Managing data across a modern dealership can feel like trying to conduct an orchestra where every musician has different sheet music. Vendors want data in different formats, security requirements vary wildly, and keeping track of who has access to what information becomes nearly impossible.
For April Simmons, Corporate Internet and Marketing Director at Horne Auto Group, this chaos reached a breaking point that forced a complete transformation of how her 14-dealership group handled data. Her journey from scattered, risky data practices to centralized, compliant operations offers a roadmap that other dealers can follow.
The Breaking Point:
When Data Chaos Becomes a Legal Risk
"I was actually partnering with one particular vendor that was really struggling with getting data from one of my DMSs," Simmons explained during a recent NADA webinar.
"I happen to have three different DMSs, so that in and of itself creates a lot of different headaches." - April Simmons, Marketing Director at Horne Auto Group
The timing couldn't have been worse. New FTC laws were rolling out, creating additional compliance pressure just as Horne Auto Group was struggling with basic data access issues. "Simultaneously, all the new FTC laws were coming out and trying to figure out how can we make sure all of our vendors are compliant," Simmons recalled.
The reality facing Simmons and thousands of dealers like her was a perfect storm of operational complexity and regulatory risk.
The Wild West of Dealership Data and Compliance
Dealers typically juggle relationships with dozens of vendors, each with unique demands for file formats, delivery methods, and security requirements.
"You're not really managing your data, you're really reacting to everyone else's requests. Every vendor wants something different, and it's like trying to translate five different languages just to pull together a simple report." - Michelle Phelps, Senior Director of Customer Success at Authenticom
For Simmons, this meant countless hours "exporting data, cleaning up spreadsheets, uploading files." But the real danger wasn't the time wasted, it was the compliance exposure.
"A lot of vendors like to have these walled gardens, right? They don't like to share from vendor A to vendor B to vendor C, which then puts dealerships in this really risky place of downloading and uploading spreadsheets all over the place," Simmons explained.
The compliance implications were staggering. "If you look at these FTC laws, you want to talk about a huge amount of PII just sitting on computers everywhere. It's insane. Not to mention these people whose computers they're sitting on, what happens when they leave your dealership? You're really stuck in some risky, risky spots."
This scenario plays out daily across the automotive industry: sensitive customer data is scattered across dozens of systems, stored on individual computers, with no central tracking or control. When employees leave, that data often goes with them, or worse, sits forgotten on old hard drives.
The Login Nightmare
Beyond compliance risks, the operational burden had become unmanageable. "I don't have to log into 95 platforms. I joke about this all the time. The F word to me is a dashboard, right? Like that is like an F word to me because I'm 86 logins as we sit here today of 86 logins," Simmons shared.
Think about that for a moment: 86 different systems to manage, each requiring separate logins, separate data uploads, and separate monitoring.
"So imagine if I had to also manage data within all 86 of those, how often or frequently would I be able to catch issues or make sure things are actually flowing smoothly? Not very often." - April Simmons
The Transformation From Chaos to Control
The solution came when Simmons learned that one of her struggling vendors could access data through Authenticom's platform. "I started to realize, hey, I already have a lot of connections, whether it be through different vendors, and one of my other DMSs was already using them."
This revelation led to a partnership that would transform Horne Auto Group's entire data operation. "I thought, well, they've got to be secure because they've already done all this legwork and there's a lot that they've already accomplished."
Simmons reached out with a simple but powerful question:
"As a dealer, could we partner as a dealership group to be able to get all of my data to be in one place, but most importantly, not only be in one place, but then be compliant in that place, and then be actionable to all vendors in that place." - April Simmons
Centralized Control
and Peace of Mind
The transformation through NADA Vault (powered by Authenticom's Dealer Vault) delivered immediate benefits:
- Simplified Vendor Management: As April puts it, "Let's just say tomorrow a new vendor needs access—it's literally like, OK, well I have Authenticom, they send in the request. I go in and click a button: approve or deny, and we're done, right? It doesn't require a bunch of intake forms or 'hey, let's do a data test to make sure that what I see is what you see'”
- Proactive Monitoring: "The one thing that Authenticom does is they will literally send you notifications and emails if they see smoke, if there's an issue that says, 'hey, something isn't right, something isn't working,' “ explains April. “They bring it to your attention proactively so that we don't find out weeks or months later that we've had this ongoing issue."
- Centralized Dashboard: Instead of managing 86 different logins, Simmons now has one centralized platform where she can see exactly where the data is going & who has access to it
The Audit That Changes Everything
One of the most powerful features of centralized data management is the ability to audit exactly who has access to your data. "Let's log into your DMS, and I know how to log into every single one of them and exactly where to navigate them to, and I'll talk about running a report on who is actually getting your data today," Phelps explained.
"The results are always just mind-blowing because you literally see light bulbs just go off because it's like, 'I haven't worked with that vendor in five years.' Well, guess what, they just got your data today."
This audit capability alone can save dealerships thousands of dollars by identifying data connections to vendors they no longer use—vendors who are still receiving sensitive customer information.
Lessons for Other Dealers
Simmons' transformation offers several key lessons for other dealership groups:
- Don't wait for a crisis: The combination of operational complexity and compliance risk will only get worse over time
- Centralization is key: Managing dozens of vendor relationships individually is unsustainable and risky
- Partner with experts: "Find the right vendor partner to help you with this specific piece, because you need somebody who is very dialed in on it, understands it, and can keep their pulse on it"
- Demand proper off-boarding: "If you really truly care about your dealers like you say you do, off-board with the same intensity as you on-board."
The Bigger Picture
What started as a tactical solution to vendor data access problems became a strategic transformation that positioned Horne Auto Group for the future. With clean, centralized, compliant data, they're now better prepared for everything from AI implementation to evolving privacy regulations.
"It's been an amazing journey working with the team," Simmons reflected. For other dealers facing similar data chaos, her message is clear: the transformation is possible, the benefits are immediate, and the risks of waiting are too great to ignore.
The question isn't whether your dealership needs better data management—it's how long you can afford to wait.
Ready to rein in your data? Contact Michelle Phelps today to learn more.
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