One platform. Every department in sync.
If your day starts with five logins, two spreadsheets, and a round of “who owns this lead,” you’re not alone. Vendor sprawl slows dealers, creates blind spots, and adds friction your customers can feel. Solera’s Dealer Ecosystem replaces that Frankenstack with a single ecosystem of solutions so sales, service, F&I, marketing, and accounting move in step. Less swivel chair. More sold and serviced units.
Here’s the point: when your tools share one set of data, every interaction gets easier. Leads don’t die between CRM and the desk. Appraisals reflect live market truth. Service advisors see history without chasing paper. Payments and titling just happen. You free people to do the work that grows the store instead of babysitting systems.
From click to comeback — how it works
A shopper hits your website and submits a lead. DealerSocket CRM routes it instantly, triggers the right follow‑ups, and makes mobile desking easy. The deal flows into Auto/Mate Cloud DMS without rekeying. When that buyer returns for service, your Service Suite recognizes the customer, lets them book online in under a minute, and offers pickup and delivery. Advisors check them in, collect payment, and close the RO without a line at the cashier. The same record follows that customer from sales to service to their next trade, so you can market and retain with precision.
Dealers running this integrated flow report smoother handoffs and higher productivity across the board. For example, stores using Service Suite with pickup and delivery report 40%+ higher customer‑pay revenue per visit and near‑zero no‑shows. That’s the power of removing friction at every step.
What’s inside the Solera Dealer Ecosystem
DealerSocket CRM — Accelerate sales without burning your team out. Flexible nurturing, mobile desking, and automated follow‑ups help your managers tighten response times and your salespeople work smarter. Result: more kept appointments, shorter cycles, and higher CSI.
Auto/Mate Cloud DMS — A modern, open DMS built for profit and efficiency. No integration fees. 35+ OEMs supported. You own your data. Desk-to-contract is clean, reporting is clear, and the back office moves without bottlenecks.
AutoPoint Marketing — Launch targeted, on-brand campaigns in minutes. Use OEM‑ready creative plus automation that fills the showroom and the service drive. Right message, right channel, right time—built on your first‑party data.
Service Suite — One platform for in‑store and remote service: online scheduling to secure payment, with pickup and delivery built in. Shops see 40%+ lifts in customer‑pay and sub‑1% no‑shows when convenience is standard, not an exception.
LoJack — Turn connected cars into a profit center. Real‑time vehicle location and alerts support F&I penetration, streamline lot management, and unlock service‑to‑sales opportunities. Dealers report strong penetration rates, material ROI, and meaningful service push conversions.
Inventory+ — Profit‑driven inventory management. Appraise and price with live market data, follow your Ideal Inventory Model™, and syndicate with one click. You stock what sells and move aged units before they turn into interest expense.
Why consolidation pays off now
- Costs and complexity: Multiple vendors mean stacked fees, duplicate features, and finger‑pointing when data breaks. One platform cuts spend and speeds decisions.
- Inventory volatility: Floorplan and aging penalties punish slow turns. Live data and pricing discipline protect gross and cash.
- Staff turnover: New hires can learn one system fast. Fewer logins, fewer errors, faster time to productivity.
- Customer expectations: People want easy. Self‑service scheduling, pickup and delivery, and transparent communication keep them in your lane.
- Compliance and data privacy: Fewer handoffs and fewer exports reduce risk. You keep control of your data—and who touches it.
A simple plan to get started (this quarter)
1) Map your stack and costs. List every tool by department, monthly spend, and the jobs it’s doing. Circle anything that overlaps or lives in spreadsheets.
2) Pick your anchor workflows. For most stores it’s CRM→Desking→DMS on the sales side and Scheduling→Check‑in→Payment on the service side. Fix those first.
3) Connect identities and data. Make sure a single customer ID follows the shopper from website to CRM to DMS to Service. No duplicate records.
4) Set two or three hard KPIs. Examples: lead‑to‑appointment rate, days to line on used, customer‑pay RO average, no‑show percentage. Track weekly.
5) Pilot, then expand. Turn on one cross‑department flow (e.g., CRM↔DMS for sales; Service Suite from booking to payment). Document the wins and roll it to every rooftop.
This isn’t about ripping and replacing for sport. It’s about giving your teams more time, your managers clearer data, and your customers a better experience from day one. When the platform does the busywork, your people can spend more time building trust, solving problems, and closing business.
Ready to retire the Frankenstack? One ecosystem can do it all. See how Solera’s Dealer Solutions help real dealers save time, cut costs, and grow profit in every department. Request a demo and discover a simpler, smarter path to dealership success—because dealers thrive here. Learn More >
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the sponsor and do not reflect the views, opinions, or positions of J.D. Power.
Earl Brown: He is a veteran automotive marketing leader with nearly 20 years of experience advancing dealer, OEM, Marketing, and SaaS growth. He has led award-winning product launches, national OEM partnerships, and omnichannel initiatives that improved dealership performance during major industry shifts. A data-driven strategist and cross-functional operator, Earl blends creative storytelling with rigorous KPI ownership to elevate CX, strengthen fixed and variable operations, and scale results. | Solera Dealer Solutions, Solera.com
About Solera: Solera is the global leader in vehicle lifecycle management solutions, spanning automotive software-as-a-service, data, and services. Through four lines of business – vehicle claims, vehicle repairs, vehicle solutions, and fleet solutions – Solera is home to many leading brands in the automotive and vehicle ecosystem, including Identifix, Audatex, DealerSocket, Omnitracs, LoJack, Spireon, eDriving, cap hpi, Autodata, and others. Solera’s solutions empower customers to succeed in the digital age by providing a one-stop platform that streamlines operations, delivers data-driven insights, and enhances customer engagement – helping clients drive sales, improve retention, and increase profit margins. Solera serves over 280,000 customers and partners in more than 120 countries. For more information, visit www.solera.com.