Albany, N.Y. – January 17th, 2017 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced today the addition of two feature updates to its dealership management system (DMS) Fixed Ops Suite. The new features are designed to increase efficiencies and revenue in auto dealership service departments and will be demoed at Auto/Mate's booth #1707 at the NADA Convention & Expo in New Orleans, LA.

Updates include:

VIN Scan. Offered as part of Auto/Mate's service mobile tablet solution, VIN Scan allows service advisors to optically scan a VIN barcode with their mobile tablet camera. Once scanned, the most recent customer data associated with that vehicle such as name, address, VIN, make/model and more, instantly auto-populates the customer information fields. This eliminates the need for manual data entry, greatly expediting the mobile check-in process.

Alternately, a new reverse phone lookup utility can be used for the same purpose. Offered through Authenticom as a monthly subscription, this too lets service advisors enter the customer's phone number, and reverse phone lookup suggests names and addresses associated with that number. Service advisors confirm with the customer, select the correct one and the data will auto-populate the fields in the mobile check-in app as well as create a record in the DMS.

From there, the service advisor selects which labor ops codes are associated with the appointment and an electronic RO will instantly be generated.

The VIN scan and reverse phone lookup utilities eliminate manual data entry for the vast majority of new customers, shaving minutes from each new appointment and improving the customer experience.

myCarfax Service Shop Integration. Auto/Mate is the only DMS provider that is integrated with myCarfax.com Service Shop solution. Dealers can now enroll customers in the FREE myCarfax.com program with one click from their DMS. A desktop and mobile app service, myCarfax.com helps car owners stay informed about maintenance and recalls on all vehicle brands (not just those sold by your dealership). myCarfax.com also sends dealerships' customers reminders when it's time to bring their vehicles in for recommended service. Auto/Mate customers that are also myCarfax Service Shop customers have access to newly integrated tools, which include Carfax Service History Check.

For more information or to see demos of Auto/Mate's Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) DMS solution, visit Booth #1707 at the NADA Convention & Expo in New Orleans, January 26th - 29th. To schedule an appointment visit http://www.automate.com/nada or call 877-340-2677.

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 1,000 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

When employees make mistakes or seem to be harboring a bad attitude, what's a leader to do? Yell at them, write them off or fire them? Or, do you try to turn their setback into a comeback?

When I was General Manager of a large dealership, we had a rule that a salesperson must always take the test drive with a customer. One day, somehow, a customer talked one of our salespeople into letting them take the test drive alone. Somehow that customer's license was never copied. And, you guessed it: we never saw that car or customer again.

It was a major process breakdown. The salesperson felt awful. He expected to be fired. Many dealers would have fired him to set an example.

But here's the thing: if I fired him it would have sent a message to every other employee that if they make a mistake, they get fired. This is not a message that motivates employees to perform their best. And you have to figure this salesperson--and every other salesperson on the team--learned an important lesson. Process matters and rules exist for a reason.

When bad things happen, it's critical that leaders step up and turn it into something positive. As Don Shula, the coach who led the Miami Dolphins to the only perfect season in NFL history once said: "The minute I get negative, that is going to have an influence on my team."

Sometimes leaders have to be coaches. If you're not sure how, just look to the best coaches in sports for inspiration. Here are some tips on how great coaches have turned setbacks into comebacks.

Don't Humiliate Your Employees

The best coaches don't yell at their players in public. In 1993 Marv Levy coached the Buffalo Bills through the greatest NFL comeback of all time. "I didn't go around castigating them publicly," said Levy of his players. "They knew I wouldn't embarrass them, but if something had to be said in private, I'd say it."

When employees make a mistake, yelling at them in public does nothing to help them and makes their humiliation worse. If you need to get a point across, do it in private, stay calm and incorporate constructive criticism.

Identify What Went Wrong and Make a Plan to Fix It

The best coaches don't throw their players under the bus. So when an employee makes a mistake, don't automatically place all the blame on them. Acknowledge it could be your leadership that has contributed to the problem.

"Coaches have to watch for what they don't want to see and listen to what they don't want to hear," said John Madden, an NFL coach who led the Oakland Raiders to a Super Bowl win in 1977.

When a mistake is made, sit down with the employee and ask what happened, prompting them through the incident. Approach this as a team-building exercise, where the goal is to identify what went wrong and come up with ideas on how to avoid making the same mistake again.

