Ed Barton's Posts - DealerELITE.net2024-03-29T05:19:21ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBartonhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1718075086?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://www.dealerelite.net/profiles/blog/feed?user=2uqpvzapnpwob&xn_auth=noHow You Make Them Feel *IS* the Producttag:www.dealerelite.net,2020-01-06:5283893:BlogPost:8014702020-01-06T14:12:16.000ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBarton
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3803077443?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3803077443?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380"></img></a> Technology companies often focus on their products and leave service levels far behind. They rely on shiny objects and whiz-bang features to sell products. Companies that lead with technology often forget that the result of a customer interaction isn’t the technology – it’s how the customer feels using the technology. At fusionZONE, we strive to be…</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3803077443?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3803077443?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380" class="align-right"/></a>Technology companies often focus on their products and leave service levels far behind. They rely on shiny objects and whiz-bang features to sell products. Companies that lead with technology often forget that the result of a customer interaction isn’t the technology – it’s how the customer feels using the technology. At fusionZONE, we strive to be Deliberately Different by asking, “How did this make them feel?”. We ask this question at every client interaction, and it underpins every product we design and release. Our focus is on the client experience in everything we do.</p>
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<p>Perfection is impossible, but caring is not. Did you make your client feel understood? Did you make your client feel appreciated? Did you make your client feel confident? Did you make your client feel empowered? If your client feels cared for, they are likely to be a brand ambassador, help you and your team improve, and be a long-term customer. We will always have room to improve the process, training, and tools. Mistakes are inevitable. Ensuring your client feels heard, understood, and senses urgency when an issue arises is critical for a client-centered organization.</p>
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<p>One of the legends of the retail automotive industry, Joe Girard, understood this. He made the Guinness Book of World Records for his sales ability. He recognized that how you make the customer feel was the critical piece of the sales process – not just during the sale, but after the sale was made. He stayed in touch with customers and took care of service issues when they arose after the sale. As a result of this focus, he banked repeat business year after year. Technology companies have a lot to learn from this approach. Customers expect that you will get decent technology. Honestly, most websites and digital marketing technologies are pretty much the same. What is unexpected is the commitment to service after the sale. That is the real product.</p>
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<p>Innovation at fusionZONE starts with keeping the client in mind. How can we make their experience and the end-user experience better? How can we help our client’s business be more profitable? We are midway through developing a new platform that will transform the dealer website service experience. With targets of four-hour ticket turn arounds, easy content management, lightning-fast speeds, dedicated support teams, and highly qualified leads, we are not focused on the next shiny object but the top prize. Technology is merely a tool to achieve a client objective, and it certainly helps make their business more successful. But, ultimately, client service – how you made them FEEL using the technology - is the real product.</p>Accessibility is Good Business!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2019-10-24:5283893:BlogPost:7422572019-10-24T13:47:52.000ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBarton
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3676950040?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3676950040?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380"></img></a> That feeling of dread – the letter arrives at the dealership with a return address from an attorney you don’t recognize, addressed to "Owner" or "General Manager." Inside is a demand letter indicating that your website or mobile application is inaccessible as required under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). You need to contact them right away to…</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3676950040?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3676950040?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380" class="align-right"/></a>That feeling of dread – the letter arrives at the dealership with a return address from an attorney you don’t recognize, addressed to "Owner" or "General Manager." Inside is a demand letter indicating that your website or mobile application is inaccessible as required under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). You need to contact them right away to correct it and pay their fee, or their client will file suit.</p>
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<p>Hundreds of businesses experienced this feeling in the last year, and every company with a web presence has exposure to lawsuits for ADA non-compliance. While I could cover the legal issues, defenses, and remedies for these suits (and I have elsewhere), I want to emphasize here that accessibility is just good business.</p>
