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West Chester, PA – August 20, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. has announced that the automotive technology provider will begin distributing FREE automated inventory reports, designed to make it easier for dealers to evaluate the performance of their Internet Marketing investment. The daily ‘State of the Inventory’ reports will be sent directly to the inbox/mobile phone of General Managers, Sales Managers, and Internet Managers, in an effort to ensure that online vehicle listings consistently meet dealer-defined standards. The comprehensive, real-time reports will include:
• Vehicle Counts per Rooftop
• Out-Of-Date Alerts
• Average Days in Stock
• # of Vehicles Missing Price
• # of Vehicles Missing Photos
• # of Vehicles Missing Descriptions
"IOL Automated Reports provides key metrics that successful dealers need to monitor on a daily basis. With more than 13,000 dealer inventories in our system, we feel it is our duty to make this vital data more accessible and to provide to dealers free of charge,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “Over 80% of all vehicle sales originate from the Web and it is now more important than ever to provide consumers with accurate and up-to-date inventory information – 24/7. The reports make it easy for dealer management to stay in the loop and receive an honest assessment of the state of their online inventory. Ultimately, the goal is to hold the entire dealership team accountable towards making sure that effective Internet Marketing best practices are implemented and consistently followed every day.”
HomeNet's proprietary Get. Edit. Deliver. technology distributes enhanced vehicle inventory data for thousands of automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. HomeNet’s signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system. IOL’s suite of web-based applications helps dealers to efficiently manage their entire online inventory from one centralized location and distribute emotional vehicle advertisements to any online destination. The IOL system also streamlines the inventory aggregation and enhancement process, enabling vendors to better focus on lead generation for their dealership customers and not inventory management/support. As one of the most respected data aggregators in the industry, HomeNet has built successful partnerships with dozens of leading automotive companies. IOL currently processes more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 13,000 dealership locations.
For more information regarding this powerful free service, dealers should contact the HomeNet Sales Team at salesteam@homenetinc.com or 877-738-3313.
About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.
August 20th, 2008
West Chester, PA – August 4, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. has announced a strategic partnership with The Intellimark Group to distribute Intellisweeps, a powerful ‘Incentive-Based Marketing’ tool designed to significantly enhance lead conversion rates for automotive dealership websites. Under terms of the agreement, HomeNet will market the system as an optional service upgrade to more than 13,000 automotive dealership locations throughout the United States and Canada that currently utilize the popular Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite.
“Marketing is the second biggest operating expense for dealers, so it is absolutely vital that dealers maximize every conversion opportunity they have” stated The Intellimark Group Vice President/General Manager Rudy Martin. “Our core objective with Intellisweeps is to increase online marketing ROI by equipping dealers with a tool that will seamlessly turn their website traffic into qualified leads. Our system captures precision consumer data, empowering dealers to provide the most relevant follow-up response possible to prospects. We are very pleased to partner with HomeNet and believe the IOL dealer base is an ideal distribution channel for this product.”
Intellisweeps begins the process of lead conversion by placing a simple eye-catching icon on a dealer’s existing website. Consumers are encouraged to engage with the system by clicking on the icon which features a high value incentive, bonded and fully funded by The Intellimark Group. Intellisweeps’ proprietary ‘Smart Survey’ technology guides the consumer through a brief multiple-choice questionnaire, each question prompted based on the prior response. The contact information and survey results are then fed directly into the dealer’s lead management application, to enable immediate dealer follow-up.
“IOL markets more than 2.5 million vehicles each day and we feel that the Intellisweeps system will give our dealers a compelling means in which to move this inventory even faster,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “There is a unique synergy between our systems. While IOL makes it easy for dealers to create emotional advertisements for their vehicles and maintain consistent advertising across all online marketing channels, Intellisweeps works to improve the end result by extracting very precise and detailed lead information. Intellisweeps takes a big step towards closing the loop on the online marketing life cycle and will be a nice addition to the IOL suite.”
