By Ken Rock, Customer Care Manager Nothing really surprises me anymore. Yet recently, there I was, surprised again. I was visiting a dealership where the parts manager was out for three weeks due to surgery. I asked to speak to whoever was in charge of the parts department, and I ended up speaking to a […]

By Ken Rock, Customer Care Manager I recently visited a dealership service department and asked the manager how they have changed the way they do business in the last year. Surprisingly, this dealership had not changed a thing, other than requiring masks. Customers still have to call to make an appointment, drive into the service […]

By David Druzynski, VP People and Culture, DealerSocket Let’s face it. Most job ads today are boring and, unfortunately, boring job ads attract boring job applicants. If you want to bring in top performers, you need to grab their attention from the start! Car dealers put an incredible amount of time and energy into marketing […]

by Ken Rock, Customer Care Manager Electronic appointment (EA) systems have been around for many years. So, when I visit a dealership’s service department and see a paper appointment pad sitting on a service advisor’s desk, I am not shocked. Unfortunately, the EA system is probably the most underutilized feature in the dealership management system […]

Have you heard the latest news from Auto/Mate and DealerSocket? Events Auto/Mate’s Virtual User Summit This year’s first-ever Virtual User Summit was a big success! Sessions were live-streamed over a four-week period ending on Nov. 11. As an Auto/Mate customer, you can access and watch sessions you missed through Auto/Mate University (AMU). Digital Domination: How […]

Travel restrictions and the health and safety of team members and customers forced Auto/Mate to quickly pivot from its planned, in-person User Summit in Nashville, Ten., to a Virtual User Summit Series that opened on Oct. 22. More than 550 Auto/Mate customers registered — more than twice the attendee count for the company’s 2019 in-person […]

By Anna Puzier, Business Analyst, Auto/Mate by DealerSocket The COVID-19 pandemic and this period of social distancing forced many dealers to invest in digital retailing and e-contracting tools to help facilitate a remote sales process. As a result, thousands of customers have purchased vehicles from the comfort of their own homes. As things settle into […]

By Dave Druzynski, VP People and Culture, DealerSocket As published in the September/October issue of Dealer Magazine. Most managers don’t want to fire their employees, but there comes a time in the employment relationship when it’s the best option for the business and for your remaining team members. So, how do you know when it’s […]

Your monthly roundup of the latest and greatest happenings from Auto/Mate and DealerSocket. Publications How to Keep Remote Customers Engaged F&I Showroom Magazine One of the biggest challenges for sales and F&I professionals when working remote deals is keeping customers engaged. In this article, Auto/Mate’s Anna Puzier shares tips for keeping remote customers captive through […]

by Ken Rock, Customer Care Manager Dealers, do you know how much of your dealership’s capital is tied up in parts inventory? Do you know how much of that inventory is obsolete? I have visited dealerships with hundreds of thousands of dollars in obsolete parts. Yes, hundreds of thousands of dollars. One of the biggest […]

This year’s User Summit may be virtual, but it’s as close as you can get to an in-person experience! Get ready for a series of live, interactive presentations designed to help you improve productivity and job performance, while getting the most out of your dealership management system. Auto/Mate’s Virtual User Summit will take place from […]

A quick summary of what’s happening at Auto/Mate and DealerSocket. Events Registration for the Virtual User Summit is Now Open Our 4-week-long Virtual User Summit takes place from Thursday, Oct. 22, to Wednesday, Nov. 11, and is jam packed with valuable insights, new enhancements and meet and greets from the Auto/Mate and DealerSocket team. Click here […]

Dealerships currently face many challenges, including deficient inventory, stunted sales and wary shoppers. Flexible, reliable and innovative technology is the key to ensuring that your dealership not only survives, but thrives. To help dealers operate more efficiently, Auto/Mate presents, “Work Smarter, Not Harder: How to Simplify Your Entire Operation.” In this exclusive Wards Auto webinar, Auto/Mate’s […]

Have you seen us in the news lately? Here’s a summary of the latest articles featuring Auto/Mate and DealerSocket. Publications Automotive News Beefing up competition in the DMS market It’s hard to believe that Mike Esposito is officially retired! In this article, reporter Lindsay Van Hulle interviews Mike about his career, the pandemic, his legacy […]

by Mike Esposito As published in the August issue of AutoSuccess magazine By the time you read this, I’ll be retired after working in the retail auto industry for more than 25 years. I started as a general manager at a large auto dealership in New York, then moved to Auto/Mate as a salesperson, and […]