Darwin Automotive, a leading F&I software provider for the automotive industry, recently announced the release of “Darwin Online.” The auto industry’s only patented digital retailing application, “Darwin Online” enables dealerships worldwide to process online transactions with a fully functional F&I department open 24-hours a day, 365-days a year, while protecting dealership profitability and providing accuracy and transparency to the online consumer.
“I am extremely excited about the release of ‘Darwin Online,’ this is big news for the auto industry! Finance and Insurance represents 30-40% of overall profitability and is critical to the lifeblood of the dealership. Now, dealers can sell it all 24/7 – service contracts, tire and wheel protection, paint protection — you name it, just by adding a simple widget to any or all their websites,” stated Phillip Battista, Darwin Automotive Chief Executive Officer. “With ‘Darwin Online,’ dealers can rest assured that their profitability is protected. It provides accurate, transparent information to the online consumer utilizing a nationwide database of incentives with both lease and retail rates. It also has its own proprietary 50 state tax databases. We provide the missing link that enables a full online vehicle sales transaction,” Battista added.
“Darwin Online” interfaces with over 142 different product providers and allows dealerships to control their profitability and disclosure. It interacts with all dealership websites without any need for DMS integration, or the high fees associated. The platform provides accurate payments that match the dealership’s DMS to the penny.
With Darwin, the needs of a consumer are paramount in determining which products and services can best fit those needs. And with “Darwin Online,” this “needs discovery” can happen before they step into the dealership – right from their mobile device, 24/7.
Darwin was created by a team of F&I software pioneers that brought one of the first and most prominent electronic menus to market, ‘MenuVantage,’ and does more than just automate the interview. It uses a combination of algorithms to analyze in real time the customer’s answers to a set of needs-discovery questions, deal information, previous ownership history and any other details stored in the dealership’s DMS. Then, through predictive analytics, it produces a “Driver’s Needs Analysis,” which scores F&I products based on the buyer’s need and the likelihood the customer will purchase those protections.
The analytics also contain the customer’s prior ownership history, information on the vehicle’s warranty, and other Deal Factors. This information about why the customer will need the product is critical to the education of the online consumer. Studies show that 63 percent of online consumers surveyed said they would be more likely to buy F&I products if they were educated about them before they came into the dealership. Darwin online prescribes the products the customer needs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
“Over 2,000 auto dealers nationwide have boosted F&I profitability with Darwin,” said Battista. “They, along with the entire automotive industry, will now also benefit from a seamless buying experience from customers on the web. Consumers have been waiting for a transparent, accurate buying experience, while dealerships longed to have software designed by car people that will protect their profitability. ‘Darwin Online’ is the first system to accomplish both goals.”
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