MessengerVolume 16

Spring/Summer 2008

OEConnection

Great news! It just got faster, easier and more accurate for dealers to process OEConnection online sales orders! DMS Connect integrates CollisionLink, D2DLink and D2D Express online sales orders with ADP Elite/w.e.b.Suite dealer- management systems. It’s what you’ve been waiting for! DMS integration! On selling crash parts wholesale to collision shops, Ike Herman, OEConnection’s CollisionLink Implementation Manager said,

“This DMS integration is exactly what parts managers and counter people have been waiting for — integration of two systems to streamline their business!” “Using this technology, parts teams can transform their business in so many ways. The most noticeable change is the elimination of DMS order data entry, which results in speeding order fulfillment and improved order accuracy, but most importantly, by servicing their

A newsletter for professionals in dealership Fixed Operations.

Right part. Right place. Right time.

DMS Integration

8OEConnection has many solutions to help reduce idle inventory, including D2D Plus – Idle & Reporting, Parts Matching, Advanced Selling, DiscountPartsHUB and LinkIQ. Follow these tips to help sell more idle parts using these products:4 Price your parts to sell.4 Create exclusion rules for parts you don’t want to discount.4 Respond to buyers promptly.4 Enable E-commerce capabilities.4 Set up email alerts for new sales.4 Set up payment and shipping preferences.4 Keep your dealership and user information up-to-date.4Call OEConnection for step-by-step help,

888-776-5792, x1917.

The 8 Great Selling-Idle Tips!

continued on page 3

OEConnection Expands Offerings to Service Departments

SEE PAGE 4

2

In this Issue

Contact Us

Page Topic

Letter From the Editor

1 The 8 Great Selling-Idle Tips

1 & 3 DMS Integration

2 Letter From the Editor

4-5 OEConnection Offers Service Products

6 D2DLink Parts Updating

6 On the Web

7 More Secure Technology for D2DLink Data Collection

7 Tuesdays with OEConnection

8-9 Dealership Profile

9 NADA 2008 Winner

10 GM Workbench

10 Welcome Hyundai Dealers

11 OEConnection Email Alerts

12 Welcome Suzuki Dealers

4205 Highlander ParkwayRichfield, Ohio 44286phone: 330-523-1800fax: 330-523-1700toll-free: 888-776-5792OEConnection@OEConnection.comwww.OEConnection.com

For comments, feedback, or suggestions on this newsletter’s content or value, and to submit product feature suggestions, please contact the newsletter editor:

Janice Schenk, Product Marketing Manager 888-776-5792, x1891 I Janice.Schenk@OEConnection.comTo subscribe to any of OEConnection dealership or distributor products, contact:

Kyle McChesney, Director, Direct Sales 888-776-5792, x1847 I Kyle.McChesney@OEConnection.com

For information about OEConnection products and services for your auto manufacturer, contact:

James Rose, Jr., VP Sales & Emerging Markets 888-776-5792, x1840 I James.Rose@OEConnection.comSubmit address, email, telephone, fax number and parts and service manager changes to: Grace.Brinker@OEConnection.com or call 888-776-5792, x1946

For product and technical questions, call Customer Care at 888-776-5792, ext. 2

Lead Writer: Beth Starling

In March, I had a car accident. First

let me say – my 9-year old daughter

and I are just fine. Second —

I drive a Chevy Tahoe. We were in the

freeway left lane when a car pulled

in front of us and had piles of snow

blowing off its top. I started slowing

because I couldn’t see and then the

snow in the lane grabbed hold of both

left wheels. I braked — the car spun —

we went head on into the right guard

rail at about 15 miles per hour.

After the usual and customary post-

accident activities — 911 call, no-

ambulance-needed retort to the police,

and the stopped traffic so I could turn

my vehicle around, we drove the short

way home.

So back to my Tahoe — there’s

not much damage. But, I started

thinking about what type of

parts to use on the bumper

— aftermarket or original

equipment. Don’t tell my

husband I said that.

There’s no doubt about

it — my SUV is two years

old and I want original

equipment parts.

