ARMONK, N.Y. -

Thanks to IBM and Mazda North American Operations teaming up, Mazda dealers have a new tool at their disposal that can not only help them command the online arena, but also save money, generate revenue and save shoppers time.

Through the IBM WebSphere Commerce software, dealers will be able to access a template that lets them craft a customized website “in as little as 15 minutes,” officials noted.

The software allows them to go back and upload content and sales incentives. For instance, they can add product descriptions, coupons, promotions and social networking links.

IBM WebSphere Commerce also handles things on the consumer side. It allows for customer requests and lets consumers use the Web to schedule repair and servicing at dealerships. 

“Besides driving new sales and giving customers greater convenience in buying accessories and scheduling service, the strong online presence provides a solid link to Mazda’s corporate branding while advancing the dealership’s own identity at the regional and community levels,” explained James DiMarzio, Mazda North American Operations’ chief information officer.

Moreover, the software is designed to make the entire online sales cycle automated. When orders are being created and fulfilled in the automaker’s distribution center, it connects with legacy systems.

Basically, this creates an automated process instead of the previously used manual process. This helps make sure that customer parts and accessories are delivered on time and that there are no mistakes.

Mazda dealers can link to the automaker’s parts distribution centers and tap into more than 8,000 individual products that are included in the online catalog. Mazda North America regularly updates the catalog, officials noted.

“The system is designed as a ‘just in time’ inventory model that lets dealers reduce the number of items they need to keep in stock,” officials noted.

Payment processing can be done via PayPal and UPS can be used for shipping. There are links to both of these on the dealer sites, and both processes are automated.