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<p>The threat of a lawsuit is not the only reason to make your digital environment more accessible. Having a site or app that meets most of the accessibility guidelines improves website and app usability, likely enhances conversion rates and opens you up to more customers.</p>
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<p>The immediate thought is, "Why would a blind person shop for a car online?" and while that's a logical thought, accessibility is more than just for blind people. A few examples to think about:</p>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li>Elderly buyers often have hearing or sight challenges where captioning and large print is useful.</li>
<li>Today’s retirees were in their mid-30’s when the internet exploded and are likely proficient users of the web.</li>
<li>Most adults under age 75 used a computer and the internet regularly and are reasonably tech-savvy.</li>
<li>Potential buyers with epilepsy may be challenged by flashing buttons and video.</li>
<li>Individuals with colorblindness require higher contrasts and colors to see the information.</li>
<li>Accessibility also helps those consumers with temporary disabilities, like injury or surgery.</li>
</ul>
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<p>Digital accessibility can be a complicated process. There are no clear regulations, and accessibility standards can feel overwhelming and confusing. A few basic steps to make your digital environment more inviting include:</p>
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<ul>
<li>Keep the site "clean." Focus on your call to action and critical information. Clutter makes it hard to navigate and hard to access – ADA or no ADA.</li>
<li>Make sure your images all have "alt-tags" and that your tagging conveys the meaning. Images, including banners that contain offers and disclosure language, need detailed alt-tags that express the full meaning. Consider simple images and put your offers and disclosure language in plain text</li>
<li>Good technical SEO helps with accessibility. Proper heading structures, page layouts, and tagging help organize a site for both a search engine and accessibility tools.</li>
<li>Make sure your entire site is keyboard navigable. Some people can’t use a mouse.</li>
<li>Make sure your forms can be accessed and read using a screen reader.</li>
<li>Have an accessibility statement with valid contact information and someone willing to help on the other end of the email or phone.</li>
</ul>
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<p>A bit of research into the alternatives and a commitment to basic accessibility will go a long way to help make your digital environment more accessible, which will get you better customer engagement and, ultimately, more sales. </p>FZA Digital Releases ADAPT, an Effective WCAG Compliance Toolkit for Auto Dealerstag:www.dealerelite.net,2019-10-22:5283893:BlogPost:7409452019-10-22T14:11:34.000ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBarton
<p><em><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3674408303?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3674408303?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380"></img></a> As ADA lawsuits become commonplace in the industry, FZA Digital releases a solution for auto dealers to combat this frustrating issue.</em></p>
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<p><strong>Lakeland, FL,</strong> <strong>October 22, 2019</strong> – With the recent news that the supreme court is allowing cases to move forward against retailers if their websites are not…</p>
<p><em><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3674408303?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3674408303?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380" class="align-right"/></a>As ADA lawsuits become commonplace in the industry, FZA Digital releases a solution for auto dealers to combat this frustrating issue.</em></p>
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<p><strong>Lakeland, FL,</strong> <strong>October 22, 2019</strong> – With the recent news that the supreme court is allowing cases to move forward against retailers if their websites are not accessible, <a href="https://www.fzadigital.com/">FZA Digital, LLC</a>, the digital marketing and technology sister company to <a href="http://www.fzautomotive.com/">fusionZONE Automotive, LLC.,</a> today announced the release of <a href="https://www.fzadigital.com/">ADAPT</a>, a practical Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) toolkit to help protect its auto dealers.</p>
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<p>fusionZONE Automotive’s websites comply with WCAG 2.1 standards right out of the box, but there is increasing litigation regarding compliance. FZA Digital has created a multi-level toolkit that gives auto dealer websites a higher level of protection. Automotive websites change rapidly and often (third party content, OEM marketing collateral, images, and more), and are edited by both internal developers and dealership staff. Accessibility functionality can be impacted quickly and remain unnoticed until it’s too late. To solve this frustrating situation, ADAPT was created. Designed for accessibility and minimal legal exposure, ADAPT includes practical hands-on tools and fully automated web accessibility technical tools, ensuring full compliance at any time.</p>
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<p>"The recent refusal by the United States Supreme Court to hear the Domino's ADA case means there will be no consistent legal standard to meet ADA requirements. We designed ADAPT by analyzing case law and applying legal as well as technical expertise. The four elements of ADAPT are designed to meet or exceed all published legal standards for ADA accessibility. There is no 'magic bullet' solution to ADA Compliance. Having just one element is not enough," said Ed Barton, fusionZONE Automotive Chief Executive Officer, and President.</p>
