See also: Frequently Asked Questions for this module.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Module

Prospecting in a modern motor business has been going through a major review over the last few years. Few dealerships would argue the need for prospecting. The development of the Autoline CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system reflects modern trends using ideas within, and outside, the Motor trade. It allows large organisations to run with the same degree of communication as smaller operations, without losing personal contact with customers.

The main features of the Autoline CRM system are:

• Holds individual files for vehicles, customers and companies
• Allows detailed analysis of the relationships between these files
• Helps to maintain the customer status for each department
• Displays the total relationship between all the files, giving detailed knowledge of all the contacts made and the full service history of the vehicles
• Displays sales analysis, which could include: turnover, discounts, profitability, and so on, shown by department or product
• Additional information, such as customer satisfaction (CSI) and complaints, can be recorded.
• Fully integrated with all other modules, reducing the task of maintaining the database. Customers are therefore not addressed from an out-of-date record.
• The customer can be contacted via letter, telephone, electronic mail, or SMS.
• Extra notes can be retained against customers, such as hobbies, interests, or scanned documents.
• Provides a comprehensive diary system that may be used as a daily, or weekly prompt for all personnel with regard to follow-ups
• Allows the accurate selection of vehicles, customers, or companies for CRM campaigns, via Report generator and Ad-hoc enquiries option

CRM Main Menu

Note: Access to functions on the menu are controlled by access permissions, called priorities. Each function is given a priority when CRM is installed. Your administrator gives each user a priority. Functions whose priority is higher than your own are omitted from the menus shown on your screen. If you think you need access to a function described in this help but not visible on your screen, check with your administrator.

My desktop: Allows you to search for, display, edit, and create, records for Companies, Customers, and Vehicle Records.

Customer satisfaction: Allows you to record customer satisfaction surveys and subsequently monitor the results

Sales analysis: Allows you to display figures input through invoices raised, and subsequently analyse the figures in the form of a graph.

Stock functions: This option is only accessible if you are not using the Autoline Vehicle Stock Books module. The stock function allows you to create, edit, and price, vehicles. This option must be used with the Autoline Showroom module.

Reports & enquiries: As with all the other modules of the autoline system, certain reports are provided as standard. User-defined reports, enquiries, charts, graphs, and documents, can be set up and maintained using Report generator, Format stationery and Ad-hoc enquiries. Advanced users can then attach these facilities onto a defined reports menu, if required.

Miscellaneous options: Allows you to alter standard codes that are used throughout the system. Some codes used within the CRM module (such as franchises, models, variants, and so on), are maintained in the Franchise Data module; others (such as locations and sales executives), are maintained in System Utilities.

System maintenance: Within system Maintenance, options such as Prevent and allow access, File usage statistics, Reset in-use flags, and System parameters, are accessible to a high-priority user.

Handover diary (If Installed): Within the Showroom module a handover diary option is available. Handover bookings can be viewed or amended from this option.

Seasonal equipment: Allows you to manage customer seasonal equipment / winter stock.