JD Power has reported that it has “strengthened its position as one of the dominant forces in the data analytics and consumer intelligence markets” by the acquisition of Tail Light, an automotive software company that makes finance and insurance menu and reporting software.
“The pace of digital transformation in auto dealerships has been staggering, and the F&I department has been leading that charge with growing demand for digital menu solutions that clearly and consistently display financing details and special offers to consumers whether they are in the showroom or buying online,” said Phil Battista, president of dealership technologies at J.D. Power.
Tail Light’s software is used by automotive dealerships and insurance providers to streamline vehicle financing and service contract configuration and reporting. The acquisition follows the 2021 acquisition of Superior Integrated Solutions, Inc./Darwin Automotive.
Said Battista, “Demand has grown for analytics and reporting solutions that allow dealers to optimise their F&I offerings. By augmenting our rapidly growing suite of dealer-focused F&I solutions with Tail Light’s F&I technology and resources, we are solidifying our role as an end-to-end data analytics and software solutions provider to all facets of the automobile industry.”
The Tail Light F&I technology will be integrated into the J.D. Power Dealership Technologies division, and will include the Tail Light Showcase solution, which supports both showroom and digital sales with highly personalized, customer-focused tools to select vehicle financing and protection options. It also includes analytics and reporting software that allows dealerships to analyze their own F&I performance versus industry benchmarks to make adjustments and optimize their consumer offerings.
“Today’s F&I department is fundamentally different from even a few years ago,” said Matt Twyman, CEO of Tail Light. “Dealerships have become sophisticated, data-driven enterprises that rely on real-time analytics, competitive benchmarking, and powerful software to deliver the optimal customer experience while maximizing profitability. We have been committed to driving the technology transformation with the industry’s best software and analytics.”
