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As the industry pioneer in the extraction and management of automotive dealership data, CES offers a wealth of knowledge about the data that is available on Dealership Management Systems. This underlying knowledge empowers us to assist you with your data management needs, from warehousing to data cleansing to marketing to reporting.
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CES's data warehousing solution turns the wealth of data on your Dealership Management System (DMS) into a wealth of information specific to your business needs.
The data warehouse is a subject-oriented database. Information can be organized into topics such as 'customer', 'vehicle', or 'service'. The system is designed to provide the information that is important to your business needs. As i nformation is added to the database, you will be able to track trends and perform analysis over time.
All information entering the warehouse goes through a data staging area where it is validated and scrubbed according to a stringent set of business rules. This ensures the highest level of integrity possible for your database. For ana lysis purposes, this means that no matter how you ask a question of your database, you will get only one correct answer.
The following is an example list of customers and their vehicles.
NAME
CITY
ST
ZIP
VIN
MAKE
MODEL
YR
1
SUE ANN JONES
SAN DIEGO
CA
92129
1ZVLT20A7S5103430
VOLVO
960 GLE
89
2
SUEANN JONES
1ZVLT20A7S5103430
VOLVO
960 GLE
89
3
SUE A JONES
SD
CA
92129
2FACP74W1NX103636
VOLKSWAGEN
GOLF GTI
87
4
DON JONES
SAN DIEGO
CA
92129
2FACP74W1NX103636
VW
GTI
89
5
RICK W THOMAS
SANDIEGO
CA
92117
1FALP4048TF152117
FORD
ESCORT
95
6
RICK THOMAS
SAN DIEGO
CA
2FMDA5148SBB35639
GEO
METRO
90
7
D JONES
SD
CA
92129
1ZVLT20A7S5103430
VOLVO
960 GLE
89
8
BERNICE THOMAS
CLAIREMONT
CA
92117
KNJLT05HXV6225496
BOUNDER
93
9
TIM DORE
ENCINITAS
CA
KNJLT05HXV6225496
TOYOTA
P/U TRUCK
88
10
MILLY A DORE
ENCINITAS
CA
KNJLT05HXV6225496
TOYOTA
P/U TRUCK
88
11
TIM DORE
SAN DIEGO
CA
92024
1ZVLT20A3S5120368
MAZDA
MIATA
92
12
TIM DORE
ENCINITAS
CA
92024
KNJLT05HXV6225496
TOY
TRUCK
88
13
SEAN HOPE
POWAY
CA
92064
YS3AS35DXK3009777
NISSAN
ALTIMA
95
14
SEAN D HOPE
POWAY
CA
92064
YS3AS35DXK3009777
NIS
ALTIMA
95
15
KEN PRUITT
SANDIEGO
CA
92126
1J4GZ78Y7WC154908
MAZDA
MIATA
96
16
MEL CARLINO
SAN DIEGO
CA
92127
1G2WH54T6NF310084
MAZ
MIATA
95
17
HARLEN JENNING
SAN DIEGO
CA
92108
1J4FJ68S2TL27777777
VOLVO
960 TURBO
97
There are several problems inherent in this database. Because there are duplicate names, you run the risk of sending multiple pieces of mail. The duplicate names that should be merged and purged are records 1, 2, and 3; 4 and 7; 9, 11 , and 12; and 13 and 14. The same is also true of the multiple VINs in this database.
There are also several un-mailable addresses because of incomplete address information.
When analyzing the data, it is easy to get a misrepresentation of your customers and what kinds of vehicles they are driving. If someone wanted to know how many people were driving a Mazda, the database would return different counts d epending on how the question was asked. If the query were run on a string search for "MAZ", three drivers would be returned. However, if a query looked for the make equal to "MAZDA", only two drivers would be returned. In this small example, you are a lready overlooking one-third of your Mazda customers. Think of how many that could be if your list contained thousands of names and vehicles.
The following is an example of the same database after it has been cleansed and entered into a data warehouse focused on customer and vehicle information.