Remind Employees Why Processes Are in Place

In business, process paves the way for success. In sports, this equates to "practice makes perfect."

John Wooden was one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time.  During his last 12 years at UCLA, the Bruins won 10 national championship titles. Coach Wooden famously began his first practice every season by showing the players how to put on their socks and shoes. His reasoning was that if you don't put your socks on properly, there could be wrinkles, which could give you blisters, which could result in lost playing time. If your shoes became untied during practice, that results in lost playing time.

It seems a little extreme, but sometimes the most basic processes have to be explained. The rules must be followed for a reason. They don't exist to make the employee's life difficult, but to help them succeed.

Remind Employees They Are Part of a Team

One of the major jobs of a coach is to get players thinking “Team First.” All great teams have players who know and willingly try to fulfill their rolls on the team. Do your employees know their roles in your team? Do they realize how important their job is to the overall success of your team?

Bo Schembechler, former coach of the Michigan Wolverines football team, gave a famous locker-room speech that promoted the importance of the team. "No man is more important than the team," he said. "No coach is more important than the team. Everything that you do, you take into consideration, what effect does this have on my team?"

And one of Coach Wooden's best-know quotes is:  "Make sure that team members know they are working with you, not for you."

One of a leader's most important jobs is to build a strong team. Every employee should know how important it is to be a team player.

Keep Employees Focused on Goals

All great coaches know how to keep their players focused on the goals.

Phil Jackson, former head coach for the Los Angeles Lakers said: "I think the most important thing about coaching is that you have to have a sense of confidence about what you're doing. You have to be a salesman and you have to get your players, particularly your leaders, to believe in what you're trying to accomplish."

Herm Edwards, a former NFL coach for the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs, has said: "Stay focused. Your start does not determine how you're going to finish."

When an employee makes a mistake, it's important to re-focus their attention on the big picture. What are their goals? How can they get back on track? What do they need in order to succeed?

As a leader, you know it's inevitable that employees will make mistakes. But look on the bright side. Coach John Wooden said, "If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes."

The key is to make sure your employees learn from their mistakes and are inspired to do better. As a leader, it's your job to coach them to a comeback.

Albany, N.Y. – December 5th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced today that Patrick Reilly has joined its team as the new Head of Marketing. Reilly brings more than 25 years professional experience in marketing research, advertising, branding and strategy for technology companies and agencies.

In his new role Reilly will oversee the development of a corporate marketing strategy that will increase awareness of Auto/Mate's position as an industry leading DMS provider, fulfill its growth objectives and drive revenue.

"Patrick brings a wealth of marketing knowledge to this position and I'm excited to have his energy, expertise and guidance for achieving our ambitious vision for Auto/Mate's future," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate Dealership Systems.

Prior to joining Auto/Mate, Reilly held senior marketing positions with CommerceHub, a cloud-based retail marketing platform; and with Pitney Bowes Software, a global data, location intelligence and customer engagement solutions provider. His ad agency experience includes roles as EVP of Smith & Jones, and as President of Citrin-Reilly & Associates. Reilly has a proven track record of increasing customer engagement, lead generation and revenue while creating and implementing research-based marketing programs.

"In addition to having a great product, Auto/Mate has a compelling brand, story, company culture and message," said Reilly. "I'm looking forward to executing a strategy that will convince auto dealers that this DMS solution is their best choice."

Auto/Mate's award-winning DMS product is ideal for large auto groups and single-store franchises. Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a cost-effective and user-friendly solution with many advanced features. Auto/Mate is the #1 DMS vendor in customer satisfaction and is known for its outstanding customer and technical support.

For more information, visit http://www.automate.com or call 877-829-7020.

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 1,000 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

DMS Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM Remains #1 in Customer Satisfaction

Albany, N.Y. – November 21st, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced today that with its latest round of hiring, its employees have surpassed 1,000 years of combined experience working in car dealerships. Auto/Mate's dealership management system (DMS) software was Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM, and the company has long committed to hiring former dealership employees in order to provide unparalleled customer service and training.

"For many dealership employees, calling a vendor's technical support can be frustrating because the person on the other end of the phone may know how the software works, but they don't really know what that dealership employee is trying to do or how to help them through the process," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate Dealership Systems.

