Thanks Alex... We really appreciate you chiming in. It's great when we hear a guy who everyone respects in our industry speak up. It's better than me going off on capabilities when as a user, you can say it best.
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Dealer.com - Dealer Website Vendor Profile
- Thread starter Jeff Kershner
- Start date
B
Baron Ringler (blog)
Guest
Mike:
You are being disingenuous at best. I have spent hours on the phone in training, with customer service, and speaking with all manner of people at your company.
So let me go over my 4 biggest issues with the new LeadMachine, and if you are honest about it you will see the issues involved.
And remember, this all occurred after we were promised that the solution would be more robust and useful, not less so.
And, to make this very clear, your people knew going in to our contract that we were buying a package deal with improved functionality. We never considered it to be a "throw-in", and it is very disappointing that you would describe your own product in such a fashion. It tells me exactly how much confidence you have in your own solution.
1) You cannot print customer correspondence. You must cut and paste items on to a word document, then from from there. Or, you need to forward the e-mail to a third-party e-mail provider, and print that out later.
2) You have to create a new lead cycle for EVERY lead possibility, which could result in DOZENS of possibilities that can easily get confused as one lead receives multiple inputs. As a BDC Manager, there is almost NO control of the response schedules.
3) Did you know that your system does not allow for prioritize scheduled tasks? To your system, a follow-up phone call set for 60 days after the contact creation has just as much importance as a follow-up phone call set as the first follow-up phone call for a new opportunity.
I can list a half dozen more, right now. It's not that difficult.
By the way, the fact that you would try and connect approval of your product with being worthy of respect is a ridiculous notion.
A person that isn't worthy of respect is someone who attempts to intimidate and threaten people when they don't like the fact that someone exercises their right to inform others of major issues and problems with one of your products.
But I will work through these issues on your product because I have no choice. I will make this product function some how, some way. I will construct work-around after work-around until I can cobble back together my BDC department.
I am good enough to succeed DESPITE your product.
And if you want to try and pass off to people that I do not know what I am doing, here is a run-down of my credentials:
16 years in the car business as a sales person, sales manager, F&I Manager, closer, and BDC Manager. 4 years working for a major website and CRM company, where I was contracted out to United Auto Group, Chrysler, and more. At one time, 6 of the dealers with whom I worked were all in the Wards' e-Dealer Top 100, with 5 in the top 50, having climbed a total of 68 spots combined in just one year.
The next time you have lunch with Roger Penske, and he tells you what a great job you are doing, let me know because we will then have something in common.
You are being disingenuous at best. I have spent hours on the phone in training, with customer service, and speaking with all manner of people at your company.
So let me go over my 4 biggest issues with the new LeadMachine, and if you are honest about it you will see the issues involved.
And remember, this all occurred after we were promised that the solution would be more robust and useful, not less so.
And, to make this very clear, your people knew going in to our contract that we were buying a package deal with improved functionality. We never considered it to be a "throw-in", and it is very disappointing that you would describe your own product in such a fashion. It tells me exactly how much confidence you have in your own solution.
1) You cannot print customer correspondence. You must cut and paste items on to a word document, then from from there. Or, you need to forward the e-mail to a third-party e-mail provider, and print that out later.
2) You have to create a new lead cycle for EVERY lead possibility, which could result in DOZENS of possibilities that can easily get confused as one lead receives multiple inputs. As a BDC Manager, there is almost NO control of the response schedules.
3) Did you know that your system does not allow for prioritize scheduled tasks? To your system, a follow-up phone call set for 60 days after the contact creation has just as much importance as a follow-up phone call set as the first follow-up phone call for a new opportunity.
I can list a half dozen more, right now. It's not that difficult.
By the way, the fact that you would try and connect approval of your product with being worthy of respect is a ridiculous notion.
A person that isn't worthy of respect is someone who attempts to intimidate and threaten people when they don't like the fact that someone exercises their right to inform others of major issues and problems with one of your products.
But I will work through these issues on your product because I have no choice. I will make this product function some how, some way. I will construct work-around after work-around until I can cobble back together my BDC department.
I am good enough to succeed DESPITE your product.
And if you want to try and pass off to people that I do not know what I am doing, here is a run-down of my credentials:
16 years in the car business as a sales person, sales manager, F&I Manager, closer, and BDC Manager. 4 years working for a major website and CRM company, where I was contracted out to United Auto Group, Chrysler, and more. At one time, 6 of the dealers with whom I worked were all in the Wards' e-Dealer Top 100, with 5 in the top 50, having climbed a total of 68 spots combined in just one year.
The next time you have lunch with Roger Penske, and he tells you what a great job you are doing, let me know because we will then have something in common.
