Key insight
"It has provided a level of transparency that we have never had: the ability to see profit, estimated costs, diaries, test drives, leads, all in one place and the ability to tailor certain aspects; this makes it a huge improvement on our previous DMS system."
Andy Mooresmith, Dealer Principal
Our Parts department have experienced growth due to the control that Titan has given them. I had to ask our Parts Manager to re-write his business plan after he exceeded it ahead of time.
Expertise
"Titan has an extensive library of help sheets built in to the system. These are NOT the usual text only type instructions. These are screenshots, and with the system available to us, we were able to self-teach to an extent."
Choice
"We carried out independent reviews and narrowed our choices to about five (5) DMS systems. We then invited each to do a presentation and TITAN appealed because of its unique features, and its links to Mazda."
Supportive
"Now, we can also talk about the “Help Desk” as a separate issue. The team there are fantastic. Not only in their responses, but in taking time to understanding the problem."
Communication
"There was very close contact all the way through. Titan were always realistic with the target launch date and the data was all “live” on the test system a month before the actual changeover."
Why change DMS?
We had been with our existing DMS since 1999. Whilst it operated fine, newer systems clearly had more advanced features.
How did you first hear about Titan?
The Titan representative contacted us, among many others, but our business style / culture was more of a match to the Titan rep, who was informative, but not “pushy”, unlike others.
What made you choose Titan DMS over other products on the market?
We carried out independent reviews and narrowed the choices to about five (5). We then invited each to do a presentation and Titan appealed because of its unique features, and its links to Mazda.
How did Titan approach the initial consultation for the changeover?
Very close contact all the way through, over a long period, and Titan were always realistic with the target launch date. Many trial runs on accounts and database extracts, and the data was all “live” on the test system a month before the actual changeover.
How would you describe the training provided by Titan up to go-live?
Titan has an extensive library of help sheets built into the system. These are NOT the usual text only type instructions. These are screenshots, and with the system available to us, we were able to self teach to a degree. In reality, this was a “warm up”, but it helped a lot of us who explored.
About two weeks prior, the Titan team arrived. We got to know them, and they set about group and individual sessions. It was intense and at times, overbearing, but it is a process that has to be gone through. It has to be understood that no one can teach, or absorb, the amount of information that you really need to know, not as well as running the existing business. It is a compromise but we covered some areas over and over, until individuals or teams had enough to work with.
Did Titan deliver your new DMS on time and on budget?
Yes, and yes.
How soon after the Titan implementation did you notice improvements?
Very difficult to answer, because as a dealership, we were in “learning-mode” for the first few months, and even now we are adapting some of the ways we do things because of the options / visibility that Titan provides.
I would say that our database has never been so accurate or complete at any time previously, and it will only go on improving. I would also say that the Parts department have experienced growth due to the control that Titan has given them. I had to ask our Parts Manager to re-write his business plan after he exceeded it ahead of time.
Service is more complex, and we cannot in truth say we are utilising all the features that Titan provides (yet), certainly not consistently. However, I can see underlying improvements in sales for example, because everything is so visible, like the Work In Progress tool.
It has provided a level of transparency that we have never had: the ability to see profit, estimated costs, diaries, test drives, and leads, all in one place and with the ability to tailor certain aspects; this makes it a huge improvement on our previous DMS system.
Using only three words, how would you describe the Titan DMS product?
Innovative, Enjoyable, Dynamic
Given what you know now, would you still have made the change to Titan DMS?
Yes!
Probably with most DMS systems, the user only ever uses 50% to 75% of what it is capable of – just the bits you need to use to get the job done. With Titan you get the sense that all the elements were built for a reason, because someone purposefully wanted it, or requested it to do this or that. We have respect for that, and have a sense, almost a duty, to explore and see whether those bits can be used for our benefit too. Usually they can, and we change to adopt it.
What advice would you give to dealerships not on Titan DMS?
Make sure it is on your shopping list!
After 20 years on the old system, which had separate Accounts, we were to a degree “set in our ways”. Our check list wanted a DMS to export to with separate accounts, but after seeing Titan, we tore it up. The benefits, for now and the future, are all in Titan, and they seem to us to be a very go-ahead business.
What is the overall mark you would give to Titan?
9 out of 10.
Thanks for the feedback Andy!