Change Can Be Daunting, But The Rewards Are

attended all of the recommended training sessions (something
often overlooked). The dealership was always helpful and they
trusted PBS when we told them ‘This will make things much
easier’.
“We were live on Monday morning, and it felt like everyone’s
job had changed.”
Change Can Be Daunting, But The Rewards Are Enormous
Located in Kingston Ontario, Jim Thompson Chrysler had been using
the same software system for 25 years. It was solid, bullet-proof, and
they knew what it could do. Oh, and it was pricey.
“Price was our initial reason to look at switching systems,” recalls
Thomas Heighton, General Manager. “We hadn't looked around much
at other systems over the years, but it just felt like we were paying too
much. When we investigated PBS, we found their monthly maintenance was less, and we were amazed by the functionality available.
We wondered though if the stress of a system change be worth the
difference.
“In all honesty there were bumps during the transition and it seemed
like a daunting task. We were simply used to a system that forced
certain processes. People get into habits and it’s often hard to see past
them. PBS really opened our eyes to the fact that there are many
different ways to accomplish the same task, as long as we were open
to change.”
The management at Jim Thompson Chrysler took the time to be extremely prepared for the transition. When the PBS install team arrived, all of the staff were ready and expecting the changes. They had
completed all of the system setups, cleared up old documents, and
There were still questions, and things that they just simply didn’t
like. “I won’t sugar-coat it,” Tom says. “We had a lot of conversations at the beginning about whether this was the right decision for us. The transition was hard but very quickly we came to
appreciate PBS. There were so many features we didn’t get a
chance to focus on during the install; features I rely on every
day. Switching software providers is kind of like jumping into a
freezing lake. The initial shock might take your breath away, but
once you get used to it, it’s fine.”
Features like the Aristo messenger, customer valuation, automated tasks, and to-do lists are all features that help Tom more
effectively manage his staff and make better decisions.
“The PBS Users Conference was the best experience I have ever had with a vendor... I couldn’t
believe the things the system could do...It was
amazing to see where the company is going, and
have one-on-one conversations with the owners.
This is one company who really cares about their
customers.”
“Then I went to the conference…” Tom chuckles “The PBS Users
Conference was the best experience I have ever had with a vendor. I flew out to Calgary with my Sales Manager and my Parts
Manager. The conference was just 2 days, and I couldn’t believe
the things the system could do. Each of us came home with a
list of new things we wanted to implement. The staff at the
conference were great too.
The President, Vice Presidents, and Management team were all
there. We met programmers, support staff, trainers, and marketing reps.
Jim Thompson - Continued
It was amazing to see where the company is going, and have one-on-one conversations with the owners.
The staff at PBS are all approachable, friendly, and open to what we had to say. This is one company who
really cares about their customers.”
“I really believe we’ve found a life-long business partner in PBS. I can
honestly say that I enjoy working with these guys, and am saving a
good amount of money too.”
Tom Heighton, General Manager
Another program that PBS offers to all customers is the Aristo Advisory Group. The Advisory Group is
open to any PBS customer to give their opinion on future feature development ideas. PBS Advisors can also opt to be Pilot or Beta dealerships on new software modules, which ultimately means they have more direct involvement in the direction of the product.
Shortly after the conference, Shelly Scott, Director of Account Management & Marketing, contacted Tom to discuss the possible Beta
project of the Aristo Parts & Service modules. “Tom and I became quick friends at the conference last year, and I knew he would be
open to the idea of testing the new software,” Shelly commented. “I went out to the dealership with Kendall Block, Product Marketing
Manager, who was on the initial install. I wouldn’t say the staff were excited to see us arrive. After all, it had only been 12 months since
we last turned their world upside down. But again, Tom prepared his staff. So much so that they all greeted me by name, and I had never met one of them.”
“Its fun,” Tom says. “I really believe we’ve found a life-long business partner in PBS. I can honestly say that I enjoy working with these
guys, and am saving a good amount of money too.”
Roll out the Red Carpet - Aristo Fixed Ops Is Here!
It took almost a year to iron out the kinks of our latest Aristo addition, and we are excited to say Aristo Parts & Service is ready to go!
Our beta process included 2 pilot, and 8 beta dealerships. Multiple
franchises, size, usage level, location, and length of time on PBS.
We installed some remotely, and
some onsite. Some were installed
by developers, and some by the
Product Marketing department.
PBS is now installing the Aristo
Fixed Ops software on all new system installations and is working on
a roll out program for our loyal
long term customers.
Dan Welntz, Service Manager at
First Chrysler in Wisconsin was one
of the Beta dealerships. They were
eager to receive the Aristo Service
software, a mere 6 weeks after
they transitioned to PBS from a
different DMS system. “It was
amazing to see that after only 10
minutes of instruction on the new
software, my Advisors were using
it with a solid comfort level. Things are where they should be.”
He said. “Though we have only been on Aristo Service for 3
weeks now, I am eager to come to the conference in September
to learn more about what it can do.”
Aristo Parts and Service - Continued
Weseloh Honda in San Juan Capistrano was also a Beta dealership on the software. They have been on Aristo Parts &
Service for 2 months now. “We had some challenges with
our data conversion initially, but PBS worked hard to get it
resolved as quickly as possible. I am excited to work with
them to get our Parts department using the new Interim Deposits and SOP Management tools that will allow us to better
manage deposits on both Parts & Service,” said Mike Clarke,
Parts Manager.
