Gubagoo’s Call RESQ technology combines the best of TalkSmart’s 24/7 service with the industry-best RESQ innovation for monitoring and management.

New Orleans, LA– January 27, 2017 – Gubagoo, the leading provider of dealer communications solutions, today launched Call RESQ at the National Automobile Dealers Association conference in New Orleans. Call RESQ is an industry-first new phone management and monitoring technology designed to offer total service with flexible and targeted moderating capability.

“Imagine if you could notify the sales or service team of a hot up – right as it’s happening,” said Brad Title, CEO and Founder of Gubagoo. “Or better yet, see every call, and be able to pick and choose, to make real-time decisions that save leads and keep customers engaged. In our book, that’s what technology is for – to give your team the ability to make every sale possible.”

Call RESQ was built with that the sales objective in mind. It is a ground-breaking innovation because it combines two powerful components: TalkSmart and RESQ. TalkSmart keeps your phones open 24/7 and puts a trained rep on the call from start to finish, getting the fundamentals down like appointment setting, identifying vehicles of interest, and collecting data. Considering that 16% of all dealership calls go unanswered, that’s a significant opportunity, reclaimed for the sales team. RESQ takes it one step beyond by giving dealership sales teams the ability to see every call, and the opportunity to step in and “whisper” advice or take over.

“TalkSmart makes sure the dealership will never miss another call, and RESQ bridges the gap between dealership and customer,” said Title. “That allows the dealer to pick and choose their approach. It’s peace of mind, knowing that every call is answered, and every need is handled.”

About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Gubagoo is the leading provider of dealer live chat, text, and call solutions. Gubagoo offers seamless integrated web-based, SMS, and call monitoring technologies for automotive dealerships. Our passion for customer service and lead conversion, makes Gubagoo the best 24/7 car dealer chat, text, and overflow call provider in the automotive industry. Gubagoo’s U.S. based operators, receive the highest level of training and certification to make certain every customer that engages in a live chat, text, or call, receives the best possible customer experience. Gubagoo delivers the best quality of service to automotive dealership customers and strives to maximize the dealership’s lead conversion rate and long-term auto sales. For more information about Gubagoo products, visit www.gubagoo.com or contact 855-359-2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Crystal Hartwell, (949) 929-4637, crystal@mwebbcom.com

eLEND Solutions Mobile Adoption Survey shows 60% of responding dealers are not considering using tablets in either their Sales or F&I departments.

New Orleans, LA – January 27, 2016 – Mobile devices can speed up a transaction process that the vast majority of dealerships say is too long, yet 60% of dealers not using them say they are not even considering adopting mobile tablets in their dealerships. Why? Cost and staff/management resistance to change, say dealers responding to a recent survey on dealership mobile tablet usage by eLEND Solutions. 

The snapshot survey, conducted among dealerships nationwide in Q4 2016, reveals that tablet usage in the Sales department is more prevalent than in the F&I department which is where, according to recent data, dealers report that the process tends to slow down. While the cost of the average tablet is around $400, the time saved by shaving even just one hour from the sales/transaction process could easily create sales productivity and additional car sales, translating into cost benefits that could likely pay for a tablet in a day.

“This survey reveals yet another ‘perception-versus-action’ disconnect in the journey to improve the customer experience,” said Pete MacInnis, CEO of eLEND Solutions. “Dealers say that mobile tablets offer potential for improvements – even those who aren’t using them, suggest that they will speed up transaction times - yet half of those surveyed are not even considering implementing them in their F&I departments because of cost and staff resistance to change.”

The good news is that the other half of dealerships surveyed are either considering implementing mobile devices, or already using them, in the F&I department. The survey suggests that mobile devices offer a solution to the biggest issues that dealerships say impede customer satisfaction and profits: streamlining data flow and solving time clogs. 

