Reorganization will provide deeper product integration and better service

Norfolk, VA– December 13, 2011 – Dominion Dealer Solutions, an industry leader in automotive technology and services and a division of Dominion Enterprises, announced today the reorganization and unification of its businesses and products.  These changes, as reported by Robert Berndt, president of Dominion Dealer Solutions, reflect the company’s objective to deliver a single and complete set of solutions for customer, inventory and marketing technology to their automotive dealer customers.

Promoted throughout 2011 as Dominion CRM, Inventory and Websites, the individual businesses of Dominion Dealer Solutions have aligned their products and services to more quickly meet dealer needs. Dealerskins and XIGroup merged early in 2011 to provide higher quality custom websites for auto dealers. @utoRevenue, AVV Web Control and Autobase combined under the Autobase brand in early summer 2011 as a unified CRM and marketing services provider. Dealer Specialties has provided inventory data, analytics and reports to dealers for over 20 years and is collaborating more closely with Cross-Sell market research in the new Dominion Inventory division. In addition to these business transitions, the leadership of Dominion Dealer Solutions has been realigned in order to provide higher quality products and services to both dealer and OEM customers.

Rich Crawford, formerly vice president in charge of CRM and direct marketing, is now vice president of product management for Dominion Dealer Solutions. Rich has been working in the automotive industry since joining Dominion in 2004, initially in a business development/acquisition role, then as the force behind Dominion’s CRM strategy. The leadership of Rich’s team consists of automotive veterans: Bryan Anderson, Brice Englert, Ed Braunbeck, Sean Conley and Alan Andreu, who together have built the largest single CRM business in the automotive industry. According to Berndt, “This new organization empowers Dominion’s expertise as first-movers in inventory, digital marketing and sales solutions. In 2012, our seamless product suite will be the smartest choice to drive automotive business results.”

George Nenni, formerly vice president of Dominion Dealer Services, has taken on the role of vice president of operations for Dominion Dealer Solutions. George will be in charge of implementation, training, call centers and customer support for Dominion Dealer Solutions. George began his work in the automotive industry with Dealer Specialties in 1993.  He has been instrumental in the creation of the Dominion Dealer Solutions brand. His history in the automotive industry, combined with his keen eye for understanding customer needs, will be a significant asset in this new role. George was a panelist at AutoRemarketing’s CPO conference last month, and contributes a monthly column to Dealer Communication’s magazine. George added, “This organizational alignment supports our technology integration.  By bringing together the best operational talent within our company, we will be able to more effectively onboard, train and support our customers."

Adam Dennis, most recently a consultant for Dominion Dealer Solutions, has joined the company as vice president of product development. Previously, Adam was the owner and general manager of XIGroup, which Dominion Dealer Solutions purchased from him in 2005.

Using both U.S. and foreign resources, Adam is responsible for delivering products quickly and efficiently, integrating usability standards throughout the development process, and oversee the technology development department of Dominion Dealer Solutions. As Dominion Dealer Solutions seeks to deliver not only strong products independently, but also as a single solution, Adam’s team will work to ensure that adequate resources and development work are well coordinated with excellent project management for both dealers and OEMs.

Bill Leek, formerly vice president of sales for Autobase, is now the vice president of sales for Dominion Dealer Solutions. Bill oversees a newly unified sales team, including nationwide field representatives for both the CRM and Digital Marketing divisions of Dominion Dealer Solutions. Bill Leek has more than 22 years of experience in the automotive industry. Fourteen of those years were spent in the dealership retail setting in various sales and sales management positions. He has extensive automotive industry knowledge and a deep understanding of today’s current technologies.  This combination enables Bill to identify appropriate solutions for dealers to maximize their sales and performance results. His prior experience in management and sales in the automotive CRM & DMS industry includes ADP and Newgen Results.

”With the advent of 2012, Dominion Dealer Solutions is moving forward stronger and faster than ever,” noted Robert Berndt, president of Dominion Dealer Solutions. “This is an exciting time for employees, dealers and OEMs to be involved with us.  2011 has been a year marked by continuing introductions of innovations such as our reputation management and equity products. Solutions scheduled for delivery in 2012 will make it our largest innovation year yet.  Our new organizational structure allows us to deliver excellent products to our customers more quickly. ”

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 Dominion Dealer Solutions' technologies to solve their marketing challenges.