M
mark bonfigli
Guest
Baron, you fail to mention how hard our team has been trying to make changes for you and your dealership. You fail to mention how you guys had a hard time even keeping a phone line working at your store in order to have a call with you. You dropped several calls due to "not understanding your new phone system. Seems like you might want to allow us to help you with your needs without bashing our team. Mike D truly cares about every dealer we work with and works tirelessly to help them every week. There is no good that comes from bashing others and stating their weakness if you are not going to recognize the efforts made to improve.
You listed off all of many achievements in the post above, very nice, but what good are they if you cant simply work with a provider that is trying so hard to help you? In this instance all you are doing to trying to upset the very team of people that is trying so hard to help you, this is like ordering food at a diner that you bounce checks at, after a while they want to stop serving you!!
I am sure you will come up with some creative comeback and will have plenty to state in response to this so go right ahead, I don't have time to respond back and this is my one post for you. I simply thought it would be fair for anyone that reads these posts to understand that you are 1 out of a very few that has this narrow view of what Dealer.com is all about. Yes our lead manager will improve, yes it is more robust than before, yes we take feedback from thousands of dealers to build in the features they need most. Does it satisfy every dealer all the time?? NO! We use the feedback to constantly improve the product and we do that faster than any other company by releasing more versions of our software to clients than any other vendor. This represents challenges for clients that liked the "old" software and are not interested in change. Our clients benefit from massive testing and R&D that has taken place over the course of 11 years. We have measured, monitored and developed new systems and software based on this approach so that the vast majority of our dealer clients do not have to on their own. We have developed and fully integrated marketing solution that combines these solutions in a way that saves the avg dealer countless hours and massive expense on a monthly and annual basis. Try to understand that we are simply trying to accommodate your team with the best solution but can only do it if you work with us with the honest intent to come up with valuable solutions. We are not interested in proving who is right or wrong in a blog post. Lets get back to work and make things happen, in the real world and not on a blog. -Mark Bonfigli President, CEO Dealer.com
You listed off all of many achievements in the post above, very nice, but what good are they if you cant simply work with a provider that is trying so hard to help you? In this instance all you are doing to trying to upset the very team of people that is trying so hard to help you, this is like ordering food at a diner that you bounce checks at, after a while they want to stop serving you!!
I am sure you will come up with some creative comeback and will have plenty to state in response to this so go right ahead, I don't have time to respond back and this is my one post for you. I simply thought it would be fair for anyone that reads these posts to understand that you are 1 out of a very few that has this narrow view of what Dealer.com is all about. Yes our lead manager will improve, yes it is more robust than before, yes we take feedback from thousands of dealers to build in the features they need most. Does it satisfy every dealer all the time?? NO! We use the feedback to constantly improve the product and we do that faster than any other company by releasing more versions of our software to clients than any other vendor. This represents challenges for clients that liked the "old" software and are not interested in change. Our clients benefit from massive testing and R&D that has taken place over the course of 11 years. We have measured, monitored and developed new systems and software based on this approach so that the vast majority of our dealer clients do not have to on their own. We have developed and fully integrated marketing solution that combines these solutions in a way that saves the avg dealer countless hours and massive expense on a monthly and annual basis. Try to understand that we are simply trying to accommodate your team with the best solution but can only do it if you work with us with the honest intent to come up with valuable solutions. We are not interested in proving who is right or wrong in a blog post. Lets get back to work and make things happen, in the real world and not on a blog. -Mark Bonfigli President, CEO Dealer.com
B
Baron Ringler (blog)
Guest
Mark:
I am currently seeing a TREMENDOUS effort from people your side of the aisle, now that they understand exactly what my issues happen to be, as well as the fact that we are not just going to sit back and accept the idea that these issues cannot be corrected. I also believe that your people now see the problems inherent in what you created, and that has gone a long way to making this work.
Now that you see the problems, you can correct the problems. If you put the same effort in to correcting these issues as you have in actually listening and LEARNING these issues these last two days, then this can be made to work.
I have my work-arounds in place, I will get through the month-end and pound away at the cycles next week, and I will make this work. And I am certainly of the realization that it is time for me to stop whining about all the things that are wrong, and endeavor to find ways to make this work for me.
With some of the imperative items you were given, the ball is now in your court. Keeping the sports metaphors going, I will have no issue letting people on here know that you stepped up to the plate, if you get the job done.
I am currently seeing a TREMENDOUS effort from people your side of the aisle, now that they understand exactly what my issues happen to be, as well as the fact that we are not just going to sit back and accept the idea that these issues cannot be corrected. I also believe that your people now see the problems inherent in what you created, and that has gone a long way to making this work.
Now that you see the problems, you can correct the problems. If you put the same effort in to correcting these issues as you have in actually listening and LEARNING these issues these last two days, then this can be made to work.
I have my work-arounds in place, I will get through the month-end and pound away at the cycles next week, and I will make this work. And I am certainly of the realization that it is time for me to stop whining about all the things that are wrong, and endeavor to find ways to make this work for me.
