116      , visit, www.RedBumper.com or sign up for a demonstration at NADA at: http://redbumper.com/nada.aspx

# # # # #

About RedBumper:

RedBumper is a new breed automotive inventory management company created by Bruce Thompson. Thompson is widely credited for pioneering modern day inventory management when he introduced new tools to the industry in 2001 with American Auto Exchange (AAX). RedBumper is a very powerful next generation system offered on a flexible Smartphone-centric platform, with tools that are both innovative and intuitive. Its objective is to streamline auto dealer workload by delivering a system that is simple to use and direct.  The company aims to take a new approach, offering fresh and creative tools the industry has never seen while at the same time leveraging proven technology. RedBumper prides itself for delivering ground- breaking tools that give auto dealers a significant competitive edge by being first to market. Creating the most powerful suite of tools on a flex platform allows RedBumper the opportunity to reduce much of the cluster and redundancy prevalent in current market products. It enables auto dealers to turn inventories faster while realizing more profit, month after month.

Best Chance Equity Communications from DMEautomotive automatically identifies and markets to customers “in equity” with current vehicle; helps dealers increase valuable late-model used inventory and generate new vehicle sales

 
Daytona Beach, FL -- December 15, 2011 – DMEautomotive (DMEa), the industry leader in science-based, results-driven automotive marketing, today announced the launch of Best Chance Equity Communications from DMEautomotive, a new program that strategically targets and markets to customers who are in-equity with their current vehicle. Integrated into DMEa’s popular Customer Journey program, Best Chance identifies customers eligible to receive the offer, based on dealership business rules, and then automatically communicates the opportunity to trade their current vehicle for a new one at the same, or a lower, monthly payment.  The program is designed to help dealers build-up late model used vehicle inventory, move more new vehicles, and increase customer sales retention.
 
“Best Chance truly is a win for both consumers and dealers,” said DMEautomotive’s president and CEO Mike Walther. “Eligible car owners are identified by DMEa technology and then delighted with this new opportunity. With new vehicle sales still recovering and used sales white hot, Best Chance not only helps dealers generate new car sales, but also helps expand their used vehicle inventory. And, because the communications are precision-segmented and automated, the process is extremely cost-effective.”

Walther noted that DMEa technology is able to 1) automatically segment dealership customer bases down to make, model, amount-financed, payment, rate and value, and 2) match those customers with available vehicles in the dealership’s inventory.  Once installed, the process is entirely turnkey for the dealership.

How Best Chance Equity Communications Works:

- Leveraging DMEa predictive analytics, Best Chance identifies customers who are in an equity position in their vehicle, meaning their vehicle is worth close to, or more than, they owe on the vehicle.

- Best Chance then sorts up to 3 relevant vehicle matches (based on customer’s purchasing history) with same and/or lower monthly payments from available inventory.

- DMEa Sales Journey then automatically sends enticing message and offer, i.e. images of the new vehicle options with news that vehicles can be in customer garage at lower than current payment.
 

DMEa’s Best Chance Equity Communications program is fully integrated into DMEa’s Customer Journey program, which is utilized by some of the largest and most innovative automotive organizations in the industry.  Customer Journey drives sales, retention, satisfaction and increased service visits throughout the vehicle purchase and ownership life-cycle -- from purchase to service to trade-in to re-purchase.  Best Chance offers dealerships a unique and compelling way to benefit their customer base.

DMEa’s Best Chance Equity Communications program is available to all customers who use DMEautomotive’s Customer Journey.



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 dealerships - including AutoNation, Lithia Automotive, MileOne, Larry H. Miller and the Van Tuyl Automotive Group - 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.

Contact:
Media Relations
Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (424) 603-4340, melanie@mwebbcom.com

Survey for verified dealership personnel only; participants eligible to win MacBook Air - available at http://www.drivingsales.com/surveys/vr/customer-management; Dealer Satisfaction Awards to be presented at NADA 2012

Salt Lake City, UT -- December 14, 2011 -- There is still time for auto dealers across the country to participate in DrivingSales’s Vendor Ratings Dealer Satisfaction Survey which helps determine the winners of the 2011 DrivingSales Vendor Ratings Awards to be presented in Las Vegas at the 2012 NADA Convention and Expo. The survey has been deployed to thousands of dealerships nationwide, and dealers have until December 31, 2011 to submit their ratings. The survey is open to verified auto dealership personnel only and can be found at http://www.drivingsales.com/surveys/vr/customer-management.

“We urge dealers across the country to participate in the survey to help their peers make the important decisions about where best to spend their digital marketing dollars in 2012,” said DrivingSales Founder and CEO Jared Hamilton. “We think this is so important that we are offering participating dealers the opportunity to win a MacBook Air or a $100 Amazon cash card.”

The DrivingSales Vendor Ratings Awards measure dealer satisfaction with services provided by vendors in 2011 in over two dozen categories, including CRM, New Car Leads, Used Car Advertising, Accessories Sales, Chat Products, Websites, SEO, Social Media, and many more. Vendors who achieve the highest dealer satisfaction rankings will receive awards.

