Struggling to reach modern car buyers?
Your old sales tactics might not connect with today’s tech-savvy shoppers, making it difficult to expand your customer reach and sales pipeline.
You’re likely losing opportunities because you can’t personalize the customer journey for different buyers, from EV enthusiasts to first-time owners.
A Wards Intelligence survey shows 29% of automotive professionals see cost as a top software challenge. This hesitation often delays crucial tech upgrades.
But the right software can solve these issues and streamline your entire operations, boosting your return on investment and customer engagement.
In this guide, I’ll show you the best automobile industry software. These tools are designed to help you connect with more buyers and optimize your sales.
You will discover how to leverage data-driven insights to personalize marketing, increase customer retention, and ultimately drive more sales for your dealership.
Let’s get started.
Quick Summary:
| # | Software | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cox Automotive → | Large automotive dealerships | |
| 2 | SAP → | Enterprise dealerships | |
| 3 | Epicor → | Dealership managers & sales | |
| 4 | AutoSoftDMS → | Low-volume franchise dealers | |
| 5 | CDK Global → | Multi-department dealerships |
1. Cox Automotive
Struggling to navigate the evolving automotive retail landscape?
Cox Automotive offers solutions like Digital Retailing and comprehensive CRM to transform your sales processes and customer engagement.
This means you can streamline operations, capitalize on opportunities, and exceed customer expectations, addressing challenges with personalized customer approaches and optimized sales workflows.
Ready to redefine your dealership’s success?
Cox Automotive helps you reinvent your retail experience for a digital future with solutions designed to drive efficiencies and profitable growth. Their platforms enable omnichannel car buying, ensuring the deal stays connected along any path, anytime, anywhere, which is critical for today’s diverse customer segments. You can also leverage connected data for game-changing results, providing the insights you need for long-term growth. Additionally, their tools cover everything from marketing analytics and inventory management to back-office operations like DMS and payroll/HR, providing a comprehensive, end-to-end partner for your business.
This allows you to attract, engage, and retain customers more effectively.
Key features:
- Omnichannel Retail Experience: Enables seamless, connected car buying journeys across multiple channels, accommodating modern buyer behaviors and preferences.
- Comprehensive CRM & Digital Retailing: Nurtures customer relationships and accelerates deals through integrated digital tools, enhancing sales efficiency and personalization.
- Data-Driven Insights & Inventory Management: Provides powerful analytics to inform your business strategy, combined with tools to acquire, merchandise, and optimize vehicle inventory.
Learn more about Cox Automotive features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Cox Automotive provides an end-to-end suite of solutions for dealerships, empowering you to reinvent your retail experience and leverage connected data for game-changing results. Its robust features, including omnichannel car buying and comprehensive inventory management, make it a strong contender for the best automobile industry software, helping you exceed customer expectations and drive profitable growth.
2. SAP
Struggling to boost your automotive sales and reach?
SAP helps you personalize customer approaches and optimize sales processes, which is crucial for modern dealerships.
This means you can transform how your business operates to better engage diverse customer segments, including tech-savvy buyers.
Here’s how to capture more opportunities.
SAP’s solutions help you leverage data-driven insights to tailor messaging and stay ahead.
You can streamline operations, creating effective digital customer journeys that accommodate today’s complex automotive consumers.
Additionally, SAP helps identify and convert conquest customers by providing the tools to understand buyer personas deeply. This leads to increased sales opportunities, higher customer retention, and optimized marketing efforts.
The result is increased market reach and profitability.
Key features:
- Customer Personalization: Helps your team tailor approaches for different buyer segments, including tech-savvy consumers, driving higher engagement and conversion.
- Sales Process Optimization: Streamlines your sales workflows, from initial lead to final sale, ensuring no opportunity is lost and boosting overall efficiency.
- Data-Driven Insights: Provides comprehensive analytics to understand buyer behaviors, personalize marketing efforts, and make informed decisions for competitive advantage.
