Performance Manager / Product SME, Dealer Solutions Account Management
SME expert in one of: DMS, CRM, Service or Marketing
Employment Type: Full-Time
Role Overview
- The SolutionsPerformance Manager / Product SME for [Product] is a dealership operations and product expert responsible for ensuring customers achieve maximum value from their [???] inset DMS, CRM, Service, and Marketing.
- They work side-by-side with Account Managers to:
- Drive product adoption
- Deliver performance improvement recommendations
- Optimize dealership workflows
- Provide training, insights, and best practices
- Support renewal and expansion by demonstrating measurable results
- This role is highly consultative, hands-on, and data-driven, acting as the product and performance engine for the territory.
Key Responsibilities
Product Adoption & Utilization Leadership in assigned Platform (DMS/CRM/Service/Marketing)
Ensure customers fully adopt and use their contracted solutions, including:
DMS workflows: Service, Parts, Accounting, Inventory, Variable Ops
CRM workflows: Lead handling, BDC processes, showroom tracking
Service operations: Lane check-in, scheduling, inspections, tech productivity
Marketing solutions: Campaign automation, retention journeys, equity mining, reputation
Conduct usage audits and work with customers to close adoption gaps.
Performance Improvement & Dealership Optimization
- With Account Manager, analyze dealership performance metrics and translate them into actionable recommendations.
- Lead on-site or virtual coaching sessions focused on improving:
- Technician efficiency & labor hours
- Lead response times, appointment set ratios, and close rates
- Service retention, upsell capture, and multi-point inspection usage
- Marketing ROI and customer lifetime value
- Deliver scalable workflows, playbooks, and best practices tailored to dealership size.
Customer Engagement & Value Demonstration
- Focus on customer operational performance and adoption.
- Dealerships visits will be coordinated by the Account Manager, who maintains primary ownership of the customer relationship.
- Participate in QBRs with Account Managers to present data, performance insights, and product roadmaps.
- Provide clear ROI storytelling that ties product usage to KPI improvements.
- Build strong relationships with dealership stakeholders (GMs, Fixed Ops Directors, Service Managers, Sales Managers, BDC Leads, Marketing Managers).
Data Analysis & Reporting
- Monitor usage dashboards, performance KPIs, and adoption analytics to identify trends and prioritize accounts.
- Deliver clear, data-backed recommendations and action plans.
- Maintain documentation of customer progress, including training logs, KPIs, and next steps.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Provide Product and Engineering teams with field insights related to:
- Feature gaps
- Integration requests (e.g., DMS, CRM, OEM tools)
- Workflow challenges
- Competitive intelligence
- Work with Support and Professional Services to resolve technical issues impacting adoption.
- Partner with Marketing to share customer success stories and support case studies.
Territory Support
- Coordinate with Account Managers to support renewal readiness by driving proactive value realization. Prioritization for Adoption, At Risk Customers, Strategic Accounts.
- Recommend prioritize on which accounts need on-site vs. virtual engagement.
- Assist with onboarding workflows for new rooftops added through expansion.
Qualifications
Required
- 3 67+ years' experience in automotive SaaS, dealership operations, training, or consulting.
- Strong working knowledge of dealership processes across fixed ops, variable ops, CRM, and marketing.
- Hands-on experience with one or more automotive technologies (DMS, CRM, service scheduling, marketing platforms).
- Excellent skills in coaching, training, process improvement, and data analysis.
- Ability to communicate complex workflows clearly to dealership users and leaders.
Preferred
- Familiarity with major DMS providers (CDK, Reynolds, Dealertrack, Tekion).
- Experience with CRM platforms (Elead, VinSolutions, DealerSocket, etc.).
- Background in BDC operations, service lane management, or dealership marketing.
- Prior experience in a Product Specialist, Trainer, Consultant, or Fixed Ops role.
- Proven ability to present insights to executive audiences (GMs, Fixed Ops Directors, Dealer Principals).
Success Metrics
- Product adoption & utilization levels across DMS, CRM, Service, Marketing Platforms
- Performance KPI improvements (service hours, CRM conversion, marketing ROI, etc.)
- Customer satisfaction (NPS/CSAT) and reduction in escalations
- Impact on renewal readiness through value demonstration
- Completion of performance engagements and achievement of customer objectives
- Quality of documentation, reporting, and best practice delivery
- Competencies
- Operational Expertise 6 Deep understanding of automotive workflows.
- Product Mastery 6 Expert-level proficiency in assigned solutions.
- Analytical Mindset 6 Uses data to diagnose issues and guide coaching.
- Communication & Coaching 6 Clear, patient, and persuasive.
- Customer Empathy 6 Understands the daily realities of dealership teams.
- Collaboration 6 Works seamlessly with Account Managers and cross-functional partners.
- Execution Discipline 6 Organized, dependable, and detail-oriented.
- Travel
- 60- 75% depending on territory/area size, customer needs, and on-site support requirements.