HomeNet's proprietary Get. Edit. Deliver. technology distributes enhanced vehicle inventory data for thousands of automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. HomeNet’s signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) Vehicle Marketing Suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system. IOL’s suite of web-based applications helps dealers to efficiently manage their entire online inventory from one centralized location and distribute emotional vehicle advertisements to any online destination. The IOL system also streamlines the inventory aggregation and enhancement process, enabling vendors to better focus on lead generation for their dealership customers and not inventory management/support. As one of the most respected data aggregators in the industry, HomeNet has built successful partnerships with dozens of leading automotive companies. IOL currently processes more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 13,000 dealership locations.
About The Intellimark Group, Inc.
Founded in 2005, The Intellimark Group, Inc. has developed a series of cost-effective, web-centric applications which quantifiably improve the results of an automotive retailer’s web assets and online marketing investments. TIG’s solutions are easy to implement and can be seamlessly integrated with existing technologies and eCommerce initiatives to deliver sustainable incremental results. For additional information on TIG visit www.theinellimarkgroup.com. For information on TIG’s results-producing eCommerce applications contact salesteam@homenetinc.com.
About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.
# # #
Media Contacts: Andy McBride and Rob Amos • 610-738-3313
August 4th, 2008
West Chester, PA – 7/24/08 — HomeNet, Inc. has announced an important upgrade to IOL goText, the automotive technology provider’s powerful mobile marketing system. As part of the enhanced IOL goText service, dealers can now market vehicle-specific ‘Go Codes’ in an effort to further maximize the effectiveness of their mobile marketing initiatives. The unique codes are auto-generated using a portion of the corresponding VIN number and can be seamlessly displayed on custom window stickers printed via the dealer’s IOL account.
“Since HomeNet first launched the IOL goText service earlier this year, we have seen a tremendous response from dealers who are embracing the concept of mobile marketing,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “IOL goText delivers exactly what consumers want – on-demand, real-time information. We are pleased to incorporate the ability to generate unique Go Codes for each vehicle, which will ultimately make this powerful lead-generating tool an even more vital component of successful automotive marketing.”
Built on Gumiyo’s dynamic Mobile Marketing platform, IOL goText extends HomeNet’s Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite to mobile phones, literally putting a dealership’s inventory and showroom directly into the hands of qualified and interested buyers. It enables dealers to connect immediately with in-market consumers anytime and anywhere, providing them with on-demand detailed inventory listings, vehicle photos, and Carfax reports.
For more information regarding IOL goText, please contact the HomeNet Sales Team at 877-738-3313 or salesteam@homenetinc.com.
July 24th, 2008
West Chester, PA – July 14, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. has announced that the automotive technology provider’s popular Inventory Online (IOL) Vehicle Marketing Suite can now distribute actual photos of Honda Certified Used Cars to Honda.com. This real-time integration provides a seamless process in which Honda dealers can effectively manage their Certified Pre-Owned online marketing from a single, centralized location.
"Honda has equipped their dealers with a powerful marketing advantage by providing free access to their OEM website and HomeNet is pleased to help support this effort," commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. "Now is the perfect time for Honda dealers to take advantage of HomeNet’s enhanced distribution service as our team has noticed a sharp increase in logins and vehicle edits from IOL users since January 2008. These trends indicate that pre-owned vehicles and specifically CPO have become the 'new' new cars for many consumers that may be struggling in a more challenging economic climate. As CPO sales continue to gain a larger piece of a dealer's overall gross revenue, it is increasingly vital that dealers consistently market these vehicles to as many websites as possible with the most accurate, robust, and up-to-date details/photos available.”
Honda dealers presently utilizing IOL Pro that wish to send their vehicles to OEM sites at no extra charge should contact IOL support at support@homenetinc.com. Honda dealers interested in learning more about IOL Pro should contact the HomeNet Sales Team at salesteam@homenetinc.com for more information.