One thing OEConnection

has taught me — OE parts

are the way to go. Better

quality — faster to install — better

manufacturer warranty assurances.

Not only do I work for a technology

company with a primary goal of

helping dealerships sell more OE

parts and becoming more efficient

and profitable, I’m also a consumer

after all.

As we here at OEConnection define,

develop and teach on products that

help dealerships, our newest is the

best yet — integration between

OEConnection online transactions

and ADP’s Elite/w.e.b.Suite DMS.

If I were in business, I’d want this

capability for my team — to create

a quote at the push of a button

from D2D Express, D2DLink and

CollisionLink sales. If you’re reading

this article, then you couldn’t have

missed it on our front cover. And don’t

miss our newest initiative — we now

have Service Department offerings

(page 4). Welcome to Hyundai

dealerships (page 10) and Suzuki

dealerships (page 12). Each automaker

is rolling out OEConnection products

to all of their dealerships.

So while I sit in my office writing

this article, my wonderful husband

is off getting the needed estimate so I

can have my car repaired — with OE

parts of course.

Janice Schenk Product Marketing Manager 888-776-5792, x1891 Janice.Schenk@OEConnection.com{ }

DMS Connect — Features and Benefits CollisionLink D2D Express D2DLink

Automatically create ADP Elite/w.e.b.Suite DMS quote from online transaction 4 4 4Send part details, all pricing, customer number and employee number from online transactions to DMS 4 4 4See DMS quote number/confirmation in OEConnection online transactions 4 4 4Modify employee number to send to DMS on demand 4 4 4Part numbers not in DMS are automatically added to DMS quote 4Select parts to be sent from online order to DMS (optional) 4Ship-to transaction information passes to quote, so automaker is invoiced for the correct buying dealership 4Eliminate DMS order data entry 4 4 4Improve order accuracy with reduced data entry 4 4 4Streamline order selling with the integration of two separate business systems 4 4 4Save valuable time, improve efficiency, speed order processing 4 4 4Faster customer invoicing 4 4 4Reduce switching back and forth between programs 4 4 4Eliminate line item pricing adjustments in DMS 4 4Shops receive complete order details online – for full-cycle ordering – so dealers can service shops faster, better and easier 4Make faster parts selling decisions with real-time part availability in online transactions 4 4

collision repair facilities better with complete CollisionLink orders including parts price increases, delivery dates and corrected parts. Now that’s what I call full lifecycle order integration!”

About filling more D2D Express orders, Charley Hamlin, OEConnection’s D2D Express Product Manager said, “In a split second, dealers can lose a

potential D2D Express order while checking availability! Not anymore using DMS Connect. Dealers can a u t o m a t i c a l l y see the real-time DMS on-hand, right there on the D2D Express awaiting commitment screen, saving time and helping to fill more orders. And of course, no more order data entry saves order completion time and improves order accuracy.” Steve Reeling, OEConnection’s D2D Plus Product Manager said,

“DMS Connect is ideal for D2D Plus dealers selling discounted parts in bulk because

it automatically creates a DMS quote helping dealers avoid the need to recalculate each part line item’s price to the discounted price in the DMS — because it’s now all integrated.” For more information, contact an OEConnection representative at 888-776-5792, x3, or enroll online at http://enroll.oeconnection.com.

3

DMS Integration — continued from page 1

}{“Dealers can automatically see the real-time DMS on-hand, right there on the D2D Express awaiting commitment screen, saving time and helping to fill more orders.”

Charley Hamlin, OEConnection, D2D Express Product ManagerShop business/

estimating system

CollisionLink shop

CollisionLink dealer

DMSCollisionLink

dealer

CollisionLink shop

COLLISIONLINK PARTS

ORDERING CYCLE

4

OEConnection now offers dealerships two service department products — both currently available to GM dealerships. Just like all OEConnection parts department products, service products are available from any PC with an Internet connection and can be used by an unlimited number of workstations under a dealership’s rooftop. These products offer service departments

increased sales opportunities, which of course can directly help increase parts sales. Enrollments are being taken for both — one for a fee, and one at no charge, courtesy of General Motors. Does your service manager know about these new OEConnection service products? Give them a heads up that OEConnection will be calling! Or, have them call us directly at 888-776-5792, x1871.