Dominion Dealer Solutions is a division of Dominion Enterprises, a leading marketing services and publishing company serving the automotive, recreational and commercial vehicle, real estate, apartment rental, employment, parenting, travel, and daily deals industries. The company’s businesses provide a comprehensive suite of technology-based marketing solutions including Internet advertising, lead generation, CRM, website design and hosting, and data management services. The company has more than 60 market-leading websites reaching more than 20.9 million unique visitors monthly, and more than 280 magazines with a weekly circulation of 2.4 million. Headquartered in Norfolk, Va., the company has 3,300 employees in more than 186 offices in the United States, Canada, England and Italy. For more information, visit www.DominionEnterprises.com.

Dominion Dealer Solutions Media Relations:

Peyton Hoffman

Media and Industry Relations

Peyton.hoffman@dominionenterprises.com

757.351.7271

PCG Digital Marketing is pleased to announce that Allen Chell and Jay Radke from cDemo (http://www.cdemo.com) 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. The event is timed so that dealers attending NADA can arrive two days early to join this important conference.

cDemo’s Mobile Inspector won a 2011 Automotive Website Award (AWA) in the Technology category for best mobile application. cDemo’s Mobile Inspector gives dealers the ability to merchandize their cars faster which means they can attract in market consumers faster. The cost of leaving inventory online with a “Photo Coming Soon” image for 2-5 days is higher than most dealers want to acknowledge. One of the other many benefits of Mobile Inspector is that the inventory can be syndicated across many of the free website platforms and paid platforms that dealers use today. This is often an additional fee charged to dealers and it comes included in the cDemo platform.

Chell’s and Radke’s presentation will demonstrate how dealers can use an iPhone for vehicle inspections and marketing.

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, visit http://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.

Contact:

Carrie Hemphill

Managing Director

First Class Educators

732.734.6993

carrie@firstclasseducators.com

Mercedes-Benz of Santa Rosa Increases Monthly Parts/Labor Sales by over $100,000

With Consistent Approach to Vehicle Inspections

Las Vegas, NV, December 12, 2011 –MPi (www.mpi-edge.com), the pioneer and leader in vehicle inspection tools, service workflow expertise, and consulting for automotive dealership service centers, today announced that Mercedes-Benz of Santa Rosa has increased overall numbers in the service department by more than 15 percent over average and monthly parts and labor sales by more than $100,000, since implementing MPi’s World Class Inspection program and a more consistent approach to vehicle inspections.

According to Service Director Vinnie Lamica, a few months ago his service department was run as a standard, flat rate shop. Vehicles were not inspected as regularly as he would have liked and the inspection rate was sitting at a less than stellar 43 percent. Lamica was looking for a solution that would boost profitability by maintaining processes in his dealership while also providing a robust reporting mechanism. He wanted to be able to track all areas and hold his employees; techs, advisors, etc., accountable, without spending hours and hours building and generating reports.

Lamica heard about MPi EDGE and the World Class Inspection program from his peers and when Mercedes-Benz offered an incentive program earlier this year, he decided to give it a try. The system was installed in July and the inspection rate has since risen as high as 87 percent and is on track to hit a target of 90 percent by the end of the year.  

“At first my GM was hesitant to sign up. But I believed so strongly in the program that he could hardly say no. He was very concerned about the cost of the product and the speculated returns. The returns in the first month were off the charts. My entire staff quickly became believers and the GM saw the numbers increase by 15% over average. Needless to say he is onboard now,” Lamica said.  “The MPI Edge system helps my employees stick to processes and gives us complete consistency in one nicely bundled package. It’s so cleverly intertwined that it sets up personal accountability between departments.”

“Sometimes I might not even catch it but the employees will check each other as it is almost self-managing. I don’t always have to step in because the process of the program enables self-correction,” Lamica added.

Using the World Class Inspection program, Mercedes-Benz of Santa Rosa has implemented a consistent inspection process and system of accountability. It has also revamped the entire upsell process and customer interaction to help boost service department results. The new system centers on a multi-step vehicle inspection process that confirms owner-identified vehicle needs. Following the inspection, the technician immediately checks the vehicle for any other safety, performance or convenience needs that might merit upsell attention.  Upsell recommendations that may be identified are described for the consumer in detailed and visually instructive reports, a Know Your Vehicle Report that explains why recommendations for that customer’s vehicle are being made, and a Recommended Action Plan that outlines the priority of any additional recommended repairs. Together, these tools help build credibility and trust in the advisor’s recommendations. In November alone the dealership enjoyed an average upsell per inspection of $420.