Learn more about SAP features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: SAP stands out as the best automobile industry software, uniquely positioned to help your dealership expand its market reach and personalize customer interactions. Its focus on data-driven insights and process optimization is key for addressing challenges and maximizing sales opportunities in the modern automotive market.
3. Epicor
Struggling to personalize customer approaches and optimize sales?
Epicor offers industry-specific ERP platforms and AI-driven applications to transform your operations. This means you can effectively engage diverse customer segments.
Their solutions empower your team, simplify processes, and provide deep industry knowledge, making it easier to manage your sales and customer reach.
Here’s how Epicor helps you thrive.
Epicor simplifies complex processes and enhances digital customer journeys. You can leverage their expertise to better understand buyer personas and tailor messaging.
Their AI-powered applications like Prism and Grow accelerate supply chain productivity, offering predictive insights for streamlined operations. This allows you to adapt quickly to changing market conditions and increase sales opportunities. Additionally, tools for data management, integration, and digital commerce ensure you stay connected and make informed decisions, boosting customer retention and overall efficiency.
You’ll optimize marketing efforts and leverage data-driven insights.
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Key features:
- Industry ERP Cloud: Provides end-to-end ERP platforms tailored for the automotive industry, simplifying processes and empowering your workforce with deep industry knowledge.
- AI-Powered Applications: Utilizes Epicor Prism and Grow for advanced analytics and predictive insights, accelerating supply chain productivity and streamlining operations.
- Digital Commerce & Data Management: Includes tools for enhanced omnichannel retail, data accuracy, security, and collaboration, enabling informed decision-making and optimized marketing.
Learn more about Epicor features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Epicor is highly suitable as the best automobile industry software for dealership managers and sales professionals, with 70% of U.S. aftermarket parts sales relying on their solutions. Its industry-specific ERP, AI capabilities, and digital commerce tools directly address pain points like customer personalization and sales optimization.
4. AutoSoftDMS
Struggling with disconnected data and lost sales opportunities?
AutoSoftDMS offers tailored solutions to eliminate data re-entry tasks and keep your buyers coming back. This means you can streamline your operations, reduce complexity, and boost your dealership’s success.
It prevents multiple data entry points and system toggling, which often bog down your operations and lead to frustrated customers. This ensures you can grow your dealership with real-time data.
Ready to unlock your dealership’s full potential?
AutoSoftDMS revolutionizes dealership management by providing a single source of truth for all your operations, from comprehensive accounting to inventory management. It’s designed specifically for low-volume franchise dealers.
This system helps you work deals with lightning speed and keep service bays full, allowing you to access inventory insights for your market. Plus, its integrated CRM features give you the tools to deliver remarkable service.
Additionally, AutoSoftDMS integrates with over 200 third-party technologies, centralizing your data across systems. This helps you fuel decisions with real-time insights, protect sensitive data, and manage every aspect of your company, from sales tracking to service scheduling. The result? Optimized parts decisions and increased overall profitability.
It’s your simple solution for optimal performance and growth.
Key features:
- Centralized Dealership Management: Gain a single source of truth for accounting, inventory, and customer data, streamlining operations and reducing complexity.
- Integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Work deals with lightning speed and keep buyers coming back with tools designed for remarkable customer service.
- Real-Time Analytics & Integrations: Fuel decisions with real-time insights into inventory and sales, and integrate with over 200 third-party technologies for a unified platform.
Learn more about AutoSoftDMS features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: AutoSoftDMS is designed for low-volume franchise dealers, providing integrated CRM, inventory, and accounting features. Its ability to eliminate data re-entry and offer real-time insights makes it a top contender for the best automobile industry software, helping dealerships maximize efficiency and profitability.
5. CDK Global
Struggling to boost sales and retain customers?
CDK Global offers a comprehensive suite of solutions, like their Dealership Xperience Platform, to transform your automotive retail operations. This means you can better manage workflows across every department, from front office to fixed operations, improving efficiency and customer engagement.