"Auto/Mate is a breath of fresh air. The process is always easier when car people work with car people," said Alan Goldstein, President of Goldstein Auto Group in the New York Capital Region.

Most of Auto/Mate's customer and technical support specialists have held similar positions in similar departments as the dealership employees who call them. Auto/Mate's specialists know more than just the software; they know what it's like to work in a dealership and the details associated with each customer's role.

"While many software vendors choose to hire inexperienced support specialists to save money, we have always believed that investing in hiring experts creates an outstanding customer experience that is worth the extra effort and cost," said Esposito.

Additionally, Auto/Mate is one of the industry's few software vendors to guarantee that a live person will always answer the phone. This eliminates dealership employees' frustration over being placed on hold or waiting for call backs that never happen.

For more information, call 518-291-4634.

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 1,000 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

On December 1st the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) goes into effect. Most dealers have by now identified employees that make less than $47,476 and therefore will be eligible for overtime pay. And most dealers have already decided how they will stay compliant, whether it's raising base salaries, converting salaried employees to hourly employees and limiting hours worked, or other options.

If one of your best options is to eliminate overtime pay for employees, take heart. One recent study showed that employee productivity falls sharply after a 50-hour work week. Then there are those well-known adages such as "Work contracts or expands to fit in whatever time you allot to it," and "If you wait until the last minute, it only takes a minute to do."

You may be pleasantly surprised when you eliminate overtime and discover that just as much gets done as before. There's a good chance that some employees will be so thrilled to be free of the expectation of overtime, that they will be extra motivated to get everything done before they can go home.

But if productivity does begin to suffer, there are some things that leadership can do. Here are nine tips to help boost employee productivity:

1) Keep employees happy. Happy employees are 12% more productive, according to a study published in the Journal of Labor Economics. To keep employees happy, invest in their support and satisfaction. The efforts are worth it, as happy employees will take better care of your customers.

2) Promote a health and wellness culture. Many studies show the correlation between healthy employees and higher productivity, and absenteeism is 27% lower for employees who eat healthy and exercise regularly.

3) Offer training. Ongoing training helps to keep employees engaged and motivated, especially if they are working towards a new career goal.

4) Promote work-life balance. Eliminating overtime will go a long way to creating work-life balance, but in addition dealers should encourage employees to attend important family events and take all their vacation days. The idea here is that employees will be grateful for your support and therefore more productive while at work.

5) Have a "Productivity Day." Do you have company-wide projects that have been sitting on the back burner? Are your employees stressed out because they're falling behind? Designate one day per month as "Productivity Day." The goal is for employees to be as productive as possible and to bring ideas to the table on how to do so.

Have employees identify one project they want to accomplish. Ban meetings and encourage employees to schedule blocks of uninterrupted time to complete the project. Distribute employee-contributed "rules" that support productivity such as, "No stopping by co-workers' cubicles or offices to chat," or "Earbuds allowed." Have employees track their productive hours.

There's no better way to increase productivity than to turn employees into enthusiastic productivity hacks!

6) Get to know your employees. If upper management hasn't taken the time to get to know employees on a personal level, make this a mandate. Once a month schedule lunches with one senior management member and a small group of employees, for the sole purpose of getting to know each other on a personal level. Your employees will feel appreciated and become more engaged.

7) Share your company's vision and core values. Does your dealership have a mission statement and a plan to get there? Do you have a list of core values your brand represents? Do your employees know about it? If not, it's time to do a little work. You can't expect your employees to help you get where you're going if you haven't communicated your vision.

8) Ask employees to help solve problems. When problems arise, don't be dictatorial about solving them. Involve your employees, form teams and assign them the task of solving the problem. You never know, you may get a brilliant solution that you never even thought of. And because it was your employees' idea on how to solve said problem, their motivation to implement and compliance to the solution will be greater.

9) Become a best place to work. Find out if your local business journals or newspapers sponsor a "Best Places to Work" award program. Ask an employee to nominate your dealership. The anonymous survey results will give you a great benchmark of how well your dealership is perceived by your current employees. They will help you to identify organizational changes that need to be made, as well as strengths and weaknesses.  Make it a goal to get on that list--and stay on it. Best places to work attract and retain highly-qualified employees, who also tend to be more productive.

What are your tips for boosting employee productivity?

