HOUSTON -

CAR-Research XRM has announced a new system to help dealers maximize its customer relationship management system.

The new program holds CAR-Research XRM’s Client Relationship Specialists accountable to new benchmark reports designed to ensure that their dealer clients are using the CRM to capture more sales and increase profitability, the company said.

The reports monitor key statistics and processes to ensure dealership sales teams are making optimum use of the CRM, including logging showroom customers, promptly following up with customers and leads, setting appointments and closing a good percentage.

In what the company calls a “crawl, walk, run, fly approach,” a dealership begins at a basic level, then when all benchmark areas turn green, graduates to the next level and its Client Relationship Specialist receives a pay increase. If a dealership regresses in the benchmarks, the specialist’s pay decreases until the dealership again rises to the next level.

“Some auto dealer vendors and CRMs have been criticized in the past for selling and installing the system and then walking away and never contacting the dealer again. This results in a system that is not used to its full potential, if at all,” said Patrick Kelly, president and chief operating officer of CAR-Research XRM.

“There’s a reason CAR-Research maintains a 98 percent recommendation from its dealers. Our new benchmark reports ensure that our field staff is in stores regularly, actually going over the reports and looking at the system to see areas of strength and areas that can be improved. We work hard to ensure that our dealerships are not missing any opportunity to follow up, make a sale and improve profitability.”

CAR-Research XRM’s web-based platform offers more than 50 CRM and marketing applications aimed at helping dealers improve customer satisfaction index and service satisfaction index, and boost gross profit.

For more information, visit www.CAR-Research.com.