“More and more vendors and service providers are entering the market with innovative and highly effective tools and services to help auto dealers succeed. We believe the best of the best deserve recognition,” continued Hamilton. “Our Vendor Ratings Awards have become a coveted accolade for vendors within the auto industry, and the peer-to-peer information and feedback on vendors, services, and tools stimulated by our survey makes for an invaluable dealer resource -- and it can only be found at DrivingSales.com.”

The Vendor Ratings Awards will be based on cumulative ratings at DrivingSales.com (as of December 31st, 2011), as well as the results of the Vendor Ratings survey which is open to all of (and only) the nation’s nearly 18,000 dealerships. All those who take the survey or submit a vendor rating are required to provide valid contact information so that DrivingSales can verify that the reviewers are actual dealership employees; however, the identity of the survey-takers remains anonymous to the public. The survey is currently deployed on DrivingSales.com at http://www.drivingsales.com/surveys/vr/customer-management. Now through December 31st, qualified dealers who submit a vendor rating will be entered into a weekly drawing to win a $100 Amazon gift card. At the close of the Vendor Ratings survey on December 31st, one lucky winner will be picked to receive a MacBook Air. Full contest rules and details are available online now at http://drivingsales.com/rate/contest.

DrivingSales Vendor Ratings Award winners will be showcased in the Q1 2012 issue of the DrivingSales Dealership Innovation Guide which, in addition to being distributed at the NADA Convention and Expo, is delivered to every new car dealership nationwide, as well as to the top 100 used car dealerships.

To participate in the DrivingSales Vendor Ratings survey, please visit: http://www.drivingsales.com/surveys/vr/customer-management. U.S. new or used car dealership personnel are eligible, and all contact information will be verified.

More information about the DrivingSales Vendor Ratings Awards and DrivingSales Dealership Innovation Guide can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/drivingsales, or by visiting http://bit.ly/sV7216.

About DrivingSales Vendor Ratings

DrivingSales Vendor Ratings at is the industry’s only neutral, comprehensive vendor rating forum featuring real-time peer reviews and honest competitor comparisons “searchable by category, company or rating” and is one of the most popular features of DrivingSales.com. Dealers are asked to rate their vendors on a 1-5 star scale, including whether they would recommend the vendor product to colleagues, and why they would or would not recommend the product.

About DrivingSales.com

DrivingSales is the auto industry's fastest-growing, most influential trade media property focused on delivering actionable profit-building information and business intelligence to auto retailers and industry professionals. Approximately, one in every four dealerships in the United States has a registered member in the DrivingSales community.

DrivingSales' information network includes flagship property DrivingSales.com (http://www.drivingsales.com), the world's largest car dealer social network; DrivingSalesTV (http://www.drivingsalestv.com), an interactive web channel which helps car dealers and auto professionals keep tabs on their industry and emerging technologies 24/7; DrivingSales University, an on-demand training platform where dealerships learn the latest web strategies from top e-commerce experts; DrivingSales Executive Summit (DSES) the industry's leading conference where progressive dealers collaborate and learn from world renowned experts, and DrivingSales Dealership Innovation Guide, a quarterly free publication featuring case studies of the industry's most innovative dealerships, solutions and best practices.

DrivingSales encourages innovation and excellence in the industry with its annual Dealer Satisfaction and Innovation Cup Awards, whose winners are determined solely by the dealer community. Founded by Jared Hamilton, a third generation car dealer, DrivingSales won a “Top 25 Under Five” award from the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (UVEF), was named a 2011 Fast 50 “Emerging Eight” company by Utah Business magazine, and received an Interactive Media Award (IMA) in 2011 for Outstanding Achievement in the ‘Automobile’ website category. Additionally, DrivingSales was named one of ten social media gambits for 2009 by Automotive News and one of the Top 10 Companies to Watch in 2010 by Auto Success Magazine.

DrivingSales Media Relations:
Melanie Webber [melanie@mwebbcom.com], mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340
Angela Jacobson [angela@mwebbcom.com], mWEBB Communications, 714.454.8776

CHICAGO – Cars.com™, the premier online resource for buying and selling new and used vehicles, announced its editors’ nominees for the Best Car of 2012.  This year’s nominees are the Audi A7, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Veloster, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Subaru Impreza and Volkswagen Passat.  The winner will be announced during the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

“Above all, our Best of the Year awards celebrate value, innovation and competitiveness in the auto industry,” said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor in chief. “The level of innovation among our nominees ranges from being truly unique to shaking up an entire segment of cars.”

Details on why Cars.com editors nominated each vehicle include:

·         Audi A7: Not only do Cars.com’s editors think the A7’s styling is different than anything else on the market, they also think the hatchback offers practicality not often seen in a sports car.  Combined with handling and comfort that are “near perfect,” the A7 should be on the list of anyone looking for a stunning, sporty car. 

