Recent launch of our in-house "GearBox" has a few cool ideas I thought I'd share

[TJThompson]

Finished developing "GearBox" CRM for the auto group I work for and lauched it in September to replace our current CRM "DealerSocket".
I thought it has some unique features this forum may appreciate.

• Native iOS, Android and Desktop versions
• Pulls AND Pushes to DMS all contacts, vehicles, deals, deal changes, leads
• Managers can "impersonate" on the app any sales reps/see what they see etc
• Assigned unique local phone number per rep for all correspondence (dealer owns number and can reassign if rep leaves etc). Nothing lives on Rep Phone.
• All email correspondence is going on reps own email (not some '[email protected])
• Full in and out recording of Phone, SMS, Email, Send Video Walkarounds and GearBox Live (same idea as facetime but built into app)
• Zoom-like meeting rooms integrated to current deal (useful for remote finance options/sales). Share files, texting, video, screenshare
• Scans vins, drivers licences when adding trades/ups
• Manages ingesting leads, sophisticated dedupes not only by contact info but phonetic name check and AI check, dms integration to determine if prior customer/rep, and lead distribution by round robin, gladiator or specific type of lead ie: credit, trade or sale can be directed to certain individuals
• Task management all CRUD
• CSI Milestone follow ups
• Deals Maturing
• Customers coming in for service includes services in for, advisor assigned, costs, liens etc.
• Appts and Reminders CRUD
• "Otto" AI assistant when invoked helps with deal, deal suggestions, can create emails, sms, tasks, notes, search inventory and prepare all to send when rep asks. Rep just hits 'send'. Otto opens the correct windows, writes info, schedules it to go if asked and leaves it to rep to hit submit.
• Messages contains a central spot where all correspondence regardless of medium ie: phone, sms, emails, videos is shown and enables rep to review and send from there or under the opportunity

May more features including analytics and workplan reporting and we are considering offering this to outside dealers, dealer groups. Currently limited to PBS integration but looking at further integrations depending on the limitations of those DMS systems.

Anyways, thought it was pretty cool and wanted to share. Had been awhile in the works lol

 

[Alex Snyder]

Sounds like a massive improvement over DealerSocket. I have a few questions that could help others decide whether your path is feasible for them.

How long did it take you to build it?

Did you vibe-code it with help from engineers?
- If you did have engineers building it, are they on the dealership's payroll or outsourced?

How are you pulling (pushing too?) data with PBS? Authenticom? MIX? Direct?

What would you say was the biggest challenge?

What did you think was going to be difficult, but turned out to be easy?

 

[TJThompson]

Sounds like a massive improvement over DealerSocket. I have a few questions that could help others decide whether your path is feasible for them.

How long did it take you to build it?

Did you vibe-code it with help from engineers?
- If you did have engineers building it, are they on the dealership's payroll or outsourced?

How are you pulling (pushing too?) data with PBS? Authenticom? MIX? Direct?

What would you say was the biggest challenge?

What did you think was going to be difficult, but turned out to be easy?

Hi,
I'm the in-house/salaried developer and wouldn't recommend anything this far down the road to trying to vibe code. Having 18 years in automotive helps a lot to get the overall picture how a dealer works which make solution building much easier when you are at least aware of the challenges. Currently we have just brought on a second dev to help with support and so on.

Took a year to get in place including standing up server, data pull/polling from DMS etc. And a whole lot of head bashing in wall lol

We pull direct, no third party and we pull basically everything outside of accounting. Our DMS provider does have a real time feed as well we subscribe to for service repair updates etc. for our service app/sending service videos. We are 'allowed' to push back as well so changes to contacts, vehicles, deals, repairs, appointments are done as they happen.

Hardest part in my opinion is dealing with a plethora of bad data so we could utilize pbs after having had dealersocket hoarde anything useful. Eventually you have a giant out of date address book largely with those kind of solutions in my opinion.

Easiest turns out was leaving DealerSocket for roughly 80 sales reps. I was concerned there would be a lot of 'nostalgia' and I wasn't trying to build a new DealerSocket, but instead a completely rethought solution. I can genuinely say they have been ecstatic with the new CRM. We did look at others including our own DMS provider's mobile solution, but there isn't a whole lot out there that feels like its not 1999 and left for dead.

One other interesting side note as far as canadian dealers.. we applied and did receive the SR&D tax credits from the gov which saved the employer tens of thousands on my efforts. Very worth the hassle of applying.

 

[Alex Snyder]

Thanks for the responses, TJ. And you're doing some really cool stuff for your group!

If I recall, you're in Canada. I think you almost have to build your own stuff in Canada because of all the limitations up there.

 

[TJThompson]

Thanks for the responses, TJ. And you're doing some really cool stuff for your group!

If I recall, you're in Canada. I think you almost have to build your own stuff in Canada because of all the limitations up there.

Thats for sure. As long as we keep respecting privacy it will be a pain in the a** lol