The Power Information Network (PIN) and The Cobalt Group have formed a marketing alliance to emphasize the complementary nature of their products.
In addition, the two companies are currently evaluating product integration opportunities that would enable development of enhanced business solutions. Such advanced products would provide automobile dealers with tools that make an immediate impact in their operations. The following are key areas of concentration:
CRM and Lead Management
Inventory Optimization
Used Vehicle Inventory Management
F&I Reporting
The Cobalt Group works exclusively in the automotive retail market developing integrated e-business programs that help manufacturers and dealers increase their profits and operational efficiencies. Cobalt offers a broad range of products and services, including: enterprise software; customer relationship management (CRM) applications; e-commerce applications; the industry's largest OEM parts locating and marketing service; and e-business best practices training and consultation.
Cobalt's network includes 12,000 franchised dealerships and more than 70 of the 100 largest dealer groups. Cobalt is the only software technology provider ever endorsed by 18 manufacturers and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).
To learn more about PIN's current product offerings, click here for PIN Products.
PIN and CarsDirect Connect
The Power Information Network and CarsDirect Connect have formed an agreement to mutually promote the services of each company. PIN is very pleased to provide our Web site visitors a direct link to CarsDirect.
The CarsDirect Connect program is the most cost-effective dealer advertising program on the Internet. CarsDirect introduces new and used car dealers to actual car buyers, not just shoppers.
Lead quality is achieved through several measures. First of all, most traffic to CarsDirect.com is obtained through people directly typing in the web address. The remaining traffic is obtained via premium automotive-oriented sites, such as PIN. CarsDirect then further filters traffic by presenting an upfront price, eliminating bad names and addresses, and steering visitors to the vehicles that are easiest to source.
CarsDirect has the greatest buying power of any automotive site (netScore, 2001). You should expect to see close rates well into the teens.
PIN gathers extensive data related to daily point-of-sale automotive transactions from thousands of retailers across the nation. This data is used to provide automotive retailers and manufacturers with industry-wide vehicle purchase data and trend analysis.
Automotive Lease Guide is the industry benchmark for setting residual values of vehicles in the United States and Canada, and it maintains an extensive historical database of residual values, vehicle pricing/equipment changes, and various economic variables. ALG also provides a variety of consulting and data services for various financial institutions and automobile manufacturers.
This alliance brings PIN / J.D. Power and Associates’ extensive customer satisfaction, point-of-sale transaction, and vehicle quality data and combines it with ALG’s rich residual and vehicle content pricing to create additional value-added services. Overlaying the two data sources results in unique residual and leasing analyses not possible from each provider alone.
PIN and Ford Automotive Remarketing Services (ARS)
The Power Information Network and Ford ARS have combined to offer a set of services that capitalize on the strengths of both companies.
PIN has developed a proprietary system called Optimal Distribution of Auction Vehicles (ODAV) to determine the regions where specific models bring the highest returns at auction. PIN’s ODAV system provides the only pricing model in the industry that combines wholesale and retail pricing. With ODAV, PIN can match market demand with retail sales data to determine wholesale auction pricing that maximizes profit.
Ford ARS is the largest auction remarketer of used vehicles in the United States. ARS is the only remarketing organization with access to Ford-sponsored auctions, which have earned a reputation for high-quality, front-line-ready vehicles. Ford ARS clients benefit from Ford-negotiated rates for transportation, vehicle reconditioning, and other customary auction expenses.
The alliance between PIN and Ford ARS can bring the best return on late-model auction vehicle portfolios. Together they bring clients the right vehicle, at the right auction, with the right return. No other source can provide the infrastructure, experience, and detailed marketing knowledge that PIN and Ford ARS can provide.
PIN and Pro Tracking
PIN and Pro Tracking (www.protracking.com) have joined forces to provide an automated web-based solution, called PowerTrack, to assist dealers in maintaining and tracking their Sales and Finance logs. PowerTrack enables dealers to obtain an automated update of their daily online sales and/or their F&I system.
PowerTrack reports can be compiled more easily, and data can be analyzed in greater depth, than previously possible. PowerTrack eliminates the double entry system used by many dealers. Data is automatically populated to over 25 reports for quick and easy selection.
