AUSTIN, Texas – Dealerware, a leading connected car platform, was selected by Toyota Motor North America as part of a closed marketplace of vendors to power its “Rent a Toyota” program at over 850 dealerships across the country. On the heels of a successful multi-month, joint pilot program at key retail locations, Dealerware now offers Toyota’s popular vehicle rental program an elevated, customer-centric and cost-efficient experience. This announcement reinforces Dealerware’s dealer-first ethos, providing a powerful software platform that supports the digital transformation required in today’s changing retail landscape.
“We launched Dealerware in 2016 with two clear goals – reduce the costs dealers incur from fleet operations and modernize consumers’ dealership experiences. We are excited to be able to deliver that to Toyota dealers,” said Russell Lemmer, President and Chief Operating Officer, Dealerware. “As consumer demands evolve and the need for flexibility and accessibility are at an all-time high, we’re thrilled to provide Toyota with a fully connected, best-in-class solution for rental at the dealership.”
Launched in 1988, the “Rent a Toyota” program is designed to assist dealers in offering customers with quality temporary transportation, including service rentals, insurance replacement vehicles and retail options for extended test-drives or travel plans. The inclusion of Dealerware as a choice for Toyota dealers in the program, provides a streamlined vehicle management platform, featuring an assortment of digital solutions, including:
Actionable Reporting & Analytics
Mobile-first, One-Minute Rental Contracting
Elevated Customer Experiences
Exceptional Dealer Support
Automated Cost Recovery
“We sought to find software partners who could help improve the dealer and customer experience, while preparing our network for future mobility offerings, and Dealerware can clearly deliver on these metrics,” said Paul Rohovsky, Dealer Fleet Manager, Toyota Motor North America. “As an approved provider, Dealerware’s platform will help our dealers better manage their rental fleet, recoup costs and provide a better customer experience.”
Last year, Dealerware rolled out a targeted pilot program at three Toyota dealerships across the U.S. to further understand the challenges dealers were facing, and subsequently develop features that turn points of friction into axis of opportunity. The result was a resounding success; within months, “Rent a Toyota” programs at these dealerships saw cost recovery increases of 114%, rental fleet utilization rates above 85%, improved data accuracy and much more.
Since its launch in 2016, Dealerware has been a frontrunner in digital transformation across the automotive sector, successfully partnering with dealers, dealer groups and OEMs to modernize their retail operations. Dealerware experienced 100 percent year-over-year growth in 2019 and maintained a Net Promoter Score in the 100th percentile for technology companies. The successful growth of Dealerware has been driven by new customers and a strong partner ecosystem with best-in-breed providers like CDK Global, PDP Group, Arrowhead, Sedgwick, Reynolds & Reynolds, RedCap, myKaarma, Guidepoint, and MDL autoMation.