Key highlights from Mobile Adoption Survey:

• 50% of dealerships surveyed are either using (17%), or actively considering (33%) using, mobile tablets in the F&I department
• 24% are using mobile tablets in the Sales department, with another 39% considering using them.
• 60% of respondents not using tablets will not consider using mobile tablets in either Sales or F&I
• 37% will not consider using mobile tablets in Sales department; 50% won’t consider using in F&I
• Of dealers using mobile tablets, the number one realized benefit cited was ‘speeding up the sales process’ (44%), with improved CSI (39%) and efficiency and consistency of processes (50%) second and third.
• Of dealers not using mobile tablets, the top perceived benefit cited was speeding up the sales process, followed by improved CSI, and improved process efficiency/consistency
• Cost, resistance to change, and undefined ROI were the top three reasons dealers cited for not using mobile tablets.

“We believe that mobile technology offers great opportunities to connect the car buying/selling process end-to-end in the dealership and that, as more dealerships adopt the technology, the results will challenge resistance and speak for themselves,” added MacInnis.

About eLEND Solutions
eLEND Solutions is a privately held automotive technology company specializing in online and in-store credit, finance and ‘deal making’ solutions designed to create a more efficient, faster moving Sales and F&I workflow that helps dealers sell more cars in less time, improve profitability and increase customer satisfaction.  For more information, visit www.elendsolutions.com.

Contact: 
Media Relations 
Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (424) 603-4340, melanie@mwebbcom.com 
Crystal Hartwell, mWEBB Communications, (714) 987-1016, crystal@mwebbcom.com

Gubagoo’s Web RESQ 2.0 is powerful new technology that enables advanced live or recorded video capability, as well as deeper Facebook integration for more traffic and better leads

New Orleans, LA -  January 26, 2017 – Gubagoo, the leading provider of dealer communications solutions today, at the National Automobile Dealers Association conference in New Orleans, announced the availability of Web RESQ 2.0, a new technology platform that enables advanced communication capabilities on two key customer channels: Video and Facebook.

Web RESQ Video: Comprehensive Ability to Stream and Share Video 

Web RESQ Video offers a richer sales experience that aligns with customer expectations: fully 53% of online car shoppers use video to make their purchase decision[1]. And today, whether it’s a sales walk-around, or a chance to show service needs in real-time, the video chat capability offered by Web RESQ gives dealerships a powerful way to communicate with customers.

 “This video capability adds a whole new level of engagement for dealerships,” said Brad Title, CEO and Founder of Gubagoo. “For example, if a salesperson ‘RESQ’d’ a conversation by stepping in and taking over the call, that same salesperson can quickly send the customer a video walk-around of the car they want to buy. And best of all, the salesperson can do the walk around as live stream – all through chat.”

Web RESQ Facebook Integration: Drive More Traffic and Convert More Leads 

Surveys show that people spend an average of 40 minutes every day on Facebook[2], which is why Web RESQ provides instant messaging, with a full solution that offers instant messages, inventory integration, offers and video. With Web RESQ, Facebook Messenger conversations are handled just like chat, and dealers who respond to customers in real-time get an “immediate response badge” from Facebook. This lets people know that you are open and doing immediate business on the channel. 

“Today, Facebook is no longer just one of many options for dealers…it’s an absolute requirement, because this is where people are at their most reachable,” said Title.

About Gubagoo

Based in Boca Raton, Gubagoo is the leading provider of dealer live chat, text, and call solutions. Gubagoo offers seamless integrated web-based, SMS, and call monitoring technologies for automotive dealerships. Our passion for customer service and lead conversion, makes Gubagoo the best 24/7 car dealer chat, text, and overflow call provider in the automotive industry. Gubagoo’s U.S. based operators, receive the highest level of training and certification to make certain every customer that engages in a live chat, text, or call, receives the best possible customer experience. Gubagoo delivers the best quality of service to automotive dealership customers and strives to maximize the dealership’s lead conversion rate and long-term auto sales. For more information about Gubagoo products, visit www.gubagoo.com or contact 855-359-2573.

