My apologies to the older DealerRefresh community who is probably tired of me opining on CRMs. I've had a sick fascination with them since I met my first one in 1999.
This time, I'm simply going to say that technology is a product of the time when the foundation is built. Escaping that foundation requires a complete overhaul and I only know of one company who has pulled it off. Too bad the visionary behind it has such a teeter-tottering personality. One other company has done a good job at adding enough to stay relevant and they're the only one left from the 90s. Although their new owner may destroy that.
1990s = replacement for pink sheet task scheduling for sales people. AKA a babysitter tool.
Noteworthy CRMs that came out in the 90s: Autotown, original ADP CRM (not made by ADP), HigherGear, AutoBase, and eLead
2000s = bringing the manager into the system and figuring out how to accommodate internet leads.
Noteworthy ILMs: Cowboy (later became a CRM), Webcontrol, iCarMagic (later became iMagicLab and is now CRM Suite)
Noteworthy CRMs: VinSolutions, DealerSocket, Reynolds Contact Management, XRM, Dealer Peak, ProMax, AutoRaptor
2010s = the full baking of CRMs as we know them today. Not much more innovation, but a lot of consolidation. Some more integrations.
Noteworthy CRMs: Drive Centric, Dealer.com CRM
In my opinion automotive CRM systems have joined DMS systems in the "archaic" classification. Many are too bloated to keep up with the new needs dealers have today and something will disrupt this market. Will digital retailing players be the ones to do? Will website providers do it? It makes the most sense to put those 3 genres together, but only from the right foundations.
Matt Watson used to add new features to his CRM every week. I likened it to started with a trailer in the trailer park, that he hammered another trailer onto to make a double-wide. Then he put one on top and had a second story trailer. Then he put brick on it and made it look like a house. And then he added more floors. But when the tornado raged through the trailer park it was still a trailer in the trailer park. The brick houses next door didn't get blown over.