By Suman Ahliya

The boom for an Automotive Industry has always been drastically increasing. This makes you to think the ways and means to attract customers with the latest and innovative marketing techniques. So, one of the great techniques is advertisement.

Throwing money into this arena gets you remarkable fame in the market. At the same time, in order to market your business effectively and earn good profits, you need to be guided thoroughly for making resistant or strong dealerships. Basically there are five major pitfalls, you must be well aware and we will shed light on the same for you to increased profits by remaining stable in the market:

1. Understand the meaning of marketing is null or illogical. Any marketing process should direct to sales. Every individual understand its meaning in their own terms or misguided by others. There is a drastic difference between sales and marketing. The word 'sales' meaning executing the product by understanding your customer requirements thoroughly and present them vibrantly with passion and make them to buy for its usage.

It requires lot of passion, energy and enthusiasm to have a sales presentation whereas, marketing lays the foundation for pre-selling and placing you to sell the product. The success of selling the product depends on your demonstration to make it clear about the features or explaining them about the product.

2. Lack of having an effective marketing strategy. The goal with any strategy will not give you success. Any job in order to do it productively and fruitfully, you must have a proper plan and well aware of reaching to achieve it. Marketing strategy is not just a spray and pray, you must aim for some result or outcome. Otherwise the efforts become vain.

It must be situational and it has to be changed as blog reviews and when required. It's like a melodious and harmonious score, as the stage is set with the beautiful tones and mood.

Think the ways to integrate some direct or education based strategies to get the best results and get the desired profits.

All the above are the few deadly sins of automotive marketing. If you want more information on this issue then you can search various websites based on this topic. You can find the websites link from the automotive blog reviews.

By Dr Brad Semp

The US automotive industry suffered a fatal blow. Yet anyone who claims that the industry's demise can be linked to a single root-cause of failure is sadly mistaken. I spent the greater portion of 10 years within that industry many of which in an executive or managerial role.

Unfortunately, there's no silver bullet that caused the fall. I say unfortunately because a single cause of failure could be prevented in the future. In this case, the blame can be put only on the system as a whole making it difficult to protect against a repeat occurrence.

What the automotive industry suffered was a catastrophic failure caused by multiple points of failure. We're talking systemic failure in its truest form. As an insider in the industry, I can personally attest to some of the actions (or lack thereof) that pushed the industry to a collapse.

One of the biggest gremlins that undermined the industry was a myopic focus on piece price (cost). Over the years the automobile manufacturers became totally engulfed in driving (no pun intended) suppliers to lower sell prices in an attempt to reduce the production cost of a car or truck and therefore increase the bottom line.

This shortsighted focus on lower piece cost was so strong that supplier relationships were sacrificed. In fact, one of the Big 3 automotive companies believed that if one supplier went under that another would always step up. How is that for arrogant?

The pressure for lower piece cost was so extreme that suppliers were forced to seek low-cost countries for the procurement of parts and for their own manufacturing processes. On the surface this approach may seem logical. However, what was lacking was a holistic view of the situation to see that lower piece price demands were leading to other systemic issues:

Reduced quality and increased life-cycle costs due to overseas outsourcing
Suboptimal designs because of shortcuts to reduce costs
Jobs being pushed out of the US
Collapse of solid, reputable suppliers
Tarnished relationships with the legacy supply base

The situation went as far as the automotive manufacturers demanding payments from suppliers to maintain current business or to be awarded new business. These payments were commonly known in industry as "givebacks". These givebacks started as checks that were written for absurd amounts of money and then changed into piece price concessions over the length of a given contract (the SEC wouldn't necessary like the check approach, i.e. buying business).

Business is about more than just the bottom line. The way in which you go about producing profit makes a difference. Our friends in the automotive industry learned the hard way that relying upon myopic, dictatorial and selfishly driven profits at the expense of your suppliers and customers is not sustainable.

By Andrew Carter

There is a real challenge out there as the Automotive Industry 'globalises' - experts in a number of disciplines from Sales to Design, Engineering to Manufacturing are having to talk to each other across continents. This brings so many challenges, both for the business and the individual. Companies like Nissan and Renault have important alliances in place, and most automotive manufacturers are present in China, working with local industries.

