Reynolds and Reynolds Introduces the Next Generation in Automotive Retail Management Systems: ERA(R)-IGNITE

DAYTON, Ohio, Feb. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Reynolds and Reynolds Company today announced introduction of the next generation in automotive retail management systems: ERA®-IGNITE.  Built on the core foundation and software of the Reynolds ERA® system, ERA-IGNITE features an advanced graphical user interface and architecture that helps dealerships improve the productivity of their employees and the profitability of their operations.

"ERA-IGNITE is designed to take advantage of ERA's central database of all the business activity in the dealership," explained Jon Strawsburg, vice president of Product Planning at Reynolds.  "It drives efficiency in dealership operations.  It drives more money to the dealer's bottom line.  And, most importantly, it extends beyond the traditional core DMS functions of payroll, parts, and accounting - into a full-fledged retail management system to provide our customers with greater access to the information in the ERA database and offer them greater functionality and flexibility in how they use the system to manage and grow their business."

ERA-IGNITE offers dealerships the tools to:

• Work more efficiently with streamlined applications that leverage the capabilities of a graphical user interface (GUI) to reduce the number of keystrokes and screens it takes to perform core business transactions.
• Work faster with a familiar Windows® point-and-click environment, including drill-down fields and hyperlinks.
• Work more effectively with more business information available at users' fingertips.

"One of the real advantages of ERA-IGNITE is that we've retained the underlying architecture and logic of ERA so that if you're used to doing tasks in a certain sequence, that application logic still holds.  We'll just get you there faster, with fewer key strokes and screens," Strawsburg said.  "That also means a dealership's employees don't have to learn an unfamiliar application, which makes the move to ERA-IGNITE smoother and easier. Dealers can adopt ERA-IGNITE application-by-application at their own pace, without disrupting their business or buying a completely new system."

Strawsburg concluded:  "Initial customer reaction to ERA-IGNITE has been outstanding, and we anticipate a lot of interest at the 2010 NADA Convention around ERA-IGNITE.  We're also enthusiastic about taking the signature Reynolds and Reynolds product - ERA, which is the most widely used system in the industry - and extending its strength well into the future."

About Reynolds

Reynolds and Reynolds is the automotive industry's leading provider of automobile dealership software, services, and forms to help dealerships improve business results.  The company is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, with major operations in Houston and College Station, Texas, and Celina, Ohio.  (www.reyrey.com)

SOURCE The Reynolds and Reynolds Company