CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Digital marketing solutions provider AULtec Inc. has acquired North Carolina-based e-autobusiness, a company specializing in customer acquisition and retention solutions for automotive retailers.

Founded in 1999, e-autobusiness’ automotive customer relationship management (CRM) software included the AEROS Software Suite. The company’s other products and services will now be available from AULtec, including its Bullseye e-mail campaign software.

AEROS is a modular CRM that lets dealers customize the tool to best fit their business needs and budget. Components can be added as needed over time.

Certified by 17 manufacturers, the AEROS Software Suite helps dealers experience bottom-line results in sales, service, F&I, special finance and parts while providing web-based CRM, internet lead management, BDC control, lease and finance desking, and new media customer marketing, according to the company.

AULtec’s technologies currently energize real-time exchange of data from a dealership’s various lead sources, including their website, into their CRM. This delivery provides improved data quality, more competitive vehicle pricing across all sites on which the dealer lists inventories, and a precise capture of these leads into the CRM, according to the company.

“A lead not converted or customer follow up not performed quickly results in lost opportunities or customer attrition,” said Christian Thornton, e-autobusiness’ founder and former managing director. Thornton now joins AULtec as a shareholder and senior executive vice president of marketing and new business development for all AULtec products and brands.

“AEROS’ modular design means a dealer can start CRM marketing at a crawl, and then as needs evolve add modules for full functionality,” Thornton added. “AEROS is a perfect fit for AULtec’s product strategy, which is to be a single-platform provider for all of a dealer’s online and in-store sales and service needs supported by relentless customer service.”

With this acquisition, AULtec will retain e-autobusiness’ existing product development, sales, training and support personnel, and will infuse additional resources to further product development and innovation.

“From our similar starts at the beginning of the digital revolution in automotive marketing back in 1999, both AULtec and e-autobusiness helped auto dealers get maximum value from those digital technologies, and that mission continues for us today,” said Bruce McHoul, AULtec CEO. “Today we become a single, unified and multi-faceted digital marketing resource,” adds McHoul.

For more information, visit www.aultec.com.