As everyone’s favorite 1980’s teenage school skipper once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” If you’re old enough to remember that quote or you first watched the movie while wearing stonewashed jeans and a Members Only jacket, you understand the meaning behind the message. That is, time doesn’t wait around for you to enjoy the pleasures of life. And, if you don’t take advantage of the time available to you, time will take advantage of you.
So, what does all this have to do with your dealership? Well, this same lesson can be applied to your business’ technology. In other words, if you’ve been waiting for the right time to take advantage of available technology, there’s a good chance your technology is already taking advantage of you.
Why update your technology now?
The New Year is the perfect time to implement updated technology at your dealership. Just as you were finally getting around to last year’s good intentions, it’s time to resolve to bring your business into the modern age in 2018, if for no other reason than it can improve your bottom line.
You’ve heard the old adage: you have to spend money to make money. This is especially true with technology, only you’ll be surprised at how much money you will save in the long run. Modern technology can improve customer communication, expectations, and relationships; improve employee morale and efficiency; and work to grow your business during a time of extreme change in the auto industry.
Learn more by downloading our free guide, A DMS for the Digital Age.
How do you update your technology?
If technology requires an upfront investment in order to pay larger dividends down the road, there’s perhaps no better investment than your time spent doing a little research to get things right. Don’t just blindly accept the first product you come across as the end-all, be-all of technology. Take some time to look around and make sure you’re not missing out on any of the benefits a modern technology can offer. Here are a few hints to get you started in the right direction.
1. Intuitive Interface – You’ll know you’re on the right technology track when the DMS has a modern, clean-looking, and intuitive interface. Maybe the best thing about modern technology is that fumbling around with difficult, obtuse menus and systems just to perform a simple task is a relic of the past. Look for a DMS that is comprehensive in its capabilities, yet simple and easy enough for anyone to use.
2. Service and Support – Next, make sure you partner with a tech provider that can give you all the benefits of a modern DMS (anytime, anywhere access to your information and open vendor integration, for example) and one that can offer second-to-none service and support. If you’re prospective tech provider wants to sell you something and send you packing to figure things out on your own, there’s a good chance you’re looking in the wrong place.
3. Frequent Updates – Closely connected to service and support, make sure your new tech partner is committed to providing frequent updates. There’s a reason everyone refers to your current DMS as a legacy system – it’s stuck in the past. Your old provider got complacent. And, if there are two qualities that simply cannot coexist in the modern age, it’s laziness and technology. After all, you’re committed to making improvements at your dealership; you should demand the same of your tech provider.
Conclusion
Face it. Technology moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around, you might miss all the benefits of a modern DMS. As everyone’s favorite 1980’s hypochondriac/best friend since the fifth grade once said, it’s time to take a stand. Take a stand against your current technology, and give your legacy DMS the proverbial day off.
If you’re ready to bring your dealership into the modern age, click here to learn more about the Dealertrack DMS install process for implementing a modern DMS at your dealership.