<p></p>
<p>FZA Digital designed the ADAPT Toolkit Solution to be deployable on any website and can integrate the tools as long as the vendor agrees to install it.</p>
<p></p>
<p>ADAPT includes four primary elements that work together to provide a strong defense and real capabilities for consumers with disabilities. ADAPT addresses the website itself, displaying legal statements that offer alternative communication methods, and technology that enables efficient, real-time accessibility features. It goes well-beyond the WCAG 2.1 A compliance requirements, ensuring continuous ADA accessibility for consumers and legal protection for FZA Digital clients. FZA Digital’s ADAPT Toolkit Solution includes:</p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>1. A Real-Time Accessibility & Auditing Tool</strong>. The fully automated, accessibility technology performs two distinct functions; a) a real-time, on-site rendering tool, and b.) automated AI Analysis. A highly visible Accessibility Icon anchored to every page on the website allows consumers with disabilities to toggle a rendering tool on and off, tailoring the site to their personal needs. The interface acts as an overlay on the dealer’s website, which is specific to the user's session. The user is presented with over 50 features from which to choose. At the time the site is rendered for the user, ADAPT makes any necessary adjustments in real-time. This provides an additional layer of compliance that acts as a safety net for any custom content that was not developed in strict accordance with the guidelines.</p>
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<p>The automated AI analysis technology uses both AI and Machine Learning Technology to analyze the website. Once installed, it begins working right away, resolving accessibility compliance gaps in as little as 48 hours. After the initial 48 hours, ADAPT technology re-scans and re-analyzes the website every 24 hours to ensure that any new content, widgets, or pages are also adapted and thereby compliant.</p>
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<p><strong>2.</strong> <strong>A Screen Reader.</strong> This element resides on the website and can also be toggled on or off by clicking on the Accessibility Icon. While turned on, individual copy snippets can be read out loud directly from the site without the need for installation of a third-party screen reader. This is both mobile and desktop-friendly, working across all devices.</p>
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<p><strong>3.</strong> <strong>An Accessibility Policy Statement</strong>. Adding this customized Accessibility Policy Statement to the website encourages consumers to reach out to the dealership first if they have any issues. It welcomes their feedback and lets them know their accessibility is a top priority, thus avoiding potential legal action.</p>
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<p><strong>4. Monthly Audits.</strong> FZA Digital staff consistently evaluate the website for compliance, ensuring any new creative, copy, or design change incorporates the principles of accessibility as best as possible.</p>
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<p>"While the guidelines offered by the WCAG for ADA compliance are comprehensive, they can also be overwhelming to understand as well as implement, especially for small teams. Utilizing tools that encompass the requirements for compliance and leaning on the knowledge and expertise of a team experienced with the pitfalls of balancing design and technical requirements is important. Full compliance is difficult, if not near impossible, to achieve. But reasonable and timely efforts must be continually made,” stated Alex Papadopulos, fusionZONE Automotive Chief Technology Officer </p>
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<p>For more information visit <a href="https://www.fzadigital.com/">https://www.fzadigital.com/</a>.</p>
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<p><strong>About FZA Digital, LLC:</strong></p>
<p>FZA Digital, LLC is the digital marketing and technology sister company to fusionZONE Automotive, LLC and is focused on leading-edge digital marketing technology solutions. For more information visit: <a href="https://www.fzadigital.com/">https://www.fzadigital.com/</a> or, <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/about-us/">https://www.fzautomotive.com/about-us/</a></p>fusionZONE Automotive Hires Automotive Industry Digital Marketing Specialist Adam Swanson as OEM Directortag:www.dealerelite.net,2019-09-03:5283893:BlogPost:6846232019-09-03T14:05:53.000ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBarton
<p><strong><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3515211615?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3515211615?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380"></img></a> Lakeland, FL,</strong> September 3, 2019 - <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/">fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</a> today announced the appointment of Adam Swanson as OEM Director. Swanson is a successful consulting executive with over ten years of experience at leading teams in enterprise-level automotive consulting strategy. He is also a specialist in…</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3515211615?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3515211615?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380" class="align-right"/></a>Lakeland, FL,</strong> September 3, 2019 - <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/">fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</a> today announced the appointment of Adam Swanson as OEM Director. Swanson is a successful consulting executive with over ten years of experience at leading teams in enterprise-level automotive consulting strategy. He is also a specialist in E-commerce, digital marketing, field team management, and consumer experience initiatives with an emphasis on the automotive industry. As the OEM Director for fusionZone, Swanson is tasked with growing successful partnerships with OEMs in need of effective website and digital advertising solutions for their dealership networks.</p>
