Hello,

I'm brand new to this industry. I'm currently trying to obtain a dealers license in CA and I need some help.

To my understanding, in order to sell new/used cars in CA, you have to have a office location zoned to sell cars. I don't have the financing to lease a location just yet. I plan to eventually open a location of my own but would like to get my feet wet and sell a few cars. How can I do this? Any comments/suggestions?

One more suggestion. How would you like to have a system that was built from the ground up on one platform, which includes your ILM/CRM/Inventory/web Site/Digital Marketing etc. No fragmented data bases, everything talks to each other seamlessly. This system was created in the Tonkin Auto Group (18 Roof Top group) organization several years ago. No other company has built their entire solutions on one platform. Most companies develop an ILM or CRM or web sites, but not everything from the ground up………It’s worth taking a look at.

Scott, Check w/ Icar again on the pricing. I think the $2000 includes alot more than the CRM.

I use iCars ILM and find it user friendly. I would like to move to the CRM, but when I started using them a year ago they quoted me one price which has now went up by $800 per month. I would love a better customer service experience (maybe even someone to follow up with me from time to time to be sure I am using the product efficiently - I would do this if I wanted better customer retention - it's cheaper and easier to keep a customer than to get a new one).

I hate the fact that vendors choose to go up so high in price because they think there are no alternatives. $4000 for Autotrader, $400-1200 for a website, and now $2000 per month for a CRM!!!!! I have a hard enough time getting money from the boss as it is. It tells me that there is really nobody who really cares about us as a customer. Just the old dollar. Wouldn't the dollar simply follow after the service?

Bottom line (to me anyways)! Quit looking at pricing in relation to how much money we should make using your tool. And look at the amount you charge in real life. 5 house payments to put my cars on Autotrader (punished by Autotrader w/position when I choose to pay them only 2 house payments), 2 house payments for a CRM...it goes on and on.

That's my 2 cents. There! I guess I feel better now.

iMagicLabs is simply the best. I have used several ILMs over the past 10 years and iCarConnect is the gold standard. Not only is the application the best, their support is top notch and they actually listen to dealer feedback and implement suggestions that make sense.

Joe Turner
Internet Director
Oxmoor Auto Group

We are a current iMagicLabs ILM user - have been for about 2 years now. Before that we used WebControl. In our showrooms we have been through (in chronological order since 1999) AutoTown, DealerTrak, AutoBase, and are currently using ADP CRM. We've also used AutoMark/Reynolds & Reynolds, CoBalt, and Traver Technologies/ADP's CRM tools through our OEM's.....along with some others that come with web hosting.

WebControl was great before it was sold to the current owner, and remains a decent ILM - it just isn't what it used to be. The other CRM's I've mentioned are not the best solution for ILM. They serve their intended purpose: showroom traffic control and management, but none were written with the Internet department in mind first. iMagicLabs was originally an ILM and retains all the great features an ILM gives while offering a very decent CRM (from what I've seen in demos). I would love to see my company use their full CRM, WebDesking, and Inventory control products.

Imagiclab CRM / ILM is the best in the industry, bar none! I have been selling cars online since 1995 and used or been exposed to all the ILM/CRM tools in the industry and none of them can hold a candle to imagiclab’s CRM / ILM. Moreover, its functionality and intuitiveness make it easy to use and that means car deals.
Picking imagiclab’s CRM / ILM is sincerely a no-brainer. If you pick another tool then you are really putting yourself one step behind your competition, because if they are smart, they are using imagiclab’s CRM / ILM as well.

Gilbert A. Chavez
Phil Long Dealerships
E-Marketing Director

I have been in the Automotive Industry for 25 years, the last 10 as an Internet Director / Consultant. I was probably one of the 1st 10 customers for Icar. I have used several different CRM's over the years. Right to the point....There is no better program than Icar. I do work for several dealerships & it is always just a matter of time before I convert them. I would recommend them very highly. You will be very satisfied with the program & support.

Sande Caplin, Internet Consultant

What can I say about iMagicLab? This is my third year using their products, and I couldn't be happier.

I first began using iMagic while working as an Internet Manager for Beaman Automotive. Prior to that point we had been using a very dated ILM that looked like something out of Windows 3.1. Our shift to the iMagic ILM (and then later, the full CRM) was one of the best decisions our company ever made. Excellent customer service, competitive pricing, simple yet effective tools, increased productivity, advanced reporting, easy integration, we couldn't ask for more. As one of the previous posts suggests, we were able to integrate the iMagicLab CRM with Universal Computer Systems, and as anyone who has ever used UCS can attest, that's nearly impossible. In the end, our company consistently produced 120+ Internet Sales every month, and iMagicLab was essential to that success.