NAME
NAME2
CITY
ST
ZIP
VIN
MAKE
MODEL
YR
1
SUE ANN JONES
DON JONES
SAN DIEGO
CA
921292350
1ZVLT20A7S5103430
VOLVO
960 GLE
89
2
SUE ANN JONES
DON JONES
SAN DIEGO
CA
921292350
2FACP74W1NX103636
VW
GOLF GTI
87
3
RICK W THOMAS
SAN DIEGO
CA
921174042
1FALP4048TF152117
FORD
ESCORT
95
4
RICK THOMAS
SAN DIEGO
CA
921174042
2FMDA5148SBB35639
GEO
METRO
90
5
TIM DORE
MILLY DORE
ENCINITAS
CA
920244728
KNJLT05HXV6225496
TOYOTA
TRUCK
88
6
TIM DORE
ENCINITAS
CA
920244728
1ZVLT20A3S5120368
MAZDA
MIATA
92
7
SEAN D HOPE
POWAY
CA
920643928
YS3AS35DXK3009777
NISSAN
ALTIMA
95
8
KEN PRUITT
SAN DIEGO
CA
921262439
1J4GZ78Y7WC154908
MAZDA
MIATA
96
9
MEL CARLINO
SAN DIEGO
CA
921274243
1G2WH54T6NF310084
MAZDA
MIATA
95
10
HARLEN JENNING
SAN DIEGO
CA
921083176
1J4FJ68S2TL27777777
VOLVO
960 TURBO
97
The data warehouse view has solved the issues with the traditional database shown above. The customer list has become more reliable for mailing because all addresses have been standardized. Duplicate and incomplete records have been m erged together. Multiple drivers of the same vehicle have also been merged together in a single record.
Most importantly, the data warehouse now represents a better picture of who your customers are and what cars they are driving. Using the example shown above, it does not matter how the warehouse is queried to find out how many people d rive a Mazda. The character string search of "MAZ" will return the same number as the make equal to "MAZDA" query. One question is asked and only one answer is returned.
The data warehousing solution will enable you to track and organize the information based on your business needs. CES can extract the data you need from your system at regular intervals, clean and validate the information, and then org anize it so that you can retrieve the information you need, in the format you require. CES can either return your updated warehouse to you or house it here for you. CES's data warehousing service is a solution that will enable you to make better busines s decisions.
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Any of the direct mail programs CES offers will help you build a one to one relationship with your customers. This may be CES's SR2000 service reminder program, or a marketing campaign to reach a segment of your customers. CES can act in the capacity that works for your project, from providing your data to managing the project for you.
CES's direct mail services include:
- SR2000 Service Reminder Program
- Seasonal Mailings
- Mail Merge
A CES representative will help you put together the program that best suits your business needs.
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In addition to the address standardization and merge/purge services, CES also offers a full database cleansing process. Some cleansing options might be make and model standardization, operation code standardization utilizing CC2000 PLUS, or VIN validation. CES can download your database and run any number of cleansing routines based on your specifications. Database cleansing is a fast way to a more accurate customer list for both mailing and reporting.
The following example shows a list of Mazda Miata owners. There is one duplicate record (that is also incomplete) which would result in wasted postage. Analysis on this data would also return incorrect results due to the duplicates an d the make of Mazda entered in the database differently. For example, different numbers of Mazda drivers could be returned depending how the query is written.
TIM DORE
142 VELAN TERRACE
SAN DIEGO
CA
92024
1ZVLT20A3S5120368
MAZDA
MIATA
92
KEN PRUITT
820 CALL MOLOS
SANDIEGO
CA
92126
1J4GZ78Y7WC154908
MAZDA
MIATA
96
MEL CARLINO
1127 PAS MONTANA #27
SAN DIEGO
CA
92127
1G2WH54T6NF310084
MAZ
MIATA
95
T DORE
SAN DIEGO
CA
92024
1ZVLT20A3S5120368
MAZ
MIATA
92
Here is the same customer list after it has been through the entire database cleansing process. You will notice the duplicate record has been removed and all information, including address and vehicle, has been standardized. You will now be able to use this as a customer mailing list or to run analysis.
...or to run analysis.
