Category: Best Practice | Pinewood DMS

Category: Best Practice

Drive workshop profits with Pinewood DMS

As business costs continue to soar and more drivers turn to electric vehicles, retailers should re-evaluate the tools in their dealer management system to boost workshop profits.

Those who are proactive in adopting the latest features, apps and system updates are seeing significant results from process efficiencies that are driving additional revenue.

Plan ahead and boost productivity

Most workshops service multiple brands, vehicle types, and fuel categories – often requiring specific technician skillsets for each. It’s key that service teams have access to a system that helps maximise productivity when planning workloads. A DMS should provide total visibility of upcoming jobs and requirements so the service team can schedule ahead and fill their workshop. Using a system with intuitive diary management means dealers can book more jobs and ultimately boost revenue.

Pinewood DMS helps Workshop Managers make more of Technicians’ productive hours. Using the built-in drag-and-drop planner, they can allocate jobs to each Technician – matching job requirements to skillsets and filling more available hours. Using Pinewood’s Tech+ app, Technicians can see a personalised planner – including scheduled start and completion times for jobs, what’s required, and highlighting no-shows. In doing so, they’re more prepared for the day, utilise their time better, and are more productive.

Streamline VHCs with digital customer approvals

Dealers can boost efficiency by digitalising VHC processes – freeing up time for Technicians to fit more into their day. By asking service customers to pre-authorise VHC work via Tech+, Technicians can get started on jobs immediately – removing the need to discuss requirements and getting cars on the ramp quicker – improving workshop productivity.

Make audits easy and keep your team informed

Adopting an all-in-one DMS with a live central database is a great way to improve communication between service team members.

In Pinewood DMS, Technicians can record digital notes on each operation in the Tech+ app. This eliminates the need for paper job cards and improves workflows, as all write-ups are instantly accessible in the DMS. Making audits easier to handle.

Conclusion

To boost workshop profits, we encourage dealers to be proactive in using the latest tools and updates to digitalise their service journey. This is key with more customers favouring an omnichannel customer experience.

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How to boost your dealerships bottom line?

Many popular car brands are experiencing stock level problems due to a global shortage of semiconductors and other supply chain disruptions.

With the inventory shortages, resulting in supply chain disruptions, dealers are being forced to adapt.

Here are our top three ways to work around these disruptions and boost your dealership’s bottom line.

Act on opportunities from data-rich reports

Whether managing one or multiple branches, leaders want visibility. A DMS should show how every branch and team performs, with useful reports to indicate where opportunities lie.

Many of our partners have adapted their processes and found new ways to boost revenue based on the insights in Pinewood DMS. Dealers must identify and respond to market changes that affect margins, efficiency, and ultimately profits.

Many groups have refocused their efforts on used sales to facilitate the rising demand and have encouraged Aftersales teams to upsell work during vehicle health checks.

Embrace digitalisation or get forced into the slow lane

Customers demand flexibility, so dealers should aim to improve their service offering both online and in-store. A digitally-focused DMS will optimise the omnichannel experience – catering to customer expectations of today.

Digitalising traditional dealer processes helps to streamline workflows and boost convenience – positively impacting the bottom line. Most leading systems have digital tools available, from accepting eSignatures and storing documents digitally.

In the workshop, Technicians are encouraged to make use of mobile apps – often faster and more efficient than working from a PC. With Pinewood’s Tech+ app, Technicians can send a VHC video to the customer straight from the ramp, add write-up notes to job cards, and immediately see if a customer approves recommended work. Dealers are boosting productivity and workshop revenue as a direct result.

Don’t complicate it. Choose a DMS which has the tools you need built-in

Switching between multiple systems can be costly, difficult to maintain, and a barrier to productivity. Therefore, its key dealers invest in a DMS that will leverage their business – with the tools they value and rely upon, built-in.

With so many factors influencing the bottom line, businesses need complete visibility and control, to help identify and action profit opportunities. Choosing the right DMS is essential – dealers must be sure they’re equipped with the data and tools they need to succeed.

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Beat the supply shortages and boost revenue

There’s never been a more crucial time to focus on used stock. In fact, for multi-branch businesses, the current new vehicle shortages, and surging market value of used cars, presents a golden opportunity – if retailers have the tools to tap in. Pinewood DMS is focused on maximising profits group-wide, allowing leaders to handle used stock as efficiently as possible.

Keith Magill, COO at Pinewood DMS SA explains:

“With the current state of the used vehicle market, our customers have a powerful tool at their disposal in the Pinewood DMS – with the various built-in tools, dealerships (especially dealer groups), have the ability to view live used vehicle stock (including: pricing, margin, group days in stock, location history, vehicles on customer order, to name a few key areas), ensuring such stock is seamlessly marketed on the internet, track activity on such stock, and manage trade-in activity (including what has been purchased by date range and of such purchases what has been sold. It is critical to ensure dealerships have a strong used vehicle purchase and sales strategy, which should combine the digital tools available and the operational activity within the dealerships that can not only ensure good stock levels, but make sure they are purchasing the right stock and know how to address any lost trade-in’s.”

