What Is a Dealership CRM?

A dealership CRM is a contact database with workflow on top: inbound leads from your website and third-party sources flow in, get assigned to a salesperson, and trigger structured follow-up (calls, texts, emails) until the customer either buys or disqualifies.

• Lead capture — website forms, AutoTrader, Cars.com, OEM leads, walk-ins
• Lead routing — round-robin or skill-based assignment to sales reps
• Follow-up automation — call/text/email sequences and reminders
• Communication log — every text, call recording, and email in one place
• Desking & quote generation — building the deal sheet before F&I
• Pipeline reporting — appointment rates, show rates, close rates

CRM is built for the pre-sale conversation. Once the customer signs, the CRM has largely done its job. What it doesn’t handle:

• Operational workflow after the deal is signed — recon, accessories, detail, delivery prep
• Inventory of record, accounting, and F&I funding (that's the DMS)
• Cross-department status — recon and delivery rarely live in the CRM
• Unit-level SLAs and at-risk delivery alerts

• CRM — leads and customer communication before the sale
• DMS — system of record after the sale (inventory, F&I, accounting)
• Delivery / workflow platform — coordinates the operational floor between sold and delivered

Read more on the DMS layer in What is a dealership DMS, or jump to the dealership software buyer’s guide to compare all three.

DealerIQ doesn’t compete with your CRM — it picks up where the CRM stops. The CRM closes the deal; DealerIQ runs the board that gets the car delivered. Recon stages, accessory installs, F&I funding, detail, and the final customer appointment all live on the delivery board with unit-level SLAs and live status.