The central customer list, which can be enhanced by numerous specialized modules, holds strong business development potential that dealerships often underutilize.
One could say that all dealerships in Quebec record their customer data in a digital document management system (DMS). This data includes contact information for hundreds, even thousands of customers who have purchased or leased new or used vehicles, or have simply visited the service department.
This central list forms the core of the dealership’s commercial operations. It can be used for follow-ups on new vehicle acquisition. Monitoring the evolution of customer needs allows positioning for a new sale at the opportune moment.

Like Friends
“There was a time when the dealer and their team knew each customer personally by their first name,” illustrates Amber Good, CRM Product Marketing Manager at CDK Global. “Today, with staff turnover and thousands of customers, we need a digital platform capable of maintaining the personalized relationship consumers expect. The software is there to remind teams of what they might forget.”
However, for this list to be truly useful to the sales team, it’s crucial to build it properly from the start. This is confirmed by Yanick Jomphe, President of YJomphe Consultants, who knows exactly how to maximize the potential of customer lists.
It’s obvious that basic information (name, address, cell phone number, and email) must be recorded in customer files. When a customer takes possession of a vehicle, all information must be entered into the DMS (Dealer Management System), including vehicle details (make, model, lease or financing, term, payment, end of term, etc.). This is how we can extract reports allowing us to target specific criteria for customer follow-up. However, some work with an external CRM tool, so it’s crucial that staff ensures information is updated and communication between the DMS and CRM flows smoothly, regardless of department. Effective communication between various departments is essential.

Maintaining Contact
According to Jomphe, customers should be contacted at least once a year to update their file. Furthermore, information must be recorded in the DMS and all management tools. Nothing is more disappointing than contacting a customer who has long since replaced their vehicle or moved to a different region.
This raises the question of who on the dealership team should handle data management. Jomphe specifies that over a period of one to seven years, depending on the term length, updates will primarily be handled by the service department. “Customers come in for maintenance or other services, and the department can collect their new contact information. If the service department collects the right information and transfers it to the central file (DMS), as well as the specialized sales management tool (CRM), customer follow-up will be positive. All staff must be vigilant about customer details, particularly in cases of relocation or vehicle sale. In short, the service department is most frequently engaged after the vehicle purchase!”
That said, Jomphe indicates that whenever a team member contacts a customer, they should verify and update information for everyone.
Amber Good also emphasizes the importance of a refined and up-to-date customer list. “The DMS is the central point for all sales, leasing, and service operations, where potential customers can be identified for future sales,” she explains. “The more accurate the list, without unnecessary duplicates, the more targeted offers the dealer can make. The software can help management associate a potential customer with a specific representative.”
The sales team can monitor the vehicle’s lifecycle and present an offer at a strategic moment, for example, at the equity point, when the vehicle’s value equals the payment balance.
Yanick Jomphe specifies: “With the right key indicators, the sales department can establish personalized follow-up cycles for leases, financing, and cash sales.” A calendar can be established to schedule follow-ups one month, one year, two years, or even three years after purchase, or when approaching the end of a lease or financing term.
Jomphe understands the importance of building maximum personal connections with customers. She mentions value-added elements such as invitations to private sales, VIP marketing events, loyalty discounts, or, for enthusiasts, invitations to golf tournaments, etc.
Jomphe emphasizes a very important point: why not include in these sales cycles customers who bring vehicles purchased elsewhere to the service department? They already know the dealership and the quality of its service. Why not guide them toward a purchase or lease as a natural extension of their experience?
For sales management, it’s also possible, thanks to the CRM, to measure the performance of the sales team. Representatives can also benefit from external help to work with the CRM management tool for follow-ups, with results being forwarded to them. Jomphe recommends carefully choosing a provider to support representatives, ensuring smooth communication and consistent data updates.
According to Good, the advent of artificial intelligence is also a tool to consider for managing initial contacts, increasingly made on digital platforms. “An AI module can act as a virtual assistant, responding more quickly than a human,” the expert notes. “Representatives can thus focus on personal relationships with their customers, rather than handling general information emails. If this allows salespeople to save time, all the better.”
There’s no doubt that artificial intelligence applications will integrate into operations related to current and potential customer follow-ups. However, it seems clear that humans will remain, at least for some time, the key to transaction success.