Key Features:• Interactivevehicle-specific service menus • Dealer-recommendedservice packages • Dealer-specificlaboropcodes• Dealer-specificpricing• Onlinemulti-pointvehicle inspection form • Printablevehicle-specificmenus• Factory-recommendedservices• Pricingandprofitability analysis • Productivityreporting• Increaseprofessionalism• Identifyneededrepairs• Savetime• Increasesales.

Menu Features (for Service Consultants and Customers):• Onscreeninteractive consultative sales tool for Service Consultants • Displayandprintservicemenus with specific make-model-year pricing • Presentdealer-defined and factory-recommended maintenance services • Consistentlyprovidevehicle owners with accurate and complete menus in simple language• IncludesallGMmodelyears 2000 and newer • Printmenusincolororblack and white• Incorporatedealerlabor op codes.

Program Features (for Service Directors):• Abilitytomanage dealer-specific parts pricing • Adddealer-definedservicesat recommended mileage intervals • Usebuilt-inpricingand profitability tools to help analyze and price service packages using profit mark-up, gross margin, and effective labor rate • Automaticallyintegrates with General Motor’s factory- recommended maintenance services, including Simplified Maintenance MI & MII • Flexibilitytoeasilychangeprices and add/update service packages as needed • Customizemenuswithdealer logo, contact information, and dealer service benefits.

OEConnection Offers Service Products Electronic Service Maintenance Menus

}{ OEConnection now offers dealerships two service department

products — both currently available to GM dealerships.

Reporting and Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection (MPVI) Features• ReviewreportsonService Consultant menu lookups• Usetheonlineintegrated Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection Form• Trackadditionalrecommended services found using the MPVI form• Measurepresentationsof additional and recommended services by Service Consultant.

5OEConnection is now taking dealer enrollments for GM’s new National Fleet Maintenance Program. This new and exciting GM program is available to dealerships courtesy of General Motors to help deliver new fleet-driver customers to dealerships for increased service and parts sales. In addition, it helps GM forge stronger relationships with national managed fleet companies. GM’s National Fleet Maintenance Program provides a single consolidated billing for fleet work performed at participating GM dealers. There are no dealership costs to enroll, use the service, and receive these fleet driver referrals as part of this preferred network. To learn more about the program, please contact your GM

Regional Service Representative or enroll now athttp://enroll.OEConnection.com.

Service Fleet Vehicles Through GM’s National Fleet Maintenance Program

Is your parts inventory posted daily to D2DLink? If so,

congratulations — you’re getting the most from your D2DLink subscription with parts ready to be sold or automatically replenished.*

If not — you’re missing out on sales opportunities, and everyone knows you don’t want to miss even one chance to sell a part when the opportunity arises. Be sure to check the inventory updating status after power outages, if you switch DMS’s, or if DMS user names and passwords have changed. Call OEConnection CustomerCare at 888-776-5792, x2, or click Feedback in D2DLink to send us a message with questions.

Sending parts inventory files to OEConnection for posting on

D2DLink just got easier! Dealers who currently send parts files manually can now download, install and configure special software that automates the sending of inventory files via FTP or email

to OEConnection. Once the setup is complete, just click, drag, and drop the inventory file in the specified location — and the file is automatically sent to OEConnection for posting on D2DLink. For more information, please contact OEConnection Customer Care at 888-776-5792, x2.

Easier Parts Updating

Ensuring Inventory Updating

D2DLink Parts Updating

On the Web

6

*Tire Replenishment for Ford and GM dealers, Motorcraft replenishment for Ford dealers.