The Challenge

English is the global language of the Automotive Industry

There are ever increasing demands on Automotive executives:

International Travel

International Companies & Alliances

Shared, Time-pressured Development programmes

International Meetings - face to face, on the phone, even on TV

International Communications - e-mails, letters, video conferencing

Global Experts in Design, Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance who have challenges when trying to get their expertise across.

The Personal Challenge

Imaging the difficulties posed by the following examples:

1. "He's wrong!" - but how do I tell him that politely?

2. "That's not the best way" - but how do I tell them what is the best way in terms that they will understand and without offending them?

3. "I'm thirsty" - but how do I ask for a drink around here?

4. "I'd really like to see the way that he calculated that" - but how do I ask him?

5. "I don't want to eat here, I've heard it's no good!" - but how do I let them know?

6. "That's a lousy deal!" - but how do we discuss this in the kind of detail I want to go into??

7. "I really want to understand what makes this colleague / customer 'tick' - it would make this project / negotiation much easier" - but I'm stuck for words! English is too difficult!

The Solution

The Automotive giants and their suppliers need to get their experts 'up to speed', NOW. International alliances and cooperation means more travel, more meetings and more and more shared projects and platforms. There are various options available to employers to enhance their employees' skills in English, especially to those in Japan, Korea and China. The best option has to be one-to-one tuition in the UK, Australia or the US. Good training (which can also be carried out in-house, or in a language school either 'at home' or abroad) enables international experts to communicate easily and with confidence, so that a car-makers' ideas and agenda are definitely put forward.

Too often during my career in the industry I have watched Japanese colleagues struggling to communicate their point of view (and therefore that of their employers!) to people from very foreign cultures. My favourite example of this is sitting in a car in the UK, next to a Turkish gentleman, and hearing one half of a conversation he was having with a Vietnamese gentleman who was speaking from his desk in France where he works for a German company - all about a project for a French customer for parts that would be manufactured in Turkey for a Romanian factory! All of this was in ENGLISH!

By Hani Masgidi

Business excellence is an ideal that all good entrepreneurs strive to achieve. In fact, many organizations are devoted to honoring those businesses that best exemplify this concept. However, business excellence cannot be strictly defined. Rather, it varies from one industry to another. For example, in the automotive industry, business excellence includes customer commitment, quality control, efficient supply, and innovative management.

Leaders in the automotive industry understand the need to form a strong bond with customers. Perhaps more than other sectors, consumers are more likely to make a decision regarding an automobile purchase based upon their experience with those in the industry. Thus, entrepreneurs need to be concerned with two key features relating to customer commitment. The first is meeting the needs of the consumer, financially and socially. People need automobiles that meet their economic means. This not only means getting a good initial purchase price, but also finding a vehicle that will require minimal repair and maintenance down the road. Consumers also want to purchase automobiles that will not require excess money to be spent on fuel. Therefore, business excellence includes finding more cost-efficient production and distribution processes, and subsequently passing these savings on to the consumer.

The second aspect of customer commitment is meeting societal needs and desires. This means staying informed of what vehicle features are most important to consumers. Such information can be garnered using formal surveys and demographic research. Once you understand the buyer, you are more capable of catering to him or her. For example, people in some regions are especially concerned with the environmental impact of their purchases. Thus, the automobile industry would need to show those people they are committed to using recycled materials and alternative fuels. Additionally, many consumers want family vehicles that are safe and comfortable for children. Therefore, excellent automobile entrepreneurs will focus their attention on crash test results and extra amenities.

In addition to customer commitment, business excellence must include exceptional quality control measures. This means ensuring that automotive vehicles are safe and easy to maintain. Appropriate testing should be undertaken for each new product model, and the results of these assessments need to be made public in a timely manner. Additionally, individual dealerships should take care to ensure every vehicle is inspected prior to sale and stored under ideal conditions prior to purchase.

Efficient supply is an aspect of business excellence that is frequently overlooked. The balance between supply and demand is vital to the automotive industry. Producing too many vehicles can lead to severely diminished profits. It can also lead to a waste of resources that could have been better utilized for vehicles more likely to be purchased. Meanwhile, a supply that is too short can cause companies to lose customers. When an individual needs to purchase a vehicle, he or she may not be able to wait any extensive period for a desired product to come into supply. As a result, they will simply find an alternative automobile to purchase.

