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.
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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.
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April 2nd, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – March 18, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. has announced plans to bolster its Dealer Sales Team, in an effort to satisfy the rapidly-growing demand from automotive dealers throughout the United States and Canada. The automotive technology provider cites the overwhelming response to the recently enhanced Inventory Online (IOL) marketing suite as the catalyst behind the success-driven expansion.
“Our Dealer Sales Team has done an exceptional job of promoting the HomeNet brand and building relationships throughout the dealer community,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “The dealer side of our business has increased substantially and we expect this growth to continue as we further equip the IOL suite with even more lead-generating features. The updated product enhancements, including IOL VideoLink and IOL goText, are squarely focused on one thing - delivering more quality leads. By embracing current marketing trends such as online video and mobile marketing, dealers will ultimately gain a tremendous competitive edge in their respective markets. We are absolutely thrilled every time we hear another success story and look forward to helping more dealers to harness the enormous capabilities of effective online marketing.”
HomeNet plans to jumpstart the staffing surge by doubling its sales force, effective immediately. The company will then continue to hire new reps on a regular basis to support the anticipated sales growth in the months ahead. Expectations are set for the sales team to triple its capacity within 12 months, as HomeNet continues to capture more market share as a leading full-service provider of Internet Marketing solutions.
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March 18th, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – March 10, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. announced today that it has partnered with CarTango, Inc., in an effort to provide a unique opportunity for its automotive dealership client base to connect with female customers. Dealers will now be able to seamlessly upload their vehicle inventory to Cartango’s website via HomeNet’s Inventory Online (IOL) marketing suite.
"CarTango.com is designed to provide a better experience for the primary purchasers of automobiles in the United States - women," says CarTango, Inc. Founder and CEO Daniel Osborne. "Women directly purchase over 50% and influence the purchase of over 80% of all vehicles sold. Unlike any other site on the internet, the functionality and exclusive features of CarTango.com were specifically designed to address the wants and needs of this powerful female demographic. CarTango ultimately makes it easier for women to locate and purchase their ideal new or used car, at the best price because it eliminates the frustrating aspects of the car-buying process that typically inhibit female consumers."
For a limited time, HomeNet’s IOL Pro customers will be eligible to receive a FREE 60-Day CarTango test drive. In addition, dealers will lock in a savings of nearly 30% off the monthly membership fee for their first year of service when they continue after the trial period. As an added bonus, CarTango will do a press release/event for dealerships who are the first in their respective area to register. For more information regarding this special promotion, dealers should contact HomeNet’s Sales Department at 877-738-3313.
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March 10th, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – March 6, 2008 – HomeNet’s Director of Sales, Tim James, will be a featured speaker at the 4th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition in Orlando, FL, April 21-23. James’ presentation, which was highlighted in today’s Digital Dealer E-newsletter, will be focused on helping automotive dealers to attract more ‘Internet Shoppers’ and effectively turn them into ‘On-the-Lot Buyers’. This will be James’ third appearance as a speaker for the conference.
“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to speak once again 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.”
The conference will be held at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Conference Center in Orlando, FL. The conference in Las Vegas last October drew over 540 attendees and featured 45 exhibitors. There were over 300 registered dealers, GMs, Internet Sales Managers, e-Commerce Directors and BDC/CRM Managers. For more information on the event, please visit www.digitaldealerconference.com.
March 6th, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – March 3, 2008 – In an effort to better serve its rapidly growing client base, HomeNet, Inc. announced today that it has extended its weekend customer support hours. Effective immediately, HomeNet’s Client Services department will be available to serve the needs of customers every Saturday from 9AM – 3PM EST.
“We have been blessed with tremendous growth over the past several years and a big part of our success has been our unyielding customer-first mentality,” stated HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “Our dedicated Client Services team truly is the backbone of our organization and they work incredibly hard to exceed the expectations of over 11,000 dealership locations nationwide. We are pleased to offer the extended support hours and will continue to reinvest significant company resources back into both our products and most importantly, our customers.”
