How to Maximise Value When Adopting New Dealership Software
For general managers, adopting new software can be an exciting opportunity to empower your processes and drive performance. However, not everyone on your team will share that enthusiasm.
From their perspective, learning even the best dealership software can feel like an obstacle. It might seem like another task getting in the way of real work. Despite the clear benefits digital tools provide, teams may resist change if it feels like it is being imposed on them. You might hear phrases like, “we were doing just fine before.”
This kind of resistance can lead to lost deals, inefficiencies, low morale and slower returns on your investment. The good news is that there are proven ways to increase adoption and get your team on board.
Aligning your people and technology
Every software platform needs people behind it. That is why it is critical to involve your teams in the adoption process early on.
In fact, involving your employees in decision making increases your chances of a successful rollout by nearly 50 per cent, according to McKinsey research. That number jumps even higher when senior staff such as department managers take a leading role in the change process. In those cases, software adoption is up to 80 percent more likely to succeed.
Still, aligning your people and your systems is not always easy. As research from IBM on digital transformation highlights, securing team buy in is one of the most important steps in making tech initiatives successful.
Getting employee buy-in
One way to win support is to show your teams how the new technology will make their jobs easier.
Think of a standard dealership pipeline where a deal moves through multiple departments. Each team inputs the same information into their own spreadsheet. If a salesperson changes the vehicle or updates the delivery date, that change might appear in one spreadsheet but not the others. This causes confusion and misalignment.
Now imagine implementing a business intelligence tool that syncs updates across departments in real time while also protecting sensitive data. Instead of pitching it as another system to learn, frame it as a time saver that ensures everyone is always working from the most up to date information.
Steps to successful dealership software adoption
To set your dealership up for success, follow these best practices when rolling out new software:
Involve your teams early
Start by discussing your dealership’s pain points with your staff. Their insights can help you identify the features you actually need in a new system. This involvement also increases their ownership of the solution.
Select your software carefully
Once you have narrowed down your options, conduct a cost benefit analysis. Ask yourself whether the solution is secure, easy to use and scalable. Consult with your managers to uncover any red flags or preferences before committing.
Empower managers as change agents
Win over department managers first by showing them how the software will help their teams. Then give them the responsibility to advocate for the solution and train their staff. Encourage them to focus on how it will improve team performance and reduce frustration.
Create an onboarding plan
A strong onboarding program will set the tone for successful adoption. Partner with your software provider to offer clear training sessions either on site or remotely. This helps eliminate early roadblocks and ensures everyone starts off confident.
How SalesLogs can help
The right dealership software should be intuitive and easy to learn. This speeds up adoption, reduces disruptions and helps you see a return on investment faster.
At SalesLogs, we built our platform specifically for dealership workflows. Tools like our DataGrid allow you to centralise your data without abandoning familiar interfaces. Because it operates similarly to a spreadsheet, your teams can use it right away with minimal learning required.
Here is what is included in our dealership software:
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Real-time feeds for your entire fleet
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KPI dashboards that track performance across departments
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DataGrid, our easy-to-use data capture and reporting tool
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Communication tools that keep everyone aligned
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Multi-level permissions to control who accesses data and when
If you want to see how SalesLogs can help your dealership adopt new technology faster and more effectively, click the link below to speak with our team or request a demo.
