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DealerSocket

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Company: DealerSocket, San Clemente, CA
Entry Submitted By: Laura Truex
Company Description: Over 50,000 users at nearly 1000 auto dealerships throughout the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia now leverage DealerSocket's CRM solution to optimize and manage marketing activities, sales processes, customer satisfaction and retention, and service department operations. DealerSocket has won numerous industry awards since its founding in 2001 and is based in San Clemente, CA.
Nomination Category: Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Management Team of the Year

Nomination Title: Under Steady Management, DealerSocket Thrives in Struggling Industry

   1. Tell the story about what this nominated management team achieved since January 1 2008 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

          Throughout 2008, the critical plight of the American automotive industry
          dominated headlines throughout the world.  Low consumer confidence, a tough
          credit market and struggles of the Big 3 Detroit automakers severely impacted
          nearly all auto-related businesses, with dealerships particularly hard hit. 

          With a steady track record of remaining one step ahead of its customer’s needs,
          automotive CRM solution provider DealerSocket responded to the challenges
          dealers were now facing with several industry-first solutions enabling them to
          quickly and cost-effectively overcome each obstacle.  As the industry turmoil
          continued, DealerSocket averaged one new customer per day (increasing to 1.5
          per day by March 2009), leading to 2008 revenue growth of 33%, as dealers
          leveraged the company’s comprehensive CRM solutions to recession-proof their
          businesses.

          While most companies serving the industry struggled, DealerSocket has thrived
          due to the steady leadership, unwavering customer commitment and innovative
          approach of its management team: Jonathan Ord, Co-Founder and CEO, Brad Perry,
          Co-Founder and President, Cameron Darby, Chief Operating Officer and Matt
          Redden, Vice President of Sales.

          DealerSocket Milestones Since January 1, 2008:

          • Surpasses 50,000 DealerSocket CRM system users
          • Expands into Canada, U.K. and Australia
          • Records five-year revenue growth of 4,529%
          • Records 2008 revenue growth of 33%
          • Reports 6 years of consecutive profitable quarters
          • Averages one new customer per day throughout 2008
          • Named a Fastest Growing Company in North America by Deloitte & Touch for
          third consecutive year
          • Named Best Overall Company in 2008 Stevie International Business Awards
          • Named Sales Department of the Year - Computer Software in 3rd annual Stevie
          Awards for Sales & Customer Service
          • Introduces industry first a-la-carte sales approach to its DealerSocket CRM,
          enabling dealers to choose from Sales, CSI, Marketing or Service components to
          achieve immediate ROI and increased profits
          • Introduces MoneyMaker, enabling dealers to decrease cost and increase revenue
          by mining their own data for leads
          • Launches new desktop application enabling dealerships to comply with fair
          business practice regulations

          Each member of the team continues to play a clear role in DealerSocket’s
          ongoing success and serves as a role model for corporate responsibility. 
          Before co-founding the company in 2001 with no outside investment, Ord and
          Perry spent a year working for free in all departments of a dealership to gain
          a thorough understanding of dealers’ unique needs.  The management team
          continues to apply this principal of building from the ground up to every
          department of their organization, providing each employee the opportunity to
          do, contribute, lead and solve problems, even when they might not have
          the “resume” to do so.  The team’s mantra: “Treat people ethically and fairly
          and give them room to grow” positively affects both its employees and
          customers - evidenced by the low voluntary employee turnover of less than 2%
          and a customer retention rate of over 90%. 

          Firm believers in giving back, each member of the management team, along with
          every DealerSocket employee, spends an average of 3 hours per week volunteering
          for local and national charitable causes.

   2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

          Since the company’s founding in 2001, both DealerSocket and its management team
          have received extensive press coverage and numerous awards and accolades for
          the company’s exceptional growth and ongoing commitment to the retail
          automotive industry.  Comprehensive coverage can be found at
          http://www.dealersocket.com/about/news.html.  Highlights include:

          DealerSocket Honored Among This Year's Most Promising Private Technology
          Companies in North America
          http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx? ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/05-05-2009/0005019231&EDATE=          

          DealerSocket Wins Best Overall Company in 5th Annual International Business
          Awards(SM)
          http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/2379368

