Reynolds closes modem access?

[iceman101]

Working on a solution...

Internally... How would I find the IP address of the DMS box using ERA? We have always connected via modem that would take us straight to the dealerships box. If we could set up a VPN type software between us and them how could I find the IP address to connect through ERA client program?

 

[mattwatson81]

It would seem to me that an open architecture would be the most secure and profitable. It would encourage integration and attract end users. This philosophy has already been proven in other segments of the IT world.

Just think if R&R moved groups like STAR and OpenSecureAccess close to their hip and built a programmable DMS how popular and profitable it could be. It would squash ADP and Arkona as a tier 1 sys,

But instead my alternative is I have to answer a question like "What color is the sky?" when I run a 6910 report generator report...

Will ERA still work after the rapture?

I think Arkona (DealerTrack DMS) has done the best job so far. Their integration allows virtually complete access to their database and the costs are very low to the dealer and the vendor both. ADP has also created their own certified interface this year and seems to be doing very well with it.

I don't care if Reynolds and ADP both lock down the modems and access to the system, as long as they allow access to ANY vendor that the dealer wants to have access to their data. The data is the dealer's data! If the dealer wants to use XYZ for some service, the DMS providers should do what their dealer wants and allow the vendor to use their pre-made certified interfaces. The dealer and/or vendor should pay a small fee for the interface as long as it is reasonable.

By opening up the DMS to these integrations it makes the DMS more powerful by allowing to leverage the data to do new things. This is exactly what propelled Twitter to be such a popular service. Most people use Twitter though integrations, not through even going to Twitter.com

 

[mattwatson81]

Working on a solution...

Internally... How would I find the IP address of the DMS box using ERA? We have always connected via modem that would take us straight to the dealerships box. If we could set up a VPN type software between us and them how could I find the IP address to connect through ERA client program?

If you open ERALink in the dealership I believe you will find the address in the title bar or in the menu under terminal/communications or something.

If you don't currently have a solution outside of modems I would recommend contacting Kevin McMillen at Ryantech. They can help you do DMS integration for a very reasonable cost. I wouldn't mess with making one unless you plan on doing hundreds of dealerships.

 

[LarryBruce]

First @Iceman101 - there really isn't a lot of revenue in data integration, in fact there is a great deal of cost involved to support taking data out of thousands of systems across the country and Canada, so let me assure you on our P&L the revenue for this is little more than rounding error. We are not in that for the money. Some dealers somewhere is going to get sued for data that comes from its system and the system provider will be dragged into it. Alex being a dealer as I am you know what I am talking about and if you were sued as a result of data dragged out of your system provided by your DMS you know your attorney would want to enjoin the DMS provider. We have to be proactive to keep that from happening to us or one of our dealers...Iceman101 it is just that simple.

@Alex, I know you're frustration with DMS providers in my stores I went through the same frustration with ADP, that's one of the reasons I am on here.

Alex take it from someone who has been down the DMS development road, its not DMS companies killing a competition here. I still have code for an 80% developed completely web-based DMS on a hard drive here at my house. Two things kill new DMS companies:

1. The OEM AIM's DMS was stopped cold when we started going to OEM's to get DCS communications back in 2004 we were told go get 1000 dealerships then we'll talk, but to get 1000 dealerships we needed DCS communications, you see the dilemma.

2. The very dealers we were trying to help were killing us. I recall one incident we were testing a parts inventory app the function was 2 mouse clicks and a barcode scan. The dealerships parts manager said "that's too hard", "Let me show you how easy i is for me today" he proceeded type about 20 charters then hit the enter key 20 times, he obviously had done this before thousands of times. (The dealer was an investor)

The bottom-line for there to be a new DMS upstart and gain any ground dealers have to understand that it's not going work the same way their R&R or ADP system would, and it's not supposed to.

Those are the 2 major factors why a new DMS has not been able to take a sizeable share in the space not the DMS companies.

Larry Bruce (@pcmguy)

 

[LarryBruce]

I think Arkona (DealerTrack DMS) has done the best job so far. Their integration allows virtually complete access to their database and the costs are very low to the dealer and the vendor both. ADP has also created their own certified interface this year and seems to be doing very well with it.