Buy parts at a discount! Learn how to show your

contact info to dealers

whose idle match your

fast-selling parts.

www.OEConnection.com/065

Ford and GM dealers — Learn how to set up tire replenishment stocking guides.

www.OEConnection.com/TRTSetup

Read OEConnection’s press release on integration

with ADP’s DMS.

www.OEConnection.com/press

Here’s how to check your parts inventory updating status:1. Log into D2DLink. 2. Click on Tools. 3. Click Inventory Info. 4. Review dates and part count changes. { }

7

Tuesdays with OEConnection

On the second Tuesday of every month, OEConnection offers virtual training. Sit at your computer, listen on your telephone, and OEConnection will teach you how automotive professionals across the country are using our products to improve the efficiency of their business.

May 13 D2DLink Bells and Whistles — Are you 2008 using D2DLink just for locating parts? This session will teach you D2DLink bells and whistles. Set favorite dealers to appear at the top of searches, create an advertising message, search for parts that are discounted, search for tires by size, get discount parts offers from selling dealers, and more.

June 10 Reducing Idle Inventory — Find out how 2008 OEConnection’s online tools can help you reduce idle inventory, increase inventory turns, better control stock levels and parts assortment, and increase profits!

July 8 Tire Replenishment Tool — Learn how 2008 to choose your tire distributors, select tires, and set minimum stocking levels so orders are automatically created every business morning (Ford and GM dealers only).

}{Tuesdays 2 pm EST

More Secure Technology for D2DLink Data CollectionDMS (Dealer Management System) technology continues to evolve away from data collection via the DMS modem. Digital Motorworks, Inc, (DMi), has developed a new technology, InfoIQ SafeLink, which replaces modem access. InfoIQ SafeLink is downloadable from the Internet and available to dealerships at no charge. Ted Fellowes, OEConnection Vice President said, “SafeLink is a means to faster and more reliable D2DLink data collection, has a one

time installation, and is so easy, anyone can do it. The software resides on a PC that connects to both the DMS and the Internet, so no software resides on the DMS.” To take advantage of this new technology visit http://safelink.dmotorworks.com/. Or, contact DMi’s InfoIQ SafeLink hotline at 888-364-5969, 7am-6pm Central Time Monday through Friday, or by email at safelink_support@dmotorworks.com.

View past recorded sessions at www.OEConnection.com/Training

People’s ChevroletDealership Profile

}{“We’ve generated a lot of profit buying parts this way. We pay Chris a percentage of what he buys and sells, so the more he saves the dealership, the more he earns. It’s a win-win for us both.”

Gerry Lefebvre, Parts Manager, People’s Chevrolet, San Diego, California

Gerry Lefebvre looks for every opportunity

to automate, accelerate, streamline and

expedite his business. If it’s technology, Gerry

digs in at the first chance.

8

Parts Manager: Gerry Lefebvre San Diego, California

continued on page 9

Question: How’s CollisionLink working

for your dealership?

Answer: Great! It’s a huge time-saver

for us, and there are so many reasons

to use it. All our salespeople are on

commission and they don’t make

money if they’re on the phone. When

a CollisionLink order pops up on the

screen, they jump on the sale.

Used with DMS Connect, we enter

the salesperson’s number to create

the DMS quote automatically. Plus,

our paper and fax cartridge costs have

gone down and we’re not killing as

many trees.

Question: How does CollisionLink

affect your service level to shop

customers?

Answer: We wholesale parts by fax,

phone, and are now transitioning

customers to online. Our goal is to

provide excellent customer service,

and CollisionLink helps us do just

that. Shops — as well as our team—

know that time is money, and we’ve

got agreement from our shops that

anything we can do to help them

improve cycle time – we do. Our

CollisionLink shops have come

to expect the order date and time

stamp with online orders, and that

information helps them with planning

and with improving cycle time.

Question: So your team likes technology?

Answer: We’ve added a whole parts

Internet department at our dealerships

with a dedicated resource, Chris, who

uses D2DLink and the D2D Plus

products all day long – buying and

selling parts online. He buys and sells

one part at a time for daily special

orders, and buys in bulk to reduce

parts purchase costs. Our idle is in

really good control, so we don’t sell

much in bulk at a discount.

Question: You’re active in buying and

selling idle online?

Answer: Yes. Chris spends hours

matching our fast selling parts to other

dealers’ idle. He checks the D2D Plus –

Offers Out tab every morning to see

what parts matched overnight. Last

month he bought $50k in parts, at a

savings of 30 to 65 percent discount.

