DealerTrack VS DDC VS VINSolutions - But Cox still Wins

[Jeff Kershner]

DealerTrack which owned 2+ CRM's then buys Dealer.com which was rolling out their new CRM. Then Cox comes in and swoops up DealerTrack while already owning VINSolutions.

Let's agree Cox isn't going to sell 4+ CRM's.

So which CRM will Cox/AutoTrader fully adopt and offer to Dealers?

 

[craigh]

Let's agree Cox isn't going to sell 4+ CRM's.

Wouldn't surprise me at all if they sold 2 or 3 of them for the next 36 months while they figure this out.
Up here in Canada our CRM options are far more limited so I haven't played with many of these beyond a conference demo.

 

[BillH]

Not CRM, but inventory management.... I tried to give DT and DDC an open path to take over, hoping for some sort of continuity... 2 DDC sites, then Inventory Plus. One week after signing up, I read that they are sold off to Dealertrack. So much for that plan. It's definitely not the same company. Not bad, just transition pains. Inventory Plus cannot handle static images in the car details, I understand that DT could. Still a decent product that is much less outlay than VAuto. VAuto wouldn't budge on adding a second store.

I would have entertained the DDC CRM, but it wouldn't work with our DMS. Interesting product.

 

[CARBIZ]

I've been loyal to vin solutions for about 5 years now but a few months back I got the bug to explore my options. My first experience was a DDC demo. At first glance I was hooked by its simplicity. I should briefly mention that if I were going to fault Vin for something it would be its complexity and difficulty for new users to grasp. So anyways, I wanted to take the DDC crm for an extended test drive so I set a follow up demo. I gathered all my gripes with Vin and all the aspects that I love about it and prepared for my demo. My findings were that the DDC product is far superior in user expirience but lacked most of the features that come with having a more comprehensive crm.

For example: in Vin there is a concentration on customer visits and keeping track of who's in and out of the showroom. To me, many times looking from the outside in, I need to know how many, and who, is in the showroom at any given time. DDC has no way of closing customer showroom visits and removing them from being actively in the showroom. Essentially, there is no way of knowing who has left the showroom. From an owners perspective, it is integral to know what is going on in the showroom in real time. This follows true for the sales manager on duty as well. Helps to be organized, and keep salesman accountable for TO's and such.

I will say that they offered me a price that was hard to pass on but as I'm sure everyone in this forum can attest to, price is the last concern when choosing a crm.

I figured while I was on the warpath I would check out Dealersocket. In my opinion, this crm is equivalent in comprehensiveness and complexity as Vin. Wouldn't make sense for us to make a lateral move. Although, they mentioned that they are getting a major redesign is 2016 so may be worth taking a second look when that occurs.

My guess is that they keep DDC and Vin and sell them seperatly. Two totally different CRM's that will have a hard time marrying.

 

[Shawn Morse]

It looks like the decision has been made and Cox will move forward with VinSolutions as the only supported CRM.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...s-automotive-retailing-clients-300218603.html

ATLANTA, Feb. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Automotive today announced its decision to make the VinSolutions CRM product its primary CRM solution, reinforcing the company's commitment to integration, client service and product innovation. Current Dealertrack CRM clients will begin to migrate to VinSolutions' CRM immediately. During the migration, which should be completed within 24 months, all Dealertrack CRM clients will be fully supported under the terms of their existing contracts.

"As part of the acquisition of Dealertrack, Cox Automotive became the owner of multiple CRM products between Dealertrack and VinSolutions," said Mark O'Neil, CEO of Dealertrack, and head of the Cox Automotive Software Group. "We are committed to delivering on our promise of providing exceptional client service and solutions, and therefore need to streamline the CRM products from two to one. We are confident this step will better position us to deliver intentional integrations that are scalable and easy to manage, and benefit our dealer clients in the near- and long-term."

"We look forward to bringing Dealertrack CRM clients onto the VinSolutions CRM platform and ensuring they have a seamless transition experience," said Lori Wittman, vice president and general manager of VinSolutions, a Cox Automotive brand. "There are several admirable features of the Dealertrack CRM product that we look forward to leveraging in our single CRM solution going forward. With this decision, we believe our clients – existing and future ones – will be best positioned to grow their businesses more profitably and efficiently, and take full advantage of the integrated set of solutions within Cox Automotive."

The VinSolutions CRM offers deep integration with other Cox Automotive products, including the Dealertrack DMS and F&I, vAuto for market pricing, Xtime for service scheduling, and Dealer.com Websites for customer insights. Additionally, VinSolutions' dedicated client service team helps CRM clients maximize the product by providing quick responsiveness and insights.