iMagicLab or Higher Gear for our CRM?

I'm using imagiclab CRM, ILM, Inventory Manager and website. There are many things I love about the integration of all the tools. Our DMS is UCS. Nothing is more difficult to work with than UCS. It is working well with Imagiclab. Imagiclab uses HomeNet to draw our inventory from UCS, post it to our site and post it to the third party sites. The one thing which stands out to me is the quick response I'm getting from Imagiclab support and HomeNet Support when the system has a hickup. All in all, I'd rate my satisfaction as a B+.

I have been a fan..I mean I have used iMagic labs for the past two years and couldn’t be happier. Not only has the CRM been able to accomplish whatever I needed it too, they have stayed ahead of the curve by offering continued upgrades that actually help you to sell more cars. Other CRMs add functionality just to add functionality, not to help you sell more cars.

Recently I went from managing my own BDC to working for a national company that trains BDC's across the country. I have seen a number of CRM's and yet to see any that could compare to what iMagic has to offer. I have recommended iMagic time and time again, only to have the dealers thank me for letting them in on the secret.

I do not work for iMagic or get any sort of kick back for recommending them; I do so because I know by doing so those that I do recommend them too will be better prepared to sell more cars.

Recently I spoke with a salesperson at HigherGear that called on me at the dealership I worked for. He knew that I was with iMagic and told me that his CRM wasn't better, but wanted me instead to take a look at his inventory management tool. After looking that over I did ask him about their CRM just out of curiosity and saw it to be good but not iMagic great.

I will conclude this with what I feel makes iMagic Labs truly phenomenal and that is their tech support. Each and every one of the guys in tech support is friendly, knowledgeable, and knows what great customer support is. Go with iMagic, you will thank me.

What can I say about iMagicLab? This is my third year using their products, and I couldn't be happier.

I first began using iMagic while working as an Internet Manager for Beaman Automotive. Prior to that point we had been using a very dated ILM that looked like something out of Windows 3.1. Our shift to the iMagic ILM (and then later, the full CRM) was one of the best decisions our company ever made. Excellent customer service, competitive pricing, simple yet effective tools, increased productivity, advanced reporting, easy integration, we couldn't ask for more. As one of the previous posts suggests, we were able to integrate the iMagicLab CRM with Universal Computer Systems, and as anyone who has ever used UCS can attest, that's nearly impossible. In the end, our company consistently produced 120+ Internet Sales every month, and iMagicLab was essential to that success.

After leaving Beaman Automotive to take the Internet Director position at Stan McNabb Automotive, it was my chance to choose. I took bids from various CRM providers, but mostly just to go through the motions for pricing comparison purposes to present to management. We chose iMagic for both our CRM and website needs. We use three separate computer systems within our organization (two versions of ADP and one Reynolds and Reynolds system). iMagicLab integrates perfectly with all three.

I could go on and on, but the most imporant thing is this: the software does everything I need it to do without ever going down. What more could I ask...?

I have been in the Automotive Industry for 25 years, the last 10 as an Internet Director / Consultant. I was probably one of the 1st 10 customers for Icar. I have used several different CRM's over the years. Right to the point....There is no better program than Icar. I do work for several dealerships & it is always just a matter of time before I convert them. I would recommend them very highly. You will be very satisfied with the program & support.

Sande Caplin, Internet Consultant

Imagiclab CRM / ILM is the best in the industry, bar none! I have been selling cars online since 1995 and used or been exposed to all the ILM/CRM tools in the industry and none of them can hold a candle to imagiclab’s CRM / ILM. Moreover, its functionality and intuitiveness make it easy to use and that means car deals.
Picking imagiclab’s CRM / ILM is sincerely a no-brainer. If you pick another tool then you are really putting yourself one step behind your competition, because if they are smart, they are using imagiclab’s CRM / ILM as well.

Gilbert A. Chavez
Phil Long Dealerships
E-Marketing Director

We are a current iMagicLabs ILM user - have been for about 2 years now. Before that we used WebControl. In our showrooms we have been through (in chronological order since 1999) AutoTown, DealerTrak, AutoBase, and are currently using ADP CRM. We've also used AutoMark/Reynolds & Reynolds, CoBalt, and Traver Technologies/ADP's CRM tools through our OEM's.....along with some others that come with web hosting.

WebControl was great before it was sold to the current owner, and remains a decent ILM - it just isn't what it used to be. The other CRM's I've mentioned are not the best solution for ILM. They serve their intended purpose: showroom traffic control and management, but none were written with the Internet department in mind first. iMagicLabs was originally an ILM and retains all the great features an ILM gives while offering a very decent CRM (from what I've seen in demos). I would love to see my company use their full CRM, WebDesking, and Inventory control products.

iMagicLabs is simply the best. I have used several ILMs over the past 10 years and iCarConnect is the gold standard. Not only is the application the best, their support is top notch and they actually listen to dealer feedback and implement suggestions that make sense.

Joe Turner
Internet Director
Oxmoor Auto Group

I use iCars ILM and find it user friendly. I would like to move to the CRM, but when I started using them a year ago they quoted me one price which has now went up by $800 per month. I would love a better customer service experience (maybe even someone to follow up with me from time to time to be sure I am using the product efficiently - I would do this if I wanted better customer retention - it's cheaper and easier to keep a customer than to get a new one).

I hate the fact that vendors choose to go up so high in price because they think there are no alternatives. $4000 for Autotrader, $400-1200 for a website, and now $2000 per month for a CRM!!!!! I have a hard enough time getting money from the boss as it is. It tells me that there is really nobody who really cares about us as a customer. Just the old dollar. Wouldn't the dollar simply follow after the service?

Bottom line (to me anyways)! Quit looking at pricing in relation to how much money we should make using your tool. And look at the amount you charge in real life. 5 house payments to put my cars on Autotrader (punished by Autotrader w/position when I choose to pay them only 2 house payments), 2 house payments for a CRM...it goes on and on.

That's my 2 cents. There! I guess I feel better now.

Scott, Check w/ Icar again on the pricing. I think the $2000 includes alot more than the CRM.

One more suggestion. How would you like to have a system that was built from the ground up on one platform, which includes your ILM/CRM/Inventory/web Site/Digital Marketing etc. No fragmented data bases, everything talks to each other seamlessly. This system was created in the Tonkin Auto Group (18 Roof Top group) organization several years ago. No other company has built their entire solutions on one platform. Most companies develop an ILM or CRM or web sites, but not everything from the ground up………It’s worth taking a look at.

Hello,

I'm brand new to this industry. I'm currently trying to obtain a dealers license in CA and I need some help.

To my understanding, in order to sell new/used cars in CA, you have to have a office location zoned to sell cars. I don't have the financing to lease a location just yet. I plan to eventually open a location of my own but would like to get my feet wet and sell a few cars. How can I do this? Any comments/suggestions?

I have actually worked for both of these companies in the past,know both products inside and out, and without hesitation, recommend iMagicLab above any other CRM company. iMagicLab is a company with a great product for both internet and showroom control, and has all necessary certifications for major DMS integration (RCI for Reynolds, ADP certification, and with DealerTrak DMS). iMagicLab is also a web based provider, compared to Higher Gear's archaic client server based architecture (who wants a server on site for a CRM system??).
Lastly, Keith and his team at iMagicLab are tops in the industry in regards to email and digital marketing. Creating media rich ang graphic emails are a breeze with iMagicLab.