He’s on track to buy $100k in parts this

month — all at a discount. This buying

affects our discounts with GM, but the

savings truly outweighs the benefits

of our GM discount. We’ve generated

a lot of profit buying parts this way.

We pay Chris a percentage of what he

buys and sells, so the more he saves

the dealership, the more he earns. It’s a

win-win for us both.

Question: Any challenges with buying

idle online?

Answer: Dealerships not replying to

offers is a big challenge. They just don’t

use the technology. After 24 to 48

hours of no reply to the online offer,

Chris will start calling people to make

these deals, when in fact they just need

to check their screen. He has dealers

print orders and fax them back. He

teaches some how to use the system. He

even gives out OEConnection’s phone

number. All they have to do is check

the boxes for the parts to sell, and enter

a PO number. We pay by credit card,

so they know they’ll get their money.

You’d never consider faxing something

to Amazon, right — so, why print

this? These dealers are paying for this

system and they’re just not taking full

advantage of the features.

You Speak... and OEConnection listens!

To suggest a product enhancement use FEEDBACK from inside the product, contact us at OEConnection@OEConnection.com or call 888-776-5792, x1939.

Look for product enhancements phased in during 2008.• Automatic replenishment scheduling

(Ford and GM)

• Additional replenishment functionality

to speed stocking guide setup and

editing, along with backorder indicator

•D2DLink buyer-side purchase

enhancements including an expanded

favorites list and tools for easier and

faster buying of idle parts

• D2D Express audible alerts and more!

NADA 2008 WinnerThanks to everyone who found their way to OEConnection’s booth at NADA

2008! We’re glad we had the opportunity to meet with many of you at the show.

Congratulations to Freedom Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, in Lexington, Kentucky,

randomly selected from all dealership representatives who saw a demo of our

products in our San Francisco booth! Dealership Principal, Paul Cleaver

and Parts Manager, Dwayne Hurst won OEConnection’s booth prize

of a special appearance in their dealership by World Champion Hall

of Fame Billiards Player Ewa Mataya Laurance.

“Freedom Chrysler is going all out for this event,” said Janice

Schenk, OEConnection Product Marketing Manager. “They’re

taking this special event prize and turning it into a charity

event. They’ll have a pool table in the showroom, do lots of

promotion including 60, 10 and 30 second TV promos with a

live 30 minute TV show on the CBS affiliate. If guests playing

Ewa in a game of 9-ball win, they’ll get $1,000 off a new vehicle

purchase. When Ewa wins, Freedom Chrysler will donate $200 to

the local Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital.”

Paul Cleaver, Dealer Principal, Freedom Dodge

9

Question: Talk for a minute

about D2D Express.

Answer: All the guys have

that on their screen all day

long – even I do. It’s another

tool that dealers can use

through the OEConnection

site to help sell more parts. We were

selling a lot of parts using the old Sprint

systems, but D2D Express has totally

changed the dynamics. It’s easy — one

click. We sell about five times more

using the online system. We also set

up notifications — so we get Outlook

notifications popping on the screen a

split second before the orders come in,

and we jump on them.

Question: How is DMS Connect’s ADP

integration working for your team?

Answer: Our dealership was the

first across the country to use this

integration, and wow did we see a

difference! First and foremost, we’ve

boosted our dealership productivity

for any type of online order because

we’re eliminating those keystrokes.

And boy do we fill those online orders.

The quote transfers over to the DMS

and all the order information passes

through to create the quote and then

we just roll it into an invoice. Whether

it’s selling idle, or filling D2D Express

orders, or selling parts to collision

shops, this integration has made a

huge difference.

Ewa Mataya Laurance

10

GM WorkbenchOEConnection’s part locating functionality is now built in to General Motors’ Parts Workbench, streamlining the parts procurement workflow for GM dealers! The OEConnection team is excited to be the only third-party supplier chosen by GM to be included in its parts and service Workbench. Part locates in the Workbench return D2DLink results, and direct access into D2DLink provides advanced

features including buying parts online, key cut and paint code lookup, and tire replenishment.