Having a system with a single point of control, managers can identify where process improvements are needed, benchmark their best-performing sites, and ensure all branches are turning over vehicles at a competitive margin.

John Trollip, Managing Director at Fuzion Motor Group says:

“Our Group is very focused on looking after our customers from the sale to the end of the journey. Pinewood DMS has assisted us in managing that relationship and offering services relevant to the customer at the right time in the cycle.”

Fuelled by the lockdown restrictions, car buyers now have more choice than ever – able to research and buy online, in-store, or a mix of the two. Failure to efficiently prepare and list stock online could result in losing customers and dealers need to be supported by a DMS which can leverage the business. With a live, accurate view of stock, dealers using Pinewood DMS can publish professional stock ads online in seconds, straight from their mobile devices.

Tracking the performance of multiple branches is key. Comparing vital metrics such as preparation efficacy, true days in stock, and profit margins, enables leaders to analyse performance and act on insights from their best-performing branches.

Magill explains:

“With an all-in-one system like Pinewood DMS, it’s easy for leaders to make the important business decisions and analyse trends across every site. Pinewood dealers can quickly retrieve accurate data from the DMS, allowing them to understand the activity in their used vehicle departments, allowing them to ultimately drive profit maximisation.”

Ultimately, there is a considerable profit opportunity in the used vehicle market. Groups can significantly maximise revenue and results by efficiently managing stock. Taking a holistic approach can result in a big win, driving results.

Pinewood DMS provides all the tools large-scale businesses need to excel.

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Pinewood’s Video Guide – Top Tips

With the omnichannel experience now more important than ever, dealers must adapt to meet buyers’ evolving needs, or risk sales and service customers going elsewhere. By creating engaging video communications, dealers can drive real results – capturing and converting customers before they even set foot in the dealership.

What are the Benefits?

  • Build trust with customers – whether sending a personalised video tour for a car they’ve enquired on, or highlighting recommended work to upsell in a friendly Vehicle Health Check video.
  • Upsell more Vehicle Health Check work.
  • Make listings stand out online.
  • Send personalised responses to enquiries, enhancing the customer journey.

It doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive to improve the quality of video communications, it doesn’t even require a video specialist. By following a few simple tips, as outlined by the DMS experts at Pinewood, dealers can improve the response rates on their videos.

Our Top Tips:

Make it personal:

  • Introduce yourself, as though you were meeting the customer in person.
  • Greet customers by their name, showing them, you’ve taken the time to respond personally.
  • Don’t rush, take pauses and speak clearly.
  • Ensure responses are timely – don’t leave an enquiry waiting for days (or longer), or they’ll go elsewhere.

Good lighting:

  • When highlighting damage in a Vehicle Health Check video, use a torch or laser so the customer can clearly see the issue for themselves.
  • If recording indoors, use a lamp to ensure the vehicle you’re recording is easy to see on-screen.
  • Avoid recording in direct sunlight – the video is likely to be affected by distracting shadows, bright spots or reflections.

Speak clearly:

  • Turn down any background music or radio noises, which may distract the attention of the viewer.
  • Avoid touching the microphone on your smartphone or recording device whilst recording.
  • Wait for any loud noises to stop – this may include workshop machinery, transporter vehicles in the background, or even moving ramps.
  • Find a quieter time to capture your videos with minimal distractions – both visual and audible.

Use a mini-tripod or gimbal:

  • Capture still, steady footage.
  • Reach all angles.

Be engaging:

  • Be conversational – prospects are more likely to listen and engage.
  • Keep it concise, or the customer will lose interest.
  • Highlight the best features – these are the selling points.
  • Finish with a clear call to action.

Try out these video tips today using the built-in video tools in your Pinewood DMS apps.

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The Next Step Towards the Paperless Workshop

We’ve made it easier for dealers to prepare their warranty claims with new Write-ups in our Tech+ app. Technicians can add digital notes to jobs on their phone whilst they work on a vehicle, highlighting any new issues found and corrections made – saying goodbye to printed job cards.

Not only have Write-ups helped with reducing paper in the workshop, but they also give Manufacturers a clear view when auditing for Warranty Claims, with no need to trail through mountains of printed job cards.

Write-ups can have specific headings depending on the franchise and are visible in Pinewood DMS, including a timestamp and record of any edits, providing full visibility across the business.

