NAT, Inc., a provider of F&I aftermarket product and insurance workflow profitability solutions for auto retailers and their aftermarket providers, says its new eData Services(TM) makes it easy and inexpensive for auto retailers and their authorized business partners to create powerful sales and marketing reports and campaigns from consistent and normalized data extracted seamlessly from the dealership management system (DMS).

"Until NAT eData Services, accessing timely, accurate and useful F&I data from the automotive point of sale has been difficult and expensive, given the nature of today’s proprietary DMS systems," the company said in a press release. Powered by the NAT eGateway(TM) automotive aftermarket products hub, NAT eData Services extracts and provides data and creates analytical data packaging and reporting from major DMS systems.

According to NAT Inc., both retailers and their authorized business partners -- such as such insurance companies, third-party administrators, OEMS, automotive portals and consulting firms -- can now gain access to all data types including powerful point of sale data to:

• Increase aftermarket product sale opportunities, by extracting monthly/weekly sales data from the DMS and creating formatted retail sales information into targeted prospecting lists of customers who did not buy an aftermarket product, such as a service contract, during the initial vehicle sale.
  

  
  

• Improve service sale opportunities, by extracting monthly service data from the DMS and creating formatted repair order and customer-pay transaction reports to identify lost service sales opportunities, such as those presented by vehicle owners having frequent or high-cost service histories who might be inclined to reconsider the purchase of a service contract.
  

  
  

• Enhance performance measurement, by identifying for dealers and their authorized business partners specific elements of the sales process that affect success, such as finance, lease and cash stratification, as well as transaction-level penetration by aftermarket vendor and by products. This data also can be presented listing all elements of a retail sales transaction, including customer information. Measuring and reporting store and similar results will enable better aftermarket product penetration, identify new sales opportunities, market and dealer performance and ultimately improve dealer relationships.

  
  

  
  

  According to NAT, eData Services software installed directly on the DMS enables retrieval of any authorized data type in the DMS. No data is accessed or disclosed without the dealer’s express permission in collaboration with their business partners. NAT eData Services captures DMS data, normalizes that data, and can regularly deliver data feeds in pre-defined data extracts or customized data formats, or as pre-defined standardized reports or as customized designed reports, according to Peter Leger, CEO of NAT Inc.

  
  

  “We have in a short time seen extremely high interest and demand for our eData Services,” Leger said. “We recently were selected by a major insurance company to customize data extracts for use in a national program for their dealers. We are also in pilot programs with three major auto portals to provide our pre-defined data extracts, which were previously unavailable in the marketplace. In another example, a major aftermarket provider is using NAT eData Services’ standard reports to better manage and support their dealers’ market penetration and F&I performance in today’s highly competitive marketplace.”

  
  

  NAT will formally introduce its NAT eData Services powered by the NAT eGateway at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) annual convention in Las Vegas, Jan. 31-Feb. 4, at booth #4172.

  
  

  The NAT eGateway is a bi-directional, real-time, digital link between the dealership point of sale and DMS and the dealership’s aftermarket providers’ back office.

  
  

  Just as online financing portals dramatically altered how dealership F&I offices source and present finance options, NAT says the eGateway is the first electronic link between automobile dealers and their aftermarket providers, including insurance companies, TPAs and OEMS, etc.

  
  

  The NAT eGateway was developed by NAT under NAT CEO Peter Leger, formerly the CEO of CMSI-Credit Connection before its merger with online financing portal DealerTrack; and who as president of ADP Dealer Services pioneered development of ADP AutoConnection.com, one of the industry’s first online car-shopping portals, which later evolved as AutoTrader.com.

  
  

  For more information or the White Paper, 6 Reasons Why the Independent Digital Hub will Improve F&I Aftermarket Product Sales and Profits, telephone James Maguire, VP Marketing, at (847) 384-2200 ext. 3080, e-mail jmaguire@natinc.com or visit NAT at NADA ’04 in Las Vegas at Booth #4172.

  
  

  About NAT, Inc.

  
  

  Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., NAT, Inc. (www.natinc.com) provides front- and backend technology solutions designed to improve workflow processes for aftermarket providers, including insurance companies, third-party administrators (TPA) and auto retailers who underwrite, price, administer, manage and sell service contracts, GAP coverage, theft deterrent devices, credit life insurance and other aftermarket products.

  
  

  NAT’s front-end solutions are powered by the NAT eGateway and feature eMenu and eData Services. NAT’s back office solutions include its SCS Automotive Platform, designed to streamline and automate the traditional fragmented, time-consuming and error-prone manual processes required to administer, insure, price and market new aftermarket products, manufacturer warranties, extended service contracts and their related claims processing.