After leaving Beaman Automotive to take the Internet Director position at Stan McNabb Automotive, it was my chance to choose. I took bids from various CRM providers, but mostly just to go through the motions for pricing comparison purposes to present to management. We chose iMagic for both our CRM and website needs. We use three separate computer systems within our organization (two versions of ADP and one Reynolds and Reynolds system). iMagicLab integrates perfectly with all three.

I could go on and on, but the most imporant thing is this: the software does everything I need it to do without ever going down. What more could I ask...?

I have been a fan..I mean I have used iMagic labs for the past two years and couldn’t be happier. Not only has the CRM been able to accomplish whatever I needed it too, they have stayed ahead of the curve by offering continued upgrades that actually help you to sell more cars. Other CRMs add functionality just to add functionality, not to help you sell more cars.

Recently I went from managing my own BDC to working for a national company that trains BDC's across the country. I have seen a number of CRM's and yet to see any that could compare to what iMagic has to offer. I have recommended iMagic time and time again, only to have the dealers thank me for letting them in on the secret.

I do not work for iMagic or get any sort of kick back for recommending them; I do so because I know by doing so those that I do recommend them too will be better prepared to sell more cars.

Recently I spoke with a salesperson at HigherGear that called on me at the dealership I worked for. He knew that I was with iMagic and told me that his CRM wasn't better, but wanted me instead to take a look at his inventory management tool. After looking that over I did ask him about their CRM just out of curiosity and saw it to be good but not iMagic great.

I will conclude this with what I feel makes iMagic Labs truly phenomenal and that is their tech support. Each and every one of the guys in tech support is friendly, knowledgeable, and knows what great customer support is. Go with iMagic, you will thank me.

I'm using imagiclab CRM, ILM, Inventory Manager and website. There are many things I love about the integration of all the tools. Our DMS is UCS. Nothing is more difficult to work with than UCS. It is working well with Imagiclab. Imagiclab uses HomeNet to draw our inventory from UCS, post it to our site and post it to the third party sites. The one thing which stands out to me is the quick response I'm getting from Imagiclab support and HomeNet Support when the system has a hickup. All in all, I'd rate my satisfaction as a B+.

Jeff

Your right what was up with selling shares and the web site! I attend both and spoke this year as a one-man-internet department. All and all I think being able to network with peers makes it worth the time and money, I heard a rumor there was a little talk of a dealer 20 style start up. That would be a great addition to be able to sit down with 10 –20 people in similar situations and bounce idea’s around. The first year the lunch tables were set with topics for discussions, I thought that worked well for a hour with a mouth full of food, you cant get much in. Ill go every year to try to stay on top of things.

I had to miss the first year due to some scheduling issues, but was able to make it this year. Overall I thought things went well. The class schedule didn't leave me feeling like I had missed anything too important, and it was nice having the vendors in their own section. The accommodations in the hotel were decent as well.

Only things I would like to see different for future conferences:

1. If a conference is in a major city, find a place that is closer to the downtown area.
2. Provide more for the advanced dealers. I think someone mentioned earlier that a few of the classes were redundant. Much of what I heard, I have heard many times before. I was hoping for a little more.

I would attend again though.

The 2nd Annual AAISP Conference was phenomenal. It is the one place where “WE” Internet Car Peeps can kibbutz and really find out what is going on in the e-side of the car biz.

If you missed it this year, make sure you don’t miss it next year.

I have been a dealership CFO and GM. Was big in CRM back in my day (1995-2000) as a featured speaker, author and leader as dealership SME on implementing (kind of like Ralph at the show, but on CRM).

I was at the show as a sponsor, vendor and even took in a couple of the talks after the exhibiting ended.

The learning in the sessions was excellent. Mirror Ryan's comments on Dealer Synergy and Ralph's Guerilla Marketing.

Engagement of attendees at show was excellent too. People were definitely there to learn what's new in the world of Internet selling, no one I found held back on sharing secrets as to what is working and what is not.

I really haven't seen this level of interest in retail auto for quite some time... since CRM was really catching on back in 99-01. Definitely this is the next big thing (dealers figuring out how to turn the Internet into a profitable sales channel and competitive differentiator).

As someone who spent my own money to not only go, but exhibit... I will be back at the next one... the organizers tell me perhaps as soon as October.

