Clifton Park, N.Y. — Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced the launch of AMPS (Automotive Management Productivity Suite), the next step of its dealership management system, currently installed in more than 400 dealerships. Designed by former auto dealer executives, AMPS has more than 20 modules to meet every dealer need, including sales, F&I, fixed operations, accounting, CRM and more.

The new version includes a unique, graphical user interface that is familiar and easy to use for people with little computer experience, as well as the addition of several new modules to improve dealer communications and productivity. In addition AMPS can be installed either on a server in the dealership or as an ASP solution.

Auto/Mate offers the following new features:

-A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is familiar and easy to use for people with little computer experience. Users can choose keystrokes or a mouse to select icons, tabs and other intuitive links that make accessing different modules and running reports as easy as point-and-click. Drop down menus offer instant function and navigation choices, and the ability to click back and forth between modules and other open software programs allows the user to multitask.

-Dash/Mate is a management dashboard module that displays meters, charts and other graphical elements called “widgets” that represent vital statistics of dealership operations, allowing users to gauge a variety of measurements about the dealership with a single glance.

-Chat/Mate, a fully integrated dealership wide instant messaging module, gives dealership employees a powerful communications tool that promotes collaboration and productivity. Since messaging is enabled only between people in the dealership organization, dealers gain the benefits of instant messaging without having to worry about employees wasting time by chatting with people outside the dealership.

-eMail/Mate is an internal e-mail system, allowing employees to e-mail each other across the dealership and between dealerships in a group but not outside of the organization. The users can create their own address book, folders and set personal display preferences.

-Note/Mate is a module that allows the user to electronically tie a colored “sticky note” to a given customer record, deal or repair order. When that record is accessed the note will appear automatically.

-Payment/Mate is a financial calculator that allows users to run “what if” scenarios, estimating payments for different loan amounts, interests and terms.

Additionally, Auto/Mate charges once for the purchase of the system, after which dealers receive all upgrades and support free — forever (existing customers of Auto/Mate will receive the AMPS upgrade for free). Compared with other systems, Auto/Mate also offers huge savings in forms printing, as no pre-printed forms are required and customers are not charged per-page printing. Another advantage of AMPS includes full integration of all modules, so when a task is completed in one module, it automatically updates the records in all the other modules.