Top 10 CRMs for Car Dealers & Auto Repair Shops: The Best Free and Paid Resources for Digital Customer Relationship Management

The automotive industry is vast and varied. While car dealerships and auto repair shops might seem pretty different at first glance, that’s deceptive. Both are part of the wider industry, and both share many of the same challenges including:

• Establishing relationships with customers

• Building trust with customers

• Maintaining a consistent voice and tone through all touchpoints

• Retaining customers for the long term

The good news is that the right tools can address those needs and help these businesses overcome a myriad of challenges. The right CRM (customer relationship management) platform unlocks important capabilities that dealerships and repair shops can quickly employ to boost growth and profitability.

What to know about the industry

Before we dive into a discussion about dealership and repair shop CRMs, let’s take a look at the industry itself. This will shed some light on the challenges we mentioned earlier.

• There were almost 17,000 new car dealerships in the US by mid-2023.

• New car sales jumped 15.4% in 2023 over 2022.

• There are almost 240,000 auto repair and maintenance centers in the US.

• The automotive service market is expected to reach $237.33 billion by 2028.

We can draw two conclusions from those numbers. First, car sales and automotive services are rapidly growing segments of the industry. Second, business owners and decision-makers face more challenges than ever when it comes to visibility to their customers thanks to the massive, ongoing growth.

The existence of more dealerships and service centers means more choices for customers. In turn, that means that these businesses must double down on their customer relationship-building activities. The right CRM can help.

There are several considerations here, and the challenges are often what have kept many dealers and repair shops from adopting digital technology for customer relationship management and other day-to-day operations in the first place. Dealers and repair shops follow a unique business model. They sell products and services, manage customers and vehicles, and deal with different types of transactions all at the same time. (At Smith.ai, we offer several CRM integrations that can improve your dealership or auto repair business.)

What to look for in an automotive CRM

Choosing the right automotive CRM isn’t rocket science, but you’ll need to know a few key factors to look for in each offering. Some of the most critical considerations include the following:

• Business needs: What are your specific needs and goals? A dealership with multiple locations will have very different needs than one with just one.

• Contact management: The core of any automotive CRM should be contact management. Look for robust capabilities that help you build and maintain relationships with those who matter most.

• Lead and pipeline management: The right automotive CRM should help you convert leads and move potential customers through the pipeline no matter where they entered or what their preferred touchpoints might be.

• Communication capabilities: Does the CRM feature powerful, flexible communication capabilities that ensure you can reach customers and potential customers by phone, SMS, MMS, email, and more?

• Analytics and reporting: An automotive CRM should allow you to take deep dives into performance-related metrics and surface critical insights.

In order to ensure that you get the perfect CRM for your auto repair shop or dealership, we’ve scoured the Internet to find the best of the best. Some of them are designed specifically for the auto industry, while others are general-use platforms that happen to have favorable features.

Take note that these Top 10 automotive CRM solutions can be integrated with Smith.ai virtual receptionists to capture every possible opportunity when customers contact your business.

1. IDMS by DealerSocket

IDMS by DealerSocket is a full-service Dealer Management System (DMS) that includes a robust CRM platform. DealerSocket is designed by auto industry professionals for auto industry pros, and it includes a unique set of tools and resources for customer relationship management. There are separate workflows and solutions for each aspect of the automotive process, from sales to service to repair appointments and more.

The CRM in the platform offered here features a service scheduler, custom reporting, vehicle lifecycle tracking, and a unique web-based inventory management platform that is designed especially for BHPH (buy here, pay here) and independent dealerships.

The pricing of this platform is based on size and feature, with current starting prices around $750 a month for a full-service integration of the platform that features 24/7 live support, form printing, lease management, service department integration, and plenty more.

Although there’s a lot to love, here are the key takeaways:

• Free option? No

• Price: By quote only

• New car and used car departments kept separate

• Website integration

• 24/7 live support for dealers

• Buy-Here-Pay-Here platform and tools available

• Robust total dealership management from a single platform

‍2. Selly Automotive

Designed specifically for independent dealers, Selly Automotive is a flexible, powerful CRM. It features plenty of capabilities to help empower your sales team and build strong relationships with customers, including a mobile app and an integrated Internet lead management system. It also provides text messaging, call recording, and a proprietary AI (Emma) to help you drill down into insights to drive more sales and provide better customer service.

You'll also discover that it can handle appointment settings, reminders, follow-ups, and more. It also integrates with a range of other software, so it should play well with your existing technology stack. However, this CRM is best suited to small to medium dealerships. Larger dealers and dealers with more than one location will likely need additional features that aren't found with Selly.