HomeNet's proprietary Get. Edit. Deliver. technology distributes enhanced vehicle inventory data for thousands of automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. HomeNet’s signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) Vehicle Marketing Suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system. IOL’s suite of web-based applications helps dealers to efficiently manage their entire online inventory from one centralized location and distribute emotional vehicle advertisements to any online destination. The IOL system also streamlines the inventory aggregation and enhancement process, enabling vendors to better focus on lead generation for their dealership customers and not inventory management/support. As one of the most respected data aggregators in the industry, HomeNet has built successful partnerships with dozens of leading automotive companies. IOL currently processes more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 13,000 dealership locations.
About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.
July 14th, 2008
West Chester, PA – July 8, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. has announced the results of an internal study which illustrates that dealers marketing their vehicles online with a dozen or more actual photos, in conjunction with customized vehicle descriptions and accurate pricing, are moving pre-owned inventory an average of 32% faster than those who don’t. This study was based on detailed analysis of more than 2.5 million vehicles marketed each day via HomeNet's Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite.
“If more owners and GMs were aware that their pre-owned inventory could be moved nearly a third faster without costing them a dime, you would see Internet Managers turn into amateur photographers and writers overnight,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “Snapping a few extra photos and writing emotional vehicle descriptions with accurate pricing are such simple, yet effective, ways to improve your online marketing ROI. Consumers aren’t asking for much, they just want information. It simply doesn’t make sense to invest significant resources into online marketing yet fail to make your listings as attractive as possible to the people you are trying to reach. We anticipate this gap widening in the years ahead, as dealers who continue to put forth the minimum effort with sub-standard listings will likely get even more accustomed to seeing the same vehicles on their lot each and every day.”
The study showed that during the month of June, the average ‘days in stock’ for pre-owned units was more than 32% higher for dealers who failed to include 12 photos, custom descriptions, and pricing information for their online listings. The analysis factored in data from dealerships in all 50 states and included every major OEM brand.
“Posting effective vehicle advertisements on the web is no longer a choice, it is an absolute necessity,” stated Tony Rimas, Director of Operations for The Red McCombs Automotive Group. “With all the tools readily available to make the online marketing process easier, dealers that fail to equip each listing with multiple photos and emotional vehicle descriptions are really putting their dealership at a disadvantage. Our online marketing philosophy is to do everything we can to duplicate the same emotional buying experience that buyers receive when they visit the lot, across all of our online marketing channels.”
Presently serving nearly 13,000 dealership locations throughout the United States and Canada with a powerful suite of inventory management and marketing tools, HomeNet is well-equipped to provide expert analysis to the automotive industry. The company plans to continue mining its vast proprietary database of vehicle inventory in an effort to uncover useful facts and interesting trends. Organizations seeking to obtain customized research data are welcome to contact HomeNet for more information.
About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.
# # #
Media Contacts: Andy McBride and Rob Amos • 610-738-3313
July 8th, 2008
West Chester, PA – June 30, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. has taken another step forward towards standardizing the vehicle inventory data process by announcing a significant upgrade to its proprietary VIN Enhancement system. Featuring a more robust color decoding and match to DMS data, the upgrade improves the overall data population ratio which provides more precise vehicle information to HomeNet's powerful inventory management tool. The improved system will ensure that dealers advertise only the most accurate and consistent vehicle data available across all of their online marketing channels, resulting in more qualified leads from their online listings.
"HomeNet has been blessed with tremendous customer loyalty because we routinely make the extra effort to truly understand the day to day business concerns of our dealers," commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. "Our team works tirelessly to enhance our systems regularly, in an effort to ensure that the benefits they provide continue to exceed the expectations of the dealers we serve."
The automotive technology provider's popular Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite presently serves 13,000 dealership locations throughout the United States and Canada, processing more than 2.5 million vehicles each day. The upgraded VIN Enhancement system will be launched immediately, providing a seamless transition for IOL end users.
June 30th, 2008
West Chester, PA – May 14, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. was named a Finalist today in the “Best Overall Company” category in the 2008 American Business Awards. Hailed as “the business world’s own Oscars” (New York Post , April 27, 2005), The American Business Awards are the only national, all-encompassing awards program honoring great performances in business.