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<p>“We are excited to have Adam join our team. He is an innovative, dynamic marketing and sales executive whose successful time working at Shift Digital and with several OEMs makes him a perfect fit for OEM Director. OEMs and their dealers are increasingly involved in the selection process for partners that can deliver on their unique brand requirements. At fusionZone, we are investing in this role as a commitment to show just how serious we are at ensuring that we deliver successful products and results to our OEM and dealer business partners,” stated Ed Barton, fusionZONE President & Chief Executive Officer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Before joining fusionZONE, Swanson spent seven years at Shift Digital, where he started as a Digital Operations Consultant, was promoted to Senior Field Consultant and quickly moved up to National Program Director. He managed key accounts, analyzed the digital marketing landscape, and designed effective campaigns, strategy, and advertising for multiple OEMs, including Jaguar, Land Rover, Toyota, and Porsche. He also served as a keynote speaker, training facilitator, and subject matter expert on marketing business for numerous regional seminars and client expositions across the United States.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Swanson began his career in the automotive industry at Mazda North American Operations, where he served as District Manager over a network of 16 Mazda dealerships throughout the Midwest. He analyzed financial, operational, and warranty data and created solutions to improve profitability and customer satisfaction. During his two-year tenure, he raised CSI scores in two separate districts through in-dealership sales and service training events, fixed operations analysis, and retail process improvement.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Commenting on why he chose to join fusionZONE Swanson stated, “I knew fusionZone was the right choice for me professionally when I met with the executive management team. Many companies now offer funky or cool offices, progressive benefits, or unique perks. These are great in a general sense, but ultimately not what defines an organization. I enjoy working with driven individuals who see their employees as people with various talents and appreciate them as their greatest asset. In talking with the fusionZONE team, it quickly became clear that they invest in people as an organizational virtue. This made it an easy decision.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>fusionZONE Automotive is an award-winning automotive website provider that helps car dealers streamline the ever-evolving digital process. Founded in 2009, the company has created powerful, responsive digital web solutions and successfully grown in a competitive industry by hosting both single-point dealerships and large, top-performing, multi-roof franchise dealerships. The full-service digital marketing provider offers websites, 24/7 live sales chat, social media management, technical SEO services, and mobile applications.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“fusionZone is on the brink of some major growth. Numerous products and innovations in the pipeline are inspiring. I'm thrilled about the future because I believe I can help them scale real growth in the marketplace through true partnerships and strategic moves to assist dealers and OEMs deliver the best online consumer experience. This will result in increased sales and better customer advocacy. It's a great time to be in the industry!” Swanson stated.</p>
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<p>For more information or to schedule a demo, visit <a href="http://www.fzautomotive.com">www.fzautomotive.com</a><span>.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>About fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</strong></p>
<p>For more information visit: <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/about-us/">https://www.fzautomotive.com/about-us/</a></p>
<p><u> </u></p>A Simple Way to Capture Additional Service Revenuetag:www.dealerelite.net,2019-07-11:5283893:BlogPost:6407072019-07-11T14:17:41.000ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBarton
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3275501921?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3275501921?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380"></img></a> In a quick review of dealership’s websites, I find that many are almost entirely sales focused and tend to neglect the one department that brings the most significant percentage of profit… service. Go ahead. Take a look at a few dealership websites. Service tends to be the red-headed stepchild; often neglected and forgotten. Yet it accounts for 50% or more of…</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3275501921?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/3275501921?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380" class="align-right"/></a>In a quick review of dealership’s websites, I find that many are almost entirely sales focused and tend to neglect the one department that brings the most significant percentage of profit… service. Go ahead. Take a look at a few dealership websites. Service tends to be the red-headed stepchild; often neglected and forgotten. Yet it accounts for 50% or more of a dealership’s revenue.</p>
