DealerOS CRM
DealerOS is a CRM system that enables dealerships to efficiently manage sales, inventory, and workforce dynamics.
Client
SuperGroup
My Role
Lead Product Designer
Industry
Automotive
Date
May 2021 - Ongoing
Overview
We planned to design and build a CRM system tailored for the automotive industry, but we needed a partner to test our early assumptions and to find out what the current state of the industry was. Enter SuperGroup - a global leader in logistics and mobility solutions, who became our first client.
Their 54 dealerships and 1,400 employees provided invaluable insights and support as we researched, designed, and developed our much-needed CRM solution. Together, we addressed challenges within their existing systems, focusing on lead and stock dynamics in the vehicle sales process and beyond, with the shared goal of raising industry standards.
Their 54 dealerships and 1,400 employees provided invaluable insights and support as we researched, designed, and developed our much-needed CRM solution. Together, we addressed challenges within their existing systems, focusing on lead and stock dynamics in the vehicle sales process and beyond, with the shared goal of raising industry standards.
The Opportunity
SuperGroup has over 52 dealerships and 1,400 employees in South Africa alone – this gave us the opportunity to explore the pain points experienced within their dealerships and the group as a whole.
Current CRM
Their existing CRM system's inefficiency in managing complex lead, stock and customer dynamics resulted in lost opportunities, further exacerbated by the missing link of crucial third-party integrations required for seamless deal processing.
Many Systems That Don’t Communicate
The sales journey for a vehicle, from listing, trade-ins, financing, and deal construction, proved complex. Dealerships typically juggled
5-10 different systems, leading to information silos, errors, and operational inefficiencies. Crucially, detailed customer records for future interactions were absent, with customers often having multiple profiles, hindering relationship-building.
5-10 different systems, leading to information silos, errors, and operational inefficiencies. Crucially, detailed customer records for future interactions were absent, with customers often having multiple profiles, hindering relationship-building.
Poor UX and UI
Through a deep dive into the software solutions the Group and other Automotive businesses were using, we noticed the poor state of UX and UI for basic functions and day-to-day operations.
The Approach
The team recognized the complexity of our new venture, understanding that addressing all challenges simultaneously wasn't feasible. We opted for a phased approach, prioritizing lead, customer, and stock management in our initial stages.
Lead Management
All lead and sales activities were consolidated into a single lead profile for each potential customer, streamlining processes from needs analysis and quote generation to finance applications and deal completion.
Stock Management
Stock vehicles also had dedicated profiles, facilitating the creation of marketplace listings and offering comprehensive metrics on their performance. This enabled effective management and improved pricing strategies for each vehicle in stock.
The Secret Sauce - Validated Customer Profiles
We tackled a common CRM challenge: duplicate customer records. Implementing a verification process using customer ID numbers resulted in a single verified profile per customer, simplifying dealership interactions for future engagements.
This not only ensured consistency but also provided the head office with a comprehensive view of customer interactions and past sales. This enhanced guidance for lead center agents throughout the sales cycle, proving crucial in the fast-paced industry for nurturing long-term client relationships.
This not only ensured consistency but also provided the head office with a comprehensive view of customer interactions and past sales. This enhanced guidance for lead center agents throughout the sales cycle, proving crucial in the fast-paced industry for nurturing long-term client relationships.
Overcoming Roadblocks
We ran into our first challenge with how our initial database was designed. This was no fault on anyone, but rather the speed we were moving at overlooking a simple yet important idea to how leads where managed. This put a halt into the early stage development as this was to be the foundation of the database.
Reflecting on this pivotal moment, it clearly showcased the importance of foresight and shaping the foundation of of how the dealing with leads would work. The roadblock we faced and how we overcame it can be seen below.
Reflecting on this pivotal moment, it clearly showcased the importance of foresight and shaping the foundation of of how the dealing with leads would work. The roadblock we faced and how we overcame it can be seen below.
Going Live
We launched the initial version of the CRM in a handful of dealerships, aiming to observe users navigating the complete sales cycle. This allowed us to identify bugs and areas for process refinement along the way.
Modals vs. Form Pages
During our dealership sales cycle overhaul, we discovered that prompting users with a modal to capture essential information led to confusion and incomplete data. This was primarily due to the overwhelming amount of information required.
Transitioning to dedicated form pages simplified crucial steps, offering a clear and consistent process overview. This change boosted efficiency and effectiveness, resulting in a vastly improved user experience.
Transitioning to dedicated form pages simplified crucial steps, offering a clear and consistent process overview. This change boosted efficiency and effectiveness, resulting in a vastly improved user experience.
Developer Handover
Effective communication was fundamental for our remote team. Given our intricate workflows and detailed UI, establishing clear channels to link design, frontend, and backend was essential. This proactive approach prevented potential technical and design issues, resulting in a smoother development process and a more robust final product.
Results
Since its launch in 2023, DealerOS has made significant strides in the automotive industry. With over 52 dealerships and more than 1,500 users onboard, it has facilitated the sale of over 9,000 vehicles, totalling R4,9 billion rand in sales value. Moreover, the platform boasts over 20,000 validated customer and business profiles and has efficiently processed over 100,000 leads, marking a testament to its widespread adoption and effectiveness in streamlining dealership operations.
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