Help with Arkona System in Fixed Ops

[BobSilcox]

Attention Arkona:

Re: Your Users are Talking!!

You have Issues that need to be FIXED or addresses! I am not saying that every Dealership in the country does not have daily issues but your DMS system should be a workable tool that supports your day to day operations and can help you drive your business it should not be a tool that you are unsure of and need to spend time every day checking things. In another post about DMS systems their is a lot of chatter about DMS systems what they are and what they are not. I have been in the industry for a long time have used just about every system out their with a major name. As a lady said in another post Arkona is what it is and as long as you are willing to understand that you will not get frustrated with the system on a daily basis. In the other post in this forum a person is talking about having a forum where users could get together, Arkona this should be your call to arms, give it to us users that are interested in trying it help you folks get user friendly. You say you are but I find it's very difficult to get the answers to keep the D.P.'s happy at the Dealership and the manufactures satisfied with what they want and we need to supply. Data, Data, it's a tool and should not be an anchor!! Pay Attention Arkona you have users asking you for a tool to help you understand what goes on in Dealer World in Todays Markets not 10 years ago. I understand you have hired a lot of Dealer people but are their experience current in TODAYS business climate or over the last 2 to multiple years. Arkona Senior Management you need to listen to your users everybody is not happy with the same old words, well it is what it is! Be a player in the DMS market and get real. I am sorry to say that I have talked to a lot of users in my 20 groups across the country and many other Arkona users and they all have the same story!! Is it a fact that we just put up with the verbiage "It's what it is and just accept it. I THINK you have a lot of users out there that would like to have a user Forum that you guys would listen to and make necessary fixes to your system. How about making sure you have all the links to the Manufactures you work with work and stay working. How about a Quote system so we can have something like some of the other DMS systems out there. How about some customer reporting links where we can build some customer reports. How about a way to lock down service and parts pricing so it does not change! How about Op codes that can be locked down. What about a link to a POS system where those of us that want to really want to be in the QUICK SERVICE Business in quick oil changes, tires, brakes, batteries, and the TOP 20 items that our competition are doing with a POS system that is Touch screen? How about Quick Parts billing and Quick Service Billing POS systems that will either link-up to build in? Guys we just need HELP in Dealer World for those of us that want to be Competitive in our Markets Places and having a Computer System that is Quick and User friendly with Parts, Service, and the ultimate accounting office. I can't say anymore Arkona but if you want my opinion as to what is going on in the Car World today it's not what you are doing and most of the other DMS systems either let's all get in the 21 Century and do Business. Fixed Operations needs every tool we can have to help us make net profits for the Dealers so they will continue to support us!
HELP! - HELP! - HELP! And not just me the whole Arkona Community..............
Attention Arkona:

You have Issues that need to be FIXED or addresses! I am not saying that every Dealership in the country does not have daily issues but your DMS system should be a workable tool that supports your day to day operations and can help you drive your business it shold not be a tool that you are unsure of and need to spend time every day checking things. In another post about DMS systems their is a lot of chatter about DMS systems what they are and what they are not. I have been in the industry for a long time have used just about every system out their with a major name. As a lady said in another post Arkona is whay it is and as long as you are willing to understand that you will not get fustrated with the system on a daily basis. In the other post in this forum a person is talking about having a forum where users could get together, Arkona this should be your call to arms, give it to us users that are interested in trying ti help you folks get user friendly. You say you are but I find it's very difficult to get the answers to keep the D.P.'s happy at the Dealership and the manafactures satisfied with what they want and we need to supply. Data, Data, it's a tool and should not be an anchor!! Pay Attention Arkona you have users asking you for a tool to help you understand what goes on in Dealer World in Todays Markets not 10 years ago. I understand you have hired a lot of Dealer people but is their experience current in TODAYS business climate or over the last 2 to multiple years. Arkona Senior Management you need to listen to your users everybody is not happy with the same old words, Well it is what it is! Be a player in the DMS market and get real. I am sorry to say that I have talked to a lot of users in my 20 groups across the country and many other Arkona users and they all have the same story!! Is it a fact that we just put up with the verbage "It's what it is and just accept it. I THINK you have a lot of users out there that would like to have a user Forum that you guys would listen to and make neccessary fixes to your system. How about making sure you have all the links to the Manufactures you work with work and stay working. How about a Quote system so we can have something like some of the other DMS systems out there. How about some customer reporting links where we can build some customer reports. How about a way to lock down service and parts pricing so it does not change! How about Op codes that can be locked down. What about a link to a POS system where those of us that want to really want to be in the QUICK SERVICE Business in quick oil changes, tires, brakes, batteries, and the TOP 20 items that our competition are doing with a POS system that is Touch screen? How about Quick Parts billing and Quick Service Billing POS systems that will either link-up ot build in? Guys we just need HELP in Dealer World for those of us that want to be Competitive in our Markets Places and having a Computer System that is Quick and User friendly with Parts, Service, and the ultimate accounting office. I can't say anymore Arkona but if you want my opinion as to what is going on in the Car World today it's not what you are doing and most of the other DMS systems either let's all get in the 21 Century and do Business. Fixed Operations needs every tool we can have to help us make net profits for the Dealers so they will continue to support us!
HELP! - HELP! - HELP! and not just me the whole Arkona Community..............

