Applications for the 2010 Automotive Search Marketing Architecture (ASMA) study, underwritten by PCG Digital Marketing (PCG), are now available to automotive website design companies.

The annual study and awards recognize the best automotive website platforms for automotive digital marketing strategies. Automotive website companies are encouraged to contact Carrie Hemphill, ASMA Award Coordinator, to request the application and data entry forms via email.

Deadlines Announced
Participants in the 2010 ASMA Awards must submit their application by August 2, 2010. The completed ASMA data form with all survey data completed is due by August 27, 2010. The 2010 ASMA will be expanded to include survey data for mobile applications, chat, video technology and iPad applications.

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I have an easy job for you.  I’m in the market for a new 55″ LED TV and I need your help to find the best one that is local to me.  Sears and Best Buy are right down the street, but I have ordered a TV from B&H Photo Video before – mind checking that one too?  I need:

1. Price
2. Soonest Availability
3. Best Ratings

Did you find one for me yet?   No!  What do you mean you didn’t look?  You just kept reading?  Okay – fine, I’ll tell you who this exercise is really for:  your staff or your HIPPO (HIghest Paid Person with the biggest Opinion).  You’re on DealerRefresh so you already know this stuff.

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iMagicLab DealerCRM for iPhone makes it even easier for America’s car dealerships to stay connected and engaged with customers.

Baltimore, MD – July 27, 2010.  iMagicLab, a technology leader in automobile retailing, today announced the submission to Apple of the world’s first automobile-dealership CRM app for use in the iPhone and iPod Touch.  DealerCRM for iPhone is the first release in an aggressive move for iMagicLab into the mobile technology space, plus the company has apps for Android, Blackberry and iPad currently nearing release.

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Critiquing a Live Dealer Chat Transcript

We have word tracks for when were face to face with a potential client.
We have word tracks for becoming a Ninja like phone-up professional, moving the customer to appointment.

Have the right words at the right time in your arsenal and move the customer that much closer to the appointment or sale.

But what about word tracks for Chat..”Chat Tracks“.. for when you’re in the introduction or knee deep in a chat with a customer on the other side of your monitor?

If your dealer is using chat to build a relationship and capture more leads from your dealers website or inventory listing site like Cars.com, it’s imperative to obtain ninja like chat skills.

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ADP Dealer Services Group is planning to buy Cobalt Group Inc.

According to Dealer Communications – Friday July 9 will be the announcement of ADP Dealer Services plan to purchase Cobalt Group Inc.

Apparently discussions have been ongoing for nearly two years between ADP and Cobalt’s primary investor Warbug Pincus. The acquisition is expected to close sometime in the third quarter.

As of right now, there is no word on the sale price, though Cobalt is generating an estimated $250 – $270 million in revenue. According to Dealer Communications ADP could be paying in the neighborhood of $350 – $400 million.

This will be the second major dealer website provider purchase since 2006, when ADP bought BZ Results. The article also go on to say…

ADP plans to keep both brands separate with Cobalt maintaining its Tier One and Tier Two relationships and BZ Results selling directly to the Tier Three/ dealership level.

Here is a link to the entire article on Dealer Communications website  – Nice Job Cliff Banks on this breaking news!

What do you think of this purchase?

Does it make sense for ADP to make such a purchase and what exactly do you think they will get from this?

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