Automotive News - January 7, 2008 - (Page 21)

and Sacks Tough Questions. Straight Answers. On Supporting Dealers On Customers Sacks: With new computer systems seeming to pop up everyday, how will Reynolds maintain its share of the market? Brockman: Sacks: Can you comment on your posture regarding customer treatment? Brockman: The computer system itself is just a piece of the puzzle. On its own it doesn’t really get you there. What you really need are the people that are capable of installing and supporting it, to bring value to the dealership. Most competitors don’t really have the support structure, the infrastructure that it takes, in my opinion, for dealers to really get the support they need. Reynolds has a wonderful, huge group of people that really understands this business and can help dealers get what they need out of a system. And I think as long as we continue to maintain and improve that group of people, we will be the system of choice in the industry, and that’s certainly my goal. I think that in the ﬁrst year of this merger, we’ve been able to achieve that. Bob Brockman is the Chairman and CEO of Reynolds and Reynolds. He has worked extensively in the automotive DMS business for 37 years as founder and CEO of Universal Computer Systems, Inc. (UCS), leading up to the merger of UCS with Reynolds and Reynolds in 2006. Jeff Sacks is considered to be one of the premier experts in dealership operations. He has offered his unique consulting insights to automotive clients worldwide for the past 22 years. On Supporting Two Systems Sacks: Does it make sense from a business perspective to support two different platforms? has two models with different price points for each.That gives us the ability, frankly, to serve the marketplace better than just a single product company. Both ERA® and POWER have very loyal customer followings, and both of them are of sufﬁcient scale where you can justify continuing software investment in both. So both products will go forward, I think, for decades. Frankly, I can’t conceive it would be otherwise. There’s a very famous department store in Texas called Neiman Marcus.We need to be a little bit more like Neiman Marcus, a little more like Macy’s, which means that we’ll have to take some returns that we probably shouldn’t, and we’ll have to issue some credits that were probably not deserved. Another way to say it is, we’re going to have a little bigger 67D policy/goodwill adjustment account. Brockman: I think so.Take the automobile market.There’s a tremendous spread of prices and features, models and makes.That’s what customers want.We face the same situation in dealership management system software - we will be the ﬁrst vendor that actually To watch the full story, visit www.reyrey.com/interviews http://www.reyrey.com/interviews http://www.reyrey.com/interviews

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - January 7, 2008

Caddy V-8 is endangered species An industry turns green -- let's talk JAPAN TRIUMPHANT Ford, Microsoft to offer 911 service in Sync GPS will track fuel price Brose buys Siemens motor unit as step toward N.A. growth Expanding Meridian sees bright future Federal-Mogul CEO to stay Harbour Consulting sold Soft market threatens Tundra sales goal Ford dumps volume targets for dealer bonuses How HCCI engines work Visteon: 'We're leaner and smaller' Ford doubles regional promo money Gasoline-diesel combo moves closer to reality Rethinking retail: A hot topic at World Congress Denso expands hybrid plant CAFE fines may yield meager grants Some pay raise: To $8.3 million from $1 New Chrysler purchasing chief looks to Asia BMW adds jobs to boost S.C. output Continental layoffs follow production cuts at Chrysler Study: Indirect loan delinquencies soar No more peekaboo for Camaro Saturn's Lajdziak: GM is 'where I wanted to be' LETTER TO THE EDITOR Why buy Japanese? Here's an answer CAFE will put new entrees on auto show menu What an exciting way to start 2008 LETTER TO THE EDITOR 84-month financing is nothing new LETTER TO THE EDITOR GM ad policy shift is good for dealers JAMES B. TREECE Detroit show gets back on a global track LETTER TO THE EDITOR Too many dealers: Blame greed LETTER TO THE EDITOR Why not learn from Toyota? LETTER TO THE EDITOR A hot news item? Nah; it's 9 years old Suppliers to the 2008 Saturn Vue Supplier personnel Haldex farms out brake work The theme: Green and mean Dodge Ram gets interior upgrade BMW's 1-series coupe gets a soft-top counterpart Chrysler eye candy includes green jelly bean Chinese automakers increase their presence Concept offers a peek at Explorer's likely successor Ford goes global in styling its B-cars Forum concept is a clubhouse on wheels Dealers Simple safety: Green, amber, red Lexus SUV luxury will grow on you Personnel Gas prices boost Nissan car sales as trucks tank This year's U.S. sales forecast: Gloomy Ford: Tata is lead bidder for 2 brands Ex-Toyota manager goes to Audi Hyundai has new N.A. chief TRW buys Delphi brake assets Who's No. 1? Time for an official review Waning interest Solstice outguns Miata - again Once more into the legal fray? Lifan is the latest Chinese wannabe Things are looking up (and down) for MG Who has 1st Mustang - and what's it worth?

Automotive News - January 7, 2008

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