------------------
Bob Silcox
Spradley-Barr

[rmerrill1]

Bob

I am the Fixed Operation Product Manger for Arkona. I would be glad to set up a meeting or a call with you and any other users to talk about the problems and any enhancement needed. I talked to you about two months ago and ask for a list but you never sent it to me. I will setup a conference call for Thursday for any user who wish to talk.
I will post the time on Monday afternoon.

Rod Merrill
Fixed Operation Product Manager

[Richard]

I'd like to be in on this call if possible, please.

[Hotwired]

rmerrill1

He was too busy writing his lenghty vent to actually identify the problems and provide a list

[Richard]

I'll give an example. I have to be in a meeting every week at 8:30am showing where my Department is for the month to date. The information the DP wants is sales (wholesale/retail/service) for the week and month to date. He also wants an inventory value, and an OBS figure. He wants to know how many Special Order dollars AND pieces we have; he also wants to know our fill rate. Here is the procedure I have to go through to make my report.... (Sorry about the long post, and the 'figure' numbering might not make too much sense, but I can't upload a PDF to show the report.

Weekly Report-

Figures 1~8 are produced by running 20. Transaction Analysis followed by Sales Analysis. For items 1,3,5,7 you will have to choose the previous weeks dates, for the month to date for items 2,4,6,& 8, please select the 1st as your From date, and the current date as your To date.

Figure 9 is produced by Running 20. Transaction Analysis followed by Inventory Aging. Hit enter twice, selecting ALL manufacturers, and all stocking groups. You must add the Core inventory to the main total to get your grand total.

Figure 10 is produced by taking Figure 6, and dividing it by the 3 of working days past. Thats your daily sales average. Multiply that figure by the number of working days in the month to get Figure 10, your Travel Rate.

Figures 11~12 are produced by running 24. Reports followed by Demand Fill Analysis
Then F4 and selecting GM. For figure 11, you will select the previous weeks date range, and to get the Same Day figure, you must add Filled Shelf + Filled Same Day.
For figure 12, do the same, selecting the current months From and To date as in the sales analysis.

Figure 13~14 are produced by running 20. Transaction Analysis followed by Unrealized Sales. The figures you need from this report are Filled SO, and you want the piece count, as well as the sale amount.

Figure 15 is produced by running 24. Reports followed by Obsolete Item. Choose 365 and GM, will All stocking groups. Select summary ONLY, and send this report to Qprint.

Takes about 30 mins. On other vendors I know a lot of this is available a lot faster and more readily....it may be I need more training on how to use reports; so I won't throw any blame around....but is this the kind of difficulty you're describing Bob?

[This message has been edited by Richard (edited 12-03-2007).]

[BobSilcox]

Hotwired;

Not really a Rant!! Rod; knows exactly what I am talking about. Just can't seem to get the issues fixed. We seem to get a lot more info fron the Forum Site than from Arkona. If you want to take is as a RANT it's OK with me just trying to get some help for the Arkona users that I guess are not as good as you!!

------------------
Bob Silcox
Spradley-Barr

[tonyo]

Heres one With Ford, you have the privilege of returning unsold or returned non-stock parts on a claim as long as they were over $15 cost and billed within 45 days of creating the claim. There are no reports in Arkona where we can identify these parts in our inventory. Ive been trying to get someone to give me a report where I can choose the receipt date for non-stocked parts over $15 cost. To me this report is important to help me keep my non-stock idle capital in check.

Heres my biggest gripe. During our installation I aired my concerns about this report and was told that they would take it up with an analyst and get back to me. No answer A month ago we had someone here from Arkona for a week(no names mentioned) to go over all of our concerns. Again I voiced on the Wednesday of that week I was told theyre working on a report for me and it should be done by that Friday. Never happened 2 weeks later I sent an email to check on the progress, no reply. Its now been 2 weeks since the last email and yesterday I sent anotherstill waiting. I would just like an answer, any answer.

I actually think you have a decent system, but unfortunately the lack of response on our concerns gives the impression that you dont care.

[Gerry Laughlin]

Keeping things in perspective there are things with one of the larger DMS's that have been wrong since the 80's, numerous product change requests (like prepaid sop's on RO's) that went years and years without being dealt with, then when they did deal with it, they made it worse. At least Arkona appears to be trying.
Gerry

[tonyo]

Don't misread my post Gerry, I think it's great to have a DMS who actually listens to your concerns and by and large acts on them. But how much greater would it be if they let you know what kind of progress they're making while it's going on?

[BobSilcox]

Tonyo;

Thanks a Lot for your post it's nice to hear that someone else has the follow-up issues my Parts Director and I have. I too believe the system is good as good or better than some but they have serious growing pains. I too agree there are several things that we need on a day to day basis with the manufacture's that we have that either save the Dealership money or make it money that they are working on. The concept that we are the only Dealership that has a particular issues I don't believe and until they actually fix some things; Well! I guess I am the only one with issues!! Thanks a lot for the info. not a rant just asking for HELP! Rod! And Yes we are sending you the e-Mail this week! We are making a list from all of the Departments in the stores!! Thanks again.

------------------
Bob Silcox
Spradley-Barr