Running a dealership isn’t easy–there’s always a new lead to follow up with, new cars to add to your inventory, or a big deal to close. Juggling tasks like these may seem a bit daunting and unmanageable, but what if there were tools designed specifically to take the pressure off? Automotive software solutions cover everything behind the scenes, from CRM for better lead handling to AI-powered websites to boost your online presence to inventory management software. This software helps you work smarter, sell faster, and fuel growth like never before.
In this blog, you’ll learn about the tech transforming the market, their standout features, and how choosing the right tool utility helps push operations to new heights.
What are Automotive Software Solutions?
Automotive software solutions are digital tools that help dealerships run smarter, faster, and better. They perform various functions, ranging from CRM and DMS to inventory management systems. These platforms are vital support pillars for dealerships and a wise investment, too, as they cut through the chaos and keep things running smoothly.
Automotive industry software solutions play a significant role in managing customer relationships, creating high-quality vehicle listings, and tracking sales performance, to name a few. With all this information, it’s safe to say that the right automotive software solutions give you a commendable edge in today’s competitive market.
Wrapping up, it’s important to know that it’s more about choosing the smart ways to get ahead instead of simply employing digital technologies in the current automotive market.
Top 10 Automotive Software Solutions in the Automobile Industry
It’s no secret that the automotive world is moving fast. While that may seem taxing to keep up with, car sales software is specifically designed to make operations easy. Whether you’re trying to sell vehicles faster, connect with leads on a more personal level, manage your listings on multiple marketplaces, or need an SEO-optimized, professional website, there are tools for every automotive need!
Getting more technical, these tools encompass vehicle management and repair shop software to autonomous driving systems, among numerous others. Seems a bit wordy and complicated to understand, right? Don’t worry! We’ve got a list of the top automotive industry software that is changing how dealerships approach their operations.
1. CRM Software for Enhanced Lead Management
Automotive CRM systems are more than just a helpful tool. It’s the center of your dealership’s customer experience. CRMs help you manage leads, track customer interactions, and automate follow-ups to deliver the best possible experience to buyers. By incorporating CRM software, you’re able to close deals faster and make room for more leads in your pipeline. Automotive CRM like Spyne’s Connect.ai ensures every lead is monitored, marketing is personalized, and communication leads to strong and loyal customer relationships.
2. Inventory Management Software for Live Updates
With automotive software solutions like inventory management, tracking stock levels, employing strategic pricing, and ensuring the right vehicles are always in stock becomes easier. These innovative tools give you real-time information about the top cars to keep in your inventory and ping you when running low on high-demand vehicles. These fantastic tools help you make data-supported decisions and keep your inventory moving fast.
3. AI-powered Website Builders for Professional Sites
AI-powered website builders polish and refine your dealership’s online impression. Make the first customer interaction memorable, and include website building technology like Spyne’s into your software suite. With modern, easily navigable, professional websites, you can rebrand your dealership’s presence and turn your site into a lead-generating machine.
4. Dealership Management Systems for an End-to-End Solution
Car dealership management software looks over all processes. Imagine a multi-functional robot performing multiple tasks at once, like sales process tracking, vehicle listing alignment, and finance and accounting. That’s how a DMS monitors your automotive brand’s overall functioning and allows you to easily track leads, monitor sales stages, and schedule service appointments, all in one place.
5. Connected Vehicles for a Seamless Experience
Cars are becoming smarter in today’s automotive world. Automotive software works to keep up with those evolutions and provide connected, autonomous driving experiences. These advanced solutions aim to connect drivers and vehicles for better convenience and more personalized experiences. Simply put, through AI information, a driver would automatically receive alerts when their car needs an oil change or a maintenance checkup.
6. Electric Vehicle Software for a Smarter Future
Sustainability means a better future for all. That includes the automotive industry, too! EV software helps dealerships manage everything from EV inventory to charging setups. EV solutions even come with customer education guides that explain the importance of going green with how you commute. All of this is in preparation for a smoother and more profitable transition to the rise of electric vehicles.