Stevie Award winners will be announced during the annual gala on Thursday, June 12 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. More than 600 executives from across the U.S.A. are expected to attend. The ceremonies will be broadcast on radio nationwide by the Business TalkRadio Network and hosted by Liz Claman of FOX Business Network.
“It’s a great privilege to be named a Finalist for the American Business Awards,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “Rapid growth really put our dedicated team to the test last year, but I am proud to say that each team member rose to the occasion to help make it our best year on record. Although we take pride in our accomplishments, we are even more excited about what’s to come as we continue to grow in 2008 and beyond.”
More than 2,600 entries from companies of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories, including Best Overall Company, Best Executive, Best New Product or Service, Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program, and new categories including Best Management Team and Best Corporate Environmental Responsibility Program.
Members of the Awards' Board of Distinguished Judges & Advisors and their staffs will select Stevie Award winners from among Finalists in final judging during the week of May 19. Finalists were chosen by business professionals nationwide during preliminary judging in April through early May.
“ABA entries grew more than 30% this year, so being named a Finalist is more of an accomplishment than ever before,” said Michael Gallagher, founder and president of The Stevie Awards. “It means that independent business executives have agreed that the nominee is worthy of national recognition. We congratulate all of the Finalists on their achievement and wish them well in the competition.”
About The Stevie Awards
Hailed as “the business world’s own Oscars,” Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, The Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Honoring companies of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com.
About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.
May 14th, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – April 21, 2008 – HomeNet’s Director of Sales, Tim James, will be a featured speaker at the 2008 Synergy Sessions in New Orleans, LA, May 13-14. The host companies Dealer Synergy, AutoSuccess Magazine, and The Dubis Group have teamed up to bring the Automotive Retail Industry one of the best "no-nonsense" training events of 2008. James' presentation will be focused on helping automotive dealers to attract more ‘Internet Shoppers’ and effectively turn them into ‘On-the-Lot Buyers’.
“It is a privilege to speak at the upcoming Synergy Sessions and I am truly excited to help dealers better understand the online marketing initiatives employed by the top e-Dealers in the country,” commented James. “Besides learning successful strategies that drive unique and return visitors to their website, dealers will learn how to duplicate their traditional marketing principles and apply those same time-tested techniques to their Internet marketing. The combination of emotional advertisements, effective call-to-action techniques, and robust inventory information will not only drive more traffic to your website, but will also drive more traffic to your lot.”
Th Synergy Sessions are targeted to more experienced dealership personnel including Internet sales professionals and fixed operations managers. Attendees will already know the basics, so speakers will be covering the specifics required to maintain and grow an already engaged department that can't seem to get to the next level. Speakers will address the quickly changing landscape of the automotive industry, using cutting edge technology to build relationships, drive more qualified traffic to your website, how to hire winners and more importantly how to keep them.
The conference will be held at the W Hotel - 333 Poydras Street; New Orleans, Louisiana 70130. For more information on the event, please visit www.synergysessions.com.
April 21st, 2008
West Chester, PA - April 8, 2008 -HomeNet, Inc. has announced the release of IOL goText, a mobile marketing solution that extends HomeNet's Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite to web-enabled mobile phones. The new feature, which is powered by Gumiyo's mobile web technology, can literally place an automotive dealer's entire online inventory directly into the hands of prospective buyers.
"In today’s world, consumers don’t just want on-demand information – they expect it," commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. "IOL goText makes it easy for dealers to empower prospective buyers by equipping them with real-time access to robust inventory information anytime, anywhere. IOL goText is a terrific addition to the IOL suite and we expect that this powerful marketing tool will give dealers a competitive edge in their respective markets."
HomeNet’s popular Inventory Online (IOL) Marketing Suite currently serves more than 12,000 automotive dealership locations throughout the United States and Canada, processing over 2.5 million vehicles each day. The IOL goText feature is fully integrated into the webIOL system, where it automatically formats, optimizes, and syncs a dealer’s on-lot inventory for the mobile web. Once optimized, IOL goText instantly distributes vehicle inventory with one click, providing easy-to-use tools to connect buyers with the dealership using simple SMS text messages.