·         Hyundai Accent: Right now U.S. car shoppers are looking for practical, affordable and efficient cars.  As a result, new “pedestrian” subcompacts keep popping up on the market.  Cars.com editors think the Accent is anything but pedestrian, offering 40 mpg, a shockingly roomy interior and affordable features usually reserved for more expensive, larger vehicles. In spite of stiff competition, these factors make the Accent a new class leader.

·         Hyundai Veloster: A four-seat hatchback with somewhat eccentric styling might not seem like the obvious choice this year.  However, the plethora of standard tech features for the cost, sturdiness on the road and overall appeal make the Veloster one of this year’s stand-outs. 

·         Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: Any vehicle that looks like nothing the Cars.com team has ever seen before is sure to make an impression, and the Evoque made a great one. Its  looks aren’t the only reason it made the list: The Evoque has a more comfortable ride than others in its class, a competitive base price and plenty of power. 

·         Subaru Impreza: While improving significantly upon its previous generation doesn’t guarantee any car a nomination, the Impreza’s changes moved it from lower on the list of compacts to the very top in a segment, offering some of the best options our editors have ever seen.  It’s also the most affordable all-wheel-drive car on the market.

·         Volkswagen Passat: Once a fringe player in the competitive family sedan segment, the Passat is another example of a redesign elevating an entire segment.  With a huge interior, a high-quality cabin, composed driving dynamics and a low cost, the Passat is poised to overtake long-standing family sedan leaders and challenge the entire segment to improve. 

“Picking a winner from this elite group was difficult,” Olsen said. “Despite its stiff competition, we feel confident that our selection represents the best on the road today.” 

For more information on the Best of 2012 Awards and Lifestyle Awards, visit Cars.com. 

ABOUT CARS.COM

Cars.com was recently named the “Best Overall Customer Experience” by Keynote Systems, the leader in Internet and mobile cloud marketing. Cars.com is an online destination for car shoppers that offers information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. Cars.com offers thousands of new and used vehicle listings, consumer reviews, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and many other tools. Cars.com put millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they needs to make confident buying decisions.  

Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo (N.Y.SE: BLC), Gannett Co., Inc. (N.Y.SE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (N.Y.SE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company (N.Y.SE: WPO).

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                       

Contact:  Erin Mays

                                312.601.5547

Management features help auto dealers comply with texting-related regulations

ALPHARETTA, GA. December 13, 2011 – Contact At Once! (http://www.autodealerchat.com/), the leading dealer chat provider to the automotive industry, today announced the beta release of a new SMS text-to-chat feature for automotive advertising.  Delivered as an extension to the Contact At Once! chat solution already in use at over 9,000 dealerships, the new feature enables car shoppers to easily initiate live SMS text-based conversations with an auto dealer using their mobile phone.  Shoppers can connect with dealers via widgets placed on websites or banner ads as they navigate the internet.  They may also scan a QR code or send a specified text message to a number found in a dealership’s print ad or signage. 

Other text-based solutions for dealers already exist, and include the ability to:

·         Distribute mass-marketing messages to large lists of mobile numbers

·         Communicate with service department customers regarding a vehicle’s repair status

·         Enable consumers to request listing information about a specific vehicle

These features complement the Contact At Once! dealer chat solution which is the first to be centered on one-to-one personal communication between a car shopper and a dealership sales person. 

The QR option makes it possible for dealers to include a text-response capability in both online and offline advertising, increasing the ROI of ad spends by improving response rates.  An example QR code is included with this press release and, when scanned, will initiate a text conversation with Contact At Once! personnel.  

The upgraded dealer chat software also provides dealers with comprehensive management tools required to ensure a positive consumer experience and compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act legislation, which sets rules for how businesses may contact consumers.  A further benefit to dealers is the ability to initiate a text conversation, with the consumer’s consent, from within the Contact At Once! client software enabling proactive follow up with prospective customers.

“A published study by Nielsen documented that users of mobile phones send and receive nearly twice as many text messages as they do phone calls.  It then follows that consumers who prefer texting are more likely to contact a car dealer that accepts text messaging,” said Contact At Once! Founder and Executive Vice President, Marc Hayes.   “We’ve built the industry’s first solution for dealers that want to improve the ROI on their ad spend and sell more cars while managing the compliance issues associated with texting.”

The beta is currently available on a limited basis.   General availability is anticipated early in 2012.  Contact At Once! customers interested in the feature may contact their account representative for additional information, or may visit http://www.autodealerchat.com/schedule-demo to request a demonstation.

About Contact At Once!

Contact At Once! is the leading automotive chat software provider and operator of the industry’s only dealer chat network connecting more than 9,000 auto dealers with the websites car shoppers visit most often. Adding Contact At Once! dealer chat software to a website typically increases a dealership’s sales conversations by at least 25%. Named to the Inc. 500 as one of America’s fastest growing businesses, Contact At Once! is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information about the company’s auto dealer chat product, please visit: www.autodealerchat.com.