7. Actionable Vehicle Data Tools
These days, collected data isn’t just stored and kept for later reference; it’s learnt from. Automotive industry software solutions study customer behavior, provide information about vehicle performance, and even track sales trends to help dealerships make better marketing decisions. This means dealers would know which cars to stock, which cars need tune-ups, and which leads are most likely to convert or fizzle out, giving easily understandable data to optimize performance.
8. Commercial Vehicle Solutions for Better Management
Managing and tracking operations when selling commercial and more industry-grade vehicles like delivery vans, work trucks, or fleet vehicles can be challenging. Commercial vehicle software comes in to help dealerships juggle various aspects like fleet order tracking, service schedules, and warranty coverage, so there’s smooth functioning throughout by keeping tabs on multiple vehicles and ensuring each is properly covered by insurance.
9. Marketing Automation for Bulk Interactions
Marketing a dealership is a different ballgame altogether now. Sales are no longer dependent on print ads and catchy taglines. Sure, those help, but building smart and regular communication with your leads is where the money’s at. Marketing automation helps send personalized SMS’s, follow-ups, and promotions in bulk and to a targeted audience to keep your leads engaged.
10. AI-powered Imaging for Stunning Visuals
It’d be wise not to underestimate the power of visuals when selling your products. Shoppers do more than just browse through your listings; they’re studying and judging every detail of your cars on offer. That’s why having professional, studio-grade images on your website is important. AI-powered imaging software transforms raw and unedited photos into attractive and polished visuals without the expensive equipment and time-draining photoshoots.
A Comparison of the Top 12 Automotive Software Solutions
Excellent automation is behind every smart functioning and high-performing dealership in today’s automotive world. When you pull the curtains back, you’ll likely be able to realize the importance of automotive software solutions in lead management, follow-ups, inventory control, and digital vehicle checkups. However, with numerous car sales software available, choosing the best fit for you might seem challenging.
To help you select the right software, we’ve compiled a list of the best automotive software solutions, comparing their standout features, what makes them unique, and what automotive company they’re best suited for.
1. Spyne
- Product Overview: Spyne’s Retail AI suite is designed to help used car dealerships streamline operations, enhance customer engagement, and sell cars faster. From an AI-powered CRM to advanced marketing automation, Spyne is an end-to-end solution for today’s dealerships.
- Key Features: Automotive CRM, AI-powered website builder, inventory management, call tracking, actionable insights, performance analytics, marketing automation, and studio-grade visuals.
- Free Trial: Yes.
- Pricing: Custom, flexible, and budget-friendly pricing plans suitable for all dealership sizes.
2. Podium
- Product Overview: Communication platform for automotive dealerships to manage leads from various sources and customer interactions via messaging.
- Key Features: Online review management, messaging integration like webchat, SMS, and text, and lead generation tools.
- Free Trial: Yes.
- Pricing: Podium’s Creator, Studio, and Enterprise plans are customizable based on the dealership’s needs.
3. Impel
- Product Overview: Impel primarily focuses on automotive AI for dealerships. It offers CRM features, merchandising, communication tools, and marketing automation.
- Key Features: Sales AI Copilot, Marketing AI, Conversational AI, and interactive visual experiences.
- Free Trial: No.
- Pricing: Custom pricing based on the services offered and the dealership’s needs.
4. VinSolutions
- Product Overview: Offers predominantly CRM solutions for lead handling, marketing automation, and sales process tracking.
- Key Features: Connect CRM for lead management, marketing platform, performance analytics, and dashboard reporting.
- Free Trial: No.
- Pricing: VinSolutions does not list pricing online, but you can contact them for pricing information.
5. CDK Global
- Product Overview: Dealership-specific technology solutions like sales management, inventory control, and CRM.
- Key Features: CDK Intelligence Suite for AI-based data analysis, CDK Modern Retail Suite for seamless sales processes, and automated workflows.
- Free Trial: No.
