NEW YORK — Auto dealers who have gone paperless are increasing productivity, profits and loyalty in the service drive, concluded a report from Canon Solutions America. It highlight how dealers are using Canon’s Intelligent Dealer Electronic Archiving System (IDEAS) to drive a leaner operation while mitigating security and compliance risks.

The new report, “How Auto Dealers Manage and Mitigate Security and Compliance Risks Using Paperless Workflow Technology,” was authored by industry writer J. Robert Leman. Click here to download in PDF.

The report highlights dealerships like Center BMW of Sherman Oaks, Calif., a technology-driven operation that uses IDEAS to eliminate paper use and handling throughout its repair order and warranty processes. The outlet processes 80 repair orders a day. As a result, it has increased customer turnover by 10 minutes per car, improved how quickly and completely the dealership is able to comply with OEM audit requests to streamline the audit process, and reduced paper and ink/toner use by 70 percent.

Furthermore, this report notes that utilizing paperless workflow archiving technology, a single service tech saves 50 minutes per day. At a $95 per hour labor rate, the savings equals $23,750 per month.

“The biggest benefit of paperless warranty processing is efficiency,” says Chris Previtire, service director for Center BMW. “Our techs can now focus on diagnostics and repairing cars, not handling paperwork. For me, our service administrators and our warranty clerks, a paperless system like this eliminates the chaos of running around looking for documents.”

As this report’s title suggested, IDEAS also helps dealerships better secure data, such as customer information on repair orders, and store it securely out of public review. Such measures help dealerships comply with various security and compliance requirements, including OEM warranty audit processes.

With the technology, dealerships can also better comply with factory warranty audits and various state and federal regulations requiring document processing and storage.

Canon will showcase it solutions in Booth No. 2143 at the NADA Convention & Expo in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 8-11.