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March 3rd, 2008
Auto Success Magazine recently interviewed HomeNet's Sales Director, Tim James, for a podcast to be featured on their website - www.autosuccesspodcast.com. The site provides free podcast interviews with a variety of sales professionals and automotive industry leaders. James spoke with Selling Success Magazines Publisher, Patrick Luck, regarding the disconnect between Traditional Marketing and Internet Marketing. He also provided his perspective on the trends dealerships need to be aware of to achieve future growth and success.
To download the complete podcast, please click here.
February 11th, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – February 7, 2008 – HomeNet, Inc. is set to exhibit at the 91st NADA Convention and Expo, February 9-12 in San Francisco, CA. Located at Booth # 3601W, the rapidly-growing automotive technology provider will unveil several new upgrades to its popular Inventory Online (IOL) marketing suite. As a special gift to dealers, HomeNet will be giving away free bottles of its private-label Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 to those who participate in a full IOL product demonstration.
“This will be the sixth consecutive year we have exhibited at NADA and we are more excited than ever to be a part of this tremendous event,” stated HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “As an organization, we really feel that we are bringing some significant momentum with us to San Francisco this year. IOL recently surpassed another major milestone and now markets 2.5 million vehicles at over 11,000 dealer locations nationwide. We have some very powerful new features that will further cement IOL’s position as the most comprehensive vehicle inventory management and marketing solution in the industry.”
HomeNet’s team of Internet Marketing experts will be on hand to showcase new IOL product enhancements including: ‘CARTXT’, an application that instantly sends vehicle information to mobile phones; ‘Lease It Now’, an integrated system that provides on demand lease payment information; ‘VideoLink’, a multimedia video marketing system; ‘IOL Auction Manager’, an integrated eBay management and Craigslist distribution tool; and ‘IOL Price Analysis System’, a new service which helps dealers to better price their inventory. In addition, convention attendees will also get to preview the new and improved ‘Pocket IOL’, a handheld vehicle marketing device that enables dealers to take their own photos with ease.
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February 7th, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – February 5, 2008 – Automotive technology provider HomeNet, Inc. announced today that it has bolstered its partnership with automotive website provider TK Carsites, Inc. Under terms of the agreement, dealership customers will now manage enhanced website and inventory marketing solutions via an integrated single sign-on platform.
“Partnerships are very important to TK because we have always focused on what we do best – websites and SEO,” commented Richard Valenta, TK Carsites President & CEO. “We try to not do everything ourselves which is why we seek to align ourselves with industry leaders such as HomeNet. Dealers know that HomeNet has the top inventory solution and we want our customers to have the very best.”
TK customers have been utilizing HomeNet’s Inventory Online (IOL) marketing suite to get, edit, and deliver their vehicle inventory for over two years. Previously, dealers would manage website content and inventory data from two separate web-based systems. The new integration will streamline this process, giving dealers the ability to seamlessly update both their website and their inventory via a single sign-on platform. This eliminates the need to maintain two user accounts, saving the dealer valuable time in which to spend communicating with prospective buyers.
“TK provides a very compelling, full-service marketing system for dealers that is well-positioned to increase its market share,” stated HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “HomeNet is privileged to work with such a fantastic partner and we are very pleased to offer the enhanced IOL integration. We look forward to serving the inventory needs for TK’s customers for many years to come.”
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February 5th, 2008
WEST CHESTER, PA – January 31, 2008 - HomeNet, Inc. announced today that the rapidly growing automotive technology provider has reached another significant milestone. The popular Inventory Online (IOL) marketing suite continues to outpace the competition, currently marketing more than 2.5 million vehicles each day for over 11,000 dealer locations nationwide.
“Inventory has been in our DNA for over a decade and HomeNet’s position as an industry leader is something we have earned through hard work, innovation, and an unwavering customer-first philosophy,” commented HomeNet CEO Jesse Biter. “IOL was the first system of its kind to offer the combination of flexibility and reliability that dealers need to bridge the gap between those who wanted to retain full control over their inventory and those who were working with a variety of third-party providers. Our team is committed to never being satisfied with the status quo and will work to ensure that IOL remains the premier inventory management and marketing system in the industry for many years to come.”
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January 31st, 2008
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