Comments on: Dealerflow – Car Dealers First Ever ERM (Employee Relations Management) Software

By: Michael A. McCarville

Michael A. McCarville — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:28:36 +0000

Can you tell me what dealers or groups are using your system ?
Thanks

By: Your Own Internal Social Network! - DealerRefresh Automotive Technology forums

Your Own Internal Social Network! - DealerRefresh Automotive Technology forums — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:13:34 +0000

[...] A few months ago there was also a pay-for service posted on dealer refresh called Dealer Flow. Check out the article here. It’s a long article but worth the read. I had a demo from their salesguy and had a few [...]

By: Scotty Bisciotti

Scotty Bisciotti — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:52:11 +0000

Great concept! Could this product be introduced to the members of the Pennsylvania Independant Automobile Dealer Association on our website or in our monthly magazine?

Scotty Bisciotti
Secretary, PIADA

By: Edward Brown

Edward Brown — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:47:01 +0000

Llama and Roland, we felt a literal business implementation of Twitter (Yammer) would be too disruptive for dealerships. We don’t have a “following” aspect. Dealerflow asks, “where are you?” You set yourself to IN, AWAY, or OUT, and optionally enter details on your whereabouts or what you’re working on. Then anyone in the company can check your status from a computer or cell phone when they need to find you. Every day at midnight all statuses are reset.

We integrated statuses tightly with lots of other features in Dealerflow to give you tons of functionality in one system. If you use something like Twitter or Yammer, that’s one more app that just does one thing and that’s how dealers end up with lots of systems.

By: Scott Sigman

Scott Sigman — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:04:16 +0000

I have been more of a supply chain practitioner, though I spent 18 months learning sales and business development at the start of my career on a dealer showroom floor. Leading supply chain notions of interactivity such as this have attracted real attention. Working with vendors, getting inventory, A/P, A/R, BHPH, parts, service maintenance, customer service, F&I, sales, (new & used) and even detailing (the wash rack) into collaboration in real time, could even be done on the demo drive with a tool like this.
This looks like a great value for the application, where it seems to be especially practical in multi-store operations.
While this does not appear to be quite XBOX Live for dealership management, it does appear to deliver fantastic improved professionalism for dealers, so often maligned by buyers, and brings commercial efficiencies. Keeping up productivity of employees, it could be a step toward active business interaction. Including VOIP and text is a long way forward from Nextel and calling for another staff member (sales reps over loudspeakers) could save any industry in a physical environment with tens of thousands of sq. ft.
The current challenge to the industry is dire. Those who invest today in such improvements will be well positioned when pent up demand and consumer confidence brings a rebound.

By: Roland

Roland — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:50:24 +0000

I was wondering the same thing (about Twitter). There’s also another service called Yammer (I have no association with them.) that does this on an enterprise level.

I really like the innovation Dealerflow has demonstrated with this product, but I wonder how many dealers like the idea of another software system.

Dealerflow clearly has some very sharp guys on board and have probably already those of these issues prior to launch though.

By: Llama Money

Llama Money — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:44:23 +0000

I wonder if Twitter itself ( instead of dealerflow ) could be used effectively for communication within a dealership. It seems to be a pretty useful tool for keep groups informed and communication flowing. Might have to give that a shot one of these days.

By: Edward Brown

Edward Brown — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:32 +0000

Jeff, thanks so much for covering Dealerflow on DealerRefresh. Good point about synergy… we’ll put the quote to good use.

Umer, we’d like to do a website API later this year. Would be glad to collaborate with you on it.

By: Roland

Roland — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:29:10 +0000

Even with the reduced exposure you had this year at NADA, could you write a smaller review than normal? You have a good take on things and I’m sure others would like to hear your musings on the subject.

By: Justin Duff

Justin Duff — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:56:11 +0000

I really love this idea and hope the dealers embrace it sooner than later. All of our websites currently have the ability to do things similar to some of the dealerflow features. We create a meet the staff page and each staff member has full control of their page. It’s specific to their contact info, hours of operation, personal biography, etc. Dealers love using it because it helps build that relationship with the customers before they enter the showroom. Or if they have already visited the dealer but forgot their salesperson’s name they could use this directory to find them. Check it out:

http://bmw.sunmotorcars.com/staff.php