“Last month with Dealerware we collected $1,200 in daily rates... more than we’ve ever collected on paper. That success even got us more loaner cars.”
The Challenge
Like many VW dealerships, Volkswagen Pasadena was managing its CMC Program with paper contracts, car keys on a board, and Excel spreadsheets. While the dealership valued offering courtesy vehicles, especially for warranty repairs, the process had serious drawbacks:
- 15 minutes to complete each paper contract
- No visibility into fleet activity, vehicle location, or cost recovery
- VW reimbursement dollars exhausted quickly each quarter
- No consistent way to charge for fuel or recoup tolls
That meant the CMC program functioned strictly as a cost center. The dealership could not see a path to extending its value or using the fleet to generate revenue.
As Service Manager Paolo Cordisco put it: “We had binders, keys, spreadsheets… running a loaner program felt like more of a burden than a value driver.”
But hidden in plain sight was an opportunity most VW dealers have not considered: using CMC vehicles not just for warranty customers, but as paid service replacements for customers who are out of warranty.
Why Partner with Dealerware
VW Pasadena’s leadership wanted their CMC program to do more than just meet program requirements. With Dealerware, they were able to:
- Digitize the process with iPads and secure, quick contracting
- Recover costs automatically, starting with fuel and tolls
- Gain visibility into which vehicles were out for warranty, customer-pay, or internal use
- Introduce paid service replacement vehicles, offering out-of-warranty customers a $29.99 per day VW loaner that was less expensive and more convenient than Enterprise
“It’s been a breath of fresh air. I’m disappointed in ourselves that we weren’t on it sooner.” – Paolo Cordisco, Service Manager
The Results
In just two months since implementing Dealerware, VW Pasadena achieved measurable results:
Retention & Loyalty
Customers embraced Pasadena’s paid service replacements, appreciating both the convenience and the price point.
“We set our daily rate competitively, and customers have been completely open to it,” Paolo said. “One even told us, ‘Finally, I’m glad you’re doing this now. I don’t have to go to Enterprise.’”
They also noticed the change in customer surveys. “Customers now say, ‘I don’t have to look at another dealer to get a loaner car.’ It’s definitely helped our retention,” Paolo explained.
Why It Matters for VW Dealers
Pasadena proves what is possible when you modernize:
- Dealerware pays for itself once you start recovering fuel and toll costs.
- From there, you can generate net new revenue by offering customer-pay loaners to out-of-warranty customers.
- This strategy not only offsets costs but keeps more customers loyal to your dealership well beyond their warranty period.
“Would we ever go back to paper? No. Not even close.” – Paolo
