First mobile-optimized auto financing application for dealerships helps bring financing to the ‘front’ of the sales process; drives more pre-approved, high-quality customers

Mission Viejo, CA – July 2, 2013 – DealerCentric Solutions, the consumer finance management system innovator, today announced that its industry-leading online credit application platform Get Pre-Approved in Seconds is now fully optimized for mobile. This will be the first mobile-friendly tool for dealerships that instantly pre-approves auto shoppers for financing based on the dealership’s credit criteria—and it comes at no additional charge for the 3,000+ car dealerships nationwide, and the major online powerhouses like Cars.com, that currently use the platform.

“Mobile car shopping isn’t at a tipping point, it has tipped, and we’re committed to giving dealers the marketing platforms they need to reach the new, ‘mobile-first’ customer,” said Pete MacInnis, CEO of DealerCentric. “Moving auto financing to the front of the sales process is becoming increasingly critical for dealerships and Mobile Get Pre-Approved in Seconds is designed to help do just that, ensuring that dealerships don’t fall ‘behind’ their customers’ preferences.”

Roughly one-third of consumers now use mobile devices when car shopping,[1] and 2013 will represent the first year that more people will access the Internet from mobile devices than desktops/laptops.[2] DealerCentric’s new credit application solution is designed to help dealerships reach car shoppers where they increasingly “live” - on their smartphones and tablets - and give them access to more of the highest-quality, pre-approved leads. And dealerships report they are reaping the benefits:

Josh Gwin, Director of Marketing of Baton Rouge, Louisiana’s All Star Automotive Group, notes: "We know from analytics that our mobile traffic now exceeds 50%. With the Get Pre-Approved in Seconds platform, we have already quadrupled the number of finance apps that we get from our websites and social media. We’re thrilled about the potential of a mobile-responsive DealerCentric app."

In 2005 DealerCentric pioneered Get Pre-Approved in Seconds, the first interactive tool for dealership websites that instantly pre-approves car shoppers for auto financing. Car shoppers just fill out a quick, hassle-free credit app (at the dealership website or auto portal), a credit report is then generated, and he/she is pre-approved based on that dealership’s customizable credit criteria. The mission: to create a better, more efficient car-buying process for both consumers and dealerships.

Get Pre-Approved in Seconds has since become the auto industry’s leading online credit application product, and, by taking its mission mobile, is poised to bridge a significant gap in online financing for dealerships. For instance, even though 46% of consumers searching for local products/services now exclusively use mobile as their research tool[3] - and industry experts forecast that m-commerce could eclipse e-commerce by 2015[4] - the vast majority of dealership online consumer credit applications are still not mobile-optimized. Get Pre-Approved in Seconds’ new mobile version changes that, retaining the same consumer- and dealer-friendly platforms as the original Web version, but with an experience and interface customized to the mobile user.

Mobile Get Pre-Approved in Seconds Benefits for Dealers:

-       Provides the highest quality leads at the lowest cost, because when a shopper puts their personal info online, it’s the clearest signal that they’re seriously in-market.

-       By qualifying consumers to specific vehicles before they reach the showroom, the test drive, sales and financing “silos” are bridged, leading to a dramatically faster, more efficient process.

-       While the majority of car shoppers research financing online, 50% plan to get pre-approved through a bank/credit union, and only 34% at a dealership.[5] Mobile Get Pre-Approved in Seconds features rich, compelling content, video and calls-to-action that drive more financing apps directly to dealers.

-       Outperforms other online dealership credit apps, with dealers reporting the following average results: $20 cost-per-sale, a 500% increase in credit apps and 30% of applications resulting in sales.

Consumer Benefits:

-       Get Pre-Approved in Seconds has become a symbol of consumer security, and shoppers know their personal info is safe.

-       Pre-approved with financing, they can walk into the dealership with car purchasing power, and focus on the right vehicle at the right price, while spending far less time completing the transaction.

“Mobile Get Pre-Approved in Seconds is one in a series of exciting, ‘first-ever’ platforms that DealerCentric will launch in 2013, all in response to new consumer behavior and demands, and to bring far more of the financing process to the front end of the sales process,” continued MacInnis. “Stay tuned!”

About DealerCentric Solutions

DealerCentric, founded in 2003, develops next-generation consumer finance management systems that benefit dealers, lenders and consumers. Its mission: to invent new technology platforms that can finally bring financing to the front of the sales process, and put the right customer in the right vehicle and loan at the point of sale. The company’s original Get Pre-Approved in Seconds^® solution is established as the auto industry’s leading online credit application product.

Contact:

Media Relations

Melanie Webber, mWEBB Communications, (424) 603-4340, melanie@mwebbcom.com

Crystal Hartwell, mWEBB Communications, (714) 987-1016, crystal@mwebbcom.com