Gubagoo Media Relations

mWEBB Communications, Melanie Webber, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com

[1] https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/consumers-take-the-wheel-how-digital-is-changing-the-australian-auto-industry.html

[2] https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/how-much-time-do-people-spend-on-facebook-per-day-2016-4?client=safari

AutoID® Automates Online Lead Attribution, Providing Cross-Domain Mapping of Complete Customer Journey

New, easy-to-implement analytics give dealers a complete, real-time picture of lead attribution and digital marketing ROI from one platform, identifying lead sources as well as hot prospects, sending alerts when a prospect visits a competitor’s website

New Orleans, LA – January 26, 2017 – AutoID announces AI℠, the first web analytics tool that can track cross-domain traffic. Launching at the National Automobile Dealers Association conference in New Orleans, the easy-to-use platform maps the complete customer journey and provides cross-domain attribution - without cookies - giving dealers unprecedented visibility into which sources nurtured and generated each lead. In addition, AI identifies “hot prospects” by analyzing the number of website visits, form submissions and VDP pages viewed. And, for the first time, dealers can be alerted when a prospect visits a competitor’s website.

AI replaces a digital ‘wall’ with a window, solving one of the biggest marketing headaches confronting dealers – effective management and optimization of digital spend. And, while the technology behind it is complex, the platform itself is easy to use and to install: “All it takes is one simple line of code,” said Jason Scinocca, founder and CEO of AutoID.  “Never before has lead attribution been more transparent, nor, because it is a fully automated platform, have dealerships needed to exert less effort, resources or training to manage and understand where online customers come from, how they arrived or where they go when they leave the dealership website.”

With the installation of a single line of code, AI starts automatically tracking each visitor’s complete online journey. AI’s simple interface means there’s no need to set up complicated Google Analytics campaigns in order to track sources. Dealers will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of their marketing channels from a centralized dashboard, assessing the ROI of their digital spend and holding vendors accountable for results.

The insights AI provides means dealerships will no longer have to rely on sometimes unreliable vendor reporting or complex, analytics products to know exactly how a customer has found their website – whether through email, third-party websites or social media. Among other things, AI lets dealers accurately track unique vs. returning visitors; view which VDPs a customer has visited and how many times; discover which visitors are hot prospects and ready to buy; as well as how many competitor dealer sites prospects have visited. AI can even alert dealers when a customer visits a competitor’s website.

“With so many touch points, channels and devices, digital marketing attribution has become incredibly complex,” continued Scinocca. “AI helps dealers cut through the clutter to understand what their online customers are really doing, in real time.”

Among the real time customer insights AI provides are:

• Vehicle they are currently viewing

• Previous phone lead/chat/phone call activity with dealership

• Number of other dealerships they’ve browsed

• Number of VDPs they’ve browsed

• Defection to a competitor’s website

AI has been piloted by a number of dealers across the US and was developed with their feedback. To learn more, visit www.autoid.com or come to Hall B1, booth #627 during NADA at the New Orleans Convention Center.

About AutoID

AutoID, Inc. was founded with a mission to provide automobile dealers with the most advanced analytics available. AI, with its proprietary automatic identification is able to generate unique fingerprints of individuals’ computers and mobile devices, to allow for the simultaneous tracking of each customer’s online journey and calling activity. AutoID’s precise analytics and actionable reports provide the data necessary to measure the effectiveness and engagement of digital marketing campaigns and, provide online lead attribution and conversion rates. To learn more, visit www.autoid.com.

CallSource clients have increased call-to-appointment ratios by 20% YOY; effective lost call recapture, strong analytics and training driving increases

Westlake Village, CA – January 26, 2017– CallSource, pioneers of award-winning solutions to help dealerships track, analyze and improve incoming call performance, has helped auto dealers recover nearly half a million (over 420,000) mishandled phone leads during 2016 through its DealSaver Alerts product alone.

DealSaver triggers an alert when a call is lost – whether it’s due to a rude or unprofessional exchange or a call handler simply failing to set an appointment with a qualified customer or obtain basic contact information. DealSaver is one of multiple safeguards CallSource customers are successfully using to significantly reduce the volume of mishandled phone calls and improve overall call handling and appointment setting, all designed to drive more cost-efficient sales.

“Our dealer customers improved call-to-appointment ratios by 20% in 2016 on a call volume that was constant year-over-year,” said David Greene, SVP, Automotive Strategic Accounts. “Zeroing in on better handling of calls that are already coming in versus increasing marketing spend to drive additional call volume demonstratively increased incremental sales and marketing ROI for our dealers.”