The features that set Selly Automotive apart include:

• Free Option? No

• Price: By quote only

• User-friendly interface

• Integrated Internet lead management system

• Lots of software and app integrations

• Impressive reporting tools and analytics dashboard

3. elead CRM

If you’re a fan of integrated dealership management solutions, elead should be on your list. This platform is designed specifically for use by those in the auto industry, with dynamic dealership management solutions that include separation of inventory by new and used, integrated service scheduling and deal tracking, and more.

This all-in-one CRM platform is designed to help brands tailor strategies and conversations to the needs of the customer. The dashboard makes it easy to view and manage customer data and you can integrate this platform with other tools in your tech stack to maximize your dealership operations.

elead prides itself on the one area where dealership platforms often struggle: service. The service workflow makes scheduling appointments and keeping customer data connected easier than ever. Plus, it’s cloud-based, scalable, and offers customized communication tools.

The key features to know about ELEADCRM include:

• Free option? No

• Price: Subscription-based, custom pricing

• Instant customer contact options

• Automatic lead reassignment

• Omnichannel communication solutions

• Template library for customer contact, forms, and more

• Driver’s license, and VIN scanner

‍4. DealerCenter

DealerCenter is one of the most focused auto industry CRM platforms, so if you’re looking for dedicated tools ,this one should be on your list. It offers impressive features like automated classifieds, reputation management, and a robust dashboard with reporting and analytics for each aspect of your operations. This integrated dealer management platform includes Digital Marketing, Digital Retailing, and a full suite of analytics and reporting tools.

When you integrate DealerCenter into your dealership, you’ll be able to prequalify customers, engage and convert online visitors, manage all digital marketing and classified listings, and more.

This platform brings a lot of self-service features to the forefront, making it easy for everyone in the lifecycle to access customer information and take their role in the next part of the transaction or journey.

DealerCenter is known best for:

• Free option: No

• Price: $60 per month for the dealer management system (DMS)

• Integrated finance tools and services

• Online conversions and lead qualification tools

• Pre-built reporting templates and tools

• Monitoring and analytics for sales and service to customer relationships, employee management, and more

5. Keap

Formerly Infusionsoft, Keap is designed for the auto business that wants a dynamic CRM solution within a single integrated platform that allows you to manage marketing, sales, customer relationships, and more. This platform combines the most important functionalities for modern business management in a format that’s ideal for small businesses.

With Keap, you will be able to segment contacts, track every customer interaction, send emails, and even run campaigns based on communication triggers that you can personalize for each customer.

You’ll enjoy value-added data based on parameters like campaign performance and ROI data, and the platform is accessible on all iOS and Android devices for remote convenience. Plus, you can integrate it with Salesforce, QuickBooks, Outlook, and other platforms that are already in your daily repertoire.

The features that you’ll love about Keap include:

• Free Option? No, but there is a 14-day free trial

• Price: Starts at $159 per month

• Integrate CRM with the rest of your business

• Use robust reporting and analytics to improve customer service

• Manage all aspects of the customer journey from one place

• 20+ available integrations with other software platforms

6. HubSpot CRM

Those who are looking for a dynamic, flexible, scalable solution will find integration with HubSpot CRM to be a breeze. This platform is unique and preferred by many smaller businesses because it is free, but it also offers a robust, easy-to-use interface for those who want to move into the digital world. You will enjoy plenty of tools that can be customized to the needs of your repair shop or dealership.

HubSpot CRM includes contact management, deal tracking, task and activity schedulers and tracking, marketing tools, sales and services tools, and more. Advanced tools and solutions are available for those who upgrade to a Sales Hub plan.

You will have full team visibility, the capability to store up to 1 million contacts and vendors, and access to the HubSpot community for support and assistance. And, if you need more, you can create a custom bundle of paid solutions that start at just $50 per month, per hub.

The best features of HubSpot include:

• Free option? Yes

• Pricing: $20/month for starter subscription

• Customizable bundles for CRM, marketing, sales, and more

• Dedicated HubSpot support when you choose a paid plan

• Access to consulting, CMS, and other services from HubSpot, a leader in digital marketing

• Robust customer data tracking and analytics

7. Freshsales by Freshworks

Freshsales by Freshworks offers a unique opportunity for those seeking an AI-based platform that can manage all aspects of customer relationships. You will enjoy a 360-degree view of your customers, along with cloud-based software that is scalable to your unique business needs.