Gavin Crolla, Divisional Warranty Leader at Mercedes-Benz Leeds explains –

“Previously when submitting warranty claims or providing information to customers, we would waste so much time looking through filing cabinets and struggling to read handwriting. We now have a permanent digital history of our Write-ups neatly archived against job numbers in the DMS. It meets our audit standards with name and date stamps so we don’t need to worry that our claims will be rejected. The information can be reviewed forever-more it massively reduces our paper usage.”

Dealers have faced many challenges during the past year and digitalisation has clearly been an important factor. Whether it’s booking a service on the website or signing job cards digitally – car buyers are embracing the impact of the digital world and dealers are seeing a massive improvement across their businesses when implementing the tools available to them.

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Built-in versus bolt-on – The DMS dilemma

With so many different systems on the market offering tools for every aspect of a dealer’s business, it’s difficult to know which route to take. Which bolt-ons to choose, and how many to add? If a Dealer Management System can’t do the job without bolt-ons, can it really meet your business’ needs – or are you left paying over the odds with only half the tools you require?

The ‘Bolt-on’ DMS Model

There are hundreds of additional systems on the market – you name it, there’s a system for it, generally offering features where the DMS provider has stopped short. This situation has evolved naturally over the decades, but as digitalisation has leaped forward in the last year, it presents a real challenge to providing a truly digital customer experience.

While bolt-on solutions may integrate to some extent, this all adds to the cost and complexity of managing dealer systems. The alternative is to look for an all-in-one DMS where every module is integrated and the essential tools are built into the system, designed to work entirely in sync.

Bolt-ons thrive when there are gaps between the DMS and the most effective business model, often showing the pathway to a fully digital business. Unless the DMS company is continually investing in closing these gaps, purchasing more and more bolt-ons becomes almost compulsory.

Dominic Threlfall, Managing Director of Pebley Beach explains:

“Dealers often use all these different systems, but they all have to be maintained. By having one system, the cost saving to the business is massive!”

The ‘Built-in’ DMS Model

Looking at a system like Pinewood DMS, common bolt-on features like workshop planning, VHC video and document storage – they’re all included in the DMS. And because they’re built-in, they sync that bit better with what’s going on around them to create a fluid customer journey and a 360-degree view of the business.

Neville Briggs, Managing Director at Pinewood explains:

“With Pinewood DMS, everything is built-in – your tools and business areas are synced, so everybody is singing from the same hymn sheet. Of course, there are the manufacturer systems and selected third parties that will need to be integrated, but we hear from so many dealers juggling separate systems about just how challenging it can be! Cost is a huge factor, plus the inconvenience of constantly switching systems. Staff need training on every system too – it really adds up!”

Darren Lakin, Aftersales Director at Wessex describes his views:

“By taking away bolt-on providers, it has allowed us to integrate our VHC process and CRM management, giving us the whole package in one place. There’s no more double-keying, so it’s a much more efficient and streamlined process.”

By reducing the number of bolt-ons, the dealer team no longer need to switch systems or re-key information just to carry out day-to-day tasks. The leadership have a clearer view with just one set of activity information to manage and can focus on creating value, rather than managing dozens of integration points and commercial relationships.

The DMS Dilemma

More than ever, it’s on dealers to be brave and break away from old habits. If your DMS is technically behind the times and without a path to keep up, it’s impossible for you to stay on top of the game – and the more you compensate with bolt-ons, the more fragmented your processes can become.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because most large dealer groups now maintain over 20 different software systems and many are now realising that decreasing, rather than increasing this complexity, is the path to the digital future. And this means addressing the problem at its source by finding a DMS provider that’s ready for the journey.

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“Why so much paper?” – Running the paperless dealership

Eliminating the need to produce, scan, destroy, archive and recover hundreds of documents every day, is a huge opportunity to streamline processes and boost the availability, accuracy and security of information.

So why are dealerships still filled with the sound of rustling paper?

Let’s look at the scale of the issue and the reasons why a dealership should address it. Firstly, by vastly eliminating paper in just one dealership – through digitising processes such as invoicing, test drive documentation, deal files and job cards – a dealer can expect to save a considerable amount of money over five or six years. That’s money saved on toner, paper, on and off-site storage, shredding and secure disposal.

This first requires a workflow of paperless processes to be embedded throughout the business. Pinewood DMS offers a solution for this.

Accounts Department

For example, in the Purchase Ledger, dealers can scan, authorise, code, match and attach supplier invoices to postings in Pinewood DMS, flagging them for electronic authorisation. This eliminates relying on printed documentation reaching the correct person for authorisation, to be filed or scanned into the DMS, reducing paper consumption and administration.

Workshop Department

In the workshop, technicians can use the Tech+ app to conduct a VHC entirely on their mobile device, use digital job cards, and capture a picture of any paper documents, which they can upload straight to the DMS.

