I used to use the CRM of one of the major DMS players at a Ford store, now I use and independent vendor's product. I have test driven the "other" major DMS vendor's CRM and found it better than either. However, the most important comment, that I most agree needs to be addressed is the ability to create your own query, even if ONLY to be able to decide who to send your bulk email to!
I used to have the ability, archaic though it was to write SQL queries, but you literally had to be a programmer to do it!
Now we're using (In a Chrysler Jeep store) a third party solution in all ten stores, not able to switch customers with salespeople or for manager's to have access to ALL. VERY limited ability to query the database to send email, newsletter, coupons, whatever. Granted it's user friendly (I HATE that term) enough for the green pea, and the old school guy alike, but still they don't log every up, just like they didn't log every up when they had to write it. Okay, when they come to the desk, they MUST have a printed worksheet from the system so those are always logged, but how about the guy on the lot looking at a used car? He is likely a buyer at some point, but you can't reach him because you don't know who he is, and if you do, you have to enter him as a prospect, and then he comes up on the salesman's follow up sheet every day, even if he's six months out. There needs to a category for "other" I recently put up a myspace page, what of the people who respond to the blog? How do I enter them to be able to email them coupons newsletters and bulk emails?
And, why the limit on the fields, not only the length of them but the number? What if it's a split deal, but the person was in one of our other stores looking at another car with a third or fourth salesman. I could go on and on and on, but I'll stay with DMS integration, even if your CRM IS from a third party vendor, and the ability to build a query any way you want in a user interface that does NOT require a programmer. After all, after a long day working the desk, closing deals, watching over the BDC, do I really want to start what really amounts to writing code? And the program we use now, (okay it's Autobase) has the interface, but has so few options to build on it's a royal pain anyway.
Okay, I'll leave the rest of the rant to "Bad Ashley" (Go get them Ashley, you got it RIGHT!!!) and sign off for now. GREAT Thread by the way!
Joel
I used to have the ability, archaic though it was to write SQL queries, but you literally had to be a programmer to do it!
Now we're using (In a Chrysler Jeep store) a third party solution in all ten stores, not able to switch customers with salespeople or for manager's to have access to ALL. VERY limited ability to query the database to send email, newsletter, coupons, whatever. Granted it's user friendly (I HATE that term) enough for the green pea, and the old school guy alike, but still they don't log every up, just like they didn't log every up when they had to write it. Okay, when they come to the desk, they MUST have a printed worksheet from the system so those are always logged, but how about the guy on the lot looking at a used car? He is likely a buyer at some point, but you can't reach him because you don't know who he is, and if you do, you have to enter him as a prospect, and then he comes up on the salesman's follow up sheet every day, even if he's six months out. There needs to a category for "other" I recently put up a myspace page, what of the people who respond to the blog? How do I enter them to be able to email them coupons newsletters and bulk emails?
And, why the limit on the fields, not only the length of them but the number? What if it's a split deal, but the person was in one of our other stores looking at another car with a third or fourth salesman. I could go on and on and on, but I'll stay with DMS integration, even if your CRM IS from a third party vendor, and the ability to build a query any way you want in a user interface that does NOT require a programmer. After all, after a long day working the desk, closing deals, watching over the BDC, do I really want to start what really amounts to writing code? And the program we use now, (okay it's Autobase) has the interface, but has so few options to build on it's a royal pain anyway.
Okay, I'll leave the rest of the rant to "Bad Ashley" (Go get them Ashley, you got it RIGHT!!!) and sign off for now. GREAT Thread by the way!
Joel
