Service Manager Pro is all about translating service for customers into revenue for dealers. This year the system will have new feature that let service writers generate a checklist for technicians based on OEM specs, and provide the cost as well as time to allow for labor.
“What we’ve built new for 2013 is kind of an industry first,” said CEO C.R. Gittere. “We’ve got about 2,500 bikes in the service scheduler,” and that’s from about 15,000 models in the Service Manager Pro system.
The basic service schedule is derived from OEM recommendations, but some minor modifications have been made to reflect the real world. For example, some OEMs may recommend changing an oil filter only every other oil change. The service scheduler will most often recommend changing the filter with every oil change.
The system shows not only the service to be performed, but the labor times and now the labor cost for each service. That can be a plus for dealers who want to sell prepaid maintenance plans.
Service Manager Pro will offer a show special at Dealer Expo: Instead of $199 for 12 months, dealers who sign up at Dealer Expo will get 13 months for $189.
ARI launches two services to help dealers sell more PG&A. The first, AccessorySmart, gives retailers online access to current aftermarket pricing and availability for more than 500,000 SKUs. AccessorySmart integrates with certain business systems and the top three distributors to show both supplier and in-store stock. Dealership staff can search for products by fitment or by attributes like size, material and color.
ARI’s second new service is Accessory Stream, which uploads the top three distributors’ PG&A data to a dealer’s website. Features are reportedly similar to those of AccessorySmart.
Cycle Processing/Hot Rod Processing is rolling out a new GPS/CDMA web-based tracking platform for use in all types of vehicles: golf carts, motorcycles and ATVs, and cars and trucks from passenger models to 18-wheelers.
“We offer the latest GPS tracking devices that include CellLocate and AssistNow technology, and are both ‘plug’n’track’ and wired devices,” says owner Ed Mann, who also owns a small data wireless company. “Our systems and devices work with our global SIMs in the USA, Canada and some countries in Latin America and Europe. We also offer a dealer/reseller logo platform. We see a lot of people getting ripped off and we want to put a stop to it if we can.”
— Holly J. Wagner
