Ideal Computer Systems Blog

OPE Dealer Benefits from Time-saving features of Ideal’s Dealer Management Software

Ideal — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:43:50 +0000

Kathy and Steve Mueller have used over 35 years experience to make Arco Lawn Equipment Inc. in Ballwin, MO, one of the most successful and well-respected OPE businesses in the area. Through focus on long-term customer service and benefitting from the time-saving features in Ideal’s dealer management software, the business continues to grow. Continue reading to see how Kathy strives to provide the best service for her customers…

Ideal: What steps have you and your husband taken to make the business successful?

Kathy: “Our focus has been on making Arco a place where customers know that they can come and get their needs met. We show that we’re a family-owned neighborhood business and we care about meeting customers’ needs. They’re not just a source of income. Having done this for 35 years, our customers come in knowing us, knowing our children, and they know they’re going to get taken care of in the best way possible.”

Ideal: How do you set yourself apart from other retailers and big box stores?

Kathy: “I think that regardless of whether we’re family-owned or not, customers want to go someplace where they feel like you care. A lot of customers get frustrated with the big box syndrome where you have to dial 1-800…

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What are You Measuring with Your Dealer Management Software?

Ideal — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:05:02 +0000

Contribution by Marc Chase – Ideal Customer Support Representative

It would not come as a surprise if someone were to say to you, “You know…You can’t manage or improve what you don’t measure.” The list of quotes can go on and on. There are also plenty of books and blogs that can teach you the finer points regarding the need to measure what you want to improve in your OPE or Powersports dealership. I would encourage you to check some of them out, most are very informative and some are even quite inspiring. However, what I would like to focus on over the next few months are some thoughts on “What to measure?” and “How to measure?

So, where do you begin; there are hundreds of areas a person could choose to measure but which ones? Let’s start with some of the bigger ones then move from least specific to most specific.

1. What is the profitability?

2. What is the growth?

3. What is the ROI (Return on investment)?

4. What is the inventory turn-over rate?

a. Unit Sales (Major Unit Sales)

i. Product Line (Manufacturer)

1. Product Group (Walk-Behind mowers, ATVs, Ski Boats)

a. Product Item (Model xyz)

b. Parts (All Parts and Accessories)

i. Parts Line (By Manufacturer)

1. Parts Group (OEM Parts, Accessories, Tires, Batteries)

This is just a good start, but I’ll stop here. So we can shift to something small and something that could be very simple to do with the help of your Ideal dealer management system.

The objective: Make sure your parts department is making a good margin of profit on the least expensive items you sell. Let’s take a look at items that sell for $5.00 or less. The idea here is to calculate all items using a user defined profit margins, and then recalculate the selling price based on a user defined price range. One possible range might look something like the following.

Cost of Item	Profit Margin	New Selling Price	Selling Range >=	Setting	Final Selling Price
.02	50%	.04	.01	Set Fixed	.59
.12	50%	.24	.26	Set Fixed	.89
.24	50%	.48	.51	Set Fixed	1.19
.35	50%	.70	.79	Set Fixed	1.59
.55	50%	1.10	1.01	Add .75	1.75
1.00	50%	2.00	2.01	Add 30%	2.60
1.42	50%	2.84	3.01	Add 20%	3.41
2.42	50%	4.84	5.01	Add 10%	5.32

Once the initial setup is done in your Ideal system, the results take place seamlessly.

Bio: Marc Chase has more than 25 years of management experience in the Power Sports industry and is a member of the technical support team at Ideal Computer Systems.

On the Road with Ideal Lead Trainer Dave Baumgarten

Ideal — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:27:46 +0000

During a recent unannounced visit to an outdoor power equipment dealership in Michigan, I discovered how little some of our customers know about some of the features and benefits of Ideal for Windows. This lack of knowledge makes their daily tasks more difficult and inevitably makes them less efficient. The Ideal for Windows software is designed to ensure a much more efficient and profitable dealership.

One of the first things they asked me to look at was the cash drawer that only opened from one of the two workstations at the counter. This 30 second fix will save them critical time when processing transactions. It also provides for greater security as they no longer need to leave the key in the drawer.

I also discovered they were missing out on key profitability features that could be affecting their bottom line. I showed them how to view the gross margin of profit on Sales Orders and Invoices. This is viewable in Ideal’s dealer management system by clicking on the ORDER tab of a Sales Order and looking in the bottom right corner of the screen just above the DUE box. When viewing a completed Invoice, the gross margin is displayed just above the ITEMS tab on the left side of the screen. This feature instantly allows them to make informed decisions concerning further discounting of a Sales Order and gives the management team the ability to quickly and effectively monitor profitability of single transactions.

To learn more about the features of the Ideal for Windows system, call 800-737-1620.

Ideal’s Inventory and Merchant Services Solutions Proves Profitable for OPE Dealer

Ideal — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:36:43 +0000

Nichols Equipment knows what it takes to run a successful OPE business. Through over 50 years of industry experience, Gary Nichols has carried on the standards first set by his father to provide excellent customer service, keep inventory lean, and hire the right employees. And with the help of Ideal’s dealer management software, Gary has seen an even bigger return with advanced inventory control and streamlined merchant services. Continue reading to see how Gary achieves success…

Ideal: You’ve been in business since 1954. What steps have you taken to be successful and set yourself apart from the competition?

Gary: “Dad always tried to do the next right thing and I followed in his footsteps. We are focused on a better-than-average product and service, and charge more-than-average pricing. We try to be competitive, but we absolutely will not be the cheapest guy in town.”

Ideal: How do you compete with the “Big Box” stores?