As an example of this, CallSource reports that the average number of validated sales calls dealers receive each month is around 100, while the average number of missed opportunities is a whopping 41. By realigning process to focus on recovering even a small percentage of those calls and converting them into appointments – and likely sales – dealerships can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the bottom line.

“The good news is that dealers know they have a problem,” said Greene, citing a survey the company conducted in early 2016 in which 60% of dealers acknowledged that their sales teams were not handling inbound call traffic effectively – and a third were losing at least 1 in 5 car buyers to competitors due to poor phone handling skills.  “We continue to believe – and our data proves it - that our industry would do well to shift more focus onto their processes for handling phone leads.”

Casey Jenkins, Manager at TN-based Jenkins & Wynne Ford, Lincoln and Honda, concurs: “With CallSource, we are able to see the direct link between professional phone handling and higher customer satisfaction and profits. Now that we know exactly what’s happening on the phones, we’ve enacted tight accountability measures and can accurately monitor the team’s overall effectiveness.”

CallSource ties all the elements of a successful call management program into one system – closing the loop and delivering measurable results. Fifty-three of the top 150 dealer groups use CallSource.

CallSource will be at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in New Orleans taking place January 27-29 in Hall B1, Booth #627.

About CallSource

CallSource, providers of award-winning solutions to help dealerships track, analyze and improve incoming call performance, has tracked more than a billion calls since 1991. For over 25 years, CallSource’s award-winning solutions have gone far beyond call tracking to providing marketing insight, including cost-per-lead analysis and sales conversion percentages, training and coaching solutions to improve phone skills, and tools that enable businesses to recapture mishandled sales opportunities. Based in Westlake Village, Calif., CallSource serves multiple industries including automotive, home services and healthcare, as well as numerous franchise businesses. Visit callsource.com.

Media Relations: 

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (949) 307-1723, melanie@mwebbcom.com 

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, (818) 397-4630, cassandra@mwebbcom.com

Round Co-Led by WRV and ACK Group; BOD to include John W. Thompson, chairman of Microsoft, and Nicholas Brathwaite, Managing Partner of WRV

San Francisco, CA - January 26, 2017 – Reviver, creator of the rPlate™, the world’s first digital license plate, has secured $6.8 million during a Series A round. The funding round was co-led by WRV and Australian-based ACK Group.

Reviver, which was founded in 2009, recently announced that it has brought the vehicle license plate, a piece of hardware that has not evolved for 125 years, into the 21st century by transforming it into an innovative, multi-functional digital display. The rPlate is set to launch in some of the nation’s largest car markets, having gained approvals from the DMV and state legislators in California and Florida, with legislation currently in progress in Texas. 

“This investment will help fund the expansion of our engineering team which will allow us to accelerate the development of the next generation rPlate,” said Neville Boston, CEO and Founder of Reviver. “As a result of our successful collaboration with the California DMV, Governor’s Office, State Legislature, CHP and the California Department of Transportation, the rPlate is ready to roll to assist large fleet operators in tracking and managing their vehicles, including automating DMV registrations and providing a platform for the wireless payment of road tolls, parking and even gasoline.”

Boston additionally noted that Reviver will also use the funding to further expand distribution of rPlate into other U.S. states and to explore international opportunities. 

Reviver also announced today that its Board of Directors will include:

• Nicholas Brathwaite, Co-founder of Riverwood Capital and Managing Partner of WRV
• Andrew Iorgulescu, President of Appraisal Lane
• Ernst Lieb, former CEO and President of Mercedes Benz USA, Canada and Australia
• Simon Szewach, Managing Partner at ACK Group
• John W. Thompson, former Chairman and CEO Symantec, Chairman of Microsoft

“Reviver’s unique combination of technical innovation, direct collaboration with government and transportation agencies and preliminary discussions with automotive manufacturer design teams makes it uniquely positioned to lead today’s evolving connected car ecosystem,” said Simon Szewach, Managing Partner at ACK Group.

“Governments around the world are implementing initiatives to improve efficiencies and productivity. Reviver's hardware and software platform will allow departments of motor vehicles and their large commercial customers to improve efficiencies, reduce costs, increase flexibility and expand services,” said Nicholas Brathwaite, Managing Partner of WRV.

