Are you a Finger Pointer?

[@VelocitySales]

Understanding the problem generally gets you 90% of the way to a solution. With this post and chart, I know you have helped a lot of folks understand the issue.

On a side note, we're seeing an increase in the number of dealers appraising a car on a mobile device and snapping a few photos at the same time. As soon as the acquisition is complete they can at least get the car online. It's only a band-aid, as you'd want to replace the quick-and-dirty photos as soon as possible but it keeps the car from being “digitally naked”.

You sure don't have to use vAuto software to implement a similar strategy.

Ed Brooks

 

[ggarvin (blog)]

vAuto and Dealer Specialties are a great example of two competitive companies working together with real time updates of pricing changes for distribution.

 

[Walt Kustra]

"Allow me to make a suggestion as you are building out this cart. Add the exact time that each feed gets processed and low long on average it takes to post."

Great suggestion Jeff, I really liked this flow chart. Alex, this could be like the periodic table of elements for the car business!

 

[@axsnyder]

I definitely remember watching you struggle with Omnigraffle Jeff - lol. Your exercise helped me come up with the flow chart for Checkered Flag's before I left.

Some other programs you can build these in:
Powerpoint
Keynote
Word
Omnigraffle (my favorite)
Quite a few "mind-mapping" iPad apps out there as well
You could even do one in Excel, but Powerpoint is easier

Thanks for all the comments folks. I had no idea that flow chart would be so exciting. I'm adding it to my presentation at the Pre-NADA Napa Valley PCG event.

 

[Paul Husing]

Alex, yes, brilliant and very simplified approach. We do it every day, but to see it graphically and explained adds multiple dimensions.

Here are a few other "problems" that we have come across that prevents vehicles/prices/images from posting:

1. Vehicle(s) still in another dealers inventory and will not post to ATC, CARS...have them run the VIN if it will not post. You have to ask when you conference their support, they will not always think of this.

2. Price changes not going through even though you changed them in vauto or your DMS could be a "locked vehicle" or "locked price field" in your inventory management system

 

[Paul Husing]

3. Broken image URL's will often prevent vehicle to load or all images to load on 3rd party sites or your own website - big issue with BZ sites (aka DMi). We've chased this issue for days until someone decided to start clicking on image URL's

4. Other 3rd party import has not run. This is a common occurence with certain website companies. Even if data collection companies do real time uploads...if the 3rd party companies don't run the inventory and photo processors, the inventory will not update.

Goal for 2011, get more companies (Cobalt, BZ, DDC...) to run inventory AND photo processors multiple times per day, or build API's with the inventory companies - this will reduce countless hours of conference calls - just my .02

 

[@StanSher]

Ah the joys of being an ecommerce director. This is one of the biggest nightmares we have dealt. I remember the pressure and the finger point. Yes I was that pin cushion in the past. I love how the blame goes to the Internet manager all of the time. But you my friend wrote a nice article.

 

[Eric Miltsch]

Nice one Alex.

You've hit a real pain point for everyone...

Has anyone else experimented with increasing the number of times the export file, including images, is sent to your host? (I've recently upped this to 4 times/day)

 

[Jeff Kershner]

We should be demanding API for our inventory feeds.

I nicely asked my dealer website provider (dealeron) to work with HomeNets API. They got it done and now our inventory is updated every 5 minutes.

I'm sure we will eventually get to this across the board, but what's taking so damn long?

 

[@inf_prospects]

@AxSnyder So, in the end, was it the website provider or the feed provider? My guess is the website since the feed host said all was good everywhere else?