NAT, Inc., a provider of F&I aftermarket product workflow profitability solutions for auto retailers and their aftermarket product partners, will introduce its new intelligent NAT eMenu™ selling solution powered by NAT’s automotive aftermarket product eGateway at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) annual convention in Las Vegas, Jan. 31-Feb. 4.

The NAT eMenu selling solution is powered by the NAT eGateway™, allowing the F&I manager to rate a proposed aftermarket product contract and assemble an effective presentation in three seconds -- not seven to 17 minutes as is typical in auto dealerships today -- to ensure that the dealership presents a complete, accurate presentation that offers all of the dealership’s aftermarket products every time to every customer, according to NAT, Inc.

The NAT eGateway is a two-way, real-time, digital link between the dealership point of sale and dealer management system (DMS) and the dealership’s aftermarket product providers’ back office. Auto retailers using NAT eMenu powered by the NAT eGateway to present service contract, GAP coverage, credit life insurance, theft deterrent devices and other aftermarket products will, according to NAT:

• Reduce or eliminate the primary reason why more than 20 percent of aftermarket contracts sold at dealerships are submitted to providers containing incomplete, inaccurate or mis-rated information. These contracts will be returned to the dealership to be re-rated, re-categorized or otherwise completed accurately.

  
  

  
  

• Be more confident that their aftermarket product presentations will be in compliance with various states’ disclosure laws, and federal regulations.

  
  

  
  

• Present a wider range of product offerings, customized at any point in the sales process using NAT’s à la carte features.

  
  

  
  

  Leading third-party administrator National Auto Care Corp. recently signed on as a premier client of NAT's automotive aftermarket products eGateway. National Auto Care will announce its offering of NAT’s eMenu to its automotive dealer customers at the NADA annual convention.

  
  

  “After extensive industry research, we decided that NAT’s technology and menu selling solutions were better than other similar solutions in the marketplace,” said Peter Biscardi, president of National Auto Care. “But the real deciding factor was that NAT’s eGateway will allow us to offer innovative new services to our clients, like eMenu Selling with real-time, online rating and integration directly with the dealer’s management system.”

  
  

  “We are extremely pleased to be partnering with National Auto Care,” said Peter Leger, CEO of NAT, Inc. “Our NAT solutions will enable National Auto Care to increase market penetration of its aftermarket products while reducing administration costs and driving up customer satisfaction. The resulting increase in sales and decrease in administrative work creates a powerful win-win scenario for our clients that is not to be found elsewhere in the marketplace today.”

  
  

  According to NAT Inc., the NAT eMenu selling solution delivers:

  
  

  
  

  
  

• A fast, accurate and effective F&I menu sales tool

  
  

  
  

• Real-time plans and pricing, along with intelligent vehicle rating

  
  

  
  

• Any aftermarket products from any provider

  
  

  
  

• Dealer-customizable products, pricing, appearance and feel using NAT’s à la carte features

  
  

  
  

• Bi-directional integration with major DMS providers

  
  

  
  

• Electronic contracting directly to participating aftermarket providers’ enterprises

  
  

  
  

• A detailed activity log which can feed management reports via NAT’s eData Services™ application

  
  

  
  

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

  
  

  An ASP model requiring only a PC and high-speed Internet connectivity, 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 AutoConnect, one of the industry’s first online car-shopping portals, which later evolved as AutoTrader.com™ under Cox Enterprises™.

  
  

  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 at Booth #4172.

  
  

  About NAT, Inc.

  
  

  Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., NAT, Inc. (www.natinc.com) provides front and back end technology solutions designed to improve workflow processes for aftermarket providers, including insurance companies, third-party administrators (TPAs) 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 office solutions are powered by the NAT eGateway and feature NAT eMenu and NAT eData Services. NAT’s back office solutions include its SCS Automotive Platform, which streamlines and automates 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.

  
  

  About National Auto Care

  
  

  National Auto Care (www.natlauto.com) specializes in providing dealers with automotive aftermarket products and services.

  
  

  National Auto Care was founded in 1984.