With some of the imperative items you were given, the ball is now in your court. Keeping the sports metaphors going, I will have no issue letting people on here know that you stepped up to the plate, if you get the job done.
J
Joe Pistell
Guest
Good Gosh Baron,
You're like a lightning rod. I am all about venting frustration about a platform, but your name-calling carpet bombing rant is filled with "look at me, look at me" rhetoric. Does your ego allow you to play with others? You said:
"...I am good enough to succeed DESPITE your product."
"The next time you have lunch with Roger Penske..."
Gulp.
Baron,
When you live in a glass house, it's not smart to throw stones...
USED CAR SPECIALS:
"Sorry, no specials are available at this time. Please check back later!"
SERVICE SPECIALS:
"Sorry, no specials are available at this time. Please check back later!"
PARTS SPECIALS:
(Click here to add text)
ACCESSORIES:
"Coming Soon!"
YouTube Videos
"Videos are coming Soon!"
MEET TEAM PLANET
No Pics.
USED CARS OVERALL:
What? No options listed? Everything is standard equipment? Not good. Lead count reduction AND profit compression.
Ahhh.... You're fuming mad about lead automation issues?? What's more important, creating a lead or managing it?
If I were your GM, you're costing me money. I'd have your b*lls on a silver platter for letting these lead generating errors happen.
Better call your pal Roger Penske over this weekend, you've got some catch-up work to do.
p.s. Baron, I feel your pain bro. We all are dealing with less than perfection. Be mad, vent your frustrations, choose strong words, isolate and stress the importance of the problem, but, your MAIN mission is to bring people together to achieve YOUR goals.
"Napalm works... but nothing’s left after you've used it"
You're like a lightning rod. I am all about venting frustration about a platform, but your name-calling carpet bombing rant is filled with "look at me, look at me" rhetoric. Does your ego allow you to play with others? You said:
"...I am good enough to succeed DESPITE your product."
"The next time you have lunch with Roger Penske..."
Gulp.
Baron,
When you live in a glass house, it's not smart to throw stones...
USED CAR SPECIALS:
"Sorry, no specials are available at this time. Please check back later!"
SERVICE SPECIALS:
"Sorry, no specials are available at this time. Please check back later!"
PARTS SPECIALS:
(Click here to add text)
ACCESSORIES:
"Coming Soon!"
YouTube Videos
"Videos are coming Soon!"
MEET TEAM PLANET
No Pics.
USED CARS OVERALL:
What? No options listed? Everything is standard equipment? Not good. Lead count reduction AND profit compression.
Ahhh.... You're fuming mad about lead automation issues?? What's more important, creating a lead or managing it?
If I were your GM, you're costing me money. I'd have your b*lls on a silver platter for letting these lead generating errors happen.
Better call your pal Roger Penske over this weekend, you've got some catch-up work to do.
p.s. Baron, I feel your pain bro. We all are dealing with less than perfection. Be mad, vent your frustrations, choose strong words, isolate and stress the importance of the problem, but, your MAIN mission is to bring people together to achieve YOUR goals.
"Napalm works... but nothing’s left after you've used it"
V
Victor
Guest
Dealer.com is garbage, all the positive posts here are made by their employees. I've used dealer.com for multiple websites in my 15+ years in the automotive industry. Dealer.com is basically the McDonalds of car dealer websites, cheap + low quality but affordable. They say that their SEO is 'top-notch' but by far, their SEO is among the worst my web developer friends have seen. The only thing that dealer.com has is a sales & marketing team that is able to lie & convince you they are good.
- Mar 1, 2010
- 28
- 0
- First Name
- Mike
Victor:
The tone of your post is unfortunate and doesn't reflect the thousands of very happy dealers we are servicing nationwide. In fact, Dealer.com is the only vendor in our business that opens our customer service up to the scrutiny of the NPS (Net Promoter Score) system. Our outstanding customer service is validated to be excellent by a 3rd party.
All of the positive comments on this site have been posted by our dealerships, not our employees.. Your statement is purely false.
As far as the McDonalds of car dealership websites? We do more custom websites than any other provider and in fact more of the top 125 dealer groups in the country use our services. Over 80% in fact... Those stellar performers who most dealerships aspire to be can't all be wrong. All these top groups certainly did not go the bargain basement route when they did their due diligence to choose a provider to partner with... In fact, they did exhaustive searches, intense interviewing, scrutinized the players'capabilities in the landscape, vetted the leadership teams, and ultimately chose Dealer.com because we had the offering that would deliver them the best solutions to help them continue to grow their businesses.
As far as SEO goes to say that we're the worst in the business when some of the most respected authorities in our space say we're the best is strange... Dealer.com was ranked as the top provider in the 2009 ASMA SEO architecture study put out by the Pasch Consulting Group who is an authority on Automotive SEO practices.
