The Next Rapid Recon Announces Vendor Advantage, a Free Feature Upgrade to Help Auto Dealers and their Vendors Achieve Faster Speed to Sale

PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Next Rapid Recon, the time-to-line efficiency standard in dealership reconditioning software, has announced a robust new feature upgrade: Vendor Advantage.

Vendor Advantage is a no-charge enhancement to Rapid Recon time-to-line (T2L®) reconditioning workflow software for current and new Rapid Recon users, as part of the Next Rapid Recon user interface upgrade. Both are available now.

Vendor Advantage connects dealers with all their vendors with a vendor-only portal into their Rapid Recon workflow system. Vendors see and manage only the vehicles and assignments assigned to them by the dealer.

Vendor Advantage:

    --  Completes the accountability circle -- All events affecting T2L have
        360-degree accountability. Dealers control sublet performance, ensuring
        proactive management that supports the dealership's speed-to-sale
        objectives.
    --  Clarifies and expedites communications -- Immediate workflow update and
        communication tools are put into the vendors' hands. Vendors access
        their dealers' Rapid Recon workflow to synch work-in-progress status,
        communicate vehicle prioritization, send estimates and enable two-way
        messaging about a specific vehicle, via mobile or desktop.
    --  Improves progress tracking -- Integrated T2L enables both parties to
        track and manage workflows to enhance cost control and vendor
        productivity.
    --  Verifies vendor value -- Integrated T2L provides the used car manager
        with the data needed to confirm vendor contribution to the dealership's
        time to line objectives.

"Dealers agree with our internal recon experts -- improving vendor management is high on the list of their efficiency goals," said Dennis McGinn, Rapid Recon founder and chief executive officer.

"As a unique car dealership software solution, Vendor Advantage meets the needs of dealers and vendors to manage recon performance more tightly, so that vendors mutually support their dealers' time-to-line efficiency goals," McGinn said.

With Vendor Advantage, Rapid Recon users can:

    --  Add vendors with restricted access to Rapid Recon on desktop and mobile
        -- Vendors are able to manage, track and report work in progress --
        through completion -- like the process used by internal reconditioning.
    --  Explicitly assign and notify vendors when work is available, even
        outside of steps -- With one click, a dealer can communicate to the
        recon team and vendors a vehicle's priority in the vendor's workflow and
        eliminate the back-and-forth frustration of missed phone calls, texts,
        or emails -- and other miscommunications.
    --  Receive notifications on pending approvals -- Vendors know immediately
        when repair needs are approved, preventing false starts, delays and
        frustration.
    --  Receive updates when work is completed -- The transfer of vehicles back
        into the internal recon flow is enabled without the delays that
        otherwise erode time-to-line efficiency
    --  Request and manage work estimates -- Paperwork and estimate-tracking
        complications are eliminated, and vendor payments are expedited.
    --  Hold the vendor accountable to the agreed price -- Dealer approvals will
        lock in the approved repair price, eliminating unexpected invoices or
        additional charges. If other costs are requested, Vendor Advantage
        automatically moves the vehicle status to "Needs Approval" and
        immediately notifies the decision maker.
    --  Message back and forth with vendors directly outside of notes --
        Assignments and directions are executed instantly - and communications
        are improved.

For dealers' vendors, Vendor Advantage provides:

    --  Access to only the vehicles and work items assigned to that vendor --
        This focus spotlights their workflow, including vehicle categories,
        completion priorities, quality control recheck and needs estimate
        communications and notes.
    --  Vendor and dealer accountability for obtaining estimate approvals --
        Vendor Advantage automatically updates both systems when estimate are
        received, eliminating guesswork and downtime
    --  Precise data, but not too much -- This data includes the vehicle image,
        stock number, VIN, vehicle description and Work Step, eliminating
        clutter, distraction and details not of immediate need or attention,
        keeping vendors working on priority units.
    --  Immediate and direct time and data stamp -- With this accountability and
        verification, guesswork and miscommunications are eliminated.

With more than 20,000 monthly users, Rapid Recon has the data and dealership experts necessary to deliver benchmarking and best practices for continuous improvement of vehicle reconditioning by design. Rapid Recon performance team managers know your business because they've lived it.

To learn more, contact your Rapid Recon support team or visit www.rapidrecon.com.

Contact
Jim Leman
847-840-0784
jim@rapidrecon.com

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SOURCE Rapid Recon