Mike Landau’s Post

This is the last thing automotive dealerships need right now. -------- "If you were thinking about buying a new car or taking your car to be serviced at the dealership this weekend, expect the long, painful process that you expect to experience to be much longer and more unbearable. An extensive cyberattack is affecting a major supplier of the software auto dealerships in the U.S. and Canada use every day." ...... "According to the Wall Street Journal and Automotive News, a major cyberattack is affecting the day-to-day operations of more than 15,000 auto dealerships. Software establishing the backbone of their operations has been out for multiple days. " ------ In another thread, Reddit user and Subaru Senior Master Technician u/Chippy569 said that without CDK, there is "no idea how we're going to get paid," adding that the process of requesting and acquiring parts for repairing or maintaining cars "is an absolute clusterf--k." https://lnkd.in/gn82BTi4

For anyone on the edge of buying a new car, you might want to put that on pause for a bit.... #CDKGlobal, a company that provides #software for thousands of #autodealers in the #US and #Canada, was hit by #backtoback #cyberattacks on #Wednesday. That led to an outage that continued to impact many of their operations on Friday. For prospective car buyers, that may mean #delays at #dealerships or #vehicle #orders written up by hand, with no immediate end in sight. The article gets into detail on what one needs to know. https://lnkd.in/gQVpA_76

For anyone on the edge of buying a new car, you might want to put that on pause for a bit.... #CDKGlobal, a company that provides #software for thousands of #autodealers in the #US and #Canada, was hit by #backtoback #cyberattacks on #Wednesday. That led to an outage that continued to impact many of their operations on Friday. For prospective car buyers, that may mean #delays at #dealerships or #vehicle #orders written up by hand, with no immediate end in sight. The article gets into detail on what one needs to know. https://lnkd.in/edXpik_j

If you’re a car dealer, why risk spending hours on a deal the customer can’t afford? You wouldn’t. That makes no sense. Today however, virtually EVERY car dealership is wasting that time. We’re writing to let you know you no longer have to. You can now see how much any customer can afford to spend on a vehicle before you get into a deal with them. How? It’s really simple and it’s robust because it’s built on Equifax IXI data. Our partnership with Equifax gives us access to 400 data points about every American. Our advanced AI then shows you that customer’s disposable income and therefore what they can afford to spend. It’s incredibly accurate and available as soon as they submit their basic information. Most importantly it stops you wasting time with customers which is also a waste of time and a terrible experience FOR the customer. The affordability insight is free within the Space Auto platform. Cutting edge dealerships are already taking advantage of this and they are reaping the rewards in efficiency and significant cost savings. We believe it is time for dealerships to move into the modern world where technology enables you get ahead of competitors who are doing things the way they have always been done. Manually. You also end up with happier customers because you get to a deal and a car that is perfect for their situation. Happier customers, more profit. It’s an obvious win win for you as a dealer. If you’d like to see this in action, we’d love to take a little time to show you. It’s a little magical to be honest. Visit us at www.space.auto/demo

Car dealers got hacked In recent news, a significant cyberattack has affected over 15,000 car dealerships across North America, causing widespread disruptions to their operations. The attack targeted CDK Global, a software provider to auto dealerships, which has left many dealerships unable to conduct sales, manage inventory, or access critical systems. What Happened The cyberattack, which occurred on June 18, 2024, was carried out by a group of hackers demanding tens of millions of dollars in ransom to cease their activities. CDK Global, which provides critical software to car dealerships, including sales platforms and dealer management systems, has been working to restore its systems, but the process is expected to take “several days.” Impact on Dealerships The attack has caused significant disruptions to car dealerships, with many forced to resort to paper-based processes for record-keeping and administration. Some dealerships have even halted operations altogether, leaving customers waiting for their vehicles to be serviced. Affected Dealerships The affected dealerships include those under General Motors, Group 1 Automotive, and Holman, among others. Sonic Automotive and Penske Automotive have also reported significant operational disruptions due to CDK’s ongoing outage. CDK’s Response CDK Global has been working with third-party experts to assess the impact of the cyberattack and provide regular updates to affected customers. The company has emphasized its commitment to reinstating services and supporting dealers through this challenging period. Timeline June 18, 2024: The cyberattack occurred, affecting CDK Global’s systems. June 20, 2024: CDK Global informed its customers and the media about the cyberattack. June 21, 2024: CDK Global began restoring its systems, but the process is expected to take “several days.” June 22, 2024: The cyberattack was reported to have affected 15,000 auto dealerships across the U.S. and Canada. June 24, 2024: CDK Global continued to work on restoring its systems, with the process expected to take several more days.