Although it’s not a dedicated automotive CRM, Freshsales does well to deliver a customer management tool that addresses many of the needs that dealers and repair shops have: customer integration from sales to service and back again, dynamic contact and scheduling options, and more.

You can even use the integrated email and phone tool to reach out to prospects in just a few clicks, allowing you to keep everything integrated in one place.

The important features to consider with Freshsales include:

• Free option? Yes

• Price: $15 per month

• Seamless mail and calendar integration with external apps

• Built-in phone and email platform

• Lead generation tools to surface high-potential leads with ease

• Easy management of the sales pipeline with Deal cards that handle every step of the transaction

8. Salesforce CRM

If your dealership or repair shop wants the backing of one of the biggest providers of CRM and other digital solutions, Salesforce CRM is the way to go. This platform features scalability and cloud-based access.

With Salesforce, you will be able to grow revenue, manage customers with valuable customer data insights, and customize the sales cloud and customer management features to meet your exact needs. Salesforce can also integrate with your other software tools to create an integrated tech stack for total dealership or repair shop management.

Salesforce is customer-focused and offers pay-as-you-go models for convenient and affordable pricing. If you’re just starting out, the #1 CRM in the world should definitely be on your list.

The best features of Salesforce CRM include:

• Free option? No, but there is a free trial

• Price: Starts at $25 per month

• Opportunity and contact management tools that make customer management easy

• Email integration

• Seamless workflows and Salesfore casting tools

• Total contact management with dynamic reporting and analytics

9. Dominion VUE

Dominion VUE is a full-fledged dealer management system (DMS). It includes a CRM, as well as plenty of other features to help dealerships grow and thrive. As such, it’s well-suited for independent dealerships, but also for franchised dealerships and chains.

Dominion’s offerings are built on Microsoft Azure Cloud for outstanding connectivity and accessibility, and dealerships will appreciate the access to cloud-native apps. The core platform is also free to use. For those concerned with integration, VUE integrates with a wide range of applications, from JD Power to Experian, and everything in between.

Some of the key features to consider include:

• Price: The core DRM/CMS is free

• Cloud native

• Scalable

• FullDMS with CRM capabilities

• Integrates with most automotive software/apps

10. Agile CRM

Agile CRM is a platform designed to make it easier to sell and market like a Fortune 500 company, even for the “little guy”. For those who want an all-in-one solution with next-generation cloud-based functions, this platform delivers quick, mobile-ready, and easy-to-use tools.

Are you looking for an all-in-one CRM that handles sales, marketing, service, and all other aspects of your customer relationships and management? Agile CRM includes features like contact management, deal tracking, appointment scheduling, and more.

Plus, it’s all integrated with a built-in marketing platform and service features like a help desk, knowledge base, and customer feedback analysis.

If you think Agile CRM is for you, consider these features:

• Free option? Yes

• Price: Paid plans start at $8.99 per month

• Deal Tracker to track the milestones of each customer deal

• Dynamic follow-up via email, phone, social media, and more

• Automate your sales, marketing, and service for consistency

• Cloud-based for easy scalability

We can't stop at just 10. We have a bonus CRM we had to include.

11. LeadSquared

LeadSquared is an award-winning sales, marketing, and field force automation platform that helps businesses improve their sales efficiency across all channels and teams. It seamlessly integrates with multiple business tools. LeadSquared's no-code workflow builder helps teams build and optimize sales processes.

LeadSquared's Customer engagement features include: Sales execution CRM, marketing automation, mobile CRM, flexible sales workflows, B2B account management, sales closure reports, conversation tracking, pipeline reports, and zero lead leakage.

Here are some of the details that LeadSquared offers:

• Free option? No

• Price: Subscription-based, custom pricing

• Reduced lead leakage

• Intelligent lead prioritization

• Automated sales and marketing processes

• Detailed sales and marketing analytics

Smith.ai integrates with CRM solutions and more

Building strong relationships with your customers requires more than the right CRM. Smith.ai delivers 24/7 call support for your customers, ensuring that no call is ever missed and that your team can focus on working with customers onsite rather than answering the phone. We also provide outbound calling solutions, and our virtual receptionists can handle scheduling and appointment setting for your automotive repairs, service appointments, or even sales appointments. It’s never been easier to build your reputation and keep a steady flow of customers coming through your doors.

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. You can email us at hello@smith.ai. You can also check out our plans and pricing over on our plans and pricing page, or give us a call at (650)727-6484 to ask questions or discuss your needs.

‍