Dealer Management System or Garage Software?
14th May 2015
With such an array of automotive software on offer from different vendors, it’s not surprising that garage owners get confused about what they are looking for when it comes to software for everyday use in the business.
So, is there a distinction between garage software and a Dealer Management System?
After all, the terminology: registration number, chassis number, car make and model etc are common to all of the offerings available. It’s all down to functionality and what use you intend to make of the data.
At Dragon2000 we have always understood that, generally speaking, the smaller, independent workshops are busy repairing cars and every additional minute spent filling in garage data systems is time that isn’t available for changing a clutch. If you recognise that as your way of working, then you will value easy to use job sheets, quick customer invoicing and a workshop diary system more than calculations of efficiency and measures of productivity.
Our Dealer Management System will probably fit the bill. As your business grows, and particularly in today’s economy, then the way in which you operate needs to grow with you. By this point, you need to be capturing more information to future proof your business. If you don’t record an MOT expiry date or a when a cambelt is required, then how do you plan to send a reminder to your customer? If you now have two or three technicians, then being flat out for three days and quiet later in the week won’t do wonders for the efficiency of your mechanics.
It sounds really simple stuff – but we see many businesses that only find this out by trial and error.
Grow some more?
Trying to compete using a garage management tool designed for a start-up business becomes almost self defeating. Enter a full-blown Dealer Management System.
What is a DMS? Well, the Wikipedia definition is here but essentially it is a software tool designed to help you manage your business – to use the figures it produces to make decisions about the direction you take. Understanding technicians efficiency is vital if you want to improve it – but if you are not recording it in the first place?
If you have a car sales operation and sell new or used cars, then the inter-departmental interaction between buying cars, preparing them for sale, finding a customer by marketing your stock, while all the time running a busy workshop, might sound simple. The truth is, that you now have a relatively sophisticated operation. Overheads have been added and the margin between success and failure is much narrower than finding enough work to keep you busy, one day at a time. So, wouldn’t it be nice to know that as you grow, your garage software grew with you?
No importing data from other workshop systems, no expensive training sessions and the same friendly support and advice that Dragon2000 customers have enjoyed for nearly 20 years?
Dragon2000 have been helping dealers and garages drive their businesses forward since 1995. Talk to our team today on 01327 222 333 or email sales@dragon2000.co.uk to find out how our dealer management system, car dealer websites and mobile apps can help your business increase profits and reduce costs.
