SalesBlog | SalesLogs

Automotive business intelligence in the Australian industry

Written by Michael Johnson | Aug 9, 2021 12:00:00 AM

From the state of the stock market to manufacturer competition, dealerships face external factors that cut profit margins and impact long-term viability. In this post, we unpack what automotive business intelligence is and how they help dealerships overcome their challenges and come out on top.

Lessons From the Australian Automotive Industry

According to CarsGuide, 5,7 million new cars were bought between 2015 and 2019. In a country of 25 million, that means that a whopping 23% of Australia’s population bought a new vehicle over this five-year period. 

 

Clearly, Australians love their cars. But since the onset of COVID-19, dealerships have been hamstrung by supply shortages caused by production slowdowns and semiconductor computer chip shortages. While this has improved used car sales, both used and new car dealerships are facing empty lots

Before COVID-19, few could have predicted this supply shortage. This reveals a painful lesson: while shortages are a current problem for Australian dealers, other unpredictable disruptions will certainly occur in the future. This is true for dealers in other countries. From the rise of electric vehicles to technology-enabled mobility solutions like rideshare apps, many trends threaten to disrupt the automotive industry.

Australian dealers, like their global counterparts, are embracing business intelligence solutions to maximise profit and ensure resilience within an uncertain market. Let’s unpack what business intelligence is and how it can help.

What is Automotive Business Intelligence?  

Many dealerships have traditionally tracked and analysed their data using whiteboards and spreadsheets. But this is profoundly sub-optimal, especially as your analytics and data are spread over different files and departments. It’s like having each of your puzzle pieces in separate filing cabinets. To construct a true picture, you need everything in one place. That’s where business intelligence comes in. 

Business intelligence is a catch-all term for software that generates data and then reorganises it into a clear picture. In other words, it puts your puzzle pieces together for you. 

Good automotive business intelligence has built-in features for easily inputting, tracking and accessing dealership data. These solutions are built from a deep knowledge of dealership challenges, so they’re calibrated to your needs — as opposed to generic business analytical tools that aren’t tailored to dealer processes. 

Stay Competitive With Automotive Business Intelligence

Why Get Automotive Business Intelligence? 

From aftermarket to wholesaling, each department in your dealership generates a revenue stream. Ask yourself, how optimised are each department’s processes? How is each department performing? And what can you do to boost performance and maximise profit? 

For resilient dealerships with the right business intelligence solution, the answers to these questions are only a few clicks away. By understanding their real-time cash flow and profitability, these dealers are empowered to make fast tactical decisions that drive success. For example, there are times when you might be presented with a less-than-ideal offer. At the same time, you might be anxious about meeting manufacturer-set retail targets. With the information on hand, you can balance your interests and make the right decision for your dealership.

Beyond tactics, business intelligence also helps with long-term strategy. By tracking month-to-month dealership data, you can pinpoint areas to improve. The result is greater dealership efficiency which translates into more profits. 

 

How SalesLogs can help

Many forward-thinking dealerships want to make data-driven decisions but they find it difficult to collect all their data in one place. Often this is a monumental task requiring buy-in from each department. 

At SalesLogs, we provide an easy-to-use business intelligence solution that places all your data under one roof. With a clear view of dealership performance, we give you the information you need to improve your dealership.

Our automotive business intelligence solution includes the following features:

  • Real-time feeds for your entire variable operations business
  • KPI dashboards to track team performance
  • DataGrid — SalesLogs’ easy to learn data capture tool
  • Communication tools that keep your teams in the loop with each transaction
  • Multi-level permissions to control who sees your data and at what point 
  •  

If you’re interested in working together to boost your profit, click the link below to contact a sales representative or request a product demo.