Dealership Management System: What Is It And Why You Need A DMS Extension
A dealer management system (DMS) is a crucial tool for dealerships. A DMS is a software platform designed specifically for the automotive industry, car dealerships, and large equipment manufacturers. This software is a bundle of information systems that helps businesses easily manage sales, service, parts, inventory, HR, payroll, and more.
Before the introduction of the DMS, the automotive industry utilized a number of different platforms that required separate logins and access points. You can imagine how time-consuming and cumbersome this process was. And with rapid changes in technology and consumer behaviour, a solution was needed to improve data management. A DMS pulls these different platforms into one accessible system.
Common DMS features
The features of a DMS vary with each developer and can depend on the unique needs of the business. Like all software platforms, each dealer management system is different. There are simple dealer management systems available with only the core features and there are more robust and sophisticated systems with advanced features.
Some of the common core features include:
- Customer management capabilities, including tracking existing customers, leads, and past customers
- Electronic scheduling of service appointments
- Vehicle inventory management
- Parts inventory management
- Extensive reporting capabilities
- Dashboard view of activities
- Ability to pull credit reports, vehicle history reports, and service history reports
While a DMS may have all the bells, whistles, and robust features, most dealerships continue to experience bottlenecks, unproductive labour hours, wasted time, and missed sales opportunities with their current system. This is because most – if not all – DMS available in the market today lack integration and the ability for seamless communication between departments.
Data management for dealerships is critical, but data without the integration of people, process, and communication falls flat and can lead to time-consuming and costly issues within the company.
How a DMS extension can support your current system
At Worflow 360°, we believe there is always a more efficient way of doing things in the automotive industry. Our DMS extension enhances a dealership’s current DMS by fine-tuning the communication process between departments and with customers. Our software supports each department by simplifying communication and processes that keeps work moving forward through the pipeline.
- Service Center – Managers can track where the vehicle is in the service process with real-time reporting. Two-way communication with customers allow for faster approvals and the ability to pause a task helps keep jobs moving in the service bay.
- Parts Department – Allows for streamlined communication between the service department and the parts department in a single dashboard, which reduces downtime and improves the accuracy of reporting on available parts, prices, and order times.
- Customer Service – When internal communication between departments and team members is clear and streamlined, processes naturally improve and become more efficient. This translates to a better overall experience for the customer, which increases retention and can bring in more business.
Final thoughts
Car dealerships are operating in an ever-evolving landscape with the latest technology, greater innovation, and new ways that customers shop and communicate. The software that dealership use must keep up. A DMS extension that evolves with the time is a simple and cost-effective yet powerful solution. There is no need to migrate data and switch to a new system, which is a big investment for any business.
Book a demo today and see how Workflow 360° can enhance your current system.