John W. Thompson, who also participated in early seed funding commented, “Watching the Reviver team develop and deploy the first rPlates is extremely exciting – I’m thrilled to play a small role in bringing this positive – and much needed – change to the automotive industry.”

About Reviver

San Francisco-based ReviverMx, Inc. was founded in 2009 with a mission to establish a universal connected car innovation platform – a mission made possible by reviving legacy automotive solutions and making them fully interactive, robust and connected to a universal store of digital applications. The company’s innovative, multi-functional digital license plate, the rPlate™, will be on the road in California, Florida and Texas in 2017. Its cloud-based app development platform, the rStore, will be open to 3rd party developers in the second half of 2017. For more information visit www.reviver.io.

Media Contacts:

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 949-307-1723

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630

New Data from PERQ Indicates Significant Lag Time Between ‘Ready-to-Buy’ Consumers on Dealership Websites and Actual Purchase

Data analyzed from over 45,000 consumer profiles offers key insights into digital consumer purchase cycle and shopping behaviors 

Indianapolis, IN – January 25, 2017 - New consumer data gathered and analyzed by PERQ shows a significant lag between the time consumers submit an online vehicle appraisal and the time the actual purchase takes place, in spite of the fact that nearly three quarters of these consumers indicate they are “ready-to-buy.” The data further reveals that nearly 40% of the consumers are not current customers at the dealership where they are engaging in the appraisal. This, while confirming that consumers are neither brand nor dealership loyal, reveals ripe opportunities for dealerships to win over these ready-to-buy customers on the dealership website. The consumer behavior analyzed by PERQ was gathered from 45,000 consumers who appraised their vehicle via PERQ’s FATWIN trade-in tool in 2016. 

“These findings confirm how important effective post lead activity is for dealerships, and indicates that consumers are not getting the information, follow-up or relationship build they need to easily transition from a ‘ready-to-buy’ to a ‘purchasing’ customer,” said Russ Chandler, Product Marketing Manager at PERQ. “We know that consumers are submitting leads on an average of four other dealer websites[1], so it’s critical that dealerships offer an interactive, customized website experience that helps guide the consumer into the dealership showroom, while also gathering the lead information that will facilitate more effective sales engagement and conversion.”

This is precisely what PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement platform is achieving for dealerships. Unlike any other platform in the industry, FATWIN ‘virtually’ trains dealership websites to have a relevant, real-time ‘conversation’ with each visitor through dynamic interactions (such as incentives, appraisal, warranty information, etc.) that change based on the consumer’s journey across the website. This essentially ‘warms up’ that consumer for his/her in-dealership experience, while at the same time gathering increasingly relevant information (by asking for new information based on each step of that journey). This information is then sent as an update to the dealer CRM so that follow up can be better aligned with that consumer’s recent online activity. All of this has led to significant increases in lead volume (200%, on average), five times more consumer data and up to 15% lift in profit directly tracked to those leads for dealerships using FATWIN.

Other data gathered from PERQ’s interactive Trade-in tool, which is just one element of FATWIN, indicates that the miles consumers are putting on their vehicles before trading them in has increased year over year. But, on a positive note for resales, 30% of vehicles appraised were under five years old, and over a third had no loan on them. Interestingly, the data also indicated that dealership personnel should stay on alert at lunchtime on Wednesdays - when the highest level of appraisal activity is occurring.

“Know thy customer is an old mantra in our industry, but the challenge is that most dealerships simply don’t know a thing about the consumers who are landing on their websites. The data gathered from our Trade-in tool is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to knowing and understand not only overall industry trends, but also the needs of each specific customer so that every interaction makes sense for that consumer,” continued Chandler. “Given that today’s consumers are shopping vehicle first, versus dealership first, being ahead of, and aware of, their needs can give dealers a significant competitive advantage.”