- Pricing: $285 for the first application and an additional $100 for any add-ons.
6. DealerSocket
- Product Overview: Tool suite for automotive dealerships, which includes CRM, DMS, inventory management, and digital marketing tools.
- Key Features: Combined customer data, scheduling and reporting tools, website and digital retailing tools, and optimized pricing through inventory software.
- Free Trial: Unspecified.
- Pricing: $750 per month, but it is quote-based depending on the number of users and services offered.
7. DealerPeak
- Product Overview: CRM solution for dealerships focusing on customer relationship management, sales process optimization, and tracking of employee and customer interactions.
- Key Features: Call management, DMS and F&I integration, reporting analytics, and multichannel marketing.
- Free Trial: No.
- Pricing: DealerPeak does not list pricing online, but you can contact them for pricing information.
8. ProMax
- Product Overview: An all-in-one system that unifies dealership communication, manages leads, and streamlines sales.
- Key Features: Lead tracking, website building, inventory management, and call tracking.
- Free Trial: Unspecified.
- Pricing: ProMax does not list pricing online, but you can contact them for pricing information.
9. DriveCentric
- Product Overview: An automotive software solution for sales management, customer data management, and marketing automation.
- Key Features: Ease of use CRM, reporting analytics, and communication channel integration.
- Free Trial: Unspecified.
- Pricing: Custom pricing based on the services offered and the dealership’s needs.
10. DealerCenter
- Product Overview: Cloud-based dealer management system designed to help dealerships manage various operational aspects of their business like customer relationships and inventory.
- Key Features: Lead management, inventory monitoring, mobile-friendly services, and website integration.
- Free Trial: Yes.
- Pricing: Dealer Center’s CRM has two pricing plans: $99 and $199/month. Its DMS starts at $79/month, and website designing tools are $99 and $125/month.
11. DealerMine
- Product Overview: CRM solution for automotive dealers that helps increase sales and improve customer service and interactions.
- Key Features: Online appointment scheduling, lead management, sales process optimization.
- Free Trial: Unspecified.
- Pricing: DealerMine does not list pricing online, but you can contact them for pricing information.
12. Tekion
- Product Overview: A cloud-based automotive retail platform with reporting analytics for better insights and enhanced customer interactions.
- Key Features: DMS features, CRM, digital marketing, and machine learning.
- Free Trial: No.
- Pricing: Tekion does not list pricing online, but you can contact them for pricing information.
8 Key Features to Look for in Automotive Software Solutions
Choosing the best automotive software for your dealership is about finding the right fit for your operations. You want software that understands your business goals and customers, upscales your daily functions, and helps you grow long-term. From the operations that work from the ground to seamless integration, here are the features automotive industry software needs to have:
1. Ease of Use that Encourages User Adoption
It might be time for a switch if your automotive software has a lengthy instruction manual. Automotive software solutions don’t need rocket science to be navigated. Instead, prioritize clean dashboards, navigable interfaces, and an efficient setup process. The more user-friendly your software is, the faster your team can adapt to it.
2. Multi-purpose Cloud-based Accessibility
Cloud-based platforms allow your team to easily manage sales, service, and automotive marketing software from anywhere globally. This makes remote operation convenient and hurdle-free, enabling the same productivity and communication as a regular office setup. Your team has complete access to all relevant information without any hiccups in operation.
3. Smart Automation for Increased Productivity
The best automotive software handles the foundational work for you. This means that using advanced technology automates tasks that were once repetitive, like follow-ups, appointment reminders, and inventory checks. This way, your team can focus on building closer customer relationships.
4. Third-Party Integrations
Good automotive software solutions work together and combine operations for better management. This happens when your automotive CRM integrates with your website to capture leads from visits or connect inventory tools to marketing platforms to know the high-demand cars to stock up on. Think of these systems communicating with each other to improve your dealership’s communication.
5. AI-backed Supportive Insights
Modern dealerships are incorporating AI insights into their operations for smoother processes. It’s paving the way for faster sales and high lead conversion rates. Examples are dynamic pricing recommendations based on market conditions, visual enhancements for a more interactive customer experience, and performance analytics that would help you make smarter decisions.