Attendee engagement + interest in what is going on + desire to learn exceeded the NADA convention by a country mile.

Great show!

I didn't attend last year, however, I thought it was a great conference in general. I am from Columbus, OH (6 hours from Nashville) and I was amazed to find that there were only 2 other dealers from my state in attendance!! As much as dealers bitch about the lack of business around our market, it is pitiful to see that no one found value in a conference like this.

You nailed it with the importance of talking around with other people in the industry that "get it". The most important information that i took came from a conversation with Ralph Paglia (of Courtesy Chevrolet - PHX, AZ) over beers when the workshops had ended. Ralph is about 5 years ahead of my market in Columbus. His aggressive tactics have allowed his ISD to post 4,000+ sales in 2006. That's Strong.

Other than that, there were 4 or 5 strong workshops that i picked up a lot of great info from. Sean Bradley (Dealer synergies) had a killer sales training (objections/rebuttals) workshop. And, Ralph Paglia had 2 different workshops that were amazing.

On the other side, There were 5 or 6 SEM strategy meetings that became completely redundant. Overall a great meeting with double the attendance from last year....

We take it one step further, and created a "pace setter", that calculates front, back-end, and aftermarket gross. We have this for the whole dealership, as well as the internet sales department and each internet sales rep. ROI reports, closing ratios, appointment/sold, etc.

This "pace setter" allows everyone to watch the entire week, month, even year unfold mathematically.
We also use excel spreadsheets for outbound calls, emails, total contacts, appointments, calls/sale, contact/sale, etc. This allows us to focus on each specific "weakness" to improve on.

Charles
Is there a way to get into touch with you to help you with getting to help with you with selling more leads? I look forward to helping you with your success!

Thank you

Jennifer,

When you say you "quickly gained knowledge on how to sell to internet leads", I'd like some help on figuring that out myself. We seem to be all over the board on our success and we have not landed on the best method to ensure we capture the most results from these opportunities. I think we have the tracking and reporting figured out, we just need help on the execution across multiple franchises. That said, I'd like to learn more about what has worked for you as well as your input on what pitfalls to avoid.

Scott

Is there a contact # for you to be reached at?

Please email me at [email protected] and I can also give you another sheet to down load that records the day to day basis of tracking the information.

Thank you

Jennifer Schrader

Scott

Is there a contact # for you to be reached at?

Please email me at [email protected] and I can also give you another sheet to down load that records the day to day basis of tracking the information.

Thank you

Jennifer Schrader

Jennifer,
I have downloaded your reports and the other report in this blog. I want to put them to work for me. What I want to know is how do you (or anyone else) gather this information on a day to day basis?

Do you have a form of some kind that you fill out at the end of the day?

Do you fill out something as the day goes on?

My problem is finding the time to do all this. I am the only person handling our internet and of course we all know that means I do alot of things that aren't directly related to SELLING a car.

In general I need help with time management and process.

I would love for someone to just walk me through setting this up so I can handle it all with a measure of success.

Please help me.

Thanks.

Thank you Gerald! I am glad you are looking at the greatness of the tracking progress! It is very important and at times very urgent too.
Again thank you

Jennifer Schrader

It sounds like you are on the right track, Jennifer. Your spreadhseets seem to be very clean and straight forward. The next step I would encourage you to consider is to track the ROI of your department. What is your cost/lead? Which lead provider is providing the highest closing ratios? Which has best gross profit? I have a couple of spreadsheets I use that track all information and more, broken down by salesperson, warranty penetration, etc. I will get a clean version up here in the next few days.

In the mean time, if you are already tracking your success with this or another method- keep it up! If you aren't, I encourage you to do so. Nothing like being able to go to the boss and show you are getting them a 10 fold ROI!

Gerald Hand
Internet Director
Toyota of Irving

Tracking is extremely important, not only as a measure of your success or your sales team success, but also in terms of return on investment. Tracking on the individual level by management is essentially tracking the dealerships ROI from the sales reps, and taking it a step further is important too. As a "numbers guy" myself I'm usually obsessed with percentages, growth, and every other metric you can think of. I know a lot of people are not like this, but I still find it amazing that quite often when I walk into an independent dealership not a single person can give me an accurate idea of where their sales are originating from. Tracking, especially with respect to the internet, is almost effortless and can provide valuable insight into patterns you might not otherwise see. Whether you're evaluating your sales rep performance or the cost-effectiveness of your third party sites, it can only help.

Kudos to Jennifer and everyone else who puts tracking into practice. I would bet these are the people who run the most efficiently.