Finally, business excellence in the automotive industry requires innovative management. There are several parties involved in the manufacture and distribution of vehicles, and financial as well as labor resources need to be managed from the top down as well as controlled on a micro-level. Thus, not only do large factories need to communicate with business executives and the dealerships that asses supply, but individual sales representatives need to be appropriately trained and supervised at each individual dealership.

By Lisa Yumi Mitchell

How many times have you driven by a car dealership to find salespeople huddled or lined up by the showroom door like vultures waiting to pounce on the next customer?

In today's market, spending has significantly decreased, and dealerships must be more proactive in creating a maximized sales environment and managing sales activity if they want to sell more cars and generate profit.

On top of this current problem affecting auto sales, in-store traffic is at an all time low, as many that need to purchase a vehicle do the majority of their research and kicking of the tires online to determine what they want and can afford, and then call the dealership, rather than browse the showroom like the good old days.

The advent of the internet has changed how people shop for cars. Isn't it time your sales training changed to adapt to get current with the times?

Sales training in the auto industry typically used to just be for the sales team. The managers would send their crew to a seminar where they would learn about the latest and greatest tactics and techniques in showroom behavior. The salespeople would return to their dealerships all pumped up and ready to implement what they just learned. Then two weeks later, it is back to business as usual.

Why This Does Not Work

Bottom Line: You need effective automotive sales management to have effective salespeople. Managers need automotive training as well as the auto sales staff.

Most sales managers became sales managers because they had high success as a salesperson. That does not necessarily make them good at managing a staff, in the same way that the best player may not make the best coach.
Think of the auto sales manager as sales coach. A coach oversees performance and creates strategies based on a player's ability to execute. The sales manager should oversee his or her staff in the same manner and get trained on how to manage effectively to increase automotive sales.

Automotive management training ensures that the managers can comprehensively supervise the showroom and track the individual progress of his or her staff. They will train with the sales staff and should then learn how to set up an in-house continual training regimen.

Salespeople may indeed learn valuable skills from seminars, but the main difference between training and learning is that training is the repeated application of learned skills. There is not a lot of opportunity for salespeople to repeatedly apply what they learn in the period of a single day, or even a week. Training is something you do, not something you did.

Automotive BDC and Telephone Training

Car dealers need to know how to handle inbound sales calls and talk potential customers into the showroom instead of out. While many salespeople do not want to talk about price, customers will inevitably bring it up, so it is crucial to be prepared and know how to handle the issue of price when it comes up.

Furthermore, auto dealerships, and especially the sales staff, need to be informed about current programs. For example, the last hot topic of the auto industry was Cash for Clunkers. Salespeople should know, first off, whether their dealership is participating in a certain program. Then, they should know the exact requirements of the program, and what kind of rebates or incentives their dealership is offering. Once they are sufficiently educated, they need to practice explaining the ins and outs of the program, so that by the time they have a customer on the line or in the showroom, it feels like second nature to them.

This is where telephone sales training comes into play. Although many auto salespeople feel at home in the showroom, they are ill at ease when it comes to handling the phones. There is great debate about the pros and cons of the automotive BDC or business development center. For many dealerships, the BDC staff is made up of telemarketers. On one hand, they have experience with handling inbound and outbound calls. On the other hand, they may know very little about the automotive industry. What if you could combine your auto sales staff with your BDC? With telephone sales training, you can.

With effective telephone training, the auto sales staff will not only be able to handle inbound calls, but also follow up with unsold prospects, and call back sold customers to generate repeaters and referrals. Although there are many good training programs out there, one of the best, in my opinion, is FirePhone, which is part of Proactive Training Solution's ADAPT VT virtual training program.

One of the main elements of FirePhone is the virtual role-play, which allows salespeople to get ample practice with virtual callers before moving on to real callers. FirePhone also provides scripts for almost any situation, so that the sales staff always knows what to say. Whether your dealership uses FirePhone or another program, having a sales staff that is skilled on the phone will allow you to cut costs and save money that would otherwise be spent on an outside BDC.

In Summary

An ongoing automotive sales training program that incorporates both the showroom and the phone lines is what will keep your dealership efficient and productive during these tough economic times. Through much practice and sound management coaching, the auto sales staff will become more at ease with various situations, have more confidence with the potential customer, and close more sales transactions.

By W Tsang

Majority of men and a few women are passionate about cars, which is why some choose to embark on a profession that entails repairing, overhauling and even modifying specific or all car type.

