DMEautomotive Unveils Driver Connect 2.5: New, "Moment-It-Happens" App Offers Mobile Wallet Support, 'Vehicle in Service /Vehicle Ready' Notifications, and Much More

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Dec. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- DMEautomotive (DMEa), the science-inspired, results-based automotive marketing leader, today launched Driver Connect 2.5, an innovative upgrade to its leading dealer-branded, consumer-facing mobile app. The new era in mobile apps is all about bringing consumers and businesses even closer with hyper-personal, real-time connections and Driver Connect 2.5 embraces that evolution by offering "in-the-moment," relationship-cementing tools like live chat, support for Apple's Passbook mobile wallet, 'Vehicle in Service/Vehicle Ready' alerts, and convenient new ways for customers to view, manage and engage with their pre-paid maintenance and loyalty plans.

"We built Driver Connect from the ground up to keep dealership customers close – and servicing and spending. 2.5 takes dealerships firmly into the next mobile 'wave', delivering a personal, in-dealership experience when customers are out of the dealership and on the go.  Driver Connect version 2.5 keeps customers informed about service as it is happening, and offers whenever-they-need-it chat assistance," said Mike Walther, president and CEO of DMEautomotive. "As the first app in our industry to deliver all of these features, Driver Connect continues to innovate ahead of the mobile curve. And, for dealerships who have yet to embrace the exploding mobile app opportunity, version 2.5 will quickly move them to front of that curve, meeting their customers with the app features - and services - they demand."

Driver Connect 2.5 launches just as the latest consumer research[1] reveals that people are now spending twice as much time with smartphone apps as they are with mobile websites. Since 2012, Driver Connect has helped dealerships keep pace with the new, "mobile-first," consumer realities, by offering the first dealer-branded app that marries cool, truly useful and personalized automotive tools for customers, with keep-them-spending features for dealers – like "one tap" service appointment scheduling, robust new and used inventory search, and super-targeted offers tied to specific vehicles. DMEa's app has been adopted by some of the largest dealer groups across the nation, and this year won the prestigious American Business Award and the 2013 BizTech Innovation Award®.

Key Driver Connect 2.5 Features:

* Chat: Offers an additional, real-time path to communicate with the dealer. Customers and dealers both stay in control: consumers initiate the chat conversations, and the platform seamlessly leverages a dealer's current chat functionality, while dealers are able to configure their hours of chat availability.

* Vehicle in Service/Vehicle Ready Alerts: Lets dealers notify their customers (via push notifications or in-app badges) exactly when their car is being worked on, and instantly when that work is complete and the vehicle is ready to be picked up.

* Mobile Wallet Support: Special Offers now integrate with Apple Passbook, including support for real time "geo-fence" alerts that send push notifications based on the consumer's location.

* Pre-Paid Maintenance Window: Engagement with, and usage of, pre-paid maintenance plans drives future sales and service loyalty. Allows customers to view, in detail, their current and historic pre-paid/complimentary services, with a variety of transactions displayed, including date of service, plan type, mileage at time of service, amount and servicing dealer, etc.

* Native Service Scheduler:  The built in service-scheduling tool has been dramatically upgraded, offering a variety of customizable options:

* DMEa Loyalty Program Support: Dealerships using the DMEa Loyalty Program can now let their customers view and manage their loyalty status, points and associated service history. With 24/7 access to their current points, transaction history, the dollar value of service points and their next target level, customers stay engaged and servicing.

Other 2.5 enhancements include:

• Better dealer search functionality: with map search options and dealer list sorting
• Kelly Blue Book's car valuation tool
• Ability to upload pictures of 'my car' and access app tutorials
• Improved push notifications: which include messages & ad hoc messages and the ability to configure global app or select app user notifications.
• Automated vehicle-matching system for new sales or service customers and improved vehicle color matching system (e.g. Camouflage Metallic).
• Improved images: Through a partnership with izmocars, the app now delivers better thumbnail images for vehicles in the showroom section and full-size images in the vehicle detail screens, as well as an initial photo on each vehicle detail page, an image gallery and stock images available for new vehicles in the listings section.

About DMEautomotive

DMEautomotive (DMEa) is the industry leader in science-based, results-driven automotive marketing, and provides turnkey marketing to the largest and most innovative automotive organizations, from automobile dealerships to many of the largest aftermarket companies in the U.S. DMEa's uniquely panoramic view of the complete automotive sales and service market, combined with its cutting-edge, science-based marketing programs, increases customer yield, conversion and retention. 

DMEa does not take marketing performance on faith, and each product and service is measured by a simple, precise scientific approach: Is it true? Prove it. Will it work? Test it. Does it generate results? Show it! Supported by DMEa's proprietary, cloud-based Red Rocket Technology Platform, the DMEa product suite includes science-based, data driven, multi-channel customer acquisition and retention marketing programs; best-in-class campaign reporting; data management and analytics; auto-focused Customer Interaction Center solutions, and complete on-site mail and email fulfillment services. Headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida, DMEa also has major operations in Jacksonville, Florida. 

[1] Adobe Digital Index, 10/2013

SOURCE DMEautomotive