Getting the Best Auto Dealership Inventory Management Software
You know the value of curb appeal; it’s why your cars are waxed to the point that you can’t look at them without sunglasses. But as important as your physical inventory is, your online inventory is where the real battle for customers is taking place.
That’s why it’s so critical to have a great auto dealership inventory management system in place. Dealership inventory management software is what helps your customers navigate and engage with your vehicles when no salesperson is around to help them.
If you’re not already aware of the statistics, about half of car purchases begin online. Without well managed, up-to-date online vehicle inventory, you could be losing customers before they have the chance to fill out a lead form or engage with your digital retailing platform.
But the result is only part of the story. Good inventory management software should not only make your dealership pop online, but it should also make it easy to achieve the results you’re seeking.
Here are the basic features you should look for when choosing your dealership inventory management software:
1. Intuitive User Interface
The most insidious way that software can fail you is by offering great results by way of a convoluted and difficult process. After a few weeks or months of struggling with unintuitive, vexing interfaces, you’re likely to give up and start letting things fall apart.
Even if you keep vigilant, bad interfaces encourage user error, so you’re more likely to make mistakes. On top of all that, bad software eats your time and distracts from other priorities. Make sure that the software is easy and efficient to use; after all, the most expensive software is the kind that you never use because it’s too complicated.
2. Group-Level Management
Have more than one rooftop to worry about? That shouldn’t be a problem. Most leading automotive inventory software consolidates the management of multiple locations so that you can handle it all from one place.
This is critical not only for making the most of your time, but also for maintaining consistent adherence to your pricing and inventory management strategies across all your rooftops. Inventory management is always part of a larger strategy, so make it easy to align all the pieces.
3. CRM & Data Integration
Many dealership inventory management solutions are developed by a CRM provider, which means that certain integrations may be easier than others. Regardless, a good inventory management solution should work seamlessly with any CRM or data source want to use.
This goes back to the need for an intuitive, easy-to-use interface. If you have to spend all your free time chasing down tech support or navigating complex procedures necessary to keep your CRM, data provider, and inventory management system on the same page, then you need a better option. Save yourself the headache by asking about CRM integration before you buy.
4. Workflow Automation
In case you haven’t noticed yet, we think your time is valuable. The more you can get done in a day, the better; why not get things done without actually doing them?
That’s the value of workflow automation. More sophisticated auto inventory management systems can automate many routine processes and workflows so that you can work on more important or pressing issues.
5. Digital Retailing Integration
As with CRM and data sources, you’ll want to choose inventory management software that integrates seamlessly with your digital retailing solution. Precisely maintaining your online inventory is step number one, but once you’ve effectively catalogued it all for online and in-store use, you need to bridge that digital to physical gap.
A great digital retailing platform makes it easier to turn your static inventory into configurable items, allowing customers to engage in a new way and begin navigating the purchase from wherever the internet is. Simply by implementing digital retailing at your dealership, you can extract more additional value from your inventory (and inventory management software) than you ever thought possible.
Since 2011, Motoinsight has been working with dealerships and OEMs to realize a new vision for the automotive industry through our leading solutions including MotoCommerce. If you’re ready to find out how your dealership can thrive in the digital future, visit
motoinsight.com. Let’s redefine automotive retail, together.
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