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<p>In fact, just 10%, or even less of most dealer websites are dedicated to service, according to <a href="https://www.autonews.com/fixed-ops-journal/service-related-web-pages-soft-sell-videos-dealerships-embrace-new-digital?CSAuthResp=1%3A%3A524643%3A20573%3A24%3Asuccess%3AB3EC5AA223E98F978870B01BA0E15B30">an article</a> in Automotive News. Sounds like a bit of an imbalance, doesn’t it?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>One dealer decided to change that. Feldman Automotive Group increased service-related content on almost all of its websites and, since late 2018, has seen visitor traffic increase by 60%. Perhaps more importantly, customer pay revenue increased by 32% in the first 3 months of 2019!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Service-related content is frequently searched for by consumers, yet many dealerships neglect to provide any information at all about this section of their business. In many cases, service coupons and specials are either outdated or non-existent. Keep in mind that any consumers who look at your dealership’s website for service information – and then find none – will simply continue to search and, in many cases, will find that information provided by an independent repair facility such as Jiffy Lube. And they are aggressive, transparent, and current in their pricing and services – which consumers seem to like.</p>
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<p>In this highly competitive market, it makes sense to produce more service-related content for your website. Be sure to keep your service coupons current, be transparent, and provide information and pricing for your most popular service packages and what they include. Consider having a service director shoot a quick video about why customers should service at your dealership – what the benefits are of getting their vehicle serviced at a franchise dealer versus an independent, for example.</p>
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<p>Wouldn’t it be nice to have a customer come in for routine maintenance and not just warranty service? If you fail to provide the reasons why a customer should choose you over an independent, the consumer may well choose price and convenience, even if your dealership is competitive.</p>
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<p>Most dealerships share the reasons why a consumer should buy a car from them. That’s a no-brainer. But too few share why consumers should service their car there as well. In my opinion, the ultimate outcome of neglecting service content and information on your website is just one thing – lost revenue.</p>
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<p>Hey, it has been proven to work. If Feldman can increase customer pay by 32%; surely it's worth putting at least a little time and effort into creating that service content. Think about creating blogs (both written and video) with topics such as how to pair your iPhone to the in-vehicle entertainment system, as well as specific services you offer and why they are essential. It is also great to highlight your service personnel, their achievements and training, along with the same message of quality, customer service, professionalism, and convenience that you probably already market in your sales messages.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Now, while adding service content to your website is great, taking it one step further is even better. Personally, I recommend specialized service websites as they are a great way to bring more customers into your automotive service and maintenance facility. These sites should be optimized with unique content about all things vehicle maintenance, repair, and service. Let your potential and existing customers know that they can count on you to not only sell them a great vehicle but to keep it in excellent condition. If you drive traffic to your service website, it will also drive more traffic to your main website, meaning you'll have more people viewing your inventory, so it's a win-win!<br/></p>
<p>If you up your digital footprint as far as vehicle service is concerned, you should see an increase in service revenue and customer pay ROs. These customers can quickly become loyal brand advocates who you can win over as lifetime customers and also capture future sales from referrals.</p>
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<p>Make your service department easy to find by providing the type of content consumers are looking for. Become the resource they turn to for information and your efforts could soon result in precisely what your business wants… more profit and more customers.</p>fusionZONE Automotive Forms New Dealer Advisory Counciltag:www.dealerelite.net,2019-07-08:5283893:BlogPost:6385342019-07-08T14:01:30.000ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBarton
<p><em>Advisors from a mix of dealers and dealer groups will help shape future company processes & product development</em></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Lakeland, FL,</strong> July 8, 2019 - <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/">fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</a> today announced the formation of a dealer advisory council to gather feedback and insights directly from its dealer clients to help shape future product development based on the exact needs of its…</p>
