DMS (Dealer Management System)

Having to discuss on a lot of topic lately related to MIS, has generate a lot of interest among my classmate lately. Therefore, I would want to share the ideas with my fellow friend in regard to our MIS in my organization in VW.

Already industry for almost 6 years has provided me with a lot of view in regards to automotive industry. Is vibrant, energetic compared to other industry. I must say that working in the industry has provided me with added advantages so far, with better exposure and different from the rest.

 

 

DMS

A dealership management system (DMS) or auto dealership management system is a bundled management information system created specifically for automotive industry car dealerships or large equipment manufacturers, such as the one uses by  Volkswagen Group Malaysia. These systems often contain software that caters to the needs of the finance, sales, parts, inventory and administration components of running the dealership.

DMS in Summary

DMS software typically includes support for all aspects of running a dealership such as:

• Tracking vehicle inventory
• Tracking sales
• Finance and insurance calculations
• Menu selling systems
• Tracking customers (and customer follow up)
• Accounting
• Managing dealer website
• Calculating employee commissions
• Purchase order tracking
• Parts inventory
• Work order management
• Appointment scheduling
• Proper planning
• Follow-up

A typical DMS installation includes a central server which stores all data, allowing multi-user access for as many as 50 or more client computers. Some installations may include thin clients (computer program which depends heavily on some other computer ) Other DMS providers use a centrally-hosted, or software as a services/application service provider model.

A DMS usually offers interfaces with other systems, especially manufacturer systems to enable automatic processing of purchases, warranty claims, price lists and many other data.

The Dealer Management System (DMS) is designed to meet the needs of a modern dealership and help Dealer & Company to work more efficiently,It can provide better management information, and better support for customer-facing activities in both sales and after-sales services.

 

The main components of DMS are shown here:

·         PID Management and Retailing.

·         Items/ Parts Management.

·         Service Management (Job Cards Creation).

·         Warranty Management.

·         Financial transaction between dealer and company.

·         Management Reporting.

 VW Malaysia Building Block

 

 

 

DMS is effectively a "lite" version of the ERP systems which are used by automotive company and their dealers to manage their operations.

Implementing IT systems can be tricky and expensive, yet a well-designed and well-implemented DMS offers a significant return on investment and can provide your business with a key competitive edge. Some of the benefits of DMS are as follows:

Why Dealer Management System ?

·         Improved communication between different branches and with company to provide better support to the customer.

·         It is having a extensive management reporting for tracking daily activities of the dealers and company. Such as based on DO Analysis report company/dealer may find out regularly appearing problems in vehicle.

·         It is having the capacity to migrate all the previous data and the user may start the live work from the day of implementation of DMS.

·         It is completely web based solution so it does not required at software to be installed on different branches and it is accessible from any remote location.

·         A flexible design which will allow you to reconfigure your DMS easily to meet changing business needs.

·         An open architecture which will allow new modules to be introduced quickly and easily as the needs of the business change.

Types of MIS (NOT MEN IN SARONG!)

Having to discuss related topic to MIS, one would be wondering how many types of MIS can be. As a public point of view, MIS can be just MANAGING IT IN THE COMPANY. Well that is what normal people would think, but its not quite.

Having to switch to technology is unavoidable for organizations nowadays. It can be consider as the need to operate a complex business we are facing todays.

Most management information systems specialize in particular commercial and industrial sectors, aspects of the enterprise, or management substructure. In other world, this is the system which makes complex organization more easier to run, operation with the help of Information Technology, uses data to convert into information.

Management information systems (MIS), per se, produce fixed, regularly scheduled reports based on data extracted and summarized from the firm’s underlying transaction processing systems to middle and operational level managers to identify and inform structured and semi-structured decision problems. Having explain this, it help managers on decision making proses due to the complex amount of date involve.

 

Some system are commonly known in the world of MIS are explain below:

*Decision support systems (DSS) : are computer program applications used by middle management to compile information from a wide range of sources to support problem solving and decision making.

 *Executive information systems (EIS):is a reporting tool that provides quick access to summarized reports coming from all company levels and departments such as accounting, human resources and operations.

 *Marketing information systems: are MIS designed specifically for managing the marketing aspects of the business.

 *Office automation systems (OAS): support communication and productivity in the enterprise by automating work flow and eliminating bottlenecks. OAS may be implemented at any and all levels of management.

* School management information systems (MIS) : cover school administration,and often including teaching and learning materials.

 

Want to become MIS professional??

When you talk about having career in MIS, some would think that MIS work is just about sitting if office with computer screen in front your face, cable and wire tangling all over the floor, office room next to a server room (which is the coldest room in the whole entire building!)

Given an impression of a guy  working in IT dept to a girl, this will be the impression:

It will turn girl off, and that is why I don’t intent to be IT PROFESSIONAL! (well not quite)

But nowadays, MIS professional is not what we used to think. It a lot of different comparing to last time.

 

 

 

MIS professionals make business better!

