FINDING THE BEST DMS SOLUTION FOR SCANIA DEALERSHIPS

Transcription

1 FINDING THE BEST DMS SOLUTION FOR SCANIA 20 POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING YOUR DEALERSHIP S SYSTEM DEALERSHIPS

2 HOW TO FIND THE BEST DEALER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DMS) FOR SCANIA DEALERSHIPS Your DMS solution is the electronic backbone of your company. It should perform the heavy lifting so you can be back in the field. From invoices to inventory, we ve compiled a list of 20 signs for Scania Dealerships to know that they re working with high-quality, professional DMS software.

3 1. PROVEN IN THE FIELD You need a DMS system that is designed for truck dealers from the ground up. Look for DMS solution with dozens of references and thousands of satisfied users. Because the software industry is always changing, you want a company that has stood the test of time and developed features for their dealerships. Don t get stuck with unsupported software, and choose a brand name that evolves with the industry standards. 2. TRUCK DEALERSHIP READINESS You shouldn t have to reinvent the wheel. DMS solutions need to be developed with feedback from truck dealers and industry professionals. Every second counts, and some options have hundreds of preconfigured truck dealer processes that are ready to use. This means reduced startup costs, a faster implementation time, and more units being sold at your dealership. Don t start with a blank slate! Look for a system with processes configured out-ofthe-box for rapid functionality. 3. PLATFORM VS. PROPRIETARY When smaller companies with proprietary software go under, they take their clients with them. That s why your dealer platform needs to be built with reliable partnerships to develop features faster without the risk of losing support. Vendors like Microsoft are investing millions of dollars each year into their cloud technology, artificial intelligence and machine learning. Choose a solution built on systems from large vendors and your dealership will be able to implement new features and stay ahead of the curve for decades. 4. FLEXIBLE SCALING No matter the business cycle, your DMS has to be flexible and scalable. Is your infrastructure capable of supporting a merger or acquisition? Would your system be able to adapt to a sudden influx of users, or could you reduce the number of users and still achieve the same amount of functionality? Look for a system that is flexible enough to adapt and scale with your dealership. Finding the Best DMS Solution for Scania dealerships 1 4

4 5. TRUCK DEALER SPECIFIC PROCESSES How many processes and workflows are included in your DMS solution? A standard system is easy to support, maintain, and upgrade, but will it have functions and features specifically designed for truck dealerships? Built-in functionality reduces the cost of additional development time, and it ensures that the platform will continue to add new features and improve without the constant need to hire a programmer. Choose a system with truck dealership specific business processes in a preconfigured environment. Be up and running in a matter of months, not years. 6. IS IT FRIENDLY? The year 2020 will see an estimated 2.95 billion people on social media, and your staff is going to expect software with similar social and information sharing capabilities. Your DMS needs to be more than a balance sheet with tracking information. It must have an intuitive user interface with universal navigation, as well as features and functionality that can be added as it develops with your company. Look for a system that prioritizes the user experience and is willing to adapt to new technology. 7. IS IT CLOUD-BASED OR ON-PREMISE? Cloud services are the future, but on-premise software still has a few benefits. If your system is running on your servers, it may run faster on very old, native hardware but it might also struggle to sync data company-wide. Because the power and flexibility of enterprise resource planning comes from a wide area of data points, cloud-based DMS solutions are usually going to be the most scalable and flexible. This means less development time, more features and fixes, and better collaboration between users. Consider choosing a solution from the cloud. Many large vendors are investing into cloud-based solutions as their future platform. 8. BUILT-IN BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE Integrated DMS solutions ensure integrated business intelligence that uses data from inventory, service, sales, from trucks and rental modules for unparalleled insight and organizational transparency. Comprehensive data analysis and real-time reporting can increase revenue for each department with strategic, data-driven decision making. Look for a system with built-in BI and empower your management and employees with better decision making based on real time data. Finding the Best DMS Solution for Scania dealerships 5 8

