Jayco to Use ARI’s Footsteps Channel Connect

ARI Network Services Inc. announced that Jayco Inc. has licensed its FootSteps Channel Connect management solution product. According to a press release, Channel Connect will be used by the builder’s three operating divisions, Jayco Inc., Starcraft RV Inc. and Entegra Coach Inc., along with its more than 400 dealers.

ARI said that FootSteps Channel Connect enables OEMs to consolidate, monitor, measure and manage lead activities across distribution channels. With FootSteps Channel Connect, an OEM’s dealers are provided with a free, easy-to-use lead management solution that connects to the channel. This approach is designed to “help the OEM and its dealers convert more opportunities into sales by automating a consistent lead nurturing and communications strategy and efficiently managing the sales process,” according to the release.

“Jayco is committed to providing the greatest degree of customer satisfaction possible,” said Sid Johnson, director of marketing for Middlebury, Ind.-based Jayco. “To accomplish that, we needed to provide our dealerships with a lead management solution that makes it easy for them to capture, follow up and nurture leads through the sales process and beyond. FootSteps Channel Connect does that and more.

“Not only does FootSteps Channel Connect automate the followup process for us and our dealers, we believe it will help our dealers convert more leads into sales and build lifelong relationships with customers.”

ARI Reports Growth in 2Q Sales, Profits Decline

ARI Network Services Inc., which provides software solutions to dealers in the RV and other industries, reported an increase in revenue and its number of customers for its fiscal second quarter, which ended Jan. 31.

Soundings Trade Only reported that total revenue for the quarter increased 5%, to $5.5 million compared with $5.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2011, the company reported. The company paid down $287,000 of debt in the second quarter; in the same period last year it increased its debt obligations by $92,000. ARI added 156 customers and a new reseller agreement in the second quarter.

The company reported net income of $61,000, or 1 cent a share, for the quarter, compared with $123,000, or 2 cents a share, for the second quarter of 2011.

Second-quarter revenue and operating income were affected by the company’s fiscal 2011 divestiture of its AgChem EDI business. The company reported revenue of $114,000 related to this business in the second quarter of fiscal 2011 that did not repeat this year.

“We are pleased with the results of the quarter and the first half of the year as we continue to make strategic investments to better position the company for improved operational and financial performance,” ARI president and CEO Roy W. Olivier said in a statement. “As we add new customers, continue to expand recurring revenue and reduce the number of existing customers that drop our service, we expect to produce more consistent revenue growth and profitability.”

ARI Services Teams With Exuma on FootSteps

ARI Network Services, Inc., provider of the lead management tool FootSteps, today (Feb. 9) announced that it has signed a multi-year reseller agreement with Exuma Technologies, makers of DockMaster and RVMaster.

According to a press release, under the terms of this agreement, ARI and Exuma will integrate their products, and Exuma will resell FootSteps Essentials and Professional to its current and future customers in the marine and RV Industries.

“Our goal is to provide the best solution for marine and RV businesses to automate and integrate all aspects of their operations – service, parts, inventory, sales, fixed operations and accounting,” said Cam Collins, president of North Palm Beach, Fla.-based Exuma Technologies. “Our decision to enter into an alliance with ARI was simple. We have the same goal: help make our dealers even more successful. We are confident that our dealers will quickly capitalize on the competitive advantage FootSteps lead management and nurture marketing adds to DockMaster and RVMaster.

“We welcome this opportunity to provide Exuma customers with an end-to-end solution that will help them capture qualified leads and convert them into sales,” said Roy W. Olivier, president and CEO of ARI. “ARI is pleased to announce its strategic alliance with Exuma. The combination of FootSteps and Exuma’s dealer management systems is very powerful. It will help dealers streamline their lead management processes to drive sales and profits.”

FootSteps Essentials is an affordable, easy-to-use lead management solution. It helps dealers convert more opportunities into sales by automating a consistent lead nurturing and communication strategy and efficiently managing the sales process. FootSteps Professional is a more feature-rich version of the award-winning solution primarily designed to support the more expansive needs of dealers with multiple locations, many users, and multiple user roles.

ARI Teams With UVS Junction on FootSteps Tool

ARI Network Services Inc., a provider of the lead management tool FootSteps, today (Jan. 12) announced that the company has signed a multi-year reseller agreement with UVS Junction LLC.

According to a press release, under the terms of this agreement, ARI and UVS will integrate their products and UVS will resell FootSteps Essentials and Professional to its current and future customers.

“The integration of FootSteps with our website platform provides our dealers with a powerful one-two punch,” said Angie Cellucci, founder and director of UVS Junction. “UVS sites help dealers generate qualified sales opportunities, and FootSteps helps dealers nurture these opportunities and convert more leads into sales. The word ‘Junction’ in our corporate name means ‘to connect. After an extensive search for a company that would help us provide the perfect connection, we made the decision to team up with ARI. We are excited to launch this new relationship and bring FootSteps to our customers and to the RV community at large.”

“In the complex world of eCommerce, dealers will benefit from an end-to-end solution that meets their eCommerce, lead management and end-user experience needs,” said Roy W. Oliver, president and CEO at ARI. “ARI is pleased to announce its strategic alliance with UVS. Our lead management expertise combined with UVS’ Web platform delivers a superior solution for our mutual prospects and customers.”

“At ARI, we are committed to identifying and collaborating with other providers to deliver integrated solutions that help dealers profitably grow their business,” added Jon Lintvet, chief marketing officer and vice president of product at ARI. “UVS was looking for a new lead management solution to replace its current offering and best support its customers’ growing business needs.

“FootSteps provides UVS and its customers with a proven solution, already in use by many of the most respected names in the RV industry, and one that uniquely supports the RV industry and UVS’ customers ‘off the shelf,’” he added.

Lintvet said FootSteps Essentials helps dealers convert more opportunities into sales by automating a consistent lead nurturing and communication strategy and efficiently managing the sales process. FootSteps Professional is a more feature-rich version of the award-winning solution primarily designed to support the more expansive needs of dealers with multiple locations, many users, and multiple user roles.

Dealers attending the 2012 Stag-Parkway distributor show, Jan. 16 to 18, at the Mirage in Las Vegas, will have the opportunity to meet with UVS (Booth 918) and Bob McCann, director of education at ARI. McCann will share his ‘tips from the trenches’ with attendees that will help them save time, get the most out of their FootSteps integration, help grow their business, and forge ahead of the competition.