At the 2014 NADA Convention and Expo in New Orleans, La., Desjardins had a booth and display in collaboration with its cooperative partner Credit Union Direct Lending (CUDL).
From its headquarters in California, CUDL offers services to more than 1000 financial cooperatives, encompassing more than 34 million members, which have generated more than $120 billion in loans since 1994.
Between financial platforms and web-based products, the services provided by CUDL are both varied and comprehensive, designed to provide financial cooperatives with the ability to achieve greater economies of scale and ensure their success in the financial services marketplace.
In 2013, the partnership between Desjardins and CUDL resulted in the creation of EspaceAuto.com. This unique website enables dealers to have their vehicle inventory listings viewed by more than 5 million Desjardins members.
Additionally, it allows dealers to reach quality clients through an exclusive portal — an important consideration in the vehicle buying process. Additionally, EspaceAuto.com’s new pre-authorization service is able to qualify customers so they can receive instant approval. The result enables dealers to significantly speed up the sales process.
The 2014 NADA Convention and Expo illustrated the acceleration and increasing sophistication when it comes to technology in the point-of-sale process at the dealership. The number of customer relationship management tools available demonstrates the need to capture customers early during the purchasing cycle in order to facilitate customer loyalty and repeat business.