Look for D2DLink on the Workbench now, and rolling out to all GM dealers by summer 2008. And, for the few remaining GM dealers not yet enrolled in D2DLink, now’s the perfect time, so you too can find needed parts at other dealerships

from within the GM Parts Workbench. For more information or to subscribe to D2DLink, call 888-776-5792, x1847.

{Welcome Hyundai Dealers

}Part locates in the Workbench return D2DLink results, and direct access into D2DLink provides advanced features including buying parts online, key cut and paint code lookup, and tire replenishment.

Hyundai America is implementing OEConnection’s D2D Express technology to help fill dealership backorder requests and improve customer satisfaction. Being rolled out this spring, dealers will log in to D2D Express through Hyundai’s corporate parts portal. For Hyundai dealers already using

OEConnection products for their other franchises, they’ll notice a brand new look and feel to the system. Like what you see? Give us a call at 888-776-5792, x1939 or send OEConnection an email to let us know! OEConnection@OEConnection.com.

11

OEConnection Products

OEConnection Email Alerts Fast, easy, and accurate online parts

locating and fulfillment to help dealerships buy and sell more OE and alternate parts, accessories, and authorized tires.• Rapid Parts Search – locates from within a DMS.• Automaticormanualreplenishment (TRT/MRT) of tires and Motorcraft (Ford) parts from authorized distributors.

Internet-based data analysis tools to help dealerships and auto manufacturers drive increased sales.

Dealerships help fill a manufacturer’s emergency-needed backordered parts.

Products and services to enhance D2DLink.• Idle & Reporting: Online tools to help reduce idle inventory.• Parts Matching: Sellers and buyers find bulk parts at a discount.• Advanced Selling: Automatic idle inventory sales offers to potential shoppers.• StoreFront:Dealership-customizable web page showcasing complete parts inventory to D2DLink dealers.• Inventory Updating: Mid-day and Saturday updating.• Bin Labels: Receive bin labels monthly for D2DLink parts.

Want to get OEConnection email alerts? Send us your updated email address, and you’ll be included when system enhancements begin or program changes occur. Email us at OEConnection@OEConnection.com. We’ll confirm receipt of your email and add you to our distribution.

Fast, easy, and accurate online fulfillment of collision shop wholesale parts orders.

Fast, easy, and accurate online fulfillment of fleet and repair shop parts orders.

Website available for all makes and models of auto dealerships to buy and sell discounted OE parts.

Integration of OEConnection online sales transactions with a dealership’s management system.

4205 Highlander Parkway Richfield, OH 44286

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTEDPRSRT STD

US POSTAGE PAIDCLEVELAND, OHPERMIT NO. 2385

Welcome Suzuki DealersAmerican Suzuki Motor Corporation is implementing OEConnection’s D2DLink and D2D Plus – Idle & Reporting technology at its dealerships to help enhance parts supply chain performance and improve driver customer satisfaction. “We’ve been using D2DLink for our Suzuki franchise for years. When a car is down and we need parts the same day, we contact dealers on D2DLink because it’s a sure thing,” said John Wojtczak, Parts Manager at Sutton Ford/Suzuki, in Matteson, Illinois. “We need to provide the best customer service possible to our customers, and once all Suzuki dealers are on board, it’ll be even easier to do just that.”

Suzuki dealers can now use D2DLink to locate, buy, and sell parts more efficiently and accurately with automated daily

inventory updates. With D2D Plus – Idle and Reporting, dealers can reduce idle inventory, increase inventory turns, better control stock levels and parts assortment,

and increase profits. Suzuki joins the thousands of dealers in North America already using OEConnection technology to get

the right part, at the right place, at the right time. For more information on how OEConnection can help dealerships improve productivity and profitability, please call 888-776-5792, x3.

}“When a car is down and we need parts the same day, we contact dealers on D2DLink because it’s a sure thing.”{ John Wojtczak, Parts Manager

Sutton Ford/Suzuki, Matteson, Illinois