5 9. DOES IT TRACK KPIS? Clear goals and milestones are an important part of company productivity. Check to see if your DMS offers KPI tracking for each employee not just high-level management. Internal brand and performance benchmarking at each level ensures that each branch, department, service, team, and sales person can work together efficiently. Look for built-in business intelligence so that all employees can monitor the immediate feedback from their work and make better decisions based on relevant information. 10. TRUCK RENTAL IS THE FUTURE Truck rental is growing. Companies with short-term needs or variable amounts of business are choosing to rent instead of having their own fleet. As a benefit, this makes business more financially viable. Always check to make sure your DMS solution exceeds your rental functionality needs this will ensure that you stay ahead of industry trends and can work flexibly with clients without paying for additional feature development. 11. ADDITIONAL SERVICES MATTER Your customers want more than mere transportation vehicles. You aim to provide solutions and quality service. A full-featured DMS solution should track your customer s purchase path and evaluate areas of improvement or increased demand. Look for the number of data points available to see how deeply you can examine your dealership s performance. 12. GO MOBILE Cloud computing is great until you re off the grid. Make sure your DMS is at least as mobile as your sale personnel. If your employees need to make a service call, or if they re ever without Internet, it s important that they have access to crucial processes and data. Allow your technicians to complete their entire day virtually without connectivity and sync their mobile devices with servers when back online. Ask about mobile functionality and range, and make sure your DMS solution is accessible whenever and wherever needed. Finding the Best DMS Solution for Scania dealerships 9 12

6 13. INTEGRATED CMS & WMS Even if you choose separate customer management or warehouse management software, you might want to look at a solution that has the capability to include them. CMS and WMS software are powerful ways to improve operational productivity, and a full-featured DMS can save you money and keep your data in one place. Furthermore, you ll have more data points to track and plan which means better decision making at all levels. Look for a system that allows you to check availability between all branches, suggest parts based on consumer demand, and create a list for you to order easily. 14. INTERFACES Communicating directly with manufacturer servers to show real-time inventory levels across all dealership branches and OEMs is a competitive advantage to any truck dealers. Look for a system with real-time inventory data from OEMs and your branches to find the right parts at the right price. 15. REAL TIME, INTEGRATED CALCULATIONS Forget spreadsheets and lost attachments. The best systems can help calculate and structure deals before they re made. For sales in the field to the showroom floor, data within your database should be accessible in real time. Instead of using huge spreadsheets with data that could be lost or inaccurate, check to see if your DMS solution can perform many of the same calculations and processes with real data. 16. EMPLOYEE COOPERATION Sales are directly tied to the bottom line of your dealership, and any information you can give your sales personnel can maximize ROI with better data and decision making. Can your technicians leave notes for your sales team? Does your potential vendor provide artificial intelligence for preventative maintenance? A DMS is a powerful tool when combined with artificial intelligence, and the right system can help you predict and plan for your customers needs. Finding the Best DMS Solution for Scania dealerships 13 16

7 17. OPTIMIZED INVENTORY For an average inventory holding of $ 4,000,000, a 2 % reduction frees up $ 80,000 of working capital. When selecting your DMS vendor, you ll want to look carefully at the inventory features and data points available for warehouse management. Keeping inventory optimized will reduce costs and increase cash flow without hurting sales. Ask your vendor if predictive artificial intelligence can help you gauge customer demand and keep the right amount of inventory at the right time. 18. PREDICTIVE SERVICE Prompt, dependable service inspires loyalty and separates your dealership from the competition. Full service DMS systems can monitor vehicles in the field or apply artificial intelligence programming to anticipate customer needs. Advanced vehicle insights can track the longevity of individual parts to provide services based on real-time probability calculations and historical service data. Look for a system with artificial intelligence and IoT functionality to prevent problems before they occur and keep your dealership running smoothly. 19. YOUR OWN ONLINE ECOMMERCE STORE Your DMS is a valuable strategic tool for your dealership, but it can also provide convenience and business intelligence for your customers. Some DMS systems include online stores for customers to order parts from you or the manufacturer. An online storefront can separate you from your competition, reduce the number of staff hours dedicated to basic sales, and help bring revenue into your dealership. Check to see if the online store allows customers to request service appointments and find parts for their specific vehicle. 20. COMPLETE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Finally, evaluate your DMS solution throughout the entire customer journey. How many data points are being tracked? Will artificial intelligence algorithms find opportunities to cross-sell or upsell parts or services? Some DMS software can provide a dashboard for your customers to manage transactions, order parts, and schedule maintenance services. Choose an effective and simple user interface design that not only increases the usability, but also leads to the smooth completion of any task at hand, thereby making everything enjoyable and flexible for your employees. Finding the Best DMS Solution for Scania dealerships 17 20

8 THE BOTTOM LINE Ultimately, your DMS has to affect the bottom line. Better utilization of assets and employees, artificially intelligent management and service tracking, and hundreds of industry specific processes for truck dealerships make NAXT stand out from the crowd. XAPT USA HQ 5301 Blue Lagoon Drive Suite 200 Miami FL USA +1 (305) For more information about our solution for truck dedalers please visit