Kriete Truck Centers was founded in 1951 by Henry Kriete, a Vice President at Mack Trucks who purchased a factory-owned branch and moved his family from New York to Wisconsin. More than seventy years later, the dealership still remains in the family and David Kriete, Henry’s grandson, now helms it. Today the company represents four truck brands, including Mack, Volvo, Hino, and Autocar, at ten locations throughout the state.
We recently sat down with Kriete to talk about why he chose to partner with Procede, why it’s so important for Procede to partner with OEMs and third-party vendors, and why Hino and Procede are a great match.
Partnering with OEMs is Paramount
When the Kriete Trucks team was looking to replace their previous dealer management system, they had more than technology in mind. As Kriete explained, “We were looking for a business partner, not a business system. Working with a company that had a long-term vision around how to collaborate on future business needs was important to us.” After a long search, they chose to partner with Procede, a company Kriete describes as “proactive and forward-thinking” and implement Excede for its powerful functionality, intuitive user interface, and access to data.
Another big draw for Kriete was Procede’s working relationship with OEMs. Kriete said, “A partnership with our key business partners is paramount. Procede not only carried Mack and Volvo certification but had a comprehensive set of Hino integrations in place. It was clear they were committed to a forward-thinking relationship with our OEMs on a strategic level. Collaborating to build easier systems with seamless integrations was a major part of our decision to select Procede as our DMS business partner.”
Understanding Processes and Leveraging Technology
After several years of working with Procede and using Excede, Kriete is confident that he made the right choice. As he explains, “Externally, Kriete’s greatest business partner is its customers, while internally, the two most important business partnerships are our OEMs and DMS provider—we live and breathe with them. For a dealership to be successful, they have to be able to drive revenue and control costs. Being able to marry our OEM-specific solutions with our business system is critical to our ability to do that.” Kriete continued, “Every transaction that takes place within our dealership flows through these two systems. Procede is genuinely interested in understanding the nature of each transaction and the flow of information between the systems so that they can leverage technology to make our processes more efficient and effective. It’s one of the things that makes them such a strong business partner.”
Hino and Procede—Forward-Looking Technology Companies Focused on Partnership
Hino recently named Procede its preferred DMS provider. When we asked Kriete what he would like other Hino dealerships to know about the two companies and the value the integration set could bring to their businesses, he explained, “Hino has always been a forward-thinking, technologically driven company, that’s one thing that really sets it apart. They have always made it a priority to partner with leading software companies. That’s exactly what Procede is too, a forward-looking technology company that is committed to building strong partnerships for the benefit of the ecosystem. It’s not just the software and services, it’s their willingness to walk a mile in the dealer’s shoes, to learn about our business, and to bridge gaps through technology and understanding.”
Kriete continued, “We’ve been working with Procede for more than three years now, and there is no doubt they have continued to gain momentum in the industry during this time. Being named Hino’s preferred DMS provider reflects that.
A Willingness to Partner Across the Industry and an Open API
While OEM relationships are paramount, Kriete believes that the ability and willingness to integrate with third-party solutions is equally critical. He said, “A DMS cannot be all things to all people. That’s the value of Excede’s open API and Procede’s Certified Partner Program. I appreciate Procede’s willingness to partner with best-in-class solution providers across the industry to solve problems that are important to dealers. Without these integrations, dealerships would have to build distinct, individual relationships with different providers. Instead, we benefit from simplified relationships, simplified workflows, and simplified jobs within our dealership which allows us to focus on what we do best—serving our customers.”
The Biggest Impact is Yet to Come
Looking ahead, Kriete is excited about what the future holds for the partnership and for Hino dealerships. He explains, “While Procede, Excede, and both OEM and third-party integrations have made a big impact on our business, I think the biggest impact is yet to come. As Procede continues to work closely with Hino, I expect to see even greater efficiency gains.” Kriete continued, “In my view, both Hino and Procede are committed to building strong business partnerships and leveraging technology to build solutions that help dealerships operate with greater efficiency and effectiveness to better serve their customers. I am excited to see what new solutions the two companies will bring forth for the benefit of the dealer network.”
Contact Us
To learn more about Procede Software, please contact us at sales@procedesoftware.com, or call (858) 450-4810 to speak to a member of our Sales team. You may also visit www.procedesoftware.com to learn more about our solutions and services. Hino dealerships interested in learning more about Procede Software, Excede, and the Excede/Hino integration set should contact sales@procedesoftware.com.