If you haven’t yet heard of GM’s new dealer-focused SalesAssistant tablet application that the automaker launched in January of 2013, prepare to hear a lot more about it in the coming months. That’s because SalesAssistant adds mobility, increases customer interactivity, and streamlines transactions, in effect representing the next frontier in automotive retail sales.
Specifically, SalesAssistant shows vehicle specs and option packages, real-time incentive information, a dealership’s inventory, and vehicle-specific payment estimates — elements that allow dealers to conveniently provide more information about each vehicle while allowing deals to happen faster and with greater convenience. In addition, a dealership has the ability to customize the app by setting its top-selling models as favorites, rather than having to scroll through all models in the showroom in alphabetical order.
“As the name implies, the SalesAssistant app lets sales happen quickly and easily, which translates to customers having to spend less time away from their lives to buy a new vehicle,” said General Motors dealer sales solutions manager Tom Wdowik. “We’ve already had one example where a general manager and a customer used the app to sell a vehicle while watching a youth hockey game.”
Perhaps the customers that stand to benefit the most from SalesAssistant are Silverado and Sierra truck buyers: given that there are thousands of different ways to personalize a truck — from cab and bed configurations to colors and packages, the app can clearly present the trucks’ capabilities, and can even do a reverse-towing look-up. So if a customer walks in and says that he needs to tow his 12,000-pound boat, the apps can display only the vehicles capable of towing that much weight, Wdowick explains.
GM Dealer SalesAssistant contains sections for all four of The General’s North American brands, including Chevy, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac, and is available for any Android (3.1 or higher) or iOS (5.0 or higher) tablet device.
Are you a GM sales associates using the new SalesAssistant app? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
Comments
As a buyer, I think this will be great. I hate talking to sales people on the phone because all they ever seem to say is “come on in and we can talk about it.” Well, no, I am 30 miles away and I am not ready to buy today. I don’t want to drive all that way to talk. I want to get as much info as I can and let the test drive be the final test and walk away with my car that day. It would certainly increase my buying experience happiness!!
I don’t agree with your point of view, they need marketing to promote applications to people like Lucky Patcher.
This is all I need as it has all the info you could want in what is available.
http://eogld.ecomm.gm.com/dmdindex.htm
I generally go in well prepared in what I want and how much I should pay.
One car I bought while at work via E mail. I sent in what I wanted they gave me a price. I countered and they met my price. I save $6K off sticker.
I just had to go to the dealer check out the car when they did the dealer trade and sign the papers. No dealing no pressure.
Controlling the sales deal is key to not getting taken. If the dealer us giving you BS just walk.
link doesn’t work.
That’s because this is a link to a dealer-only tool. Not sure what this guys game is but unless he has a gobalconnect ID (authorized Gm employee or dealership employee) he is not using the GM Online Order Guide to prepare for shopping. And if he is an employee, he already gets the best price possible with “preferred pricing” plus the employee allowance, in addition to all other retail incentives.
I have had Dealer SalesAssistant on my iPad since it was introduced. It is very handy and helpful.
Just to clarify: This not a consumer app, you must have a GM GlobalConnect ID and password to access the info. This app is for GM Corporate and Field employees and GM Dealership employees.
Very good idea…should help the process…that helps buyers
I have a fire phone which unfortunately will not allow me to download this app as it doesn’t exist in my app market, if GM DSA had a .apk file download on the main website I could “sideload” onto my phone and use it, but I haven’t found one yet.
So trying to run the DSA Dealer Sales Assistant on my Samsung Galaxy S5 V5.0. Loads fine, and logs into application. I can even get past the Eula agreement, but when I try to accept the Privacy Statement the app tilts, shuts down and gives me a message that the application has closed. Found Karen Stone in the app contact info and sent her an email. Got her out of office message that she is out till the 31st of Aug. Whet to the Chat feature on Global Connect and after being switched around a bit was told first that DSA only work on Android Tablets. Then I told them another Sales Person runs it on his Motorolla Android Turbo phone. She checked further and came back to tell me that Samsung was not yet approved for the application. Probably the second best selling phone system on the market and not included? So all I want to know is when this application will be OK to use with Samsung Galaxy phones. Mine is version 5.0.
So im told this is a mandatory use app. I sell 15-25 unit a month and told I need to log in at least 5 times a month or I will lose GM perks. This Is BullShit. Who in the hell has to force a sales person to use thier discovery, to keep a job? Im being forced to use it so someone can claim they had a brilliant idea. Now he/she says everyones using it. App is a good idea but the force is a weak way to brag about BullShit. Hope you can get a better life!