Auto Trader partners with Automotive Transformation Group to bring real-time data benefits to retailers
Auto Transformation Group integrate Auto Trader Connect across its NetDirector® platform to improve efficiency, profitability and online consumer experience
At a time when data is more critical to success than ever Automotive Transformation Group has integrated its NetDirector® SalesMaster product with Auto Trader’s powerful stock management solution, Auto Trader Connect. The partnership will give Automotive Transformation Group’s customers access to Auto Trader’s market leading taxonomy and valuations data directly within the popular NetDirector® SalesMaster inventory management system. This will help its customers to maximise vehicle margin, increase efficiencies, and dramatically improve the consumer online experience.
Auto Trader Connect is designed to enable retailers to update multiple back-end and consumer facing systems with advanced vehicle data in real-time, ensuring consistency and accuracy with minimal effort, removing some of the biggest pain points for both consumers and retailers alike. This complements Automotive Transformation Group’s vision and data driven approach to simplify automotive sales.
Greater efficiency and consistency
Greater efficiency is a major motivation for Automotive Transformation Group integrating with Auto Trader. Whilst it already provides real-time data across its NetDirector® platform, the Auto Trader Connect integration expands this further, making it easier to share accurate vehicle data across the consumer marketplace.
When data isn’t shared between systems in real-time, selling channels can quickly become out of sync, resulting in inconsistencies, as well as incorrectly advertising vehicles that are either no longer in stock or have already been sold, leading to consumer frustration. These inconsistencies or errors are often the result of retailers having to manually update and rekey the same detail across multiple systems. The new partnership means Automotive Transformation Group customers will be able to create and manage stock within their current system, which will then instantly connect and sync to Auto Trader and other key selling channels, ensuring consistency, as well as significantly reducing time and effort.
Maximum margin potential
Auto Trader Connect will also enable ATG’s customers to seamlessly access award-winning Auto Trader Valuations in their existing processes and systems. Based on the most comprehensive and accurate view of the live retail market, retailers will be able to buy and price with confidence without the need to reference multiple systems. Combining Auto Trader’s valuations with the real-time capability of the Auto Trader Connect platform, retailers can maximise margin potential by immediately responding to changes in today’s exceptionally fast-moving retail market.
Enhanced accuracy
Automotive Transformation Group’s customers will also benefit from the recent integration of enhanced VIN Specification data (optional specification items added to each vehicle as they were built in the factory) across Auto Trader’s platforms¹. This enhanced accuracy will add to margin potential by enabling retailers to price their stock using precise valuations adjusted for the exact specification of each car, as well as drive further efficiencies by including optional specification details to listings automatically. What’s more, it will improve the consumer experience by providing a more accurate and detailed advert, reducing the potential for customer complaints, negative reviews or even returned vehicles due to inaccurate descriptions.
Commenting on the partnership, Auto Trader director, Ed Hummel, said: “We believe that data has never been more important for success, as experience alone is not enough to keep pace with today’s incredibly fast-moving market. We developed Auto Trader Connect to help retailers move away from outdated and inefficient technology, and to put them in the strongest possible position to not only navigate current market conditions, but to win in them. We’re delighted that Automotive Transformation Group has recognised the huge value of the platform, and have unlocked its full potential for its partners, enabling them to benefit from real-time data sharing, and the accuracy of our taxonomy and valuations data. We’re excited to be working with Automotive Transformation Group and integrating our products to provide great value to retailers and consumers.
Automotive Transformation Group’s Simon Upton, Chief Operating Officer, added: “We provide solutions to OEMs, fleet suppliers, financiers and a broad range of franchise and independent retailers, spanning 86% of the top 20 dealer groups in the UK. We’re committed to providing them with the tools and services they need to drive efficiencies across their businesses. For that reason, partnering with Auto Trader and integrating Connect across our platform was an easy decision to make; the complementary product is perfectly aligned with our master inventory strategy, further enhancing the depth and accuracy of data, and I’m confident will prove invaluable in delivering stronger profits for our partners, as well as an enhancing the online consumer experience for their customers.”
The first phase of Auto Trader Connect - Retail Essentials, is available to Auto Trader’s retailer partners as part of all core advertising packages as standard². The next iteration of the solution, which will see the introduction of Auto Trader’s valuations data, will be available as standard from April. However,retailers can have early access from1st November where their technology partners have already integrated the solution into their platforms.
¹Currently, the enhanced VIN Spec data is available from BMW, MINI, Fiat, Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, and Chrysler, with additional brands joining the list over the coming months
²Applies to core advertising packages, which refers to customers on Bargain, Basic, Starter, Standard, Enhanced, Super and Ultra packages, but excludes bespoke contracts