Data Highlights

• Domestics were the most appraised, with Ford, Chrysler and GM in the top three, followed by Toyota and Nissan.
• Trucks and large SUVs were the top two most appraised body styles.
• Average time from trade-in appraisal on a dealer website to purchase was 12.7 days
• 44% of the vehicles appraised had over 100k miles versus 38% the year before.
• 39% indicated they were currently servicing their vehicle at another dealership than the one they were currently getting an online appraisal from
• 37% of appraisals indicated there was no loan on their current vehicle
• 30% of the vehicles appraised were less than 5 years old 
• The highest online appraisal day/time of the week was Wednesday from 12-1pm
• 74% of consumers appraising their vehicles indicated they were in the market to purchase now
• 29% were interested in New and 42% were interested in used, the rest were unsure

About PERQ

PERQ (www.perq.com), a marketing technology provider, boosts website conversions by creating and delivering interactive experiences to the right consumers at the right time. Founded in 2001, PERQ solutions today are used by more than 1,000 businesses across the United States. PERQ’s brands have been named to the Inc. “500 Fastest Growing Companies in America” list on three separate occasions.

PERQ Media Contacts

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 949-307-1723

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630

This partnership includes the integration of PERQ’S high-engaging FATWIN platform with AutoHook’s high-converting incentive solutions and sales match attribution data, powered by Urban Science.

Indianapolis, IN – January 18, 2017  - AutoHook, powered by Urban Science has partnered with PERQ, specialists in personalized, interactive web engagement technology, to deliver auto dealers a one-two punch when it comes to engaging and converting website traffic. The partnership also enables enhanced lead attribution by streamlining actionable automotive data and reporting.

AutoHook’s test drive incentives will be integrated into the FATWIN platform, at no additional cost to dealer clients, and will further enhance the conversation between consumers and dealers, influencing in-market buyers to engage with dealerships through test-drive incentives and customizable offers.

“PERQ has an impressive reputation among the dealers we were already working with, and we recognize they are creating great conversion tools for dealers and their websites,” said David Metter, president of AutoHook, powered by Urban Science. “We look forward to a successful partnership and driving unprecedented results for our combined clients.”

The new partnership is particularly synergistic because both AutoHook and PERQ focus on targeting customers with precisely relevant experiences/information and offers/incentives based on real time consumer information and behavior. 

PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement platform converts static Calls To Actions (CTAs), such as banners and buttons, and lead forms into customized, relevant, interactive conversations with online shoppers. PERQ is able to capture five times the amount of data points on online auto customers, helping dealerships better engage with, and convert, website shoppers into showroom buyers - and has already generated over two million leads through its more personal, collective website experience.

The partnership also facilitates integration between PERQ’s FATWIN Web Engagement platform and AutoHook’s sales match data, giving dealers and OEMs the power to attribute all showroom visits and sales to a single campaign. AutoHook’s incentive solutions are proven to drive incremental leads and sales, while delivering show rates of up to twice the national average.

“We’re thrilled to integrate our FATWIN platform with AutoHook’s powerful incentive engine,” said Andy Medley, co-founder and president of PERQ. “The integration helps us supercharge FATWIN’s already interactive and engaging experience while providing solid lead attribution through AutoHook’s showroom and sales match data - and, most importantly, driving more leads and showroom visitors to our dealer clients.”

About PERQ

PERQ (www.perq.com), a marketing technology provider, boosts website conversions by creating and delivering interactive experiences to the right consumers at the right time. Founded in 2001, PERQ solutions today are used by more than 1,000 businesses across the United States. PERQ’s brands have been named to the Inc. “500 Fastest Growing Companies in America” list on three separate occasions.

About AutoHook, powered by Urban Science (http://www.DriveAutoHook.com)

AutoHook, powered by Urban Science provides targeted incentives that convert at every touchpoint. Their solutions integrate across all three automotive tiers to drive more incremental sales, more new to brand buyers, more showroom visits, and optimum conversion rates across channels. AutoHook has shattered the trend of vague industry metrics with concise attribution reporting that proves actual ROI. No other digital endeavor has come close to mastering AutoHook’s ability to attribute all showroom visits and sales to a single campaign while delivering show rates of up to twice the national average. Drive Conversion. Drive Showroom Visits. Drive the Experience. Drive Sales at DriveAutoHook.com.

