In today’s auto market, traditional practices will only get dealerships so far. Customer data, follow-ups, and lead management now determine whether you’ll close the deal or lose the deal to a competitor. You need the right CRM now more than ever before, but it can be overwhelming to determine which platform is best for your dealership. One of the most talked-about platforms in the industry is Eleads CRM.
But is it the right platform for your dealership in 2025? Let’s dive in.
What Sets Eleads CRM Apart?
Unlike ordinary CRMs, Eleads CRM is designed specifically for auto dealerships. Every single feature is built to create dealership-specific workflows; this includes everything from internet leads and showroom traffic, to service appointments and marketing campaigns. Therefore, Eleads CRM is more than just a sales tool; it is a full relationship management system which manages customers’ relationships with the dealership over the entire dealership lifecycle.
Key Features Dealerships Rely On
Eleads CRM is loaded with features that support sales, marketing, and retention. Highlights include:
- Lead Management: Capture, track, and distribute leads from websites, phone calls, and walk-in customers
- BDC and Call Center Tools: Built-in telephony for high call volume and follow-up calls
- Marketing Automation: Schedule and send personalized email, text, and direct mail campaigns
- Equity Mining: Identify service customers with equity to upgrade or trade
- Advanced Reporting: Track sales performance, campaign return on investment (ROI), and employee performance
With these tools, there’s utility for the dealership to maximize every customer interaction into an opportunity for sales.
Strengths That Make It Stand Out
Dealers consistently select Eleads CRM for a few major reasons:
Comprehensive Coverage: It covers the entire customer journey, from the initial lead to post-sale satisfaction.
Scalability: It is ideal for larger dealer groups and multi-store merchants.
Integration: It connects to inventory management systems, DMS systems, and OEM programs.
For larger dealerships, the benefit of these features is realized at the higher efficiencies and more selling opportunities that are made available.
Weaknesses You Should Know
While Eleads CRM is very powerful, it is not without its flaws. A few common weaknesses are:
- Old-School Interface: The interface is very dated, it appears messy and is simply not very user-friendly for users to navigate.
- Learning Curve: Your teams need to be trained if you want them to use it properly.
- Mobility restrictions: A mobile application is not as functional as the desktop app due to a lack of common functionality.
- Support issues: Inconsistent, timely customer service calls from dealers to support your product.
This can be frustrating for smaller dealers, or teams that are looking for a plug-and-play type of solution. For smaller dealerships, or teams hoping for a plug-and-play type of system, these obstacles are annoying.
What Dealers Think About Eleads CRM
Dealership feedback is mixed. Some view it as a workhorse system that has everything they need. Other dealerships view it as outdated and clunky, although they acknowledge it “gets the job done.”
The takeaway? Eleads CRM is a beast and it incentivizes teams who spend the time setting it up and going through training.
Who is Eleads CRM for?
Eleads CRM is perfectly applicable for:
- Larger dealerships that have high lead volumes
- Dealer groups that managing multiple dealerships
- Dealers with dedicated BDC or call center
- Businesses focused on long-term retention.
If you’re a dealership that falls under these categories, Eleads CRM could be a worthwhile choice for 2025.
When to Consider Alternatives
Many smaller dealerships, or others that prefer a modern interface and mobile-first workflows, are likely to choose a competitor instead of this CRM. Newer CRMs are built primarily to be fast, simple, and easy for all users to have a good UX. If getting users up and running is more important than all the features and function required for deeper use of the system, then this may not be the smart choice.
Conclusion
Eleads CRM is a very powerful CRM that fits dealerships well! They offer all the core functionality including lead management, marketing tools, and customer retention down processes. As an organization, they would be great for medium-to-large dealerships willing to dedicate time to training and future growth.
While smaller stores may consider Eleads to be somewhat cumbersome, there remain teams that will want to go deep, that will be deliberate in their approach to reviewing users’ day-to-day systems, and engage customers. It is still one of the best options on the market in 2025 and a long track record with results!