But definitely, aside from the enthusiasm, there are other requirements in order to become an automotive mechanic. First it would be a good idea for anyone who aspires a career on automotive repair to understand the duties and tasks of this craft. When a car malfunctions, an automotive mechanic makes a diagnosis of what have caused such failure in the equipment. After which the mechanic executes appropriate repair works depending on the car make or model. In exact, here are the possible tasks that an auto mechanic may perform:

* patching up various automobiles that may be powered by gasoline, diesel or electricity (these vehicles are cars, light-medium-heavy trucks, vans, scooters, utility vehicles, power sweepers, garden equipments, forklifts, etc)
* working on internal ignition engines and relating repair tasks such as valves grinding, piston and piston ring installations, bearings and bushings fittings, rod aligning, components dismantling and reassembling.
* fine-tuning other components of the automotive such as clutches, transmissions, single and multiple speed differentials, hydraulic loading and accessory systems and controls, mechanical vacuum boosters, hydraulic and air brake systems, suspension systems, steering assemblies, and carburetion, ignition and electrical systems
* tuning up, changing of oil, wheel and tire balancing, mufflers and smog control devices inspecting and fixing
* proper utilization of shop equipments like hand-set grinders, drill and hydraulic presses, hydraulic lifts, engine analyzers, welding equipment, and electrical system testing equipment.
* some welding of electrical and oxygen acetylene, matching tires on dual wheel vehicles

Aside from these, the auto mechanic may be the one to order the parts and supplies needed for the repair, keep inventories in certain projects, estimate costs and price for the automotive repair, recommend other services provided by other contractors if the automotive malfunction is out of his field, and other duties assigned.

To be able to perform well on the duties mentioned for an automotive mechanic, he or she should possess the following qualities and knowledge:

* how a certain type and model of an automotive operates
* principles and concepts of mechanical and electrical systems, Hydraulic and power take-off accessory systems in gasoline and diesel internal combustion engines
* proper use as well as maintenance of tools and equipments in automotive machinery
* safety measures, precautions and practices
* basic record-keeping processes and computer skills

Different countries have different regulations on how an aspirant may become a licensed and qualified mechanic. As early as high school, there are some curriculum which provides early preparation or vocational elective courses including that of car repairing. Also, apprenticeships and training programs may be availed to add to the list of credentials. Formal training and education may come from various technical schools and colleges.

Automotive Repairing may also encompass some lifting or carrying of heavy motors and equipments so a mechanic's body must be fit to carry out such task. He should also possess or have even the basic tools like pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers and gauges.

By Philip Zelinger

In today's struggling economy and consolidating auto industry consumers, auto dealers and their automotive advertising agencies are demanding more for less. Consumers want to spend less time and money shopping for a vehicle and auto dealers have directed their automotive advertising agencies to deliver more reach, frequency, impressions -- and of course vehicles -- for less money with less effort since auto dealer's staff's have been reduced along with their advertising budgets.

The first wave of solutions that satisfied consumers and auto dealers alike came with the growth of technology driven marketing applications that replicated proven real world selling processes to accommodate established consumer preferences. The Internet provided the efficient media required to effectively deliver the marketing message to a qualified consumer in a cost effective and scalable manner and several automotive advertising vendors developed applications that made the message more relevant and transparent for the consumer.

A prime example of how the virtual world was built on the real world was in the explosive growth of video in online automotive advertising. A generation of consumers that grew up with television quickly gravitated to video on the World Wide Web. The search engines adjusted their algorithms to accommodate them by weighting video over copy or pictures in their search results. SiSTeR Technologies pioneered the automated Video Walk A-Round industry in 2006 before the search engines and auto dealers recognized the preference by consumers for video when surfing the web to purchase a new or pre-owned vehicle. As a result, SiSTeR Technologies has earned a reputation as a dedicated, innovative and progressive provider of video for the auto industry. SiSTeR produces comprehensive video analytical reports and has demonstrated that auto dealers using its video applications enjoy increased conversion rates, more calls and lead submission exceeding 70%.

SiSTeR uses proprietary technology that creates an individual Video Walk A-Round for every vehicle in the dealers' inventory using existing pictures, data and text. The production process is fully automated without placing any burden on the dealer. One of the most valued and unique features of their process is that every vehicle is described using a real human voice and the music and style of presentation are customized to fit the vehicle's category.