“The ‘magic’ of the Recommended Action Plan™ when emailed to a customer still baffles us. My top service consultant just laughs and shakes his head when the report comes back from the client after approving all the recommendations. The technicians have a very consistent approach to vehicle inspection and now have an expectation that the client will most likely approve most if not all the items identified in the treatment plan, I wouldn’t consider going forward without this product,” Lamica commented.

The Know Your Vehicle report also helps the service advisors deal with customers and vehicles they may not be familiar with.  It enables advisors to get a fast recap of what has taken place and what is needed so they are immediately familiar with the vehicle and comfortable working with a customer that may not be theirs. The new pay plan also helps to make the system work very smoothly. Each advisor gets a portion of pay based on the entire work load coming into the shop. With results such as an increase of more than $65,000 in monthly Parts and Labor Gross Profits, and a Monthly Parts/Labor Sales increase of over $100,000; the system seems to be working.

# # # # #

About MPi:

MPi, a wholly owned subsidiary of SRS, Inc., specializes in providing dealerships the necessary tools, processes and consulting to successfully implement a comprehensive, World Class Inspection Program (WCI) in service departments across North America and Canada.   MPi’s proven results driven solution has been helping thousands of dealerships achieve significant profit contribution.  MPi’s complete and all inclusive vehicle inspection program includes state of the art software solution, EDGE; personalized customer friendly communication tools (Recommended Action Plan™ and Know Your Vehicle™ Reports); detailed management analytical tools; ongoing consulting and training services; and process and performance metrics. For more information visit: http://www.mpifix.com/company/overview.aspx

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – December 12, 2011 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems (http://www.automate.com) announced today that it has completed integration of its dealership management system, Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS), with Subaru of America, Inc.’s (SoA) dealer communications system. Subaru dealers using AMPS can now communicate seamlessly with SoA.

 “Now Subaru dealers have more options for low-cost, comprehensive dealership management systems than ever before,” said Mike Esposito, CEO and President of Auto/Mate. “Having a fully integrated solution saves dealers both time and money as it speeds up daily processes and eliminates loss of data and other inefficiencies.”

The integration of AMPS with SoA was a deciding factor for Scott Bement, owner of St. Cloud Subaru in Minnesota. “As a young, energetic company we wanted to a build a system from the ground up, and Auto/Mate’s integration with Subaru demonstrates they are growing and moving forward in a way that matches up with our needs,” said Bement. “Having an integrated system is important because it cuts out a lot of work associated with manual data entry.”

AMPS is now integrated with SoA’s dealer communication system in the following key areas:

Fixed Ops: parts order and parts return; users can upload order and return files to SoA on demand.

F&I/Sales: status updates (i.e. deal sold) trigger a disposition of prospect change to Customer/Mate, then to SoA.

Accounting: users can upload financial statement files to SoA and can also download warranty payment data files from SoA.

In 2010, Auto/Mate was certified by SoA as a vendor partner for the automaker’s Integrated Lead Management Program, allowing Subaru Web leads to be delivered to dealers via Auto/Mate’s CRM module, Customer/Mate.

Additionally, AMPS now has interfaces that can connect the DMS with Subaru New England. Dealers can send and receive financial statements, F&I deals, parts orders and vehicle inventory via batch transmissions.

AMPS is an easy-to-use comprehensive dealership management system (DMS) with over 20 integrated modules to help dealers more efficiently and effectively manage their business. It supports an unlimited number of users, workstations and printers, and can be implemented in any size dealership.

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 DMS solution in use by more than 700 auto dealers nationwide. Originally developed by Wang Laboratories in the 1970s, Auto/Mate’s DMS solution has years of experience and reliability built in. Auto/Mate offers the best customer service in the industry, with live people answering the phone and minimal hold times for technical support. The company received top satisfaction rankings in NADA’s most recent dealership management system 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 and follow us on www.twitter.com/AutoMateDMS.