Similarly, aftersales staff can benefit from Pinewood’s Host+ app, which is closely aligned with Tech+, to facilitate communication between service advisors and technicians. When the customer arrives at the dealership, a service advisor can approve the job, confirm the vehicle mileage, check the work requirements and amend the pickup time from their handheld device. Following this, they can record an arrival video with the customer, highlighting damage or areas requiring attention – along with capturing an e-signature for the work, which syncs to the customer record. Technicians can view these details in Tech+ as they complete the full VHC.

Sales Department

Outside of the workshop, Host+ also supports sales staff to provide a seamless experience from the first moment of interaction, through to the completion of a sale. Capturing an e-signature for test drive declarations is fast and easy, customers can sign on a tablet device, again saving it to the CRM record.

This allows dealers to fully focus on their customers. Gone is the impracticality and hassle of dealing with a mountain of paperwork.

Vehicle Stock

Stocktakes are also simplified and paperless. Dealers can use the Stock+ app to scan VINs using the camera on their mobile device, to log vehicle locations instead of using a tick sheet. They can also capture a picture of any paper documents, saving them directly to the stock card or CRM record, to remove the need for manual filing.

Pinewood will continue to focus on eliminating paper for their tens of thousands of users, increasing dealer profitability.

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Pinewood DMS helps to create a seamless digital customer journey

Pinewood DMS users have discovered a range of tools for creating a seamless digital customer journey and mobile apps are playing a big part in this. Neville Briggs, Managing Director at Pinewood Technologies UK explains:

“It’s been our mission to help customers uncover new ways of generating revenue. Our popular Stock+ app has been central to successfully taking the initial sales experience online. Salespeople can record and send a personalised video, show highlights of the vehicle up-close and answer any questions. It’s more engaging than a call or email and of course, more likely to convert enquiries. Being integrated into the DMS, managers can easily see that enquiries are being dealt with when working remotely.”

With the Stock+ app, salespeople can take high-quality vehicle photos on their phone, which are updated to dealer and OEM websites directly through the DMS.

Personalised video has undoubtedly changed the game for car sales. From home, customers can benefit from the expertise and assurance of speaking to a professional in-store while taking a virtual tour of the vehicle. This can be followed-up with a convenient two-way SMS conversation, all accessible from the DMS customer record.

Pinewood are constantly updating the DMS with a focus on enhancing the digital sales experience. By making use of these tools, dealers can boost revenue with little effort or cost and it’s clear that contact-free tools are the way to go.

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Supercharge aftersales profits with Pinewood DMS

As new vehicle sales decline, there is increasing urgency for dealers to find alternative revenue sources, with many looking to their aftersales departments. Despite the increasing prevalence of electric vehicles and the reliability of modern cars – reducing billable workshop hours – Pinewood DMS SA believes there are still plenty of opportunities to profit.

“We are learning from markets that are more advanced in terms of their adoption of electric vehicles. From our experience in these markets, such as the Nordics, we’ve observed that dealers capture more of the work that a traditional dealership might not pursue as actively. For example – tyres, smart repairs and even glass repairs.”

To capture every opportunity, Pinewood DMS encourages dealers to strike while the iron is hot, when customers are more likely to authorise identified work. “The best time to upsell is when the car is in the workshop, not when the customer has gone home and has the opportunity to shop around, or faces the prospect of having to revisit the dealership, which isn’t efficient for anyone.”

Pinewood DMS offers a built-in vehicle checking process to build trust with customers, who are more likely to authorise further work and therefore generate more revenue. To provide transparency, dealers can send a booking confirmation to the customer, with a video link explaining the arrival and check-in process. Service advisors can be pre-allocated to an appointment, so they are ready to greet the customer and begin the VHC process.

Pinewood’s app for sales and service, Host+, allows the filming of an arrival video from the convenience of a mobile device. Doing this with the customer present provides more credibility than if the dealer were to contact the customer later in the day and gives them more time to consider proceeding with the additional work. However, when upselling, dealers must have clear pricing and the stock required. Features such as menu pricing, inbuilt tyre catalogues, recommended ordering (based on previous ­supply trends) and automatic re-ordering of parts, address these challenges.

VHC video is a major highlight of Pinewood’s technician app, Tech+. Technicians can capture and send clips of damage to customers straight from the ramp, with a link to instantly authorise or reject the work. This has proven to significantly impact conversion rates and aftersales profits. [Video]

The past year has seen the release of brand new versions of all three of Pinewood’s aftersales apps; Tech+, Parts+ and Host+, for technicians, parts advisors and service/salespeople respectively. These bring a range of new capabilities, such as digitally signing documents to reduce paperwork, issuing parts on the move and barcode scanning.

To find out more about Pinewood DMS or to book a consultant to visit your dealership, please complete the below form.

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