Potential car buyers are served by the video clips presented through SiSTer's proprietary 3DF player that is integrated with most web site providers and all of the major industry portals. Thanks to their 3DF technology, SiSTeR provides the auto dealer with valuable information to quantify their R.O.I. including vehicle comparisons and user behavior when they interact with the video.

Of equal importance to the auto dealer is the fact that the video clips are also uploaded to You Tube and indexed by Google. SiSTeR pioneered the video search engine in early 2008 as the first video provider for the automotive industry that integrated with You Tube. Today, vSEO has become an industry standard and SiSTeR was strategically positioned to take advantage by being the first to expand their application into a comprehensive platform that includes their professionally produced videos as well as a variety of complimentary products and services.

According to Israel Alpert, the C.E.O. of SiSTeR Technologies -- Many providers are trying to follow but none of them has the depth of expertise and experience that is required to achieve top position on Google's search result. We just introduced VidBrid -- a revolutionary technology that merges the vehicle presentation and the dealers' branding with full motion video inserts that are perfectly synchronized with the voice over. Our productions are not just boring picture stitching or infomercials that turn the audience away. Our VidBrid technology not only captures the user's attention but it allows the dealer and the service provider to customize the production to fit every vehicle and style as well as to include the dealers' messaging, services and special offerings within the video production. Differentiation is the key to successful marketing and SiSTeR has taken that wisdom to the next level. Auto dealers are no longer limited to the same cookie-cutter, one production fits all video to market their vehicles and their auto dealerships.

The true leverage of extending automotive advertising applications into platforms is realized when specialized platforms -- such as SiSTeR Technologies Video Platform -- merge with non-competing applications and/or platforms to enhance the solutions provided by both. SiSTeR has developed a national network of distinguished resellers, service providers and promoters that already have established platforms and/or applications. Their common goal is to expand their services to their auto dealer clients while improving the online shopping experience for consumers. Their expanding group of respected channel partners can point to direct engagement with large dealer groups. It has already earned them a pilot program with a major OEM which should be announced to the public at the 2010 NADA Convention scheduled in Orlando, February 13th though February 15th, 2010. With a combined network of over 600 sales people in the field supported by their philosophy and focus to stay on the cutting edge of video production and marketing to the auto industry they are recognized by many of their auto dealer clients as an innovative vendor partner who is extremely attentive to the auto dealer's needs.

ecarlist is an automotive advertising vendor with a variety of applications that comprise a marketing platform of their own. ecarlist recognized the proprietary nature of SiSTeR's video platform and they recently became their latest channel partner. Their new reseller relationship with SiSTeR Technologies will enhance both platforms and provide added value to their shared customers. ecarlist provides a comprehensive inventory management application and appraisal tool tied to internet sourced market data as well as web site designs and support services which will benefit by their integration of SiSTeR's video platform.

I interviewed Len Critcher, the President of ecarlist, on my blog talk radio show, Automotive Advertising Experts, that aired on November 14th 2008. The new relationship between ecarlist and SiSTeR Technologies developed after the two companies recognized the value of combining their applications to better serve their auto dealer clients.

Len Critcher is a dealer principal of eCarLink.com, a leading Internet dealership and CEO of ecarlist.com, a dealership software company in Dallas, TX. For five years, eCarLink.com has consistently sold over 1,000 vehicles per year exclusively through online marketing.

Critcher has been profiled in Forbes Magazine, CBS News, American Way, and the Dallas Business Journal for his work. He is often asked to consult dealerships on best practices in selling/marketing online. Critcher's dealership is currently ranked #8 nationally of 'pre-owned retailers' by Auto Dealer Monthly.

ecarlist serves +/- 500 auto dealerships, including the largest Chevy dealership and the largest pre-owned Lexus dealership in the nation. They have been marketing their product for less than 2 years but they have recently expanded their offerings to include the following features and benefits;

Inventory Listing Management

ecarlist provides more than just inventory management capabilities. They are one of the most powerful listing tools available. ecarlist provides multiple ways to input inventory including feeds from a 3rd-party dealer service vendor, integration with an auto dealer's legacy DMS, or vehicles can be entered manually making the process as painless and intuitive as possible.