TIM DORE
142 VELAN TER
ENCINITAS
CA
920244728
1ZVLT20A3S5120368
MAZDA
MIATA
92
KEN PRUITT
820 CALL MOLOS
SAN DIEGO
CA
921262439
1J4GZ78Y7WC154908
MAZDA
MIATA
96
MEL CARLINO
1127 PAS MONTANA #27
SAN DIEGO
CA
921274243
1G2WH54T6NF310084
MAZDA
MIATA
95
The above examples are only samples of what CES can do for you. We will work according to your specifications to solve your particular problem.
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The CES address standardization process validates house/apartment numbers and standardizes street prefixes, names, and suffixes. Invalid states and misspelled city names are corrected as well. Standardizing address informat ion not only returns clean data for reporting purposes but increases the mailability of your database. Along with address standardization, CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) certification is available.
The following records each have incomplete or incorrect address information that could make mail pieces un-mailable.
SUE A JONES
130 WAR BOND
SD
CA
92129
TIM DORE
142 VELAN TERRACE
ENCINITAS
CA
BERNICE THOMAS
611 CASTLE DR
CLAIREMONT
CA
92117
After the address standardization process, the records are now complete, correct mailable records. Each record has had the street address, city, state, and zip code (including zip +4) standardized according the U.S. Post Office CASS gu idelines. The CASS certification on your mailing list can give you additional discounts at the Post Office.
SUE ANN JONES
130 WAR BOND ST
SAN DIEGO
CA
921292350
TIM DORE
142 VELAN TER
ENCINITAS
CA
920244728
BERNICE THOMAS
611 CASTLE DR
SAN DIEGO
CA
921174042
The above examples are only samples of what CES can do for you. We will work according to your specifications to solve your particular problem.
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CES's merge/purge process can serve many functions. You can save money mailing to your customers by removing duplicate names from your customer list and not sending multiple pieces of mail to the same address. Your customer s with nicknames (Robert and Bob) can also be merged into one record for mailing. CES's solution allows you to check for duplicates using criteria other than name and address, such as vehicle identification number.
The following example shows the same person in two customer records before the merge/purge process. If this were your mailing list, you would spend twice as much on mailing to this person. Any analysis you performed would also be inco rrect because you would be counting the same person twice.
SUE ANN JONES
130 WAR BOND ST
SAN DIEGO
CA
921292350
1ZVLT20A7S5103430
VOLVO
960 GLE
SUEANN JONES
130 WAR BOND ST
SAN DIEGO
CA
921292350
1ZVLT20A7S5103430
VOLVO
960 GLE
Our merge/purge solution will recognize that both records are the same person and could also use fields other than name and address in searching for duplicates. If there are multiple records containing incomplete information (i. e. missing fields), the records would be consolidated into one customer record.
This process can be run on a single customer file or be used to merge multiple files together.
CES's merge/purge solution not only provides you with a better mailing list but enables you to report from your database with more accuracy.
The above examples are only samples of what CES can do for you. We will work according to your specifications to solve your particular problem.
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If you are planning to, or have already upgraded your current system, CES can help you get the customer and service data from your old system into a readable format for your new system and/or your personal computer. CES can provide the data back to you or to your system vendor.
CES can help you find value in the old service history and customer information found on back-up on tapes. We can read the tape files and convert them into any number of formats. This service will allow you to analyze not only current customer information but also the historical information you have been storing. CES can help you save on storage space by replacing your tapes with CDs.
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With an understanding of your requirements, CES can collect data from your system and provide you with a file in any number of formats. CES can even house your database, generate, and then send the reports to you.
The type of reporting from your system is based on your needs. Some examples of the types of reports we can help you generate are:
- Response rates for a recent mailing
- Number of cars sold at your dealership
- Types of services performed in your service bay
- Types and numbers of vehicles serviced
- Service advisor analysis
- Customer demographic information
- Geographic mapping of your customers
The following is an example of a report that shows the number of vehicles serviced broken down by vehicle make and model.
Another example is a breakdown of labor dollars by service advisor.
The above are only examples of the types of reports we can help you produce. Your reports would be based on your requirements and preferences.
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CES has a talented programming department that is ready to help you enhance your current Dealership Management System or create custom desktop applications. We will perform a needs analysis and then work with you to put your custom program in place. Often, the programming work can take place with a modem connection and the proper access.
CES's most popular system enhancement is the Parts Line Display Enhancement for ADP Systems.