Albany, N.Y. – November 7th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems has been recognized as one of the 36 “Best Places to Work” in New York State’s Capital region by the Albany Business Review. It is the seventh straight year that Auto/Mate has won the award. Auto/Mate was ranked in the medium-large category, defined as companies with 50 to 149 employees.

"The first few years we won this award we ranked in the small-business category, so it's nice to know that as our company grows the focus is still where it needs to be, which is on employee satisfaction," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate Dealership Systems. "If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers."

The Albany Business Review honors just 36 companies every year with the “Best Places to Work” distinction. The business journal partners with Quantum Workplace, a Nebraska based research firm, to conduct anonymous employee engagement surveys.  The companies with the highest scores are ranked on team effectiveness, retention, employee alignment with company goals, trust with co-workers, individual contribution, manager effectiveness, trust in senior leaders, feeling valued, work engagement and people practices.

 “A great company culture doesn't happen by accident; we put a lot of time and effort into creating a special environment that promotes growth, communication and fun,” said David Druzynski, Director of Human Resources for Auto/Mate. "The effort is definitely worth it as we attract highly-qualified job candidates and our employee turnover rate is very low."

Auto/Mate offers the following perks to its employees:

• The Body/Shop: in office gym
• Tuition reimbursement
• Casual dress work environment
• Paid time off for volunteering
• Wellness program
• Discounted home, auto and pet insurance; discounted cell phone plans
• Discounted new car purchases and auto maintenance
• Employee outings to carnivals, amusement parks, wine tours & more
• Bagel Thursdays, cupcake trucks and random acts of ice cream

A celebratory luncheon will be held to honor "Best Places to Work" award winners on Friday, December 2nd at the Hilton Garden Inn Troy. The top companies will also be profiled in a special supplement of the Albany Business Review be issued on the same date.

For information on career opportunities with Auto/Mate, contact David Druzynski at (877) 340-2677 or visit http://www.automate.com/careers

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

You've probably heard the term "Doing good is good for business." Many studies support this statement. Companies that become involved in their communities and support good causes enjoy tangible benefits, including:

• Increased employee engagement, morale and retention
• Positive impact on employee recruitment
• Positive corporate branding
• 82% of consumers--Moms and Millennials in particular--consider social responsibility when deciding where to shop

Most dealerships do support local and charitable causes. But not all dealerships have a high employee participation rate. Getting your employees involved is critical if you want to create a positive team culture. And, the more of your employees that are out in the community representing your brand, the higher your brand recognition will be.

At Auto/Mate, employee volunteerism is promoted and encouraged. We don't make it obligatory but we do make it easy. The results speak for themselves: I believe that our community involvement programs are one of the top three reasons why employees want to work here, and one of the reasons why we have been voted a 'Top Workplace' and 'Best Place to Work' for so many years.

However, just hoping your employees become involved doesn't automatically make it happen. What does make it happen is a sustained and coordinated effort by senior managers. Here are some tips to increase employee volunteerism in your dealership:

Let Your Employees Choose the Cause

Sometimes a dealership principal or manager will choose one or two causes that are dear to their heart and those are what they support, year after year. Nothing wrong with that, except that employees aren't getting much say into how they are spending their time and effort.

Encourage employees to select and participate in a cause, charity, event or fundraiser. If an employee loses a family member to Alzheimer's, suggest they organize a team for Walk to End Alzheimer's. If an employee loves animals, let them choose a pet shelter or rescue group to help. Employees who have a personal stake in a cause will be motivated to rally their co-workers, further increasing involvement.

Put a Manager in Charge

Any employee may choose a cause, but a manager should be in charge of every team. Managers tend to have management skills that will make the event go smoothly. Managers know how to delegate. And having someone in a position of authority actively involved in the event increases employee involvement. An employee may not think twice about blowing off an obligation to a co-worker, but they might think twice about doing that to a manager.

Mix It Up

Events and fundraisers are a great way to promote and foster a sense of teamwork in your organization. When putting together a team for an event, include members from different departments of your dealership. Don't let the same groups of friends or people who work together all day always be in the same group. This is another reason why a manager should be in charge; so the employees will respect the manager's organization of teams.

Give Employees Paid Volunteer Days

From an employee's perspective, having paid time off to volunteer is a big perk. If you really want to increase employee participation rate in community causes, this is one of the most effective things you can do.

Match Dollars Donated by Employees

Another way to rally the troops in terms of involvement is to match employee donations, dollar for dollar.

