SAN FRANCISCO — izmocars, a business solutions provider for the automotive industry, released an upgraded version of its web-based iCRM system, which fully integrates social networking with an automotive customer relationship management solution.

The company also announced that social networking is now integrated into its lead management product, iLM.

According to a new report by Experian Simmons, two-thirds of Americans now visit Websites like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, with 43 percent visiting them more than once a day. Significantly for the retail industry, and automotive dealers in particular, 68 percent have become a fan or friend of a product, service, company, or group on a social networking site.

izmocars’ advanced social networking integration identifies a customer’s social media footprint on sites such as Facebook, Linked-In, Twitter and MySpace and displays whether or not a customer is a member of a site. Additionally, dealers have the ability to identify which customers are influencers and execute targeted e-mail campaigns to a specific social-media website or based on customers’ friend counts.

“With social media sites becoming a major communication channel for consumers, and social networking’s impact on business growing rapidly, we felt we needed to take the lead in helping auto dealers integrate social networking into their customer relationship management,” said izmocars President Tej Soni. “With this new release of iCRM, we have seamlessly integrated social networking, as well as other new features, so that dealers can acquire, target and convert prospects, in all channels, all while improving their sales responsiveness and effectiveness.”

In addition to the social networking feature, the new iCRM also offers several new and enhanced features, including iDesk, iF&I, upgraded reporting UI, improved izmoTeletrak telephone integration and an advanced service department scheduler. These features are designed to help dealers build and maintain profitable customer relationships, as well as close sales swiftly and efficiently.

iCRM’s enhanced features include:

• iDesk Module: Includes credit applications, direct credit bureaus to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion at competitive prices, loan and lease calculations, ePencil, F&I menu selling, and credit application submission to RouteOne, CUDL and Dealer Track.

• iF&I upgrade: Includes full iDesk module as well as a complete F&I contracting module that allows dealerships to complete F&I transactions outside of the DMS. This module includes bank contracts, state forms, warranty forms and product forms. The iF&I upgrade also offers the option of using electronic signature capture pads, which enable dealerships to be in full compliance of Red Flag regulations.

• Upgraded Reporting UI: iCRM report menu now includes subcategories on iCRM report menu and report titles include mouse-over descriptions of every report. The new date ranges include month-to-date, last month, this week, last week, and a user-defined custom date range.