Gary: “The staff I hire. I make sure they have a similar mindset to mine, in that the Customer comes first. We will actually talk someone out of a sale if we feel they don’t need it, or think it isn’t the right fit for them. We don’t just take their money and run.”

Ideal: How do you attract new customers to the store and keep return customers?

Gary: “We’ve always found word of mouth to be the best advertisement. As far as attracting new customers, we have a presence on the web, but ultimately it’s word of mouth and it brings people back. We actually have some third generation customers coming in now…

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Viewing Customer Information in Ideal’s Dealer Management Software

Ideal — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:37:08 +0000

Did you know that you can view a Customer’s address, phone number, and email directly from an Order Entry without changing screens in Ideal’s dealer management software? This can be helpful when you want to call a Customer with their pricing, or to inform them that a back-ordered product has arrived at your OPE, Powersports, or Marine dealership.

To view the Customer’s address, phone number, and email from the Order Entry screen, simply move the mouse in your Ideal dealer management system so that your cursor hovers over the Customer ID field. A box will open displaying the information and will remain open until you move your cursor away from the Customer ID field.

To learn other time-saving features in Ideal’s dealer management software solution, call 800-737-1620 or visit www.idealcomputersystems.com

Ideal Welcomes Jeff Plecity to its Support Team

Ideal — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:15:02 +0000

Ideal is pleased to announce the hiring of Jeff Plecity as a member of the Ideal Computer Systems support team.

Jeff brings a wealth of computer and accounting knowledge to Ideal. In his previous position, he helped resolve bank reconciliation issues and other fiduciary issues that involved research. He also has experience troubleshooting computer issues and has always been the “go-to” guy whenever an issue occurs.

Jeff received his Bachelor of Applied Science in Accounting and Finance from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, IA. When he’s not at work, he enjoys being outdoors camping and fishing. He’s an avid sports fan and enjoys going to baseball games, especially the Cubs. He also enjoys spending time with his 3 and 4-year-old sons.

Ideal Users Receive Dealer Management Software Training

Ideal — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:54:02 +0000

OPE and Powersports Dealers from all over the US, Canada, and even Guam were in attendance February 27-29 at Ideal’s recent regional dealer management software training seminar at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Ideal Lead Trainer Dave Baumgarten presented the three-day session and helped dealers get a better understanding of the Ideal business management system. Jeff Sheets, senior advisor for Bob Clements International, was also on hand to deliver a presentation on running an effective dealership.

Ideal users gained some valuable experience as well as enjoyed interacting with other dealers.

“I came with questions, left with answers,” said Colleen Werlein of D&D Ag & Turf in Arcadia, WI. “My knowledge of the Ideal system is better in areas I’ve been using, especially the GL. I learned more about inventory and work orders. There is much more we could be utilizing. I really appreciated the Ideal staff being so helpful and willing to answer questions. Lunch with people attending the seminar was also a great time to compare notes and learn from other peoples’ experience.”

Ideal is planning on holding another regional training seminar this fall. Dates and times are TBA.

Ideal Users Save Time and Money!

Ideal — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:14:59 +0000

Since the introduction of Ideal’s fully-integrated Merchant Services last fall, several Ideal for Windows users have implemented this new product into their system. And it’s already saving them time and money!

Listen to what Gary Nichols of Nichols Equipment, Inc. has to say about Ideal’s Merchant Services…

“Ideal’s integrated merchant services system is saving me an hour each week that I used to spend finding POS keying errors and about an hour each month reconciling my merchant statement because everything matches now. The system is better than advertised.”

I’d like you to have the same results! Implement Ideal’s Merchant Services into your business today and receive these special incentives…

Merchant Services POS Interface fee waived
Monthly interface support fee waived
Rebates based on processing volume

For more information on how Ideal can improve your business, call 800-737-1620 or visit www.idealcomputersystems.com to discuss all benefits of the system in detail.

Meet Members of Ideal at the Dealer Expo

Ideal — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:47:50 +0000

Powersports dealers and manufacturer reps, who are attending next week’s Dealer Expo in Indianapolis, IN, make it a point to visit members of the Ideal Computer Systems team. Ideal personnel will be located in booth #4743 in the Business Services Pavilion. We’d be glad to meet with you face-to-face and discuss ways Ideal’s dealer management system benefits the industry.

Those in attendance will include:

Sean Raynor – General Manager
Greg Carradus – Sales and Marketing Manager
Julia Abu-Nameh – Account Representative
Rick Merritt – Account Representative
Andrew Neverman – Account Representative
Brian Mohr – Upgrade Specialist
Dave Baumgarten – Lead Trainer
Troy Simon – Trainer
Erin Zein – Marketing Coordinator

We look forward to seeing you!

Constellation and Brunswick Team to Bring You Ideal with BDA Incentives!

Ideal — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:19:45 +0000

Constellation Dealership Software – a leader in fully integrated Marine dealer management solutions for dealerships of all sizes is now endorsed by Brunswick as a top provider of software for its dealer base. This means you can put the Ideal system to work for you with exclusive incentives as a Brunswick Dealer Advantage member!

The Ideal system will help you save time and boost profits by helping you gain control in several key areas. ith Ideal, you’ll have…

Exclusive, brand-new Brunswick preferred dealer pricing
An advanced, affordable and easy to use system for as little as $85/month for 2 users
Up-front system license fee waived – save $1,495!
20% off on additional user licenses and modules!
Automated parts pricing from major OEMs
Robust parts management features that keep your inventory lean and profitable
Support from a friendly and knowledgeable in-house staff who specialize in your industry

And much more!

Learn today how Ideal can help you save time and boost profits with special BDA pricing.