Dealer Text Solutions launches m3, the first text messaging service for dealers
San Francisco, CA., Feb. 9 -- Dealer Text Solutions is releasing its Service Manager application, the first phase of its revolutionary mobile messaging manager™ (m3) effective February 9th, 2008 as part of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) conference in San Francisco.

m3 is a web-based application that enables dealers to exchange text messages with guests to alert them of scheduled maintenance needs, service appointments, service status updates and targeted promotions. The Service Manager application focuses on increasing the efficiency of service operations while providing a higher level of customer service.

Text messaging and mobile communications is the future of Customer Relationship Management. The U.S. has more mobile device subscribers (252 million) than email users (215 million) and by 2010 there are projected to be 296 million mobile subscribers - over 95% market penetration - making it the most ubiquitous channel of communications. Not only does nearly everyone have a mobile device but they carry it with them everywhere.

Text messaging is fast becoming the preferred method of communication for the mobile generation with 48% of all mobile subscribers becoming regular text users in 2007. Nearly 30 billion text messages are sent per month in the U.S. and the volume has been doubling every year.

The immediacy and visibility of text messaging provides dealers the ability to attract and retain guests at a significantly lower cost than traditional marketing methods such as email, voicemail and direct mail. It also reduces overhead by streamlining the service and parts operations and business development center.

Service managers spend too much time trying to call guests with updates, returning messages or gaining approvals for work. Guests frequently can't reach their service manager on the phone and do not appreciate phone calls during meetings or the night before reminding them of a service appointment.

In response to the growing need for a text messaging solution for automobile dealers, Dealer Text Solutions was founded in 2006. m3 is the first mobile application built for Customer Relationship Management and not traditional mobile marketing. m3 easily integrates into your current Dealer Management Software and within days you can add text messaging to your communications arsenal.

"Everyone has a mobile phone these days," said Chuck Balkin, co-founder of DTS, "And they always have their mobile phone with them. Text messaging has an immediacy and visibility that no other form of communication can offer at a fraction of the cost of direct mail, voice or email."

With m3 Service Manager, guests opt-in to the Common Short Code REPAIR (737247) to receive alerts on their vehicles' service needs and status updates. Service managers can send alerts and reminders, while guests can text back questions and approvals. m3 handles all the communications necessary from the appointment reminder the day before to the final alert that the vehicle is ready for pick-up and saves a record of the work approval.

About Dealer Text Solutions
Dealer Text Solutions (DTS) is a start-up based in San Francisco, CA. The founders are small business marketing and dot com veterans most recently engaged in the automotive advertising industry. DTS is privately financed.

Dealer Text Solutions Media Contact: Stan Bradbury, +1-415-538-7994, stan@dealertext.com

Director, Business Development: Jared Curé, +1-800-474-9100, jared@dealertext.com

April issue of Fixed Ops Magazine has an article about text messaging for auto dealers. You can read an online version of the magazine here. Fixed Ops: Digital Editions

The article starts on page 42