Groundbreaking program dramatically expands the number of vehicles eligible for certification and increases consumer confidence and purchase protection

Venice, CA  -- December 7, 2011-- Mota Motors, a leading provider of online vehicle certification and selling platforms, today announced the launch of SureSale^TM Certified, a comprehensive certified pre-owned (CPO) marketing program.  Designed to improve inventory turn and gross profit margins for dealers, SureSale expands the range of vehicles eligible for certification on dealer lots, online marketplaces, and remarketing channels and makes it easy to implement vehicle certification.

“SureSale is a real breakthrough for dealers because now they can provide consumers who are shopping for vehicles in a wide variety of price levels, ages, makes and models, with a powerful certification program they can really trust -- which translates into more vehicle sales and greater profits at the dealership,” said Jeffrey Schwartz, president and CEO of Mota Motors. 

SureSale Certified provides dealers who don’t have access to manufacturer CPO programs the opportunity to differentiate their dealership by selling certified inventory; and for those who do have access, it provides a certified business model that complements their existing manufacturer CPO program by extending the range of vehicles they can sell as certified - used vehicles that are up to 15 years old and 150K miles.

SureSale dealer benefits also include no monthly fees or long term contract commitments; easy ‘one-click’ vehicle certification; best-in-class limited warranties and vehicle service contracts; and third-party vehicle inspections -- all of which generate greater customer and financial institution confidence, quicker inventory turn rates and more profit opportunity for the dealership.

“While over 35 million used cars were sold last year, fewer than 2 million were certified by OEM sponsored programs,” said Schwartz.   “Many of the 30-plus million vehicles not sold as certified last year would have been eligible for SureSale, providing many more buyers of used vehicles the assurance of certification.”

Schwartz noted that the majority (65%) of used-car buyers intend to purchase a certified vehicle,¹ and that certified vehicles turn about 20 days faster than their non-certified counterparts, ² providing dealers with greater profit opportunities because consumers are willing to pay, on average, a 12-27% premium on certified vehicles. ³

‘One-Click’ Certification

Powered by Mota’s groundbreaking technology, SureSale’s online platform makes it easy for dealers to identify eligible vehicles; coordinate on-site vehicle inspections; syndicate listings across online automotive marketplaces; generate customer point of sale (POS) materials; and activate limited warranties and extended coverage plans in minutes, through one simple to use interface.

Key Benefits of SureSale Certified Include:

• Objective 3^rd Party Vehicle Inspection: Comprehensive 100+ point vehicle inspection provided by a national inspection team.
• Five-Month / 5,000-Mile Limited Warranty: Underwritten by a top-rated provider of innovative insurance products, covering all major vehicle components.
• Five-Day / 500-Mile Buy-Back Guarantee: Increases consumer confidence with purchase protection, and provides dealer restocking fees.
• Vehicle Service Contract Upgrades: Increases consumer confidence, while also providing additional revenue opportunities for dealerships; includes major mechanical coverage up to 36 months, emergency roadside service, rental car, trip interruption reimbursement and more.
• Comprehensive Auto Report: Validates purchase protection and quality assurance; provides vehicle specifications, inspection, title, and extended protection plan details.
• Turnkey, SureSale-Branded Consumer Marketing:  Engaging point of sale materials provided for dealership showroom, vehicle merchandising, website and online listings.
• Service and Support: Dedicated SureSale platform training and customer support.

SureSale Certified: Filling A Market Need

A Kelley Blue Book survey found that used-vehicle shoppers cited “peace of mind” as a top priority when buying a car.⁴ And, according to J.D. Power and Associates, a greater proportion of used vehicle buyers than ever before (more than two-thirds) indicate they intend to purchase a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle at the outset of the shopping process. Furthermore, in today’s tough economy, more than one-half of used-vehicle buyers believe they can get the quality of a new vehicle in a used one. ¹

“With a thriving and competitive used car market, and an economy that makes for an even more demanding consumer, there has never been a greater need for dealers to provide their customers with the robust certification options manufacturer CPO programs have been offering for years,” Schwartz continued. “Consumer awareness and demand for CPO vehicles is at an all time high, with proven profits for dealers.  Now is the time to create a leading, game-changing third-party CPO brand -- one that resonates with dealers and consumers alike.”