Vancouver Island’s Parksville Chrysler will be installed with
Aristo Fixed Ops shortly after the PBS conference in September, and are most looking forward to the ability to attach
digital images to Repair Orders. An idea we adopted from
Tom Heighton at Jim Thompson Chrysler during a conversation over dinner at the 2010 PBS conference. -Thanks Tom
Craig Scott, Director of Project Management for PBS was a
Fixed Ops Manager for 8 years in California before joining
PBS in 2006. He is most excited about the automatic notices
during write up or appointment booking for Recommended
& Deferred Services. “I liked the Titanium Service software
when I worked on it in California, but the recent changes in
Aristo will make dealerships more efficient, and profitable. I
wish we had some of these new features when I was at the
store.”
Deferred and Recommended Services to PBS are items which
are discovered by the Technician or Advisor, but for whatever
reason not performed on the vehicle. They are repairs to remember for
next time, or work declined by the customer. The next time that the car
is in for Service or an appointment is made, the Advisor is notified automatically of these repair opportunities saving time in sifting through old
repair orders.
Two other features that are easily adopted with Aristo Parts and Service
is the ability to email a copy of the Invoice or RO, and the ability to text
the customer when a part has arrived or when their car is ready for pick
up. *Note that Texting rates will apply.
If your dealership is interested in upgrading to the Aristo Fixed Ops,
please contact Account Management via email at [email protected].
Focus on Employee - Andy Feltmate
For just over six years, PBS has been fortunate enough to have Andy Feltmate as
their Director of Client Services. Providing
direction and vision for the department
are just two items of Andy’s day-to-day
tasks. He strives to accomplish corporate
goals and provide support for his department and the staff of the entire organization.
Back in 2005, Andy was first introduced
to the PBS family when PBS bought the
Drive division from Megawheels Drive, a
small DMS company formally known as
Conxsys. He was working as the General
Manager at the division when PBS took
over. While learning more about PBS,
Andy realized he valued the culture PBS
has created over the years. “When deciding which company to sell Drive to, PBS
was the easy choice. Their approach, their
value of people, a family run business; all of
these generated interest for us and influenced our decision,” commented Andy
when asked about why Drive was sold to
PBS.
When starting at PBS, Andy’s primary goal
was to find a way to integrate the Toronto
division into the PBS culture and product.
After a successful integration and a move
to a new office in Mississauga, PBS offered
him the opportunity to move to Calgary
and take on the Client Services division.
This job gives Andy the chance to affect and
make change. “I find my job very rewarding, I get to build something, try new things
and the decisions I make can make a difference. But the most rewarding part is building relationships with my coworkers and
our customers.”
When asked what the most difficult part of
his job is Andy replied with a laugh,
“Answering newsletter questions’, just kidding. I would say finding the “right” people.
Like any business we are only as good as
our employees. We have developed a great
team here at PBS and we continue to recruit for growth to ensure the service levels
are always improving.”
PBS has grown to be the market leader thanks to the efforts of our people and the tremendous support of our customers.
The PBS Systems Group has been providing accurate, reliable
Dealership software, services and support for more than 23 years.
During that period, PBS has become the largest Canadian Dealership systems vendor as well as one of the top three in North
America. PBS currently markets and supports our systems in 6
countries.
years of profitability. Our financial strength, depth and experience
has allowed PBS the luxury of investing in the future. Decisions are
always made based on the best interest of our customers and
employees. PBS is consistently the first to market, the first to embrace change, the first to adopt new ideas and concepts.
The various PBS companies are completely owned by management and employees of the corporation. The group has experienced consistent growth of over 15 per cent per year. At the same
time, the company has remained completely debt free with 23
As the recognized market leader, our name is synonymous with
innovation. We offer a wide range of internationally renowned
products and services for Dealerships – from complex Dealership
Management Systems to web based call monitoring.
Welcome to PBS! Congratulations to the following who have added PBS software to their dealership.
Alex Macdonald Ford
Don Aadsen Ford Mercury
Isle Ford
Bob Baker Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Downey Ford
Jim Fugate Ford-Mazda
Bob Baker VW-Subaru
Erin Dodge
Laplante Chevrolet
Browns VW
Fair Isle Ford
Le Nouveau JD Boischatel
Coast Mountain Chevrolet Buick GMC
Frei Chevrolet
Les Automobiles Simard
Craig Dunn
Hanover Chrysler Dodge Jeep
Mark Wilson’s Better Used Cars
Dennis Searles Chevrolet
Honda West
Murray Hyundai White Rock
The following are the members of the PBS Partner Program.
Contact Us
Brain Teasers
PBS hopes readers have been informed
and entertained by this newsletter.
1)
What belongs to you but others
use it more than you do?
The company welcomes your letters
and suggestions, particularly articles
you would like to see in future issues.
2)
What is put on a table, cut, but
never eaten?
Address correspondence to:
Editor, The Edge
PBS Systems Inc.
Email: [email protected]
Call: 1-800-872-1316 ext. 332
Fax: 1-403-444-7780
www.pbssystems.com
© Copyright 2011
PBS Financial Systems Inc.
3)
What walks all day on its head?
4)
What is it that you can keep after
you have given it to someone
else?
5)
The more you take the more you
leave behind. What are they?
Interested in joining an
Advisory Group?
Email: [email protected]
Advisors have the opportunity to help
effect development direction within
their PBS software.
Email or fax in correct answers to win a prize!