Powered by Chrome Systems, one of the most powerful and accurate VIN decoders available, after the initial decode all auto dealers are required to input in most cases is the price, mileage and description (if desired). Their VIN decode even provides available OEM colors and options for that particular make and model. Total and seamless integration with both CARFAX and AutoCheck allow the option to choose the source of a vehicle's history report, and ecarlist is one of the first platforms to provide a quick-view CARFAX Highlights summary directly from the vehicle's inventory page. No more wasting time opening and reviewing CARFAX reports!

ecarlist's description builder develops a seemingly-customized description about a vehicle without spending all of the extra time. Simply choose the categories to describe, click the check box by the respective description and finalize the arrangement of the descriptions. One of the things that make their description builder unique is the ability to save custom phrases and paragraphs-no more opening up word documents to copy/paste favorite openings or paragraphs. Simply type them once, save them to the ecarlist description builder and access them for all future listings. Their description builder will even update the year, make, model, price and mileage automatically into customized paragraphs, which will save even more time!

Auto Dealers can preview their ad and send their inventory to all of the major sites using some of the most recognizable and acclaimed templates available with just one click. If an auto dealer prefers a unique, or more customized template, or they feel that there are some better web sites that they would like to use to advertise their inventory, ecarlist will help them achieve what will work best for their dealership.

With ecarlist's integrated, multi-site lead management system, auto dealers can view and reply to leads from many of the most popular marketing mediums directly from their ecarlist account. Auto dealers can choose to view leads based on date received or by vehicle. Even monitor all email communications in thread based formatting.

Email Lead Management

Their included E-mail Lead Management system also allows auto dealers to respond to customer questions, accept/reject/counter eBay Best Offers, and avoid unwanted spam e-mails, which will ensure that auto dealers only receive e-mails that pertain to their business.

Market Price Analysis

The days of only monitoring a competing dealer's specials down the street are over. The dealership of today must understand the National marketplace and must buy/price their inventory accordingly. There is an old saying, profit is made on the buy, not the sale. With ecarlist's integrated Market Analysis system -- dealerships are better equipped during the buying stage as well as the marketing and pricing stages. Auto dealers can use ecarlist to assess trade values looking at many forms of data including Black Book and eBay Motors Market Data. Auto dealers can compare inventory with 'real-time' VIN matched vehicles selling online and see exactly what competitors are asking.

A new feature to be added to ecarlist in the near future is their Classified Market Analysis including Auto Trader and Cars.com. Also, improved inventory monitoring and inventory price alerts.

Free Inventory Export to Multiple Sites

From eBay Motors and AutoTrader, to Cars.com and Edmunds, auto dealers can list their vehicles to all of the most popular online advertising platforms with just one click.

Free Window Sticker Creator

Auto Dealers can access customized window stickers and buyer's guides, on demand, with their Window Sticker Creator. No more waiting for 3rd-party providers to put stickers on inventory, no more waiting for graphics companies to deliver stickers a week after they are ordered and no more paying someone else for something that auto dealers can do themselves for ¼ of the cost; simply click and print.

eBay LOCAL Integration

ecarlist is one of only a handful of eBay Motors Preferred Service Providers out of the 30,000+ vendors that eBay works with.

Free Craigslist Integration

Auto dealers can easily send all their inventory to one of the world's largest free, online marketplaces. With more than 7 billion page views per month and an opportunity to selectively market vehicles in most of the country's largest metropolitan areas for free, Craigslist is something auto dealers will definitely take advantage of. A full color ad, branded with dealership banners will ensure that vehicles get the attention they need from potential buyers.

AutoTrader Tag Line

The eCarList AutoTrader Tag Line, provides the ability to precede each ad with a customer, sales-person specific greeting, that should increase the likelihood that a potential customer knows who to ask for to eliminate confusion on the showroom floor.

Integrated Lease Quoting System

Auto Dealers can populate their ads with auto-generated lease quotes using generic, make-specific or franchise-specific lease criteria (money factors, residuals, terms, etc.). No more manually entering terms on the back-end, no more guessing what the lease payment might be-ecarlist does the work for the auto dealer.

DMS, CRM or Other 3rd-Party Integration

Duplicate entry, switching back-and-forth between various web pages, reconciling an auto dealer's inventory and corresponding leads all take up valuable time that should be better spent selling vehicles and making money. That is why ecarlist works so diligently to provide integrations with all of the necessary sources that auto dealers utilize on a daily basis. However, ecarlist goes one step further by ensuring the data from/to these sources are seamlessly integrated into the auto dealer's account, so the dealer can manage and access everything they need from ecarlist without compromising functionality or accuracy.

