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ADP Third Party Access Program/API

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sweece

sweece

Boss
Aug 18, 2010
115
37
First Name
Kyle
#1
Anyone know whether or not I can get API access to ADP CRM? I can't get anyone from support to give me any information and my account rep hasn't called back.

I'd like to have API access so that we can import Internet leads directly from our website as opposed to having to send them by email in ADF format.

EDIT: There better be a way to do this when they advertise the program like so:

ADP’s Third-Party Access Program APIs give the dealer control over who is granted access to their programming interfaces without compromising security, and give vendors API programming options to best serve their dealers.
Click to expand...
 
#2
sweece said:
Anyone know whether or not I can get API access to ADP CRM? I can't get anyone from support to give me any information and my account rep hasn't called back.

I'd like to have API access so that we can import Internet leads directly from our website as opposed to having to send them by email in ADF format.

EDIT: There better be a way to do this when they advertise the program like so:
Click to expand...

VinSolutions is a member of the ADP Third Party Access program so I am very familiar with it. As far as I know, it is based around the DMS. I doubt there is anything like this for the CRM. ADF or STAR is pretty much the de facto standard for getting leads in to a CRM.

I do understand what you are trying to do though. Emailing leads can be unpredictable and you never know if they are delivered. Our VinSolutions websites bypass ADF XML and insert the leads directly in to our CRM for tighter integration and to ensure the leads get processed immediately.
 
#4
Hey Matt,

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like I might be in a bit of a tough spot.

Is it just me, or does it seem like ADP is running behind in terms of capabilities/demand for modern technological offerings?

You say your VinSolutions websites bypass ADF, but let's pretend we used VinSolutions CRM and a different website provider -- what then? Do you offer open access to customers that don't purchase all of your product offerings?

Cheers,
Kyle
 
#5
sweece said:
Hey Matt,

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like I might be in a bit of a tough spot.

Is it just me, or does it seem like ADP is running behind in terms of capabilities/demand for modern technological offerings?

You say your VinSolutions websites bypass ADF, but let's pretend we used VinSolutions CRM and a different website provider -- what then? Do you offer open access to customers that don't purchase all of your product offerings?

Cheers,
Kyle
Click to expand...

Our websites integrate directly with our CRM and our CRM will accept ADF XML leads from anyone, but we don't provide any type of APIs to our CRM for creating leads beyond using ADF XML. However we could probably work with you to or figure out how to pass whatever you need to via ADF XML. CRM APIs are not something we are asked for very often. I doubt any CRMs really have them besides the ability to export data or reporting.

What are you trying to do that ADF XML won't do?
 
#6
Matt - I know you're answering a direct question but at the same time you have a way of luring dealers into asking these questions.

As usual, give a hand - you take the arm.

Matt, this is your public warning to chill out on your sale message. Thanks!

Jeff
 
#7
Jeff Kershner said:
Matt, this is your public warning to chill out on your sale message. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Haha. Well, I asked for it -- but moreso to make a point. I'm not interested in switching to VinSolutions at all.

Matt - you say you don't believe CRMs have APIs. That's true in the auto industry as it seems that CRM providers are more interested in getting customers to utilize all of their product offerings than to let them customize the way they interact with one of them. Here is a CRM we tried out at our dealership that offers a full API (w/ documentation).

We used it for a while but it didn't end up making sense because it was too hard to integrate our 3rd party leads as this provider is outside of the industry. Website leads were no problem though as we had full control over imports, lead quality scores, process selection, assignment, notifications, etc. (all of which could be altered based upon the originating source of the lead).

Bottom line: other industries are providing open access to their products, so why is it taking the auto industry so long to catch up? I don't want to use a CRM from VinSolutions if it requires that I use all of their other products to get the best integration. It's 2011, and that no longer needs to be the case. Just an example, of course.
 
#8
We use Salesforce.com for our business and we use the APIs to extend the functionality and do custom things. But we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on our CRM and the staff to maintain and customize it from nothing to something very specific for us.

The difference is the automotive business isn't the type of business where a car dealer themselves will utilize the APIs. Car dealers don't typically have software developers on staff to utilize them. So the integrates are done vendor to vendor and not utilized by the dealership directly. I think this is true for all automotive based CRMs beyond just VinSolutions. On a side note, we actually have a very open platform and we integrate with all of our competitors.

Salesforce.com and other generic CRM products must be highly customizable and rely on their customization and API capabilities to provide a solution for all of their customers across many business verticals.
 
#9
mattwatson81 said:
We use Salesforce.com for our business and we use the APIs to extend the functionality and do custom things. But we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on our CRM and the staff to maintain and customize it from nothing to something very specific for us.

The difference is the automotive business isn't the type of business where a car dealer themselves will utilize the APIs. Car dealers don't typically have software developers on staff to utilize them. So the integrates are done vendor to vendor and not utilized by the dealership directly. I think this is true for all automotive based CRMs beyond just VinSolutions. On a side note, we actually have a very open platform and we integrate with all of our competitors.

Salesforce.com and other generic CRM products must be highly customizable and rely on their customization and API capabilities to provide a solution for all of their customers across many business verticals.
Click to expand...

Matt,

You sell a CRM but you use Salesforce? Since you use it should you recomend dealers into hiring a vebfor to modify this fantastic Salesforce tool that you talk about and use it as a CRM?

It seems that if Salesforce can satisfy those with the VIN it may also satisfy those who sale the VIN.
 
#10
Kyle,

You are definitely going down the right path wanting to get rid of email for your leads. Going an API route might be a little over kill though; although maybe your only choice.

An alternative would be to post the form to https and have the CRM pull it in if they can. This is something that I have been pushing for with inventory data for some time now. If data collection companies and other vendors that handle feeds would use http(s) to post and receive data then "real time" data transfer would be available across vendors. FTP is NOT a syndication protocol, is a major recourse hog, and is an overlooked element that is holding back the progress of the automotive industry online.

If we could all finally settle for and USE a standard format for data like STAR and use http(s) to transfer/share that data there really wouldn't be a need to use an API for something as simple as what you are asking here.
 
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