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SLANTS & TRENDS—NEW PRODUCTS AND INFORMATION
SAFETY, POLLUTION PREVENTION ADDED TO AYES CURRICULUM
February 2, 2004—AYES (Automotive Youth Educational Systems)
is now incorporating the Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair’s
(CCAR) S/P2 online training into its curriculum to ensure student techs
become aware of safety and pollution prevention. The training program
(available at www.sp2.org) is free to schools. (Dealers also may buy the
program on a per-store basis for $299/year.) It is continually updated
with state and federal legal and regulatory changes, and satisfies EPA’s
requirement that techs be certified annually in safety and prevention
pollution. Auto techs have typically not been well trained in preventing
injuries or being good stewards of environmental resources, Lirel Holt,
CCAR chairman, said today. With incorporation by AYES, any instructor
will be able to register online for the program, and teach the subjects
in class or have students work via the Internet. AYES president and CEO
Larry Cummings said students who obtain safety/pollution prevention certification
will become “more valuable employees.”
VOLKSWAGEN SELECTS CYCLONE FOR B2B NETWORKING
February 2, 2004—Volkswagen of America has selected Cyclone
Commerce, Inc., as the B2B gateway to power its new real-time
dealer and supplier network using ebXML, the electronic business
version of XML by
launching the first STAR (Standards for Technology in Automotive
Retailing) dealer. Cyclone provides the messaging management
framework for ebXML,
Web services, and other business protocols. Moving to a consolidated
B2B gateway gives VW a platform for real-time communication
with dealers, including diagnosis of mechanical, financial, and warranty
issues. Many
dealers who rely on up to as many as five systems can now consolidate
on a single B2B gateway, allowing them greater control of information.
VW is the first major manufacturer to move to the STAR standard,
and the first to utilize Cyclone as the integration vendor.
CALLCOMMAND INTROS COMMUNITY SAFE PROGRAM
February 2, 2004—CallCommand, the Cincinnati-based company
that lets dealers prerecord and personalize calls to customers,
is now offering a new program to boost dealers’ community visibility
and improve their image. With Community Safe, CallCommand
and select dealers in Ohio, New York, and California will
split the cost of enabling
municipalities or school districts to use CallCommand’s technology
to alert residents to such things as inclement weather school
closings or emergencies. Dealerships would serve as sponsors
of the message,
with tags that say something like “This alert was brought to you
by ABC Motors.” Grammy Award winner M.C. Hammer, who’s helping
to launch the product, calls it one component of “compassionate
capitalism.” Besides
the new program, CallCommand has seen a spike in interest
in its compliance programs, including CallScan, which helps
with do-not-call requirements,
and Office of Foreign Assets Control terrorist list checks.
DEALERTRACK KEEPS TRACK OF F&I STAFF
February 2, 2004—DealerTrack now offers a real-time activity
reporting feature so dealers can monitor who’s currently using
the F&I system, how many credit applications each staffer has submitted
(and to which lenders), and the status of individual deals. The dealer
can also tell which lenders approve the most deals, and how many of
the store’s customers have high or low credit ratings. DealerTrack
is giving all of its customers a free, 30-day trial period of the program.
ROTARY LIFT TAKES TECHNOLOGY TO NEW HEIGHTS
February 2, 2004—Rotary Lift will soon market lifts equipped
with wireless computer tablets that monitor the equipment’s condition
and relay the info via the Internet so the company can tell when the
lift needs routine maintenance or has an imminent problem. Rotary Lift
can then send a technician to make repairs before the dealership tech
even realizes there’s a problem. The computer tablets can also
network with OEMs’ Web sites so techs can access repair information
right at their bays. When jobs are finished, techs can enter that info
into the dealership’s DMS via the tablet.
POLK ADDS USED CARS TO MARKET TREND REPORT
February 2, 2004—R.L. Polk & Co. has added
used cars to its Cross Sell Report, designed to help dealers
track competitors’ used-car sales and analyze local
used-car sales trends. Using state registration data, the
report offers information by segment, make, model, and zip
code. In 24 states (those where it’s legal), the report
tells where competing dealers rank in sales and market share.
The cost is less than $50 a month.
NADAGUIDES.COM OFFERS EXPERIAN’S VEHICLE HISTORY REPORTS
February 2, 2004—Visitors to NADAguides.com
will now be able to call up vehicle history reports provided
by Experian Automotive. Shoppers can buy either a single
report for a specific vehicle ($19.95) or an unlimited number
of reports for 60 days ($24.99). Consumers can also buy a
vehicle title insurance policy, which insures the conveyance
of the title for up to $50,000 of the vehicle’s retail
value.
MARITZ GIVES THE SCOOP ON F&I COMPLIANCE
February 2, 2004—Maritz Research, St. Louis,
now offers a mystery-shopping program to gauge F&I compliance.
Shoppers are trained to recognize and understand key forms,
including different versions of F&I menus, to know whether
F&I staffers are following required disclosures and other
types of requirements. Dealers who sign up for the service
get an Operational Integrity Report, analyzing administrative
and procedural compliance; disclosures; and F&I sales
effectiveness and efficiency. Plus a “hot alert” feature
tells dealers whether a situation needs immediate rectification
before the same thing is repeated with a real customer.
CARFAX ADDS BUY-BACK GUARANTEE, HISTORY NARRATIVE
February 2, 2004—Starting next month, Carfax,
the vehicle history report company, will offer a guarantee
ensuring the company will buy back any vehicle with a severe
problem reported to a department of motor vehicles but not
included in the Carfax report. Each report will also include
Talking Car, an overview of the vehicle’s history.
It outlines details such as past ownership; total-loss events
like major accidents or fire or flood damage reported to
a department of motor vehicles; minor accidents; odometer
problems; and mileage history.
MICROVISION BRINGS SPACE AGE TECHNOLOGY TO THE BACK SHOP
February 2, 2004—Microvision today announced
the launch of the Nomad Expert Technician System, which utilizes
both wireless computer technology and heads-up displays (HUD)
directly in front of the service technician in the latest
application of laser based optical imaging. Mounted on a
baseball cap or visor, Nomad lets techs superimpose text
and diagrams from electronic service manuals directly over
their work space so that they can perform diagnostic and
repair work faster and more accurately. The system uses a
fully integrated wireless to easily connect to an existing
computer terminal or remote server to access automakers’ Web-based
service content. User controls on a belt-mounted module allow
for input and navigation. Microvision estimates an 18 to
20 percent time efficiency gain, with work time cut by as
much as 40 percent on many service tasks. (Similar ocular
HUD devises are being used in both medical and military applications.)
CASTROL OFFERS TWO NEW LOYALTY PLANS
February 2, 2004—Castrol, a major supplier
of oil to dealerships, has two new programs to enhance customer
loyalty and customer satisfaction. Consumers using its Syntec
Blend get a $5.00 rebate (in the form of a check) on any
oil change at the same dealership. Castrol says the program
not only offers customers a way to protect their investment
but also reaps customer loyalty and boosts gross margin on
every oil change. A second program is called Punch-A-Key
Tags, a joint project of Castrol and Dealer Concepts: Highly
durable, custom-designed key tags lock a continuous customer
retention program right on the consumers’ key chain,
offering plans for discount and free oil changes and other
dealership offers. Castrol also has a free “test drive” of
the program for new-car dealers who buy more than 3,000 gallons
of Castrol motor oil annually, excluding retail purchases.
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