SAN FRANCISCO -
In addition to other news, Dealerskins, a premier provider of websites for dealers nationwide and a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions, announced its sister company XIGroup will unite under the Dealerskins brand.
 
The merger of the two Dominion website businesses is part of an overall company strategy to provide a complete website, CRM and Inventory solution to reduce the time and frustration often experienced when using multiple technology products, according to officials. 
 
Robert Berndt, president of Dominion Dealer Solutions, stated, “We recognize the need to simplify the technology options available to auto dealers. By integrating two premier website providers and leveraging best in breed products and services, we create a powerful solution for existing and future clients that is difficult to match in the automotive industry.”
 
Joe High, general manager of Dealerskins and XIGroup, will remain general manager of Dealerskins and will lead the unified team.
 
High explained, “Our organizations have been providing custom website solutions to car dealers for over a decade. Through the joining of these award-winning companies, our clients will benefit from shared technology, in-depth industry knowledge, and increased resources. We emerge with a common vision, strong product strategy, and the ability to deliver optimized Web solutions to our clients in 2011 and beyond. It’s a perfect way to begin the new year.”
 
The company will continue to maintain existing products and services for both Dealerskins and XIGroup clients with the same level of support and dedication, executives stressed. Additional product and service offerings that result directly from this unification will be announced in early 2011.
 
Dealerskins will remain headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., with a regional office in Baltimore, Md.
 
AVV Announces New Inventory Management Integration with Dealer Specialties
 
AVV, a l lead management solution for dealers nationwide and a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions, recently announced all-new integration between Web Control, AVV’s Internet lead management solution (ILM), and the Dealer Specialties’ inventory management system.
 
To be launched at NADA, the lead and inventory management integration gives dealers real-time access to dealership inventory from a prospect’s details screen within Web Control. Timely customer communication is then made simple by e-mailing highly engaging vehicle e-brochures, officials explained.
 
Along with other capabilities provided by this integration, dealers will now be able to view all customers interested in a specific vehicle within the Dealer Specialties’ Inventory Management System, as well as the passing of VIN-specific leads with quotes to the inventory management dashboard for display.
 
AVV general manager Ed Braunbeck stated, “The more a dealership’s inventory and lead management solutions communicate, the more effectively a dealer can put the right people into the right vehicles. Our integration with Dealer Specialties’ inventory management engine truly enables our dealers to meet this task and yield greater profits.”
 
“The integration between AVV’s Web Control and Dealer Specialties’ Inventory Management System is a huge win for dealers who rely on these two, industry-leading products,” added Glen Garvin, group general manager for Dominion Dealer Solutions. “Dealers will save time, reduce frustration, and view real-time inventory information alongside actual leads, driving more intelligent pricing decisions. This partnership is a testament of the future integrations being developed by sister companies within Dominion Dealer Solutions.”
 
@utoRevenue’s New Reputation Management Solution
 
@utoRevenue, an industry leader in retention marketing for dealers nationwide and a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions, reported it plans to release an all-new reputation management suite of services for auto dealers at NADA 2011.
 
The 360-degree reputation management solution provides dealers with an innovative approach to tracking, managing and influencing their online reputation, officials explained. 
 
Going beyond the traditional solicitation techniques employed by most in the industry, customers engage at key points in the retention cycle, when positive experiences are most likely to be captured and negative experiences can be quickly addressed, they added.
 
“From the beginning, we ventured outside the box and took a different approach to reputation management,” noted Michael Sos, product manager at @utoRevenue. “Unlike so many who focus on SEO content creation or simply creating a place to collect reviews, this reputation management solution is about connecting with customers at the right time in the life cycle and influencing the response.”
 
Brice Englert, general manager at @utoRevenue, added, “The new online environment is providing a small number of customers with unprecedented access to share their experience with a large population of potential customers. It is imperative that car dealerships embrace a proactive approach to not only tracking but influencing what is being shared about their stores online.”