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Interview with Montway’s Mary Bartlett
Moving vehicles efficiently and cost-effectively is a perpetual challenge for auto dealer groups, especially when managing multiple rooftops. The traditional methods often involve a frustrating tangle of phone calls, manual processes, and disparate systems, leading to wasted time, increased costs, and a lack of consolidated insight.
In a recent interview, Mary Bartlett, VP of Business Development at Montway Auto Transport, shared insights on the industry along with a smarter approach to managing vehicle moves.
Q: What specific challenges or obstacles are dealer groups facing, and how are those affecting their competitive advantage?
A: Dealer groups today are facing a range of challenges that can impact their competitive edge if not addressed. High acquisition costs for in-demand vehicles and increased operational expenses are squeezing profit margins, making it difficult to maintain profitability. Simultaneously, consumers now expect a digitally-driven buying experience, a shift that many traditional dealerships struggle to fully embrace.
Dealers risk losing business if they cannot adapt to customer demands, efficiently acquire desirable inventory, and streamline operations to preserve margins. Addressing these core issues is essential for long-term success. This is where a tool like the Montway Automation Portal can help by simplifying the auto logistics process.
Q: What exactly is the Montway Automation Portal (M.A.P.)?
A: M.A.P. is our solution to the outdated and fragmented processes that have long plagued vehicle transportation. We developed this platform to provide dealers and dealer groups with a user-friendly, centralized hub for managing all vehicle orders. M.A.P. leverages advanced technology, including market-based pricing, and an intuitive transportation management system to save time, reduce costs, and optimize the entire logistics process.
Q: Can you elaborate on the pain points M.A.P. addresses for dealer groups?
A: Imagine a dealer group with 10, 15, or even 50 rooftops. Traditionally, each store might be handling its own vehicle transportation, often relying on phone calls, faxes, or a patchwork of different platforms. This makes it difficult to get a unified view of what’s happening across the entire group. Data is siloed, tracking is manual, and it’s hard to identify trends or areas for improvement. M.A.P. was designed specifically to tackle these challenges by bringing all that fragmented data and activity onto one platform. Instead of estimating or waiting for reports from each location, you can log into M.A.P. and instantly see everything from pickup and delivery metrics to average rate-per-mile across your entire group. This transparency helps make more informed decisions.
Executives can gain the insights needed to reduce the average rate-per-mile on vehicle movements, leading to more efficient spending. This enhanced visibility also helps in decreasing cycle times, ensuring vehicles get onto lots faster, which can boost sales.
Q: How can different roles within a dealer group use M.A.P. to their advantage?
A: For buyers who manage inventory for several stores, M.A.P. provides visibility into any rooftop to see the exact location of units in transit and their expected arrival times. This allows them to better plan inventory and keep the sales teams informed.
For a controller or variable operations manager, M.A.P. helps with financial oversight. They can monitor key metrics like average rate-per-mile, overall transportation expenses, and even identify trends in delays. This insight helps them understand the total cost of vehicle acquisition and identify areas for cost savings.
Q: What is the long-term vision for M.A.P.? Are there new features planned for the future?
A: Absolutely!. We are developing a dashboard that will provide a store-by-store view to quickly monitor a dealer group’s overall logistics processes.
Our ultimate goal is for M.A.P. to be the central transportation hub for all logistics needs for dealership groups. To reach that objective, we collect feedback from our dealer partners to identify new enhancements to improve the user experience.
In today’s fast-paced automotive market, optimizing every aspect of operations is key to maintaining a competitive edge. By streamlining vehicle logistics, dealer groups can not only overcome traditional pain points but also enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve their overall responsiveness to market demands.
About Montway Auto Transport
Montway Auto Transport is a trusted leader in auto logistics services with nearly 20 years of experience serving the needs of dealerships, auctions, fleet management companies, and more. We set the industry standard for innovative technology and superior customer service. When evaluating auto logistics partners or technology solutions, consider Montway Auto Transport. Discover the difference.