<p><em>Advisors from a mix of dealers and dealer groups will help shape future company processes & product development</em></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>Lakeland, FL,</strong> July 8, 2019 - <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/">fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</a> today announced the formation of a dealer advisory council to gather feedback and insights directly from its dealer clients to help shape future product development based on the exact needs of its dealers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Our dealership has been with fusionZONE for four successful years. I believe gathering feedback and insights directly from their dealerships via the 'Advisory Council' is just one more level of commitment and dedication,” said Laura Morse, eCommerce Manager/Assistant to the GM at Jim Norton Toyota. “The ultimate results will help shape future processes and products based on their client’s needs -- that’s a win-win for all! After attending the first council meeting, I am suitably impressed and look forward to seeing what comes next.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The advisory council will have quarterly calls and an annual off-site meeting. It is made up of a solid mix of dealer groups and single point dealers from a variety of brand franchises, which helps provide a perspective from users at many different levels.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“It has long been our mission to ensure our dealers enjoy numerous competitive advantages and dominate their digital market areas with advanced, all-inclusive digital marketing services packages,” stated Ed Barton, fusionZONE President & Chief Executive Officer. “With the acquisition of MotorWebs a year ago we added nearly 300 dealerships, which provided scale to add management and support functions in both Seattle and Florida and service coverage from 7 am Eastern until 10 pm Eastern. We transitioned to a 24/7/365 live, onshore customer service line in 2018 and regular development service coverage six days, per week. The Advisory Council is a natural extension of our growth. It will help us continue to listen to our dealers and to meet and exceed their needs, which should make them even more profitable," Barton added.</p>
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<p>fusionZONE Automotive is an award-winning automotive website provider that helps car dealers streamline the ever-evolving digital process. Founded in 2009, the company has created powerful, responsive digital web solutions and successfully grown in a competitive industry by hosting both single-point dealerships and large, top-performing, multi-roof franchise dealerships. The full-service digital marketing provider offers websites, 24/7 live sales chat, social media management, technical SEO services, and mobile applications.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For more information or to schedule a demo visit <a href="http://www.fzautomotive.com">www.fzautomotive.com</a></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>About fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</strong></p>
<p>For more information visit: <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/about-us/">https://www.fzautomotive.com/about-us/</a></p>fusionZONE Automotive Expands and Moves into New Lakeland, FL, Officestag:www.dealerelite.net,2019-07-01:5283893:BlogPost:6340192019-07-01T14:11:51.000ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBarton
<p><strong>Lakeland, FL,</strong> July 1, 2019 - <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/">fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</a> today announced that due to sustained company growth it is expanding into new offices with an additional 8,000 square feet of space and consolidating operations to its Lakeland, FL office.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>FusionZONE acquired MotorWebs a year ago along with nearly 300 dealership clients, and this expansion has enabled it to add management and support functions, and service…</p>
<p><strong>Lakeland, FL,</strong> July 1, 2019 - <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/">fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</a> today announced that due to sustained company growth it is expanding into new offices with an additional 8,000 square feet of space and consolidating operations to its Lakeland, FL office.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>FusionZONE acquired MotorWebs a year ago along with nearly 300 dealership clients, and this expansion has enabled it to add management and support functions, and service coverage from 7 am Eastern until 10 pm Eastern. It also transitioned to a 24/7/365 live, onshore customer service line in 2018 and regular development service coverage six days per week, which has meant boosting staff numbers. The company has added 20 staff to the Lakeland office since the beginning of the year and is actively recruiting for more.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>fusionZONE is currently in a recruitment drive and looking for talent in the Lakeland, FL area including customer service reps, graphics designers, and web developers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"We have consolidated our operations in Lakeland as there is an attractive talent pool in Tampa, Orlando, and the I-4 corridor. I am very impressed by the level of talent coming out of local schools - especially Polk State College, from which we have acquired several excellent team members. With a heavy East Coast dealer concentration, our Lakeland office puts us closer to this customer base so we can better serve them. The cost of doing business here also makes it very attractive,” stated Ed Barton, fusionZONE President & Chief Executive Officer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>fusionZONE Automotive is an award-winning automotive website provider that helps car dealers streamline the ever-evolving digital process. Founded in 2009, the company has created powerful, responsive digital web solutions and successfully grown in a competitive industry by hosting both single-point dealerships and large, top-performing, multi-roof franchise dealerships. The full-service digital marketing provider offers websites, 24/7 live sales chat, social media management, technical SEO services, and mobile applications.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For more information or to inquire about employment visit: <a href="https://www.ziprecruiter.com/c/Fusionzone-Automotive/Jobs">https://www.ziprecruiter.com/c/Fusionzone-Automotive/Jobs</a> or call 888.576.1136 x533</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>About fusionZONE Automotive, LLC</strong></p>
