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The financial year that has just ended for most of us in this country has not been without its challenges but Australia has fared remarkably well compared with much of the Western world. Pleasingly Vehicle sales in June were at near record levels and the outlook for the new financial year is much brighter than we could have reasonably predicted six months ago.
Auto-IT’s welfare depends heavily on the fortunes of our customers in the retail dealership marketplace and when profitability falls in this sector the effects flow on to us as well. It is evident though that the regional Agricultural, Trucking, and Automotive dealership industries remain in relatively good shape compared to the rest of the world.
Whilst talking about the rest of the world, the following statistics released in July by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers provides food for contemplation. China is now the world's largest car market - or at least it was for the first half of 2009. June car sales were up 36.5% from the same time last year as car sales hit 1.14 million for the month. This announcement comes at about the same time as GM emerges from bankruptcy on the other side of the world. Only time will tell what impact these statistics will have on our industry in the years ahead.
Auto-IT Financial
As a supplier to many customers in the dealership industries, it is gratifying to report that throughout the financial year Auto-IT’s revenues have held up well and although profitability is lower than we would have preferred, we ended the 2009 financial year with a respectable bottom line and we remain debt free. Looking ahead, we are making plans for controlled company growth as the economy picks up in the new financial year.
Expansion
Despite the global downturn Auto-IT’s Dealer Management products continue to grow in influence. Auto-IT dealer software is now responsible for running the business of dealerships in nine countries and in an estimated 942 dealer locations. This is an increase of 90 locations since the same time last year and over the same twelve month period our licensed user numbers have increased by an impressive 3,752 to a total of 14,825.
These statistics should demonstrate to customers and partners that Auto-IT is a company that can be relied upon to keep abreast of industry trends, and produce software products able to hold their own in large businesses on the world stage. Some recent notable sales have included AFGRI, a Nationwide John Deere equipment retailer in South Africa, DMM. Malaysia, the national distributor and retailer of Daihatsu cars, and following our recent endorsement by BMW Australia as an approved Dealer Management System Supplier, North Shore BMW, one of their premier dealerships in New South Wales.
Looking ahead
We develop and support three major retail dealer systems, UNITS™, EQUIP™, and PMDS™. Each one of these products holds an important place in our strategic direction and users of each can expect to see the release of major enhancements over the next 12 months.
Auto-IT will shortly be hosting two important events in Australia. We will have a stand at the Australian Automotive Dealer Association in Melbourne in August and if you are planning to attend please make yourself known to us. We will also be hosting an EQUIP™ user group event in Melbourne later that month for our Agricultural and Trucking customers. If you are in this market segment I urge you to attend as you can be assured of an informative and beneficial experience by doing so.
As always, if you are a customer, a partner, or a friend of Auto-IT, I welcome your comments or feedback on my personal phone, +61 432 689 688.
Ken W Fife | Chief Executive Officer | Auto-IT Pty Ltd Australia
Welcome to the following new clients who have upgraded to our world class Dealer Management System during the '09 financial year.
Booleroo Agencies
The EQUIP™ User Group is on again in mid-August. We have over 60 attendees, representing in excess of 80% of our EQUIP™ client base, who will be updated on product development , but more importantly will have the opportunity to shape the product going forward. If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so by replying to the invitation e-mail or contacting Elle at Auto-IT on 03 93493062, option 6.
Auto-IT has and will continue to write all available Factory Interfaces. Many of these interfaces can assist in making your business more efficient and effective. Don't miss out on giving your business a competitive edge! To find out more about how these interfaces can benefit your business and how to set these interfaces up please speak to your Account Manager or Aaran Newman - anewman@auto-it.com.au or 0418 253 368.
*For more information and pricing please contact your regional Account Manager.
Tech Tips
With literally thousands of Internet threats discovered every day, of which the majority pose a real risk to the integrity of your business systems, are you adequately protected?
When we talk about internet security, most will think of common, every day viruses; however these days, internet threats extend far beyond to a whole myriad of cyber attacks including Worms, Trojans, Spyware, theft and costly hoaxes. The minute you turn on your PC, you are at risk. Viruses and other attacks are generally designed to give hackers access to your business data and steal valuable information such as bank account and credit card numbers, contact details and addresses.
It’s no surprise then that network security is high on the agenda for most organisations throughout the world. The mere fact that cyber attacks can be very costly for some organisations, and very profitable for cyber criminals, means internet security should be the highest priority of your IT strategy. Hackers will continue to find new ways to circumvent IT security and therefore organisations need to be continually vigilant.
There are many simple ways that help a business improve network and internet security including the following suggestions:
It is important that users can have confidence in their business’s IT systems. Auto-I.T.’s Technical Consultants can assist with ensuring that your network is adequately protected and help improve your network and internet security and minimise cyber threats and attacks.
FAQs
The second way is via the Repair Order Maintenance and Invoicing program below:
If you want to change the progress status when you Invoice a Repair Order through the Repair Order Maintenance and Invoicing program, you can add the parameter ReqProgressStatusOnInvoice then enter Y in the value column as shown below:
When you Invoice the Repair Order after you have added the parameter ReqProgressStatusOnInvoice, the screen below will allow you to change the progress status to either Vehicle Invoiced/Customer Advised or Vehicle Picked Up.
Auto-IT Australia Pty Ltd
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