Manheim's Online Vehicle Exchange (OVE) Integration

Lower transaction costs, guaranteed payment, exposure to a national audience of buying dealers...if an auto dealer wholesales any of their inventory, OVE is a necessity. ecarlist is proud to be one of the first 3rd-party partners of OVE by providing their auto dealers the ability to list and manage their vehicles directly to this new auction marketplace. All auto dealer clients need to get started is an eCarList account and their Manheim user-name and password.

24-Hour Technical Support

At ecarlist, customer support is paramount. From their technical support and sales representatives, to their executive officers, their goal is that virtually anyone and everyone on their team is accessible when their dealer clients need them most.

Customized "Framing" Upon Request

Framing is a great way to make ads stand out, establish an online image and preserve dealership-specific branding. Additionally, framing decreases the likelihood that a dealership's 'likeness' or vehicle photos will be used in a fraudulent manner by making it difficult for individuals to steal photos without spending a prohibitive amount of time editing them for use as their own.

VIN Explosion Back-up

Although, ecarlist took great care when researching and partnering with the most robust and accurate VIN decode company available, no VIN decoder has 100% success decoding VIN's. That is why ecarlist is the first, and to their knowledge, only company around that cares enough about their auto dealer client's time and the accuracy of their listings to employ a back-up VIN decode system. In the event an auto dealer's initial VIN decode fails, eCarList wil automatically generate a VIN decode request with their back-up VIN decode partner, VinPOWER.

The diverse and robust series of integrated applications that make up the ecarlist marketing platform provide a variety of solutions for the auto dealer clients of SiSTeR Technologies that SISTeR does not have the skills or resources to replicate. Similarly, ecarlist determined that the specialized skill sets of the SiSTeR development team and the extensive video platform that they have matured in the market represented a sufficient barrier to entry to deter ecarlist from trying to replicate their video solutions. The resulting integration of the complimentary applications/ platforms of the two automotive advertising vendors are a prime example of why automotive advertising agencies are turning to technology driven marketing platforms vs. individual applications to get more for less.

By Face Zhang

The constant media squabble over C-NCAP (China New Car Assessment Program) doesn't annoy Mr Zhao Hang at all. As the Chief Director of China Automotive Technology Research Centre (CATARC), Zhao has paid a great deal of efforts to develop this program, a vehicle crash test known as "Chinese new car safety evaluation standard". "Safety, environmental friendliness and energy saving, we need to have them all," he said.

Big Brother of the automotive industry

CATARC was originally a research institute directly belonged to government departments, but now it has become a state-owned enterprise to make its own decisions. Apart from assisting in setting automotive industry policies, CATARC also conducts research in a few core automotive technologies, such as partnering with Tianjin FAW Xiali Motor, Hafei Automobile Group and Yunnan Hongta Group to develop alternative energy cars.

"For every aspect of China's automotive industry, we all have a corresponding service institution. This includes pre-production tasks such as project establishment, factory site selection and factory construction planning, and production related processes such as auto products, standards, information, testing, certification, quality system establishment and staff training. We also get involved in market establishment, second-hand car market, automotive finance, car rental and vehicle scrap recycling," said Zhao.

The C-NCAP

Although CATARC has such a wide-ranging function, most people currently are interested in its C-NCAP crash test. This controversial test was launched two years ago, and there have been many supporters as well as critics. Controversy is actually what Zhao has hoped for, and he even doesn't mind posting negative media comments onto CATARC's official website. The fact that many automotive companies are interested in C-NCAP and asking for trial tests, has demonstrated that C-NCAP results do have some market merit.

NCAP, or New Car Assessment Program, originated from the US in 1

970s, and it became further recognised in developed countries such as Japan, Europe and Australia in the 90s. a common feature of NCAP is that all the test cars have to be bought from the market, ie, assessable by ordinary consumers. It is an independent test for the benefit of consumers, without the intervention from automotive producers.

