Car dealerships revert to pens and paper after cyberattacks on software provider

Post by paxys » Mon, Jun 24, 2024, 4:17 PM UTC

blantonl wrote: post #49

I bought a new car this weekend and some of the symptoms of this were: * dealer didn't have a good handle on what was available in stock on the lot * anything related to a title for a tradein was massively hampered. * appears USAA's auto insurance online add/replace vehicle on your policy is broken * everything was literally hand written, down to the sales contract I would imagine the impact of this is in the tens of…

Post by throwaway55533 » Mon, Jun 24, 2024, 4:17 PM UTC

mywittyname wrote: post #72

ethbr1 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also, the vendor becomes insulated from customer demands. Why patch things or work your ass off, when none of your customers have an alternative? (especially if PE buys the business or CEOs get a stock price focus and gut engineering to keep-the-lights-on levels)

There's a quiet irony in car dealership networks being fucked like this. They spend so much money ensuring their government-mandated monopoly, only to fall victim to a different kind of monopoly.

Post by JumpCrisscross » Mon, Jun 24, 2024, 4:19 PM UTC

bombcar wrote: post #27

CapitalistCartr wrote: post #7

I'm trying to buy two cars right now, and this has put a big wrench in the process. The dealership can't tell me what's on their lot compared to what's on their Website, except by going out and searching.

Even when the system is working they have to go search the lot, because half the cars listed in the system are phantoms.

Post by cogman10 » Mon, Jun 24, 2024, 4:20 PM UTC

itsoktocry wrote: post #101

cogman10 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No it can't. You still need places where cars can be repaired as well as storage for parts/cars inventory. The only way you reclaim some land is if service gets worse. You probably aren't going to have 10 Ford dealerships in town all selling the same models of cars. That's where the space savings comes in. As for parts/service, that also gets more streamlined as you aren't likely to have the audi/ford/dodge dealers…

> You probably aren't going to have 10 Ford dealerships in town all selling the same models of cars. That's where the space savings comes in. So do we want competition, or not?

Post by michaelt » Mon, Jun 24, 2024, 4:20 PM UTC

bee_rider wrote: post #86

wongarsu wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe offer to bring them more pens and paper so they can send someone out to make a list of what's on their lot.

This is mostly a site for programmers. I can’t imagine working in computers and not believing at least that the intent is to make people’s lives more convenient and make work efficient. If the dealers have the capacity to go around and run everything by pencil and paper, it seems like either the are really poorly run for the average case where the computers work and make life easier, or the programmers have done a re…