As we look to tell the stories about people and the products that support auto dealerships, Digital Dealer is shining the spotlight on companies that help dealers do their job more effectively.
We recently interviewed Dan Trinidad, founder and CEO of Benchmark Automotive Suite, who reflected on his career and offers his insights into the ever-evolving automotive technology landscape. Trinidad discussed a defining moment for him at the 2024 NADA show, the lesson he learned as a porter that have stuck with him and how Benchmark products are making a difference at dealerships.
Digital Dealer: What was your first job in the industry, and what did it teach you?
Benchmark Automotive Suite Founder & CEO, Dan Trinidad: My first job in the industry was as a porter at a Honda dealership when I was 17. My father, who was the General Manager, insisted I start in this role to understand every aspect of the business. It taught me that every role in a dealership significantly impacts the customer experience. A less-than-spectacular delivery of a new purchase can change the entire experience for the customer.
Digital Dealer: Please tell us about your core offerings, any new products or features, and how automotive dealerships are best leveraging those.
Trinidad: Our core offering focuses on helping dealers streamline their processes and run as efficiently as possible. We empower every decision maker within the dealership by delivering a comprehensive 360-degree view of the entire sales process, extending beyond just marketing. Our platform measures performance across Marketing, Inventory Retailing, Lead Handling, Sales Performance, and Finance.
For instance, if a sales representative is not on track to meet their sales goals, a sales manager can use our platform to review the individual’s scorecard and identify where they might be underperforming in the internal sales cycle. Metrics such as their Up to Demo percentage versus the store average, or their Up to Write Up percentage versus the store average, provide clear indicators. These insights give managers the direction they need to develop their teams effectively, making the crucial difference between hitting sales targets and falling short.
Digital Dealer: What is your proudest accomplishment in the industry?
Trinidad: My proudest accomplishment was at the 2024 NADA conference in Las Vegas. We were first-time exhibitors introducing our new software solution to the industry. This project has been years in the making. I had a moment where I was watching our team talk to dealers and vendor partners about our solution. Listening to their feedback on what they liked and what we could potentially improve upon was a defining moment for me. It wasn’t just about onboarding new dealers; it was the validation from the industry that they saw the value in what we created. Because if they didn’t, it could’ve been a really expensive lesson in humility!
Digital Dealer: Can you highlight any recent innovations or strategies that set your company apart in the market?
Trinidad: Hybrid Intelligence Validation Engine: Our HIVE system cleanses data from the CRM for accuracy by department, enhancing reporting accuracy by up to 40%. This ensures that the data dealers rely on is precise and actionable.
Benchmark Alerts: This feature allows dealers to leverage their data effectively and make in-month adjustments to help achieve their sales goals. It provides timely alerts to address performance issues promptly.
Auto Group View: This has quickly gained traction, particularly with larger auto groups. It enables the accurate display of data for all dealerships in one centralized location. The larger the group, the more attractive this feature becomes due to its efficiency and ease of use.
Overall, our platform saves auto groups time, energy, and money by providing accurate, actionable insights and streamlined processes.
Digital Dealer: What are you most excited for in 2024?
Trinidad: I’m most excited about a few of the new features we’re releasing. We have an alert system that allows dealers to leverage their data when it matters most, impacting performance immediately. It also delivers transparency and accountability within the dealership. Our new Autogroup View is absolutely awesome, and I want to thank our dealer partners for their assistance with this—we couldn’t have done it without them. We’re also introducing a community feature and AI that will change the way dealers discover solutions to their challenges. Honestly, I pretty much just stay excited!
Digital Dealer: What trends do you think will have a significant impact on the automotive industry in the coming years?
Trinidad: I believe the one of the most significant trends will be the dealers’ ability to measure and manage performance on internal processes. While marketing and transactional software remain important, they only address a small segment of the market. Managing processes within the dealership and building relationships with customers has always been the best way to drive business success. The ability to consistently visualize and act on comprehensive data will become a dominant trend, significantly impacting the industry for years to come.
Digital Dealer: What do you enjoy most about your role, company, and/or the automotive industry?
Trinidad: What I enjoy most about my role is the constant opportunity to learn and stay connected with the industry. I love listening to conversations on Clubhouse, engaging with communities like “Me Plus Ultra,” and watching podcasts from other industry leaders. These activities help me stay informed and ensure our solution remains relevant for our dealer partners. Plus, there’s something incredibly rewarding about taking complex information and making it easy for others to understand and use in their daily operations.
Digital Dealer: What values and principles drive your organization, and how do you ensure they are reflected in the day-to-day operations and interactions within the company?
Trinidad: At Benchmark, we pride ourselves on maintaining a true independent view for our dealers. Our core values and principles are reflected in several key practices:
Dealer-Centric Focus: Although we enjoy collaborating and partnering with other industry service providers, the dealer is and will always remain our primary client. We don’t engage in revenue sharing for solutions we recommend to our dealers. Instead, we pass along any savings directly to them, ensuring their best interests are always at the forefront.
Transparency: We believe in being completely transparent with our dealer partners. While we encourage our dealers to share and recommend new features and solutions, we never make promises we can’t keep or implement suggestions that don’t genuinely move the needle. This honesty helps build trust and aligns our goals with those of our dealers.
Dealer Success: The success of our dealers is what drives our bottom line. We focus on providing tools and insights that truly benefit them, understanding that their growth and success ultimately contribute to our own.
These principles are integrated into our daily operations and interactions by consistently putting our dealers’ needs first, maintaining clear and honest communication, and always striving to provide the most valuable and effective solutions.
Digital Dealer: Looking ahead, what exciting developments or initiatives can dealerships expect from your company in the near future? Are there specific goals or milestones that your team is working towards?
Trinidad: We are excited to announce that we are focusing on integrating AI and machine learning into our platform to identify trends and make data-driven recommendations. Our goal is to simplify decision-making for our dealer partners, providing them with the tools to optimize their operations effortlessly.
In the coming months, we will continue to roll out new features designed to enhance our platform’s capabilities. Our primary milestone is to fully implement AI and machine learning solutions by Q4 2024. This will allow us to provide even more accurate and actionable insights, helping our dealers stay ahead in a competitive market.
Digital Dealer: What advice would you give to someone entering the field?
Trinidad: Regardless of whether you’re on the dealer side or the vendor side of the business, always ask questions. Challenge the status quo and continuously seek to learn. Focus on being a student of the industry rather than trying to be an expert. Your personal value will naturally define itself through your curiosity and willingness to grow.