Ford Issues Do-Not-Drive Advisory For Remaining Open Takata Recalls: Drivers Urged To Contact Dealerships Immediately. Ford today issued a do-not-drive advisory for owners of certain vehicles who have not yet had their vehicles repaired under three past safety recalls. These previously announced recalls (15S21, 17S42, and 19S01), the first issued in 2015, involve several vehicle lines equipped with Takata non-desiccated airbag inflators. This do-not-drive advisory is the second Takata related do-not-drive recall advisory issued by Ford and it is intended to encourage owners to complete the recall repairs immediately. The age of these vehicles makes it increasingly possible that a part inside the airbag will explode and expel sharp metal fragments during a crash. This could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers. Approximately 765,600 airbag inflators in Ford and Lincoln vehicles are impacted globally, including 374,300 in the U.S. Ford continues trying to contact customers about these recalls, with more than 121 million outreach attempts to date in the U.S. alone, including letters, emails, phone calls, text messages and more than 1 million canvassing visits to customer homes. As a result, 95% of U.S. customers completed Takata recalls. The do-not-drive advisory applies to all customers who have not completed recalls 15S21, 17S42 and 19S01, including driver and passenger airbag inflators in: * 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks * 2005-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles * 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles And passenger airbag inflators in: * 2006-2012 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ / Zephyr vehicles * 2007-2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles * 2007-2011 Ford Ranger trucks Parts are available now. Customers can request mobile service, or dealers will tow vehicles directly to the dealership for repair. Dealerships will also provide a free interim loaner vehicle, if necessary. Ford will continue notifying known owners every month through a variety of communication channels with the updated do-not-drive advisory message. To see if your vehicle is involved in this safety recall, visit https://lnkd.in/d42EqBGz or nhtsa.gov/recalls. https://lnkd.in/eyvzUYWK

CDK cyberattack shuts down auto dealerships across the U.S. preventing about 15,000 car dealerships from making sales: https://lnkd.in/gVj65_8s #CDK #cyberattack #auto

A recent nationwide survey conducted by the Auto Care Association has revealed significant obstacles faced by independent automotive repair shops due to limited access to vehicle repair and maintenance data. This restriction hinders their operational capabilities and contributes to substantial financial losses. The findings highlight the importance of the REPAIR Act (H.R. 906), a federal bill that aims to provide vehicle owners and repair professionals with access to essential vehicle data, tools, and software necessary for the maintenance and repair of modern vehicles. Supporting initiatives like the REPAIR Act is crucial for ensuring a fair and competitive market, benefiting both independent repair shops and vehicle owners. Let’s keep an eye on this important piece of legislation and its potential impact on the automotive repair industry. #AutobodyNews #REPAIRAct #AutoCareAssociation

 A recent CDK Global system outage has left nearly 15,000 car dealerships across North America scrambling to provide services to customers, impacting sales, registrations, and overall operations. Dealerships, like Mazda in Seekonk, Massachusetts, are facing significant financial impacts, with recovery expected to take months or even years. This incident highlights the critical importance of robust and reliable software systems in the automotive industry. Read more on how dealerships are navigating these challenges and what this means for the future of automotive retail. https://lnkd.in/gXQj635K

The number one reason customers don't return to the dealership is TRUST!   There are far too many customers in your database who are affected by these recalls, and you won't see them return to your dealership simply because of TRUST. Take that personally and make the changes today in your dealership. These Recall appointment opportunities are the best way to regain the customer’s TRUST. Believe it or not, these customers are finding out their vehicle has a recall because they are searching #1 trusted site for new vehicles, service cost, and most importantly, trade-in value on Kelley Blue Book, the most trusted automotive site in the world. Did you know that Xtime appointments feed into KBB ICO? Simple Ways to Gain Trust 1. Do an MPI health check while you have their vehicle in your shop for the first time in a long time. 2. Do a video inspection talking about things that matter. The video should be at most 60 seconds long! 3. Offer loaner vehicles (If Applicable), shuttle rides, and my favorite ride share with Lyft or Uber. 4. Provide online bill pay if applicable for any other services that were performed during this visit. (See my comments in the article) #automotiveindustry #automotive #dealership #dealerships #dealershipsuccess #fixedops #fixedoperations #servicedapartments #servicedepartment #servicemanager #vauto #xtime #dealertrack #kbb #coxautomotive