ADP and EDS

[tsteidl]

I'm the parts director at a multi-franchise auto mall. We have 15 franchises, including Saturn. All of our stores are on an ADP system, except for Saturn, which has EDS. Will we soon be able to migrate our Saturn store to our ADP system?

[callbob]

Sounds like a "Merger of Equals" which we all know will benefit EVERYONE.

[thedude]

tsteidl - In order to run your Saturn store exclusively on ADP, ADP would have to rewrite SRS Parts and Saturn Communications on one of their platforms. This includes all of the integration between the other applications...don't hold your breath. You also have to consider that the current ARG ASP solution would be replaced by an ADP ASP solution. Again, not likely to happen in the next few years.

[Matt Parsons]

In regards to the Centralized Saturn Retail System (CSRS), there is no intention on migrating the CSRS to an ADP platform. CSRS as stated earlier has some very unique software applications in the areas of parts management and factory-to-dealer communications that from my point of view were industry leading 15-years ago, and believe it or not are still industry leading today.

What you can expect is that there will shortly be a new level of integration between EDS' DMS platforms (CSRS and DMS@NET) and ADP's platforms (Web1000 & Web2000) that will allow for the easy movement and use of data such as accounting/financial information to be combined and reviewed in a consolidated fashion.

It is important for the industry to know that ADP has no intentions of sun-setting the EDS DMS offerings and has committed to supporting and enhancing these platforms for at least the next 5-years, as well as honoring all contractual commitments within the EDS agreements.

Please keep the questions coming.

Matt Parsons
Vice President of Sales
ADP Automotive Retail Group

[SIB]

Is this going to affect Partsimager EPC's?
If so, how?

[Richard]

Yes, Matt;
What is the future of Parts Imager/Microcat? Is ADP going to offer this as R+R does the Proquest offering, or was the PI/Microcat deal a spin-off before the EDS/ADP deal? I must say I prefer PI over PQ, and would hate to see PI go away.

[Matt Parsons]

Good question regarding PartsImager and Microcat.

EDS became the distributor of both of these products about 18-months ago following the sale of the PartsImager product to Infomedia (Australian based company that offered Microcat worldwide). EDS has been responsible for all activities related to sales, marketing, client support, distribution, billing, etc. for both these products across all of the Americas.

This distributorship agreement has not been assigned by Infomedia to ADP at this time which means that EDS is still delivering on their contractual committments just as before.

I assure you that there is no intention by IFM in removing their EPC products in support of the dealers and the different OEM's (GM, Ford, Hyundai, Saturn, Land Rover, Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu). In fact this product is growing at a fantastic rate each month as people realize that there is an offering that can be purchased at much lower fees than the competition and in many cases with no contract (month-to-month).

The potential exists that ADP could become the distributor for IFM's offering, but that has not been solidiefied at this time.

For now it is business as usual as the same team is in place that has been selling and supporting both PartsImager and Microcat.

As they would say in Australia - no worries mate!

[SIB]

Matt, thanks for the info.