CRM Overlay Hierarchy for Multi-Dealership Lead Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing CRM systems in automotive dealerships lack the ability to efficiently manage and integrate customer interactions across multiple dealership entities within a group, leading to inefficiencies in lead management and customer relationship management.

Innovation Solution

A dealership hierarchical structure is defined within a CRM overlay that interfaces with a generic CRM platform, enabling the identification and matching of communications with existing sales leads based on sender and recipient information, including SMS, email, and voice-based communications, to enhance lead management and customer engagement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a generic CRM platform is used without dealership-specific customization, then system simplicity and ease of operation are improved, but the ability to manage hierarchical dealership entities and their specific communication needs deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidadaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the dealership group into hierarchical entities (parent dealership, child dealerships, locations) and implements separate configuration capabilities for each level. This allows generic CRM functionality to remain simple while adding specialized hierarchical management capabilities where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a nested hierarchical structure where parent dealerships contain child dealerships, which in turn contain multiple locations. This nested architecture allows the system to maintain a unified generic CRM interface while accommodating complex multi-level dealership structures through layered configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Device complexity

If manual lead management processes are used, then system complexity is reduced, but productivity and time efficiency in matching communications with leads deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidproductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements automated self-service functionality where incoming communications are automatically processed, parsed for identifying information, and matched with appropriate sales leads without manual intervention. This automation significantly improves productivity while maintaining manageable system complexity through rule-based matching algorithms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical processes (physically matching communications with leads) with automated electronic processing. The system automatically extracts identifying information from communications and performs electronic matching with sales leads in the database, dramatically improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Loss of information

If comprehensive communication tracking across all dealership entities is implemented, then information completeness and customer engagement quality improve, but data processing complexity and time requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidtime

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the hierarchical dealership structure and establishing matching rules before communications arrive. This preparation enables rapid automated processing of incoming communications without requiring time-consuming manual analysis, thus capturing complete information efficiently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces time-consuming manual communication tracking with automated electronic processing. The system automatically captures, stores, and matches communication data across the hierarchical dealership structure, preserving complete information while minimizing time loss through efficient database operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS20260017676A1Information management system and method

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 DEALERCLOUD LLC

AI summary

A computer-implemented method, computer program product and computing system for: defining a dealership hierarchical structure within a CRM overlay that is configured to interface with a generic customer relationship management platform, wherein the dealership hierarchical structure identifies a plurality of dealership entities associated with a dealership group; receiving a communication that includes identifying information; processing the identifying information within the communication to identify a sender and an intended recipient for the communication; and matching the communication with an existing sales lead for one of the plurality of dealership entities associated with the dealership group based, at least in part, upon the sender and the intended recipient for the communication.