Handle CRM and your DMS: the connection questions

Two systems, two jobs

Your DMS runs the store: units, parts, service, invoices. Handle runs the chase: tasks, follow-up, customer history. The connection between them is what stops double typing. When a deal closes, the customer should not need to be typed into the DMS again.

The brand-data question

Handle's documented data connection is DIT, which is John Deere specific. Your DMS connection is a separate question. Ask about both, separately: what flows from the brand, and what flows from your DMS. Do not let a yes to one cover a no to the other.

What to ask

• Which DMS systems does Handle connect to, in writing?
• Does the connection pull customer data, push closed deals, or both?
• Is the connection live or a nightly file?
• Is the connection included or priced separately?
• Who maintains it when either side changes?

Real pipe versus buzzword

We integrate can mean three very different things: a nightly file, a live connection, or we will build it for a fee. Ask which one your DMS gets. A nightly customer sync is fine for lists. It is not fine when a rep follows up on a deal that already closed.

A worked task: separate the two pipes

Handle has two different connection questions: brand data like DIT, and your DMS. Suggested exercise: draw two boxes on paper — brand feeds and store system — and ask the vendor to fill in what flows through each. Inputs: your DMS name and your brand list. Expected output: two clear answers instead of one vague one. The exception to catch: a yes about DIT is not a yes about your DMS. Get each answer in writing, separately.

Do this week

List the systems a closed deal touches today: CRM, DMS, financing, accounting. Every arrow between them is a pipe to ask about.