Similar to text message voting popularized by American Idol, consumers can access the dealer’s inventory via their mobile phone by keying a short Go Code(TM) (a simple keyword unique for each dealership) into the body of a text message and then sending it to 48696. The codes are marketed through the dealer’s TV, print, radio and billboard campaigns, making traditional automotive advertising "clickable", trackable and measurable.
The reply message that comes back to the user includes information on the dealership and a mobile Web link to a media rich version of the dealer’s showroom. Every vehicle listing viewed by the user on the mobile Web has a way for the buyer to send a text message to the dealership, initiate an email or live phone call, or notify the dealer that they would like to be contacted by phone or email.
Go Codes can also be extended with the last eight digits of the vehicle identification number (VIN) or the dealer’s stock numbers to take a mobile consumer directly to a specific vehicle.
To learn more about IOL goText, dealers should contact the HomeNet Sales team at 877-738-3313.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.
April 8th, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – April 2, 2008 - HomeNet, Inc. is proud to announce that it has been named a recipient of the "Gold Award" in the Online Auction Listing Services category of Auto Dealer Monthly's "2008 Dealers' Choice Awards". The annual awards recognize the most highly regarded vendors, suppliers, and finance companies serving the automotive industry. Companies are nominated in a variety of categories by the end users of their respective products/services - automotive dealers.
"We are truly humbled to be recognized by the same people we work so diligently to serve each day - the dealers," commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. "This award affirms our commitment to an unwavering customer-first philosophy in which we strive to earn our reputation one vehicle at a time. Our team looks forward to continue providing best-in-class inventory solutions, accompanied by the unparalleled customer experience that our dealers have come to expect from HomeNet."
This is the fourth year that Auto Dealer Monthly has recognized the companies that have consistently exceeded the expectations of their dealership customers. The nominating process is a method in which dealers and dealership personnel can collectively voice their opinion of the products/services, customer support, and the overall value that nominated companies provide to their dealership. CLICK HERE to view the complete 2008 list.
HomeNet's proprietary Get. Edit. Deliver. technology distributes enhanced vehicle inventory data for thousands of automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. HomeNet’s signature solution, the Inventory Online (IOL) Vehicle Marketing Suite, is an industry-leading vehicle inventory management and marketing system. IOL’s suite of web-based applications help dealers to efficiently manage their entire online inventory from one centralized location and distribute emotional vehicle advertisements to any online destination. The IOL system also streamlines the inventory aggregation and enhancement process, enabling vendors to better focus on lead generation for their dealership customers and not inventory management/support. As one of the most respected data aggregators in the industry, HomeNet has built successful partnerships with dozens of leading automotive companies. IOL currently processes more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 12,000 dealership locations.
About Auto Dealer Monthly
Auto Dealer Monthly is a publication of Agala Investment and is delivered to more than 35,000 subscribers nationwide. Auto Dealer Monthly is the day-to-day resource for automotive dealerships of all sizes. It is known for offering business solutions to automotive executives by providing information necessary to make wise decisions regarding products, services or process changes in daily operations. Auto Dealer Monthly is edited for auto dealers. Publishing and editorial decisions are based on the editors' judgment of the quality of writing, the timeliness of the article, and the potential interest to readers of Auto Dealer Monthly. For more information regarding Auto Dealer Monthly, call 888-300-8844 or go to www.AutoDealerMonthly.com.
About HomeNet, Inc.
HomeNet, Inc. is a privately owned automotive technology provider. Founded in 1996, HomeNet's core focus is providing innovative technology solutions to help automotive dealers increase online sales. HomeNet offers its products to a variety of customers including dealers, OEMs, website providers, CRM providers, digital lot management firms, finance/leasing agents, auction agents, and more. The company is based on Christian principles and is headquartered in West Chester, PA, with satellite offices in AZ, FL, GA, IA, IL, TX, and UT. For more information, please visit www.homenetinc.com.
April 2nd, 2008
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