 YUP! I agree. I was graduated in Bachelor of Science in Information System Management (having dropout from Architecture L. However, I don’t see this as a regret, actually it open the way how I look at IT.

 

What kinds of people pursue MIS degrees?

 

In order for you to develop a career in MIS, below are some descriptions of the required skills needed to become MIS professionals.

 The profiles of MIS professionals are varied, but in general, such individuals possess many of the following traits:

 ■good problem solving skills

 ■ability to effectively manage time and resources

 ■a clear vision of “the big picture” as well as the “small details”

 ■a desire to work closely with other people

 ■excellent communication skills

 ■ability to think strategically about technology

 ■a desire to take responsibility for developing and implementing their own ideas

 

Having a degree in MIS, will definitely end up you in IT related profession.

What are typical career options for MIS professionals? Look at below option on job option related to MIS.

 ■IT Consultant

 ■Web Developer

 ■Information Systems Manager

 ■Business Intelligence Analyst

 ■Network Administrator

 ■Business Application Developer

 ■Systems Analyst

 ■Technical Support Specialist

 ■Business Analyst

 ■Systems Developer

 

Nice rite? Information System Manager.., Business Intelligence Analysis, IT Consultant… Well I should become one.. But I didn’t end up as one either.  I’m still stuck in automotive line (for a pure PASSION!)

The question on having to choose this particular profession is normally due to a high interest in IT. This is whats my majority classmate chooses this course. And once graduated, it is a question why some of them still in the profession.

Why should I choose to major in MIS?

 ■Job satisfaction

 ■High placement rate

 ■High salaries

 ■Exciting field

 ■Challenging field

 ■Hands-on problem solving

 ■Innovation and creativity

 ■Global opportunities

 ■Great chance for advancement

 ■You can have an impact!

 

What is an average salary for an MIS professional?

In not sure how much salary MIS professional make, but I believe not more than what I’m making now (JokingJ) . Well, let’s discuss!

MIS= Men in Sarong? Mariage is SCAM??

What is MIS?

Its a question posed from the NON IT people, or government people, IT illitereate when you talk about MIS. THEY HAVE NO CLUE AT ALL!

 

MIS= MARRIAGE IS SCAM... well almost... not quite what im going to talk about... well I know everyone would want to talk about marriage, well fella's this is not the PLATFORM!

A management information system (MIS) provides information that is needed to manage organizations efficiently and effectively.

In easier word, which is easy to understand;  Management information systems are not only computer systems - these systems encompass three primary components: technology, people (individuals, groups, or organizations), and data/information for decision making. A combination of all. Got it!

 

Some would call that MIS is all related to IT. BUT THE FACT IS IT IS RELATED TO MANAGING THE OVERALL  SYSTEM IN ONE ORGANIZATION.

 

 

Management information systems are distinct from other information systems in that they are designed to be used to analyze and facilitate strategic and operational activities in the organization.

Academically, the term is commonly used to refer to the study of how individuals, groups, and organizations evaluate, design, implement, manage, and utilize systems to generate information to improve efficiency and effectiveness of decision making, including systems termed decision support systems, expert systems, and executive information systems.

 

Most organization  have an MIS department, alongside departments of accounting, finance, management, marketing, etc. in some organization, MIS dept has being neglected, least important department compared to others. Its a non-profit dept, we look at it as cost department who spend all hard earned company money to 'unnecessary' upgrade related to department.

This is maybe  due the fact that some organization spend the least amount of time thinking of upgrading their technology due to the fact that it will not contribute to the company profit. So the people in IT DEPT is left behind... 

What i highlight here is the real scenario facing organization nowadays. You may do survey, out of 10 company interviewed, at least 7 will say that this is just a waste of time and upgrading the unnesessary, it will just add to their cost.

That is why we see that the subject of MIS, IT related is the least talk about in organizations. Having to fork out million of RM for upgrading purpose is just a waste of money. And in FINANCIAL point of views , it will not added to company profit as increase in IT infrastructure doesn't add to increase in PROFIT.

IT SETUP COST+HIGHER OPERATION COST= LESS IN PROFIT

World without IT

What would u imagine if the world without IT?

Just imagine...

Technogeek@ technologygeek

Having fascinated with technology which has inspired me to create this blog for the share and passion toward subject. It would be a platform for me and the rest of the #technogeek #technofreak# technopreneur which has the same passion to used this as a platform as a discussion place to share ideas, interest, passion toward this subject.

Technogeek can be a common word used by public to describe anyone who has interest toward technology, IT's, gadgets, games, etc which related to technology. World has been dominated by technology this day, and we cannot escape, be it at work, office, school, home and even your car. The word of adroid, apple, blackberry is commonly used nowadays.

This blog created for the purpose of pure passion of technology, sharing ideas of Information Technology related, and act as a purpose of creating to a plaform to discuss, with the choosen topic given, one is feel free to comment and suggest.

Having currenly doing MBA and having MIS (Management of Information System) as a subject for this semester, has created back the interest of #technologigeek like me. Teknologigeek has emerge!!