Equipment dealers are also feeling the effects of the global coronavirus outbreak. The decline in especially sales of new machines and equipment is inevitable. Especially now it is important to have a dealer management system with a competitive advantage. Does your DMS meet these important criteria?
1. Future-proof
It often sounds like an empty phrase; future-proof. But the coronavirus makes us realize how important this is, even when it comes to software. Is the dealer management system your organization works with developed by a reputable company like Microsoft? And do you get support from an experienced business partner with a successful track record and many customers in your industry? Then you don't have to worry about future prospects. The continuity of the DMS you work with will be fine. Are you working with a small, local partner who has recently developed the DMS and you are one of the few customers in your industry? Then you need to seriously consider risks about future-proofing.
2. Quick to learn and use
A pleasant user interface, clear menus and screens, and good explanations, help functions and support. This ensures that a DMS is quick to learn and use. You don't want to spend too much time and money training employees. The system must be so user-friendly that your people can work with it with limited explanation and training. Especially for service technicians, you want to offer an application where a few hours of training is enough. It is also important for the acceptance of the DMS that no high barriers are raised by the complexity of the system. It must also be possible to train new employees in a short time so that they can be deployed as quickly as possible.
"Equipment dealers need a flexible system because flexibility is also what their customers are asking for."
3. Flexible
Equipment dealers need a flexible system, because flexibility is also what their customers demand. When buying new equipment, when trading in, when renting, leasing and servicing; if you are flexible and can meet customer needs, you have an advantage over the competition. For example, can your DMS easily scale up or down in the number of users? And add new modules or upgrade to new versions? And what about interfaces with suppliers and manufacturers, which saves an enormous amount of time in everyday processes such as parts ordering, equipment configuration and warranty handling. It is also important that your DMS works well in combination with other software and systems in the organization, such as Outlook, Word and Excel.
4. Industry-specific
Your DMS must be developed specifically for the equipment industry. And the partner supporting you in development, implementation and support must have extensive knowledge of and experience in the industry. Only then are you assured of a package that stands out above other packages and offers a real competitive advantage. You don't want a DMS where you explain to the software partner what you need, you want a DMS developed by an experienced business partner with new features and industry best practices. Only then do you really take a step forward.
