Former dealership owner and current Integrated Dealer Systems (IDS) RV Dealership Operations and Retail Management Expert Matt Richards recently discussed how dealers can best leverage their dealership management system (DMS) software.
He said dealers spend time entering data into the system for one purpose: to get the data back out.
“If we cannot get that data back out in a way that we can analyze it and utilize it to make good management decisions quickly and efficiently,” he said, “then what are we doing for it?”
Richards said many dealers shopping for a DMS have questions about whether the system fits their size and needs. Among the questions he said he hears are whether dealers need all the data and how they should use the data.
“When you first see this platform, it can be pretty overwhelming,” Richards said. “There is a lot of information in it. That being said, you do not have to dive into every piece of it initially.”
He highlighted key performance indicators that the DMS system tracks, including inventory management and salesperson/technician reviews. He said another important data point for dealers selling new RVs who have a heavy warranty workload is service receivables.
“This allows you to manage your unpaid warranty claims by age bracket,” he said. “Really easy, right in front of your face all the time.”
From there, dealers can filter the data in numerous ways.
At the RVDA Convention/Expo presentation, Richards highlighted multiple features of the IDS’ DMS software, including Leadership Insights, year-over-year comparison tools and new, Microsoft AI-powered features.
“IDS allows you to leverage Microsoft’s AI platform Co-Pilot really easily,” Richards said. “If I want to allow Co-Pilot to view the data and analyze the data for me, summarize it in an executive
summary or pick out key elements of it, I can utilize it really quickly by just clicking the Co-Pilot button up in the corner of the report and it will analyze the data on the page that you are viewing.”
He said a key Co-Pilot fact is that the AI only accesses the data on the page you are currently viewing, and only when you choose to use it. He said no other dealership data is accessed.
