Dealer Solutions CEO chats with Go Auto.

In a recent interview with Mellor’s Go Auto, Dealer Solutions CEO Chris Vening gave his insights into the establishment and growth of Dealer Solutions, as well as talking about plans for the future.

Go Auto
We’re speaking with Chris Vening - Chief Executive Officer for Dealer Solutions.
Chris, can we start by just talking a little about Dealer Solutions. Who are you and what do you do.

Chris
Dealer Solutions is a national company already helping over 2100 dealers around Australia. We work behind the scenes in lots of different ways - providing different solutions to a range of challenges common to every dealer.

Go Auto
What sort of solutions are we talking about?

Chris
Dealers love to buy and sell. That’s their passion and their major focus. Now surrounding those basic transactions are a lot of different things they also need to do well to keep their dealerships running smoothly. They need customised sales management and accounting systems. And that’s what we provide.

Go Auto
And these products have been developed in association with automotive dealers.

Chris
Totally. And we know the products do the job.

Go Auto
When you think about the modern automotive dealership, there is a lot to organise.

Chris
Sure. They need to advertise, attract customers and manage leads. They need to manage inventory and photograph their vehicles. They need to organise those images onto their websites and to other advertising media. They need to record and manage the financial details of every sale. And they need to manage all the legal data and documents that relate to buying and selling a car.

And the more focused and more intuitive their management systems are, the more time they have to sell cars. Dealer Solutions has spent the last 15 years or so building up a range of solutions that will help dealers manage their business as efficiently as possible. And that’s what we do. We’re an independent source of timeless solutions for Dealers - particularly for the Internet.

Go Auto
That’s your biggest area of focus right now?

Chris
The Internet? Absolutely. Our major goal in the months ahead is to help dealers maximise the benefits of the Internet.

Go Auto
Don't a lot of Dealers have a website already?

Chris
The power of the Internet is about a lot more than putting up a website. Think about the changes we’re already seeing in buying patterns and purchase habits because of the Net. The latest figures I have about cars and the web indicate that the number of people who use the Internet as the major road to a car sale is now as high as 40% - and growing. And that’s from a base of nothing - not that long ago.

And I also believe that up to 80% of prospective customers go online before they talk to a dealer. If I don't like your website - am I likely to give you a call? I don’t think so.

So a big future focus has to be helping dealers improve their Internet presence and increase their chances of getting sales via this medium. And I know we can help. A bonus in that regard is, because Dealer Solutions doesn’t sell advertising space, we are in a position to be a truly independent source of web advice.

Go Auto
So you can organise websites?

Chris
We certainly can - but site design is really just the beginning. We’ve actually set up an integrated set of products that can all happen automatically and make dealers lives so much easier.

Go Auto
Can you give us an example?

Chris
We employ expert professional photographers. These people take great car shots. And we manage those shots electronically. We automatically upload those shots (and the vehicle descriptions) up to the Dealer’s own website. We can then send the vehicle descriptions as well as the photos to any other place they need to go - like the local paper, or other advertising source. In fact managing vehicle photo data is one of the fastest growing areas of our business.

Go Auto
How far do you think the Net can go as a customer attractor?

Chris
We’re still in the very early days of what will eventually be possible via the Internet. To give you some idea - we’ve just launched a new product that turns those car pictures we take into movies.

Go Auto
You mean movies about individual cars - even used cars?

Chris
Absolutely. Thanks to some new very clever patented technology we can turn pictures into movies - complete with voice description and music. If you’re interested, you can see some of our movies on websites already. - Try www.moviestars.dealersolutions.com.au

Go Auto
I understand you’re originally a Brisbane company - do you serve all market areas?

Chris
Our national office is in Brisbane - but we’ve recently expanded our representation into all mainland capital cities. It makes sense to do this. We want to get more involved with local dealers in local markets. Because when you know what is happening in local markets, you can take those lessons and apply them in other markets around Australia.

Go Auto
Thanks Chris.
What do you want dealers to do after reading this interview?

Chris
Just call us. We’re real people. And we’re excited about the industry and what we have to offer dealers around the country.