Using CDK for Two-Way Texting? Kimoby is the Superior Choice

Dealership service departments are no longer just judged on vehicle repair quality—they’re measured by the quality of their customer interactions.

Two-way texting has become a customer expectation rather than a luxury, especially for the newer generations that are now representing a growing portion of the clientele. As these expectations continually evolve, dealerships must carefully select platforms that reflect their commitment to efficient, responsive communication and are evolving at the same rate.

How Two-way Texting Works with CDK

CDK’s Text Connect, the SMS functionality of the DMS CDK Global offers essential features aimed at meeting the foundational communication needs of dealerships:

• Initiating Conversations: Advisors can start new conversations by inputting customer details directly into CDK’s platform.
• Responding to Customer Inquiries: Service advisors can easily respond to incoming messages, maintaining continuous dialogue.
• Forwarding Messages: Advisors can forward texts internally, facilitating collaboration among team members.
• Multimedia Support: Text Connect allows attachments like images, videos, and emoji integration to enhance clarity and personalization.
• Scheduled Messaging: Messages can be scheduled for future delivery, ideal for reminders or follow-up interactions.

How to Use Two-Way Texting in CDK

Here's a detailed look at how advisors typically engage in texting through CDK's Text Connect:

1. Log into CDK: Navigate to the Text Connect interface after logging in.
2. Select or Initiate a Conversation:
   • Click "New Message" to begin a fresh conversation.
   • Alternatively, select an existing conversation from your ongoing list.
3. Identify Customer: Enter the customer's name or phone number to quickly access their information.
4. Compose Your Message:
   • Type your message directly into the provided text box.
   • Attach multimedia files like images or videos if necessary.
   • Add emojis to provide a friendly, personal touch.
5. Send or Schedule the Message:
   • Choose immediate dispatch or schedule the message for a more appropriate time.
   • Click "Send" or "Schedule" to confirm and complete the action.

This is a straightforward, transactional model. You log in, find a customer, write a message, and send it. However, despite covering fundamental tasks, CDK faces significant limitations in addressing the nuanced demands of busy dealerships.

Why Kimoby Is the Best Solution for Text Message That works with CDK

Effective communication requires more than basic messaging. It requires more dynamic, collaborative, and responsive modern solutions, especially in complex, multi-step scenarios typical of dealership service departments.

With that in mind, CDK might not be the best platform to communicate with your customers.

What Are Problems with CDK’s Solution

• Limited Collaboration: CDK’s linear communication flow restricts effective collaboration.
• Inefficient Management: CDK’s message handling lacks dynamic reassignment and management tools, often causing delays or missed opportunities.
• Visibility Issues: Real-time visibility is minimal, preventing effective oversight and proactive management.
• Collaboration is Clunky: Internal communication happens outside the customer conversation, leading to fragmented information.

Having observed countless service departments in action, we’ve noticed how this linear model creates subtle friction points that compound over time.

What Makes Kimoby Outperforms CDK for Text Messaging

Kimoby transforms dealership texting from basic messaging into an intuitive, collaborative communication ecosystem.

Three-Way Texting Capabilities in Kimoby

Kimoby’s advanced three-way texting allows seamless integration of advisors, customers, parts, technicians, and managers within one conversation thread. Unlike CDK’s linear exchanges, Kimoby enables instant inclusion of team members to resolve customer inquiries faster.

• Contextual Internal Notes: Private internal communication within customer conversation threads.
• Flexible Reassignment: Conversations easily move between team members, preserving full history and context.
• Automated Routing: Intelligent conversation routing ensures issues reach the appropriate team members promptly.

Enhanced Team Collaboration and Efficiency

Kimoby creates greater internal efficiency through powerful collaborative tools:

• Contextual Internal Notes: Enables private, internal communication directly within customer conversation threads.
• Flexible Reassignment: Conversations can swiftly and seamlessly move between team members, maintaining essential context and history.
• Automated Routing: Conversations automatically route to appropriate staff based on pre-set rules or team availability.

Real-time Management and Visibility

Kimoby provides unmatched clarity and proactive management through:

• Instant Status Updates: Real-time insights into message delivery and read statuses.
• Managerial Oversight: Managers have comprehensive visibility into ongoing interactions to address issues swiftly.
• Comprehensive Tracking: Clear and immediate access to conversation histories ensures accurate, consistent responses.

Advanced Automation and Scheduling Capabilities

Kimoby’s powerful automation features go beyond basic scheduling. Automated messaging can handle routine customer interactions, such as appointment confirmations, reminders, vehicle-ready notifications, and mobile payment requests.

Honda & Toyota of Seattle, automated these routine interactions and saved over 160 hours per month, significantly reducing workload and allowing staff to focus on higher-value tasks.

Improve Customer Communication with Kimoby

By adopting Kimoby, dealerships not only address immediate communication challenges posed by CDK’s limitations but also position themselves strategically for future customer demands.

Kimoby’s collaborative, transparent, and automated communication capabilities lead directly to better customer experiences, operational efficiency, and ultimately, dealership success.