Make it Fun

One of the ways we get employees enthused at Auto/Mate is to make t-shirts for specific events. This helps to boost team pride and depending on the design, is always something that can pique interest or generate a few laughs. Be creative and brainstorm ways to make the cause fun for your volunteer team.

Recognize Employees Who Volunteer

It's important to recognize employees who volunteer their time. It can be in the form of an award or small gift certificate; just something that lets them know their time is appreciated. Recognition of this type also has a positive impact on employee participation rates.

There are scores of good causes, charities and events to participate in. Try raising teams for sporting events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure®, Walk to End Alzheimer's or the Tour de Cure for Diabetes. Organize volunteer teams for worthy charities and organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House, your local humane society, food shelters or Meals on Wheels.

Your help is needed. Getting your dealership's employees involved is a win-win situation for everyone: the employees, the cause itself and your dealership brand.

Albany, N.Y. – October 10th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced today that its dealership management system (DMS) is fully integrated with Singlethread, an industry-leading service department text-message platform. Auto/Mate's auto dealer customers now have the option to implement Singlethread's messaging tool to communicate with service customers and have all records saved in each contact in the DMS.

"Many customers prefer to communicate via text so when a dealership makes that effort it has a tremendous impact on customer satisfaction," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate. "Additionally Singlethread speeds up the process for approving estimated repairs and even has a system to measure customer satisfaction."

"Integrating with Auto/Mate's Fixed Ops Suite was quick and inexpensive, which we really appreciate as keeping integration costs low allows us to keep our costs low for dealers," said Patrick Southward, Co-Founder of Singlethread.

According to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, 37% of Gen X, 38% of Gen Y and 22% of Baby Boomers prefer to receive service updates via text message or email. Yet only 2% of all dealership customers currently receive service updates via text message or email.

Singlethread helps dealers communicate the way their customers prefer, eliminating phone calls and voice mail tag that lead to frustrated customers. Singlethread's multi-media messaging platform allows service advisors to text MPIs, photos and videos to customers, increasing transparency and boosting RO approval rates. Singlethread is fully compliant with text messaging regulations and enables secure mobile payments.

Auto/Mate's Fixed Ops Suite is a full-featured solution that offers the following benefits to auto dealership service departments:

• One-screen access allows all service merchandising functions to be accessed within one screen via user-friendly pull-down menus and buttons
• Automated dispatch and electronic RO capabilities enable hands-free, customized and flexible dispatching
• Graphics-rich calendar allows service managers to view color-coded appointments on a daily, weekly or monthly basis "at-a-glance"
• Instant merge feature that merges duplicate customer information with a single click of a button
• "OEM Button" to access manufacturers’ online information at any time within Auto/Mate's DMS

Auto/Mate offers low-cost, seamless integration for third-party vendors with its Open/Mate program. Auto/Mate is an advocate of open standards integration as a way to increase competition, lower prices and improve the quality of products offered by all vendors.

Auto/Mate's DMS is an industry-leading solution designed for single and group franchise dealerships, proven to increase efficiencies and boost dealer profits. For more information visit www.automate.com or call 877-340-2677.

About Singlethread

Singlethread is the pioneer in next-generation customer engagement. Founded by industry veterans, Singlethread was built in-dealership, not by an isolated software development team. Its foundation is built on delivering both what the customer and the dealership need to create a great service experience. With proven successes in customer satisfaction improvement, Singlethread is helping dealerships nationwide service more vehicles, sell more services per RO, and retain customers. For more information, visit www.singlethread.com

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

Albany, N.Y. – September 27th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced today that its National Customer User Summit was its largest yet, spanning two full days and offering many new events, classes and workshops for the auto dealership employees and managers who attended. This year's User Summit was held September 19-21, 2016 at the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center.

"The energy and feedback from everyone at this event was amazing," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate. "One of my favorite sessions was the presentation from our DEV team. Our customers could not believe they were actually talking to the people who develop the software and that those people were listening to them and taking notes. All of our employees who worked so hard to make this event happen are absolute rock stars."

Auto dealership employees and managers from all over the United States attended the User Summit. Previous User Summits were smaller, regional events but for Auto/Mate's first National User Summit the event was extended to two full business days plus a half-day check-in and registration.