PERQ Media Contacts

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 949-307-1723

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630

Edmark is one of the highest volume selling dealerships in Idaho for past three years

Irvine, CA, January 17, 2017 – Kerrigan Advisors, the leading sell-side advisory firm to auto dealers in the US, represented and advised Edmark Superstore, one of Idaho's highest volume selling dealerships, in its sale to Kendall Auto Group.  The Edmark Superstore is co-owned by David Edmark and Jim Chalfant.  Edmark Superstore’s franchises include Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC and Kia.  With this acquisition, Kendall Auto Group will now own 38 dealerships in Oregon, Alaska and Idaho.

“We are confident that Kendall will continue the standards of quality and customer service that has been a hallmark of Edmark’s business since its founding.” said David Edmark. “We are grateful to Kerrigan Advisors for identifying Kendall as the best buyer of our stores.”

“Kerrigan Advisors smoothly guided us to this very successful outcome, offering just the right combination of expertise, responsiveness and client service to shepherd the process to its optimal conclusion,” said Jim Chalfant. “We appreciated having Kerrigan Advisors by our side throughout the sale.”

Kerrigan Advisors, headed by Erin and Ryan Kerrigan, has now represented on the sale of 43 dealerships since July 2015, making it the most active sell-side advisor in the auto retail industry.  The firm has also represented three of the top 100 dealership groups in the last 12 months.  

“We are proud to have had a role in this successful transaction, which marks our 43rd dealership sale in the past 18 months,” said Erin Kerrigan, Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “Our job is not simply to enable the best possible financial transactions for our clients, but to identify a buyer who will carry on the legacy of our clients’ dealership business,” continued Ryan Kerrigan, Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors. “The Edmark Superstore/Kendall Auto Group transaction is another example of the fulfillment of our core goals,” said Erin Kerrigan.

Kerrigan Advisors monitors conditions in the buy/sell market and publishes an in-depth analysis each quarter in The Blue Sky Report™ which includes Kerrigan Advisor’s signature blue sky charts, multiples and analysis for each franchise in the luxury and non-luxury segments. To download the report, click here. The company also releases monthly The Kerrigan Index composed of the seven publicly traded auto retail companies with operations focused on the US market.  The Kerrigan Index is designed to track dealership valuation trends, while also providing key insights into factors influencing auto retail. To access The Kerrigan Index, click here.

Erin Kerrigan is Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors, and is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells. A sought after commentator on automotive retailing topics ranging from consumer auto buying trends to auto retail consolidation to private equity in auto retail, she has keynoted numerous automotive conferences and her analysis has appeared in publications such as Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal.   For a recent video of Erin’s commentary on the market, click here.

Ryan Kerrigan is Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors and an expert on US auto retail buy-sell transaction work. Ryan served as Managing Director at Serent Capital, a $250mm private equity fund investing in middle market companies. Prior, he served as General Manager of the family’s auto dealership. Mr. Kerrigan began his career as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where he advised Fortune 500 companies on growth strategies, organizational issues, pricing and business valuation.

About Kerrigan Advisors

Kerrigan Advisors is a national dealership buy/sell advisory firm focused on providing a high level of client service for dealership sellers. Led by a team of veteran advisors who have represented transactions totaling over $2.5 billion dollars in automotive, private equity and investment banking, Kerrigan Advisors customizes each sale process to maximize the seller’s transaction proceeds. With the most comprehensive buyer database in the industry, Kerrigan Advisors has the industry context and expertise to match each seller with the right buyer.

In addition to the monthly Kerrigan Auto Retail Index, each quarter, Kerrigan Advisors publishes The Blue Sky Report™, a Kerrigan Quarterly, which is the auto industry's most comprehensive and authoritative quarterly report and analysis of dealership buy/sell activity and franchise values.  Kerrigan Advisors’ Managing Director Erin Kerrigan is a recognized industry expert on dealership valuation, real estate and buy/sells, and is a frequent speaker at leading auto retail events and conferences, including NADA, JD Power Automotive Roundtable, AICPA, NADC and Driving Sales’ President’s Club. She has also been a keynote speaker for events hosted by American Honda Motor Company, Audi of America, US Trust, Ohio Automobile Dealer Association, and SunTrust Bank and has led webinars for NADA and Automotive News.  Her expertise is also featured in a monthly column for Dealer Magazine. 