To learn more about SureSale Certified go to http://www.suresalecertified.com

¹http://www.jdpower.com/news/pressRelease.aspx?ID=2010201
²CNW Marketing Research
³ On average the premium for a CPO vehicle is 12-27%, according to CNW Marketing Research and NIADA data
⁴http://www.kbb.com/certified-pre-owned/who-typically-buys-cpo-cars/

About Mota Motors

Mota Motors 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.  Programs include new certification technologies such as the SureSale^TM platform, which provides used-car buyers with unmatched certification on a far wider variety of used vehicles than has ever been offered before, while providing private sellers and dealerships with a 'one click' certification process for their vehicles.  Mota Motors is based in Venice, California.  Mota Motors was founded by Reza Bundy.

Media Contacts:

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340, melanie@mwebbcom.com

Crystal Hartwell, mWEBB Communications, 714.987.1016, crystal@mwebbcom.com

GPS technology allows consumers to track a vehicle’s location, speed and battery level in real time

PHOENIX, Dec. 5, 2011 – Imagine if your car could communicate with you – tell you where it is, where it’s been and how fast it’s going. Inilex <http://www.inilex.com> ®, the industry-leading provider of intelligent telemetry solutions for vehicle theft recovery, is putting this power into the hands of consumers with SkyLINK PROTECT <http://www.mysky-link.com/> , a Web-based service that reports on a car’s exact location and speed, and allows users to set thresholds for both. 
 
“SkyLINK PROTECT is about giving peace of mind to a car owner, family member or business owner when someone else is driving their vehicle,” said Inilex CEO Michael Maledon.  “It reinforces safe driving habits and enables owners to take corrective action, as needed, for the wellbeing of their families and employees.” 
 
The SkyLINK PROTECT service works in conjunction with SkyLINK <http://www.inilex.com/SkyLink/SkyLink.html>  , a GPS-enabled vehicle theft recovery device available through new and used car dealers, to provide real-time car monitoring services. With SkyLINK PROTECT, an online dashboard accessible from any computer with an Internet connection allows users to pinpoint the location of their car on an intuitive map, view its speed and even check the battery level. Historical reports can be generated within the dashboard or exported to Excel. 
 
SkyLINK PROTECT subscribers can also set multiple GeoFences, which pre-define geographic perimeters that the vehicle is prohibited from crossing. Alerts are sent via text or email to the car owner when the GeoFence is breached. Similarly, speed limits can be established from the online dashboard, and alerts sent when the car exceeds the designated safe speed. 
 
“With this service, we’re enabling SkyLINK owners to add another layer of protection to their vehicles and for their passengers,” said Daphne Herbst, director of sales for Inilex. “SkyLINK gives them the assurance that their stolen vehicle will be recovered rapidly and, with the addition of SkyLINK PROTECT, they can now keep a watchful eye on their cars even when they’re not the ones behind the wheel.”
 
In addition to monitoring high-risk drivers, such as teenagers, SkyLINK PROTECT is also useful for businesses that must track multiple vehicles. For example, auto dealers can keep track of cars while they are being test driven or used by employees. This ensures that cars are always accounted for, and drivers testing the cars are abiding safety rules. 
 
SkyLINK PROTECT is available as an add-on service to SkyLINK for only $119 per year. Vehicle owners with SkyLINK can visit www.mysky-link.com <http://www.mysky-link.com>  to sign up for the PROTECT service. Vehicle owners interested in installing a SkyLINK theft-recovery device can contact their local dealership.
 
About SkyLINK 
SkyLINK by Inilex is an intelligent vehicle recovery device that uses GPS and cellular technologies to locate stolen vehicles in real time. Unlike other stolen vehicle location service, SkyLINK provides broad, nationwide coverage and it works with all law enforcement agencies, which improves the likelihood that a vehicle will be recovered within 24 hours. SkyLINK is available from car dealers across the country at the time of vehicle purchase. There are no subscription fees and SkyLINK’s location service is good for the lifetime of the vehicle. 
 
About Inilex 
Inilex®, the industry-leading provider of intelligent telemetry solutions, combines the power of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) with the flexibility of a best-in-class wireless messaging system to develop telemetry solutions for businesses and consumers alike. Inilex’s GPS products and applications allow clients to remotely monitor, control and track important assets such as vehicles via cell phones or the Internet. Inilex is online at www.inilex.com <http://www.inilex.com> .
 
