DMEautomotive Introduces First Mobile Wallet Marketing Program for Auto Dealers

DAYTONA BEACH, FL--Jan. 21, 2014: DMEautomotive (DMEa), the science-inspired, results-based automotive marketing leader, today launched DMEautomotive Mobile Rewards, a mobile marketing platform which allows dealerships to drive traffic to showrooms and service drives alike by leveraging the exploding power of smartphone mobile wallets. The program enables dealer customers to receive special coupons and offers 24/7, all organized into their smartphone mobile wallet for quick and easy access. And, because the program includes geo-fencing software, dealers can reach consumers with coupons or offers at a place and time when/where they can take action right away, whether near the dealership, at a marketing event like a tent sale, or even at a competitor's location.

Mobile Rewards is the first of its kind product for the automotive industry and works in tandem with Driver Connect 2.5, DMEa's industry leading dealer-branded, consumer-facing mobile app, or as a stand-alone mobile marketing platform.

"DMEa Mobile Rewards delivers a solution that consumers want and understand. With the use of smartphones soaring and the global mobile wallet market set to reach $5.2 trillion in 20201, the automotive industry needs to sit up and take notice that their customers are rapidly evolving into 'mobile everywhere' consumers," said Mike Walther, president and CEO of DMEautomotive. "DMEa Mobile Rewards gives dealerships the ability to jump directly into mobile wallet marketing with minimal time, money or infrastructure investment."

DMEa Mobile Rewards drives traffic directly into the showroom or service area by delivering digital coupons and rewards directly to an Apple or Android smartphone user. Unlike more traditional processes, such as mailing "punch cards" and printed coupons, Mobile Rewards lets dealers and service marketers deliver everything directly to the consumer's smartphone mobile wallet – encouraging them to visit the showroom or service department in real time. In addition, dealers are able to comprehensively track and run reports on results in real time, giving them immediate access to data that tells which offers work best and how different segments are reacting to their marketing strategies.

One of the most compelling aspects of the app is its introduction of 'geo-fencing' mobile guerilla marketing tactics to the dealer showroom and service department. DMEa Mobile Rewards can be set to fire off alerts and reminders when a customer enters a certain geographical area – whether that's within their own dealership or, perhaps more interestingly, when a customer enters a competitor's location.

Says Walther: "This opens up a completely new marketing opportunity by giving dealers a tool to reach out to customers while they are literally in the process of shopping for or servicing their vehicle."

Mobile Rewards offers mobile wallet support for both Apple iOS and Google Android smartphones, and can be used along with the more comprehensive Driver Connect 2.5 which features additional dealer-specific tools, including live chat, 'Vehicle in Service/Vehicle Ready' alerts, and convenient new ways for customers to view, manage and engage with their pre-paid maintenance, and loyalty plans.

"Consumer research2 shows that people are now spending twice as much time with smartphone apps as they are with mobile websites. As the usage of apps for everything from managing your finances to booking airline reservations continues to soar, smartphone users have new expectations in customer service, and apps like DMEa Mobile Rewards and Driver Connect are being embraced," concludes Walther. "Dealers who recognize and act upon this new marketing channel are the ones that will capture the app-savvy consumer."

Since 2012, Driver Connect has been helping dealerships keep pace with the new, "mobile-first" consumer realities, by offering the first dealer-branded app that marries cool, truly useful and personalized automotive tools for customers, with keep-them-spending features for dealers – like "one tap" service appointment scheduling, robust new and used inventory search, and super-targeted offers tied to specific vehicles. DMEa's app has been adopted by some of the largest dealer groups across the nation, and this year won the prestigious American Business Award and the 2013 BizTech Innovation Award.