To your last point about our sales and marketing team being liars... It's too bad that you feel that way and choose to set such a tone. In fact, everything Dealer.com does from a marketing standpoint is backed up by a proven track record of measurable success.
We're confident that smart dealerships reading this page in search of a digital marketing partner will overlook the posts that lack substance and understand that Dealer.com is a proven leader in our space. Are we perfect? No, but no company is perfect. All we can do is keep doing the things we know are the right things for the dealers that we are thankful to be partnered with.
The tone of your post is unfortunate and doesn't reflect the thousands of very happy dealers we are servicing nationwide. In fact, Dealer.com is the only vendor in our business that opens our customer service up to the scrutiny of the NPS (Net Promoter Score) system. Our outstanding customer service is validated to be excellent by a 3rd party.
All of the positive comments on this site have been posted by our dealerships, not our employees.. Your statement is purely false.
As far as the McDonalds of car dealership websites? We do more custom websites than any other provider and in fact more of the top 125 dealer groups in the country use our services. Over 80% in fact... Those stellar performers who most dealerships aspire to be can't all be wrong. All these top groups certainly did not go the bargain basement route when they did their due diligence to choose a provider to partner with... In fact, they did exhaustive searches, intense interviewing, scrutinized the players'capabilities in the landscape, vetted the leadership teams, and ultimately chose Dealer.com because we had the offering that would deliver them the best solutions to help them continue to grow their businesses.
As far as SEO goes to say that we're the worst in the business when some of the most respected authorities in our space say we're the best is strange... Dealer.com was ranked as the top provider in the 2009 ASMA SEO architecture study put out by the Pasch Consulting Group who is an authority on Automotive SEO practices.
To your last point about our sales and marketing team being liars... It's too bad that you feel that way and choose to set such a tone. In fact, everything Dealer.com does from a marketing standpoint is backed up by a proven track record of measurable success.
We're confident that smart dealerships reading this page in search of a digital marketing partner will overlook the posts that lack substance and understand that Dealer.com is a proven leader in our space. Are we perfect? No, but no company is perfect. All we can do is keep doing the things we know are the right things for the dealers that we are thankful to be partnered with.
Been working with Dealer.com for a little over two years now and out of the many Dealer Website Builders I believe they are hands down the best. The ease of use, reporting at your finger tips, being able to create new and compelling content and have it up instantly is huge. I can build a page myself for a new product or sales event and have it up in a couple of hours. I have worked with many other Providers that all you could update or change was Specials, Staff, Coupons, and that was about it.
As far as SEO they are leagues above the self proclaimed best of the best TKCarsites as well as Dealerskins. For those two vendors I had to constantly work on the sites myself to get us ranked to page one and keep us there.
The other great thing is how fast their support team, which deals with any issue I have had quickly, efficiently, and professionally. They are constantly upgrading and adding to your tools and making it a great platform. By the way I am not a Dealer.com Employee, but I manage Internet Marketing for our Dealer Group Ken Garff Honda in Utah. Nothing but praises, keep up the good work!
As far as SEO they are leagues above the self proclaimed best of the best TKCarsites as well as Dealerskins. For those two vendors I had to constantly work on the sites myself to get us ranked to page one and keep us there.
The other great thing is how fast their support team, which deals with any issue I have had quickly, efficiently, and professionally. They are constantly upgrading and adding to your tools and making it a great platform. By the way I am not a Dealer.com Employee, but I manage Internet Marketing for our Dealer Group Ken Garff Honda in Utah. Nothing but praises, keep up the good work!
- Mar 1, 2010
- 28
- 0
- First Name
- Mike
David: Thank you so much for your awesome post! We really appreciate the kind words and congratulations on the success of Ken Garff!
C
Chris (blog)
Guest
I personally think most of the dealer website services are too pricey. We got a bargain I think at $800 a month compared to what's out there, but it's a 3 year contract totaling around $30,000 - so - What we propose on doing next time is hiring an amazing web team, possibly in India, and spend about $3,000 - $5000 for the most killer site imaginable and host it somewhere else. Hosting at most is $100 a month. This way we have no contract, we can mimic the very best site with amazing SEO and all that jazz. I don't think anyone has to be with the big players, when we've sadly discovered we've probably over spent about $20,000 over the contact - regardless of how many sale we were promised. it can be done much cheaper with equally impressive results as anyone can offer, possibly more.
✨ AI Highlights
The thread is a vendor profile for Dealer.com featuring a mix of praise from satisfied dealers and complaints about the Search Marketing Upgrade Package's lack of transparency and ROI. A notable controversy emerged when a Dealer.com executive publicly referenced details of a customer's account in a forum reply, which drew criticism from a prospective customer who cited it as a dealbreaker. Despite the friction, most issues were ultimately resolved through direct executive outreach, with at least one complainant later praising the company's response.
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