Claire Mylott
Four Corners Communications
Office: 303-455-0933
Mobile: 303-257-2928
claire.mylott@fourcornerscomm.com
www.fourcornerscomm.com

DealerFire, a custom automotive website design company located in Oshkosh, WI is excited to announce an addition to their sales team.  Carl Bauer has recently joined the DealerFire team as the National Sales Director, a position perfect for his well-rounded automotive industry background.

An 18-year veteran of the industry, Bauer’s extensive knowledge in the automotive industry began in the Chicago area in the early 1990s and has extended from green pea to dealer principal.  During those years, Bauer worked tirelessly to move up the ranks in both advertising and dealership careers—marrying two essential experiences for success in the industry he loves.

“Carl saw the pieces of the puzzle that we already had in place and made the choice, with a lot of opportunities out there, to join our team. I think it’s a testament to the team we have in place and where we’re headed.” DealerFire owner and founder, Eric Hoopman said.

As an auto enthusiast, Bauer has a strong desire for consumer and vendor relationships to be transparent.  “I tell my dealers, do you want to be part of a company where you’re treated like a number or like you’re important to the company,” Bauer said.

Bauer, like DealerFire, feels that listening is extremely important to his customers and the sales process.  Bauer attributes his success in the industry to his ability to listen and offer solutions.

“True to the DealerFire MO, Carl is a real team player, helpful and humble.  He is a Wikipedia of automotive information.” Hoopman said.

Bauer will head a team of DealerFire sales representatives across the country, a challenge DealerFire executive vice president Brian Wagner is confident will be a successful endeavor for Bauer.

“Carl’s dynamic background and down-to-earth attitude is a natural fit for DealerFire.  Our customer service is one of the strongest differentiating qualities from our competition, and given Carl's career, he'll play a large role in fortifying our current position in the automotive digital marketing arena.  " Wagner said.

To learn more about DealerFire's award winning custom automotive websites, internet marketing and the team Carl Bauer is joining, please visit www.dealerfire.com or email jruth@dealerfire.com or call 920 230 1111 

A leading website, inventory and CRM provider in automotive industry adds yet                                another CRM certification

Digital marketing veteran to focus on delivering unbiased actionable business intelligence to Tier 3 retailers

SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- Dec. 1, 2011 -- DrivingSales announced today that it has acquired consulting, training and research company Revenue Guru.  As part of the acquisition, Revenue Guru founder and veteran automotive digital marketing expert Dennis Galbraith will join DrivingSales to lead and develop its research and data division.

"Without question, Dennis Galbraith is one of the leading marketing thinkers and analysts in our industry and, along with Revenue Guru, brings further depth and breadth to our training and business intelligence initiatives," said DrivingSales CEO and Founder Jared Hamilton.  "No one understands marketing data research better, has a clearer view of trends (before they unfold), or knows how to drive traffic better than Dennis. That, coupled with his uncompromising integrity and commitment to dealers, will ensure that our research and data initiatives lead the industry in delivering unbiased actionable business intelligence for Tier 3 retailers." 

Hamilton noted that the acquisition of Revenue Guru is part of DrivingSales' ongoing mission to expedite and improve information flow to car dealers in a digital universe that moves at the speed of light.

Founded in 2009, Revenue Guru provides consulting, research and interactive training programs for dealer groups, manufacturers, and vendors and is guided by Galbraith's over 11 years of experience at the center of automotive digital marketing, including tenures running the automotive internet division at J.D. Power and Associates and as Vice President of Advertising Products and Training at Cars.com.

"I am proud to join a company driven by a passion for helping dealers, by a belief in the power of data and research to drive informed and profitable decisions and, importantly, a company that doesn't wait for the market to move but seeks to move the market," said Galbraith. "Marketing at the Tier 3 level has long needed a research organization dedicated to it -- one that can go beyond opinions and deliver the hard facts and actionable solutions from an unbiased platform. The time has come, and DrivingSales is that organization -- I cannot wait to start delivering on its promise!"

In addition to his tenure at J.D. Power and Associates and Cars.com, Galbraith has taught marketing for NADA Academy and is widely known for his dynamic speeches and videos as well as his informative writing. Galbraith served the auto industry through the 1990s as the owner of Dennis Galbraith Marketing Services and taught marketing at the graduate and undergraduate level for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

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 (www.drivingsales.com), the world's largest car dealer social network; DrivingSalesTV (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:
Angela Jacobson (angela@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 714.454.8776