You can streamline your dealership with the most powerful system in the industry, ensuring your sales processes are optimized and customer interactions are personalized. This provides the technological infrastructure you need.
Here’s how to succeed.
CDK Global helps you overcome market expansion challenges and changing buyer behaviors. Their Modern Retail Suite, for example, makes the buying journey easier, exceeding consumer expectations.
Additionally, the Vehicle Inventory Suite empowers you to price more profitably and elevate merchandising with AI, addressing inventory challenges directly. The Intelligence Suite further fine-tunes performance with advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning, helping you leverage data-driven insights to deeply understand buyer personas. Plus, their CRM puts customers at the heart of your business, driving real growth and improving retention.
This unified approach enhances customer experiences and maximizes your profits.
Key features:
- Dealership Xperience Platform: Strengthens workflows across all departments, providing a complete solution to manage sales, service, and back-office operations efficiently.
- Modern Retail Suite: Surpasses consumer expectations by simplifying the buying journey, offering a seamless and consistent experience from online engagement to in-store purchase.
- Intelligence Suite: Fine-tunes dealership performance using advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning, enabling data-driven decisions to optimize marketing and sales strategies.
Learn more about CDK Global features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: CDK Global provides a unified platform to tackle modern dealership challenges. With solutions like the Dealership Xperience Platform and AI-powered intelligence, it helps you personalize customer approaches, optimize sales, and achieve higher customer retention, making it a strong contender for the best automobile industry software.
6. Solera
Struggling to manage your entire automotive business effectively?
Solera offers an end-to-end suite of solutions for vehicle lifecycle management, fleet operations, claims, and repair. This means you can simplify management and scale growth across your dealership or automotive enterprise.
It helps you accelerate business outcomes by providing real-time data-driven intelligence at every vehicle touchpoint. This comprehensive approach ensures you are prepared for diverse customer needs, from sales to service.
Here’s how you get paid faster.
Solera leverages AI-driven workflows to transform claims processes, moving from days to mere minutes. This significantly increases efficiency and customer satisfaction, which helps you delight customers.
You can rely on the world’s most accurate and complete vehicle-repair database, with over 268 million repair orders and strong OEM relationships, to ensure the right repair the first time. Additionally, their fleet solutions connect drivers, data, and devices in real-time, helping you protect and retain drivers while powering your business with safety and fleet intelligence. This integrated platform simplifies your operations.
You will streamline processes for your teams and customers.
Before diving deeper, you might find my analysis of regulatory change management software helpful for navigating industry compliance.
Key features:
- AI-driven Claims Processes: Transforms vehicle claims from first notice of loss to settlement, increasing efficiency and accuracy for faster customer resolution.
- Comprehensive Vehicle Repair Data: Provides access to the world’s most accurate repair database and expert knowledge, ensuring correct repairs every time with robust shop management tools.
- End-to-End Dealership Solutions: Manages your entire business with an integrated suite that serves diverse customer needs, simplifying operations from sales to service.
Learn more about Solera features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Solera simplifies business operations for dealers, insurers, and repairers by transforming claims and repair processes with AI-driven intelligence. This integrated approach, powered by billions of transactions and miles tracked, makes it the best automobile industry software for accelerating business outcomes and delighting customers.
7. Infor
Struggling to personalize customer approaches and optimize sales?
Infor provides cloud-based, industry-specific enterprise software, combining deep industry expertise with cutting-edge technology. This means your automotive dealership can accelerate smart vehicle and EV innovation.
With Infor, you can gain new efficiencies and drive profitability using their auto industry software. This helps you overcome challenges in optimizing sales processes and improving customer engagement.
Here’s how to boost your sales.
Infor offers solutions like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Human Capital Management (HCM) to transform your mission-critical processes. This means you can better understand buyer personas and tailor your messaging effectively.