Kerrigan Advisors Media Contact:
Melanie Webber (melanie@mwebbcom.com), mWEBB Communications, 424.603.4340

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Reviver reinvents the 125-year-old metal plate as an Internet of Things, connected car platform; rPlate™ hits the road in California, Florida, Arizona and Texas in 2017, other states to follow

Detroit, MI - January 9, 2017 – The first-ever, interactive digital license plate debuts today at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit during Automobili-D, a new event showcasing connected car technology. Created by Reviver, the rPlate™ modernizes the 125-year-old license plate, bringing it into the 21st century by transforming it into an innovative, multi-functional digital display and offering a major aesthetic and design upgrade for the only part of the vehicle that has remained unchanged since the automobile debuted. This smart device is an Internet of Things (IoT) platform that offers unlimited opportunities for applications, including DMV registration automation, hyper-local messaging, telematics and vehicle management.

In addition to developing the technology and platform behind rPlate, Reviver has numerous patents pending/obtained, the approval of state legislators in California and Florida, preliminary approval from Arizona’s DMV and Department of Transportation, and legislation in progress in Texas. Prototype rPlates are already operational in California, and Reviver plans to launch the rPlate in all four states by the end of 2017. 

“Our team has been working to modernize the antiquated 125-year-old stamped metal license plate for more than seven years – including four years of successful collaboration with the California DMV, Governor’s Office, State Legislature, CHP and the California Department of Transportation, an effort that has paved the way for approvals in other states,” said Neville Boston, CEO and Founder of Reviver.

“The rPlate opens up the ‘connected car’ ecosystem to a myriad of solutions – some of which are already in development and many that have yet to be imagined,” continued Boston. “In addition to automating the costly DMV registration process and providing telematics and fleet management capabilities, the rPlate immediately unlocks a powerful new channel for OEMs, dealerships, and organizations, to reach and service customers in hyper-local and targeted ways.”

"The rPlate is the first ever 'fifth screen' or digital signage platform to grace the back of a vehicle and can be installed as an aftermarket product or seamlessly integrated directly into the design of the vehicle," said Allan Cooper, Partner, Reviver. "It can display hyper-local targeted messages to a captive audience when a vehicle is legally parked in any location.

“One example is the opportunity for auto retailers to use the rPlate to display customized messaging - such as the brand they sell, a lease payment specific to vehicle models, or a sponsored community event or charity on service loaner vehicles and company vehicles," continued Cooper. 

Messages on the rPlate can dynamically change based on geolocation configuration, in and out of a dealership’s PMA (Prime Marketing Area). Reviver has also incorporated programming for emergency broadcasts like extreme weather warnings and Amber Alerts, as well as VIN-specific recall notifications, into its digital display. The rPlate can also automate the payment of toll road charges, parking fees and much more.

The rPlate houses a GPS, accelerometer, RF sensors, CAN bus access, storage and is built to withstand all weather and extreme conditions. The rPlate’s 6” x 12” display is the same size as a standard state license plate and its anti-reflective screen is legible in all weather conditions.

Reviver also unveiled the rStore today, a cloud-based app development platform that will host apps designed to maximize the functionality of fully connected vehicles. The rStore will offer an open platform for 3rd party development of apps.

The rPlate will be on display in booth #11 at The Detroit Show’s Automobili-D showcase.

About Reviver

San Francisco-based Reviver was founded in 2009 with a mission to establish a universal connected car innovation platform – a mission made possible by reviving legacy automotive solutions and making them fully interactive, robust and connected to a universal store of digital applications. The company’s innovative, multi-functional digital license plate, the rPlate, will be on the road in California, Florida, Arizona and Texas in 2017. Its cloud-based app development platform, the rStore, will be open to 3rd party developers in the second half of 2017. For more information visit www.reviver.io.

Media Contacts:

Elizabeth Johnson, mWEBB Communications, elizabeth@mwebbcom.com or 213-713-4865

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, melanie@mwebbcom.com or 949-307-1723

Cassandra Cavanah, mWEBB Communications, Cassandra@mwebbcom.com or 818-397-4630