[Mitchell Brenner]

As anyone who has ever used Higher Gear knows, it's way behind the times. It's gotten to the point that they don't even return emails or follow through on their promises to. (This is the owner and president). That said, we have, after many years, decided we need to make a change. Has anyone gotten out of a Higher Gear contract early and if yes, how?

[Singer]

Originally Posted by PrecisionAcura

As anyone who has ever used Higher Gear knows, it's way behind the times. It's gotten to the point that they don't even return emails or follow through on their promises to. (This is the owner and president). That said, we have, after many years, decided we need to make a change. Has anyone gotten out of a Higher Gear contract early and if yes, how?

Sir: Depending upon whom you choose to work with in your next CRM, some companies will choose to buy out your Higher Gear contract. Jeff Kershner would dislike the company I would suggest, so I'll leave you with that thought.

[Jeff Kershner]

Originally Posted by Singer

Sir: Depending upon whom you choose to work with in your next CRM, some companies will choose to buy out your Higher Gear contract. Jeff Kershner would dislike the company I would suggest, so I'll leave you with that thought.

Singer, I won't say a word.

But yes...sometimes you can get your future prospected CRM vendor to buy out your old CRM contract though I'm sure they will somehow bake the price in there somewhere.

Higher Gear...ohhh I remember those crazy days. I had NO control over my ILM process using that system. Yes, it had some decent showroom control features and like any CRM, it can help implement a process for follow-up and desking, but I believe here on dealerrefresh, we are past that "any CRM can..." and are now to the point where the actual CRM software can move your process and sales to the next level. IMO there are no more excuses for "average" mundane CRM applications.

I'm sure I'll get yet another phone call from Robert Gruen about this thread asking me to remove it. That was a fun conversation the first time around about this Autobase CRM VS Higher Gear CRM and this iMagicLab or Higher Gear for our CRM? He seemed like a nice guy just looking to protect his business but even after several suggestions on how to deal with the negativity, nothing was followed through with on dealerrefresh.

With that said..im sure there are many dealers using HG with success.

[Alex Snyder]

The right CRM can make enough of a difference to be worth twice the price. If you find the right CRM while you're still with another company, it may be worth just paying the old company and going ahead with the new software anyway.

[Mitchell Brenner]

I appreciate that but convincing the boss is the hard part. I'd take HG and throw it through a window and start with a new company (Yes we do have one picked out) today if it was my decision!

[Singer]

Originally Posted by PrecisionAcura

I appreciate that but convincing the boss is the hard part. I'd take HG and throw it through a window and start with a new company (Yes we do have one picked out) today if it was my decision!

Jeff is right about paying the old contract off and continuing forward - a well- built CRM is an extremely essential part of your dealership, and you can't afford to use something the rest of the staff isn't comfortable with or you don't like to use. If you have another CRM picked out, I'd sell the heck out of it to your boss and get going on it so you can have a successful 2010 with a CRM you and your staff may like much better and get more use out of.

I do have a suggestion for you - if HG is promising you and not delivering, read your contract. There may be a clause in your contract that says you get continuous on-site training. If you're not getting the continuous on-site training, you have breach of contract. That has been occurring at a high number of HG dealers.

[ghen]

Getting out of the HG contract is almost impossible unless you find a CRM company willing to buy you out. The sad hard truth is you're not in a contract, you're repaying a loan to Wells Fargo (or whoever HG sold yours to). That's why its so hard to get out. I'm in the same boat and have done massive amounts of research on the subject.

Higher gear doesn't even have a real opt-out system for Christ sake! How is that even possible in today's world?

But I can't get out of my HG "contract" until it runs out in Feb 2011. Finding a company willing to buy out the contract probably means you'll just get overcharged on your new provider. This might actually be a good thing to get away from HG, but in my case its just too far out for anyone to bite that huge bullet.

So in the meanwhile I've already told HG that when my contract is up I'm leaving unless they can fix <insert everything here> by 2011. I'm a reasonable guy, if they can fix everything before I leave then I'll stay... but what are the odds?

[Mitchell Brenner]

Originally Posted by ghen

Getting out of the HG contract is almost impossible unless you find a CRM company willing to buy you out. The sad hard truth is you're not in a contract, you're repaying a loan to Wells Fargo (or whoever HG sold yours to). That's why its so hard to get out. I'm in the same boat and have done massive amounts of research on the subject.

Higher gear doesn't even have a real opt-out system for Christ sake! How is that even possible in today's world?

But I can't get out of my HG "contract" until it runs out in Feb 2011. Finding a company willing to buy out the contract probably means you'll just get overcharged on your new provider. This might actually be a good thing to get away from HG, but in my case its just too far out for anyone to bite that huge bullet.

So in the meanwhile I've already told HG that when my contract is up I'm leaving unless they can fix <insert everything here> by 2011. I'm a reasonable guy, if they can fix everything before I leave then I'll stay... but what are the odds?

I used Higher Gear eight years ago, then four years ago. I came back to it about four months ago and all the complaints I had from eight years ago are still there so 2011 is pushing it for a solution.

[Mitchell Brenner]

Originally Posted by Singer

Jeff is right about paying the old contract off and continuing forward - a well- built CRM is an extremely essential part of your dealership, and you can't afford to use something the rest of the staff isn't comfortable with or you don't like to use. If you have another CRM picked out, I'd sell the heck out of it to your boss and get going on it so you can have a successful 2010 with a CRM you and your staff may like much better and get more use out of.

I do have a suggestion for you - if HG is promising you and not delivering, read your contract. There may be a clause in your contract that says you get continuous on-site training. If you're not getting the continuous on-site training, you have breach of contract. That has been occurring at a high number of HG dealers.

He's all signed on for it. We just need to get Higher Gear to contact us. That's the hard part!

[ghen]

Originally Posted by PrecisionAcura

I used Higher Gear eight years ago, then four years ago. I came back to it about four months ago and all the complaints I had from eight years ago are still there so 2011 is pushing it for a solution.

LOL! I'm new to the auto industry, but I could have guessed!