Introduction Edge computing and more generally the rise of Industry 4.0 delivers tremendous value for your business. Having the right data strategy is critical to get access to the right information at the right time and place. Processing data on-site allows you to react to events near real-time and propagating that data to every part […]
Why Automotive Dealers Remain Critical to Traditional OEMs
During this holiday season of thanks and introspection, I find myself reflecting on things that I cherish the most in my career. The automotive industry is at a great inflection point where consumer preferences dictate that there must be changes in how the industry operates. First off, Digital First and researching, shopping, and doing more […]
The Few, the Proud, the Protected — Provisions in SCRA That Financial Institutions Must Be Aware Of
SCRA stands for the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. The history of the SCRA can be traced back to a Civil War moratorium that protected Union soldiers and sailors from collection actions, divorce proceedings, and other legal issues during wartime. These protections resurfaced in 1918 with the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act. The Act was […]
Automotive Companies Require a Digital-First Mindset To Transform Faster and Smarter
I spent much of this week writing our Digital First Industry Position for the Automotive industry. As someone who has been online since the early days of the Internet, sometimes it amazes me that in 2022, we are still talking about Digital First. I had the privilege of creating the first online ads on washingtonpost.com, […]
Perficient Mentioned in Forrester Trends Report: Low-Code Addresses the Developer Shortages
Many organizations are struggling with finding skilled software developers for their development teams. To help increase the number of developers, one of the strategies emerging in the market is low-code platforms. Low-code platforms reduce the need to write code and increase the speed at which applications can be built and deployed. Essentially, low code puts […]
[Podcast] What If Intuition and Data Could Hold Hands? An Interview with Will Stacy
In this episode, Jim talks with Will Stacy, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer at GM Financial, about how to approach leadership in the face of massive disruption and how a culture of mentorship makes a world of difference in how an organization grows and evolves. We’d love to get your feedback on a “white noise” […]
Dreamforce ’22: Blazing Trails in the Manufacturing and Automotive Industries
Last week, our team attended Salesforce’s largest conference, Dreamforce, in San Francisco. For many attendees, it was the first time in three years that they were able to gather in-person with peers and clients. During the three-day conference, 40,000 Salesforce partners, clients, and vendors got together to hear from Salesforce leadership, industry experts, and a handful of […]
Understanding the Importance Of Heritage OEMs and Their Dealer Networks
Sitting here on a Saturday afternoon with my father-in-law, who is visiting Michigan for the weekend. My father-in-law, Jim O’Connor, is retired today. He was an executive at Ford Motor Company for a great many years who oversaw sales and marketing operations and was specifically influential in the dealer network. I love our time together […]
Electrify Everything: EV’s and Beyond
An Exploration of Automotive and Manufacturing History The world is heating up and much like the necessity to flatten the curve of infectious diseases running rampant, it has been made strikingly clear that flattening the greenhouse gas emissions curve is imperative. To achieve this drawdown, carbon neutrality across industries is the objective before we can […]
Perficient Team Codes Their Way Through Toyota’s SWARM Hackathon
Toyota recently brought together over 400 software engineers to participate in their annual SWARM Hackathon. Beginning in 2019, SWARM is a program that brings to life innovative ideas by having engineers work to creatively solve specific issues in the automotive industry. After the hackathon, Toyota’s divisions then evaluate many of the ideas and bring some […]
Macroeconomics Driving eCommerce in the Automotive Industry
One of the biggest buzzwords of our day in the automotive industry is eCommerce. All the major auto companies are talking about improving the online shopping experience. They’re all focused on the consumer experience. At the same time, there is an emphasis on direct-to-consumer in terms of commerce. The EV-only companies have started this trend […]
The Wait Is Over – The World of Hurt for Auto Lenders Is Here
Back in May, we wrote about how various factors were converging to put a world of hurt on auto lenders. Auto loan originations hit a record high during the pandemic, total outstanding debt grew, and constrained inventory and pent-up demand drove new and used car prices (and monthly payments) to record highs. We highlighted the […]