Snapshot survey from eLEND Solutions show dealers looking for workflow improvements between website tools and core platforms which, majority say, could raise efficiency and customer experience by 20+%; Credit Apps top list of tools needing better platform integration

Foothill Ranch, Calif. – January 21, 2025 – The majority of auto dealerships are experiencing data gaps between the core systems that run their dealerships – customer relationship management, dealer management and finance management systems – with the vast majority saying that better quality integrations and workflows between website tools and core platforms could improve efficiencies at the dealership by at least 20%, according to a new snapshot survey from eLEND Solutions. Not surprisingly, the majority see room for improvement in the quality of the API integrations between their dealerships’ website tools and their core platforms. While the survey revealed dealerships are experiencing integration challenges that impact sales processes, the majority agreed that there is a direct correlation between sales processes and profits, underscoring the need for better integrations.

“We were astonished that so many dealerships are suffering from significant data lapses between the three major information systems - lead generation, customer management and finance - that their dealerships run on; after all, dealers cannot sell a car without each of the components these systems provide,” said Pete MacInnis, founder and CEO, eLEND Solutions. “The good news is that dealers are increasingly acknowledging the serious challenges presented by a lack of integration between website tools and their core platforms and the degree to which efficiency, the customer experience and sales process could be improved with better workflows.”

The snapshot survey, which was fielded online by eLEND Solutions among US auto dealers in November – December 2024, found that dealerships ranked data accessibility as the biggest challenge to improving the quality of API integrations between their website tools and core platforms, closely followed by data discrepancies and broken and missing workflows. The survey also revealed that Credit Apps were the number one tool that dealers felt needed better integration into their dealerships processes, followed by calculator tools, trade-in tools and the overall Digital Retailing platform.

“Once auto dealers are able to stop viewing online credit apps, and other customer-facing website tools, as simply lead gen opportunities, and start viewing them as an integral part of the sales process, the silos that exist in the sales and finance process will disappear, eliminating the customer friction they cause,” continued MacInnis. “But to do this, auto dealers need solutions that exist in the middle, connecting in-store and online processes, which is precisely the mission of eLEND’s middleware platform.

Key Survey Findings:

-56% of auto dealers surveyed encounter information gaps or discrepancies between their CRM, DMS and FMS over one quarter of the time, with 47% encountering gaps 25 to 50% of the time, and 9% experiencing it over 50% of the time.

-95% said that better quality integrations and workflows between their website tools and core platforms would improve efficiencies and buying experiences at their dealerships.

·        Of those, 83% said that better integrations would improve efficiencies and the buying experience by over 20%, with 31% saying by 30% or more.

-67% of auto dealer respondents say the quality of API integrations between their website tools and core platforms could be improved;

·        Of those, the number one challenge to integration improvement cited was Data Accessibility (delayed data synching, access restrictions across teams, etc.), with Data Discrepancies (incomplete data transfer, data formatting differences, duplicate records, etc.) and Broken/Missing Integrations and Workflows tied for second.

-Credit Apps were cited as the number one website third party tool that dealers (50%) felt needed better integration into their dealership’s processes.

- 96% agreed that “Profits are determined by sales and sales are determined by my sales process,” with 55% strongly agreeing.

About eLEND Solutions

eLEND Solutions™ (formerly DealerCentric®), is an automotive FinTech company providing a vendor neutral, API-based middleware solution for true end-to-end connected retailing. Our solution bridges the gap between shopping and buying - delivering transactable, lender matched payment options and funding scenarios at the point-of-sale, online and in-store. 

For more information, please visit www.elendsolutions.com.

Contact Media Relations:

Angela Jacobson, mWEBB Communications, (714) 454-8776, angela(at)mwebbcom(dot)com

Crystal Hartwell, mWEBB Communications, (714) 987-1016, crystal(at)mwebbcom(dot)com