<p>For more information visit: <a href="https://www.fzautomotive.com/about-us/">https://www.fzautomotive.com/about-us/</a></p>Attention Florida and New York Dealers: Your Website could be at Risk!tag:www.dealerelite.net,2019-04-05:5283893:BlogPost:5460812019-04-05T14:32:18.000ZEd Bartonhttps://www.dealerelite.net/profile/EdBarton
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1773327463?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-right" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1773327463?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380"></img></a> In this blog I’d like to talk a little bit about American with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and your websites, quickly covering some emerging issues and simple corrective actions you can take.</p>
<p></p>
<p>If you are an auto dealer in Florida or New York, your website is likely under scrutiny by lawyers representing potential customers. They review…</p>
<p><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1773327463?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1773327463?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="380" class="align-right"/></a>In this blog I’d like to talk a little bit about American with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility and your websites, quickly covering some emerging issues and simple corrective actions you can take.</p>
<p></p>
<p>If you are an auto dealer in Florida or New York, your website is likely under scrutiny by lawyers representing potential customers. They review your site to see if it is accessible to potential customers with disabilities, as required by the Americans With Disabilities Act. In 2018, there were over 2,200 ADA compliance lawsuits filed – with almost 1,600 of them being in New York alone. The challenge of accessibility for dealers is made harder by a lack of agreement on the definition of “ADA Compliant” in the courts. Also, sites with large inventories and technical details, such as VIN numbers, are particularly difficult to make accessible.</p>
<p></p>
<p>As a dealer, what are you to do? The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) developed a set of standards – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – which are now on their second version. Dealer websites should meet at least WCAG 2.1 Level A accessibility guidelines at a minimum and should strive to meet Level AA guidelines where practical. These guidelines focus on four areas known as POUR:</p>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li>Perceivable – the tags and directions on the site should be evident and give the user a sense for what the form, button or link does.</li>
<li>Operable – the site should be navigable with a keyboard or a mouse.</li>
<li>Understandable – any messages and directions should be written clearly.</li>
<li>Robust – the design should work with most browsers and assistive technologies.</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p>The W3C has a <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/preliminary/">quick review checklist</a> to assess your current website for accessibility against WCAG requirements. As a dealer, you should take a few minutes and check your sites, identify any obvious areas of weakness, and work with your website provider and digital marketing agency to bring the site in line with the WCAG 2.1 A Standards.</p>
<p></p>
<p>When you build a website, I recommend that you check that your website provider can start with an approach that is designed to meet WCAG 2.1 A Standards as follows:</p>
<p></p>
<ul>
<li>All uploaded images can be configured with an ‘alt’ text by the user.</li>
<li>You should not be forced to use PDFs. Choose a responsive web platform that is designed and built using text-based formats and is compatible with leading assistive technologies.</li>
<li>Your provider should supply you with the tools necessary to ensure your websites have every opportunity to remain compliant with this standard. However please note that brand compliance standards impact the ability of some solutions to always meet optimal standards right out of the box. Think colors and red-green color blindness, for instance.</li>
<li>Your provider should give you the tools and options to choose colors, sizing and font settings, and the ability to implement color schemes to align with your brand, where possible. As a dealer, you should maintain ultimate control over your website visitors’ web experience, and as such, can override brand and compliance guidelines, if and when it is needed.</li>
<li>Your provider’s website tools should enable you to frame in a video on your website and to also include related videos on your Vehicle Details Page (VDP). In both cases, if the video includes an audio description (text captions, etc.), the video and supporting elements should render correctly on your website.</li>
</ul>
<p>Will this prevent an enterprising lawyer from suing your dealership? No. Will a website that focuses on accessibility in design and applies available accessibility tools reduce your exposure and risk? Yes.</p>