I don't care if Reynolds and ADP both lock down the modems and access to the system, as long as they allow access to ANY vendor that the dealer wants to have access to their data. The data is the dealer's data! If the dealer wants to use XYZ for some service, the DMS providers should do what their dealer wants and allow the vendor to use their pre-made certified interfaces. The dealer and/or vendor should pay a small fee for the interface as long as it is reasonable.

By opening up the DMS to these integrations it makes the DMS more powerful by allowing to leverage the data to do new things. This is exactly what propelled Twitter to be such a popular service. Most people use Twitter though integrations, not through even going to Twitter.com

Matt first let’s agree that ultimately this is the customers data not the dealers and not the DMS Providers. I think that is the first thing we all should think about when you approach this subject. If a dealership wants to do business with a vendor directly through their R&R system that vendor must me RCI certified, so just get that and there are no issues. If not then the dealer can choose to do this outside the Reynolds System. When doing so dealerships should completely understand the data security and sharing policy of the vendor.

We all need to stop thinking that just because you own the system that gives you the right to do what you will with the customer data contained in it. You should think about how you would want someone to protect your data when you gave it to them and who they should share it with.

 

[iceman101]

If you open ERALink in the dealership I believe you will find the address in the title bar or in the menu under terminal/communications or something.

If you don't currently have a solution outside of modems I would recommend contacting Kevin McMillen at Ryantech. They can help you do DMS integration for a very reasonable cost. I wouldn't mess with making one unless you plan on doing hundreds of dealerships.

Matt,

Thanks for you help on this. Does all Reynolds and Reynolds clients use the Eralink interface? This would mean the Ip address would be found in the same places for all dealerships? I am trying to find an easy way to have dealerships locate the correct IP address of the Reynolds box so after a successful VPN type connection we could telnet to their box. Any other ideas out there?

 

[iceman101]

Matt first let’s agree that ultimately this is the customers data not the dealers and not the DMS Providers. I think that is the first thing we all should think about when you approach this subject. If a dealership wants to do business with a vendor directly through their R&R system that vendor must me RCI certified, so just get that and there are no issues. If not then the dealer can choose to do this outside the Reynolds System. When doing so dealerships should completely understand the data security and sharing policy of the vendor.

We all need to stop thinking that just because you own the system that gives you the right to do what you will with the customer data contained in it. You should think about how you would want someone to protect your data when you gave it to them and who they should share it with.

I don't think there would be an issue with being certified through reynolds. I think the issue is time. Our company was just notified 2 weeks ago about the update. We contacted Reynolds and Reynolds and they told us there would be absolutely no way to be certified by the January 4th date. If we fell in this category then I am sure there are a lot of others including Reynolds clients scrambling to find solutions to this change. Spending valuable time and money. If Reynolds truly did this for security reasons only and not to gain any control of the data then they should have been more open to dealerships & vendors giving the adequate time to become certified or find alternate solutions. Ultimately I think they are going to lose business because the way they conducted this update.

 

[LarryBruce]

I don't think there would be an issue with being certified through reynolds. I think the issue is time. Our company was just notified 2 weeks ago about the update. We contacted Reynolds and Reynolds and they told us there would be absolutely no way to be certified by the January 4th date. If we fell in this category then I am sure there are a lot of others including Reynolds clients scrambling to find solutions to this change. Spending valuable time and money. If Reynolds truly did this for security reasons only and not to gain any control of the data then they should have been more open to dealerships & vendors giving the adequate time to become certified or find alternate solutions. Ultimately I think they are going to lose business because the way they conducted this update.

I agree, I would have liked to see us give a bit more notice but it wouldn't have mattered there is no way to get everyone certified no matter how much notice you give and not everyone should be certified. We are working as fast as we can through all the applications but ultimately we have to work on the most critical data integrations first, those accounting and OEM interfaces that keep the dealership running.

Send me your company information I will see what I can do and where you are in the application process. These things just take time.

 

[iceman101]

I agree, I would have liked to see us give a bit more notice but it wouldn't have mattered there is no way to get everyone certified no matter how much notice you give and not everyone should be certified. We are working as fast as we can through all the applications but ultimately we have to work on the most critical data integrations first, those accounting and OEM interfaces that keep the dealership running.

Send me your company information I will see what I can do and where you are in the application process. These things just take time.

This would be very generous of you. Could you please get me an email address to send you what you need. I would really like it if I didn't have to post our info for everyone to see.

 

[iceman101]

Larry Bruce,

Did you get my companies info? Is there anyway to help us out?