          Automotive CRM Provider DealerSocket Wins Top Honor in Computer Software
          Category in 2009 Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service(SM)
          http://www.cnbc.com/id/29126344/

          Audi of America Selects DealerSocket as Preferred CRM Provider
          http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/prnewswire/press_releases/national/California/2009/04/08/LA96470

          DealerSocket Continues to Experience Steady Growth as Auto Dealerships Leverage
          Company's CRM to Recession-Proof Businesses
          http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/06-17-2008/0004833604&EDATE=

          90 Auto Dealerships in 90 Days Choose DealerSocket CRM
          Dealers cite high level of accountability, increased ROI and ease of use as
          deciding factors
          http://www.dealerrefresh.com/90-dealers-choose-dealersocket-crm/

          DealerSocket Continues Growth; Recognized Once Again As Fastest Growing Company
          http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/prnewswire/press_releases/California/2008/11/18/LATU044  

          OC’s 40 Under 40 – DealerSocket’s Co-Founders Jonathan Ord and Brad Perry
          http://www.ocmetro.com/t-Cover_40_Under_40.aspx  

          DealerSocket Ranks #2 on Deloitte & Touche Annual List of Fastest Growing
          Companies in Orange County – 4529.4% Growth
          http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/article/0,1002,sid%253D56072%2526cid%253D177037,00.html   

          DealerSocket Ranks #37 on Deloitte & Touche 2007 Technology Fast 500 Annual
          List of Fastest Growing Companies in North America
          http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/us_tmt_Technology%20Fast%20500%20Article_102307.pdf

          Video: High CSI Scores Enabled by DealerSocket CRM Key to Revenue and Profit in
          Current Auto Dealership Marketplace
          http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS115419+15-Jul-2008+PRN20080715

          DealerSocket Receives Multiple Awards for Growth
          http://www.dealersocket.com/news/PressReleaseDealerSocketGrowthFINAL091307.pdf

          DealerSocket Launches New Desktop Application Helping Dealerships Stay Compliant
          http://www.dealersocket.com/news/DSLaunchesNewApp.pdf

          Deloitte & Touch 2006 Technology Fast 500 – DealerSocket #43 on Annual List of
          Fastest Growing Companies in North America
          http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/article/0,1002,sid%253D2205%2526cid%253D134079,00.html

          FireSocket Tops Deloitte's Orange County Technology Fast 50 Ranking of Fastest
          Growing Companies, With 6,180 Percent Revenue Growth Over Five Years
          http://www.dealersocket.com/news/DTPressRelease.pdf

          Automotive Digest Follow the Leaders:  Jonathan Ord, CEO, DealerSocket LLC
          http://www.dealersocket.com/pdf/1107FTL_JonathanOrd.pdf

          In the HighBeams: Interview with Jonathan Ord, CEO, DealerSocket
          http://www.dealersocket.com/about/inthehighbeamsinterview.html

          Top Dealer Improves Sales and CSI with CRM
          http://www.dealermark.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1294&Itemid=0

   3. Provide brief (up to 200 words total) biographies of the key members of the management team:

          Jonathan Ord
          Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder
          As CEO, Jonathan Ord sets vision and drives strategy for DealerSocket.  Over
          the past 13 years, Jonathan has created and executed business process visions
          for more than 500 companies. 

          Brad Perry
          President, Co-Founder
          As President of DealerSocket, Brad Perry focuses on transforming vision into
          reality, relying on his years of experience in the consulting and ASP software
          industry. 

          Both Ord and Perry are graduates of Brigham Young University.  Jonathan earned
          a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and Spanish, and a Master’s Degree in
          Accounting and Information Systems.  Brad earned a Master’s Degree in
          Accounting and Information Systems.

          Cameron Darby
          Chief Operating Officer
          As COO, Cameron Darby directs operations and collaborates with CEO Jonathan Ord
          to drive DealerSocket’s overall strategy.

          Cameron is a graduate of Brigham Young University, where he earned a Bachelor’s
          Degree in English. He is also a graduate of Brigham Young University J. Rueben
          Clark Law School. 

          Matthew Redden
          Vice President of Sales
          As Vice President of Sales for DealerSocket, Matt drives sales through a
          unified approach that incorporates marketing, sales and customer support. 

          Matt is a graduate of Brigham Young University, where he earned a Bachelor's
          Degree in Physiology.