6. Scalability and Flexibility
Automotive industry software grows with your business and adapts to operational changes. While designed to help your business reach new heights, automotive software solutions offer modern features and flexible plans that support automotive companies of all sizes, whether operating from single, start-up lots to bigger dealerships in multiple locations.
7. Customizable Workflows for Smooth Processes
An automotive software company has an in-built understanding that every dealership runs differently. To support that unique system, these platforms have customizable workflows and dashboards that can be tweaked to suit the needs of the business and make the sales process more efficient.
8. Customer Service Portal for Constant Engagement
A customer service portal lets buyers check in and track the progress of their purchase, get an update on date and time availability for a maintenance checkup, invoices, and even personalized offers. It’s almost like a virtual mailbox, wherein they can access all the information that makes a customer’s experience convenient. Customers can log in anytime and get live updates. This way, they’re directly connected with your dealership.
How Spyne’s Automotive Software Solutions Help Dealers in the Industry
At Spyne, we understand the complexities and hindrances of running a dealership. So, we prioritize efficiency and smoothing your overall processes. Our retail AI suite presents various features, from marketing automation and multi-platform lead capture to seamless inventory management and sourcing insights. We believe in boosting sales, increasing visibility through modern technology, and helping dealerships realize their marketing abilities.
1. Sourcing Information Using Inventory AI
Finding the right vehicles at the right price is easier with Spyne’s automotive inventory management software. You can source high-demand and premium inventory from marketplaces and auctions, compare prices to set the most competitive one, and access VIN-specific information to get the full rundown on your vehicles. Inventory AI even lets you generate detailed descriptions and promotional taglines to showcase your cars because we know that first impressions make a huge difference.
2. Merchandising Your Vehicles Using Studio AI
Showroom quality visuals using just your smartphone? You heard it right! Our Studio AI feature helps turn everyday, bland, generic, cluttered car images into studio-level images in just one click. Features like backdrop replacement, customizable backgrounds, and tilt correction turn your raw images into high-quality photos and interactive video tours that boost automotive digital marketing and increase customer engagement.
3. Going Live on Marketplaces with AutoWeb AI
Your vehicles need to be showcased on a clean and professional website. Spyne’s AI-powered car dealer website builder designs SEO-centered, customizable websites with unlimited pages and template options. You can even publish your vehicles on Facebook marketplaces and other online platforms. Connect with your leads through Facebook Messenger, update them on inventory stock, and answer questions about your listings. Spyne ensures that you are always connected with your customers across every touchpoint.
4. Tracking Sales Processes with Connect.ai
So, you’ve got your refined inventory, high-quality visuals, and publishing platforms. You now need a place to store and organize leads from your website, marketplace visits, and walk-ins. Spyne’s Connect.ai (CRM) is just the place! Customer data is combined into a navigable dashboard with live updates on their progress and follow-up suggestions based on their sales stage.
Spyne also re-engages leads with outbound marketing techniques and regularly sends SMS campaigns. You’re always on top of things, and you’ll never miss a call with us!
5. Marketing Automation for Targeted Reach
Spyne’s suite removes manual effort in marketing and automatically engages leads through SMS, text, and chat. Our dealership email marketing specializes in custom-made templates for sending to your customers with personalized promotions. We also analyze customer behavior and send reminders based on their interest with tailor-made questions like “Still eyeing that Ford Explorer?” to keep them engaged.
Conclusion
Choosing the right automotive software solutions is necessary to keep up with today’s fast and competitive market. It’s how you realize your dealership’s full potential, convert leads faster, and increase sales like clockwork. With the specific tools to help you manage leads, organize inventory, streamline operations, and track sales processes, you wouldn’t just be working smoothly, you’d be changing the way you approach automotive digital marketing. Are you ready to shift gears toward smarter automotive sales? Book a demo with Spyne today!