The software includes a robust platform with advanced capabilities like AI/ML, analytics, and Configure Price Quote (CPQ), allowing you to streamline operations and leverage data-driven insights. You can also find tailored solutions for e-commerce and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) to support complex needs.
Additionally, Infor’s industry cloud platform brings together AI, advanced analytics, data, integration, and app development to your fingertips, helping you adapt to changing buyer behaviors and accommodate diverse customer segments.
The result? Increased sales opportunities and customer retention.
Before diving deeper into Infor’s features, you might find my analysis of best plumbing estimating software helpful for maximizing ROI in a specific industry.
Key features:
- ERP solutions with industry-specific functionality: Transform mission-critical processes for automotive businesses with built-in analytics and AI.
- SCM for resilient supply chains: Manage supply chain planning, networks, manufacturing, warehousing, transportation, and PLM for efficiency.
- Advanced AI/ML and analytics platform: Leverage generative AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics for deeper insights and innovation.
Learn more about Infor features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: Infor stands out as the best automobile industry software by offering cloud-based, industry-specific solutions that integrate ERP, SCM, and AI. This helps automotive dealerships personalize customer approaches, optimize sales processes, and leverage data, leading to a reported 114% ROI from their CloudSuite solutions.
8. HERE Technologies
Struggling with evolving automotive customer behavior?
HERE Technologies helps you engage diverse customer segments through personalized digital journeys. This means your dealership can expand its primary market area, optimizing sales processes.
The platform’s location intelligence enables you to tailor messaging to various buyer personas, from tech-savvy individuals to EV shoppers, addressing common pain points like lost conquest opportunities.
Here’s how to boost your sales.
HERE Technologies provides a unified live map with automotive-grade location data, essential for streamlining operations and enhancing customer reach. Its advanced mapping and routing capabilities optimize sales processes by offering dynamic route optimization and improving vehicle location insights.
For instance, their EV Routing & Charging solution prevents range anxiety, improves battery consumption, and increases range estimation accuracy, which is crucial for attracting and retaining EV buyers. Additionally, features like Digital Cockpit deliver convenient navigation and innovative connected services, enriching the driver experience and boosting customer satisfaction.
The platform’s precision and flexibility allow your team to differentiate products and services, ensuring your data remains private and secure. This makes it an ideal solution for increasing sales opportunities and customer retention.
Key features:
- Unified Live Map: Provides automotive-grade location data for diverse use cases, helping your business understand buyer personas and optimize sales outreach.
- EV Routing & Charging: Addresses critical EV buyer concerns by preventing range anxiety and improving battery consumption, expanding your market to EV customers.
- Digital Cockpit & Navigation: Delivers convenient in-car navigation and connected services, enhancing customer experience and driving higher retention rates.
Learn more about HERE Technologies features, pricing, & alternatives →
Verdict: HERE Technologies offers powerful location intelligence with solutions like automated driving, EV routing, and a digital cockpit. With over 70 automakers using their services and 222 million vehicles shipped with HERE, this platform is an excellent choice as the best automobile industry software for enhancing sales and customer engagement.
Conclusion
Struggling to connect with today’s buyers?
Choosing the right platform is more than an IT decision; it’s a strategic one. Without it, you can’t personalize customer journeys or optimize sales.
This hesitation to adopt the right technology means you are falling behind competitors who are already leveraging data to connect with tech-savvy buyers and EV shoppers.
So, what’s my top recommendation?
From my extensive research, Cox Automotive is the clear winner. Its solutions are purpose-built to tackle the modern challenges of omnichannel retail and customer engagement.
Speaking of unified data, my guide on best engineering industry software explores how to streamline operations.
I especially value how their connected data provides game-changing results. Ultimately, the best automobile industry software should empower you to exceed customer expectations and drive profitable growth.
I highly recommend you visit the Cox Automotive website to explore their comprehensive suite of tools and see how they can work for you.
Reinvent your dealership for a digital future.