Auto/Mate offered dozens of classes and presentations for customers to attend, including workshops on new DMS features and break out sessions for individual departments. According to the post-event customer survey, the most popular events were the "Unified Name Database Management," "Applied Accounting Update," Open Accounting Lecture and  "History of Payroll & Its Future." Attendees also enjoyed the User Summit Introduction with Mike Esposito, the Monday happy hour and Tuesday night dinner.

"I am very excited to return to Shenandoah Ford, Buick & GMC to share my knowledge with all my team members," said Angela Burnett, Customer Care Manager with Shenandoah Ford & Shenandoah Buick GMC in Front Royal, VA.

"You have great people, they are the best, just so you know," said Bob Vine, Controller with Valley Sales, Inc. in Apple Valley, MN. "I especially liked the two-day format and the outside speakers that gave us updates on a few topics outside of Auto/Mate software. Have a great year, and see you next year!"

For the first time this year Auto/Mate included industry speakers in the line-up. Fifteen speakers presented on a variety of topics ranging from sales training and digital marketing to information technology (IT) issues and customer loyalty.

Seventeen industry sponsors supported the event, including the following eleven exhibiting sponsors:

• etfile
• CRMSuite
• RouteOne
• DealerSocket
• Innovative Programming Systems (Parts Scan It)
• DealerOps
• CarFax
• myKaarma
• 700Credit
• One-View
• Total Customer Connect

Additional, non-exhibitor sponsors included:

• Traffic Control
• Vantiv
• Halo Branded Solutions
• Miller Printing
• AIB Integrated Dealer Services
• Great America Financial Services

For information on the 2017 National Customer User Summit, send an email to jjoralemon@automate.com or call 877-829-7020 and ask for Jessica Joralemon.

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.

Albany, N.Y. – September 19th, 2016 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced today that its dealership management system (DMS) is fully integrated with QuickScreen from 700Credit, a prescreening tool that allows auto dealers to instantly access customers' credit profiles, right from within their CRM. Auto dealers using Auto/Mate's Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) and 700Credit's consumer credit reporting and compliance products will benefit from the convenience and increased customer satisfaction that the integration offers.

"Having access to a customer's credit information before the deal means the salesperson doesn't have to ask intrusive questions, which increases customer satisfaction," said Mike Esposito, President and CEO of Auto/Mate. "The QuickScreen button is now visible in our CRM and with a simple click, a customer's credit information can be pulled and saved into that record."

"With QuickScreen integrated into Auto/Mate's CRM, salespeople no longer have to jump in and out of applications, which significantly speeds up the sales process," said Ken Hill, Managing Director of 700Credit. "If you're trying to reduce your store's purchase time from four to two hours, or even one hour, a prescreening tool is a must."

With just a name and phone number, QuickScreen performs a soft pull on the customer's credit data. No social security numbers or date-of-birth are required. A soft pull does not register on the customer's credit report as an official credit check, so there is no adverse affect on their score. However, to stay in compliance 700Credit does send the customer a firm offer of credit informing them they have been pre-qualified for a loan.

Auto/Mate's CRM, Customer/Mate, is a comprehensive CRM solution that allows dealers to track prospects, respond to internet and OEM leads, plus create and implement all the follow-up plans needed to connect with customers. Customer/Mate also has CarFax®, AutoCheck®, and NADA Book Out® integrations.

For more information, visit http://www.automate.com or call 877-829-7020.

About 700Credit

700Credit is the automotive industry's leading solution for credit reporting and compliance products and services. Products and services offered include credit reports, OFAC compliance, adverse action, fraud detection, score disclosure, online credit applications and more. 700Credit exists to provide its clients with the highest quality data in the most time efficient manner possible. For more information, visit: www.700credit.com.

About Auto/Mate

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems is a leading provider of dealership management system (DMS) software to retail automotive dealerships, typically saving dealers thousands of dollars per month from their current provider. Our Automotive Management Productivity Suite (AMPS) is a user-friendly, feature-rich DMS in use by more than 1,200 auto dealers nationwide. Auto/Mate has received DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Auto/Mate’s employees have more than 940 years of combined experience working in franchised auto dealerships, the foundation of its “Designed By Car People For Car PeopleTM” slogan. Auto/Mate is committed to winning its customers’ business each and every month with no long-term contracts and free software upgrades. For more information follow us on Twitter @AutoMateDMS and subscribe to our blog at www.automate.com/blog.