"The automotive industry in China is big, but few people really understand cars. Common criteria such as engine displacement, inside space and door numbers don't really matter, what's important is how safe when you are sitting in the car." Zhao suggested that the creation of C-NCAP is to provide star ratings on safety, so that there can be a standard for consumers to choose cars. The chief purpose of conducting C-NCAP tests is to prompt vehicle producers to upgrade their technologies and improve car safety.

"C-NCAP is a new car assessment program, not just a new car SAFETY assessment program. We do have to go through crash tests initially, but then we add up other results to establish a systematic evaluation standard for new cars, including safety, displacement and oil consumption tests." Zhao said that as China is a large energy user with insufficient energy supply, and for the environmental consideration as well, it is necessary to conduct displacement and oil consumption tests in the Program.

Industry recognition

C-NCAP can become a guideline for Chinese automotive manufacturers, said Zhao. "Many manufacturers are now designing products for the next 5 or 10 years by referring to C-NCAP. For example, once fuel consumption limits of passenger cars are given, product designers have to follow these limits. In addition, C-NCAP's analytical results, which are based on existing road and traffic accident statistics, will also serve for future standards setting, so this could also be guidance for manufacturers."

A cooperative deal with PICC (People's Insurance Company of China), China's largest property insurer, was another successful initiative by CATARC. Last year, a vehicle safety crash test laboratory sponsored by PICC was opened, and PICC had also provided US$2 million to C-NCAP as crash test funds. For an independent assessment institution like CATARC, its cooperation partners have to be without vested interests, so the country's number 1 insurer could be an ideal partner.

Despite being an incorporated entity, CATARC is not really run like a company, as many of its projects are non-for-profit in nature. At the same time it still has to pay for its own operating expenses. The government has set a limit on CATARC's profits, whose excessive components have to be retained for future projects or public causes. So the cooperation with PICC did give CATARC some funding relief.

What kind of vehicle certification system does China need?

Zhao said that there are significant differences between China's certification system and those internationally, in terms of methodologies and organisational management. "China has not yet had a truly formal certification system. The existing rules can only be called 'access system', which only determines whether a particular car model is allowed to enter the market. While in developed countries, government certifications are built around the three major criteria, namely safety, environmental friendliness and energy saving."

Take the example of safety. China has more than 100,000 traffic death tolls and about 1 million injuries. There are only about 200 Chinese cities with more than 1 million population each, so the casualty number is equivalent to eliminating a medium Chinese city every year. Therefore it is an urgent task for regulators to solve vehicle safety problems and improve auto product qualities.

CATARC plans and drafts national vehicle standards in China. Zhao suggested that China do have good and enough standards, but not enough when it comes to execution. And there are rules to follow, but not followed strictly. "Market competition cannot be in the absence of monitoring. Low price competition has now become a major problem in China's automotive industry, as many manufacturers try to reduce costs by jerry-building. Such vicious competition is harmful to the industry. Many vehicle models can pass quality certification when they are in the factory, but not the case when they go to the outside market. If a certified product is not the one sold to consumers, what's the use of certification?" said Zhao.

"Therefore, it is not enough for the automotive industry to just have an access system, and too many certification programs will not be helpful, either. We need to strictly monitor basic aspects, such as vehicle safety, environmental friendliness and energy saving, but leave other tasks to the market and consumers. This could be a really effective and realistic method for the industry," Zhao concluded.

By Deepesh Rathore

I will not be the first one to say that Indian automotive suppliers have a promising future; analysts from consultancies, big and small, have already stated that in many of their glitzy presentations to present and propsective clients. What I am observing is a trend that is getting stronger and stronger.

OEM purchase managers across the world no longer look at India and move on, the idea is now to have a deeper look at whats happening here. But more than OEMs, it is the Tier I and some Tier II suppliers that are taking a very deep interest in India. These are the companies hardest hit by rising costs and a slump in the North American industry. For them Indian companies are 'White Knights', as put by one of the leading pink papers recently.

Surely, a dependable Indian supplier catering to a part of any program will mean significant cost reduction. Good for business is that Indians speak English and realize very quickly which side of the toast is buttered. Fortunately, they can also be trusted with things like drawings and blueprints, unlike the Ming and Han dienasties.

The general feeling amongst global automotive executives is one of making India a sourcing hub. In a recent Roland Berger - SupplierBusiness survey of global automotive supplier executives, a high percentage of them listed India as the most promising destination for outsourcing. China matters too but the enthusiasm there is about the market, for India it is all about getting things done here.