What should a dealership software SLA include?
An SLA is only useful when it defines severity, response, resolution and consequence. Most dealership software agreements define availability and stop. Ask for severity levels tied to business impact, a response commitment per severity, an escalation path with names or roles, and a remedy that means something when the commitment is missed.
Define severity by business impact
Severity should be written in dealership terms: cannot close a deal, cannot open a repair order, cannot post to accounting, cannot dispatch. A vendor-defined severity scale usually rates its own outage lower than you would.
Response is not resolution
A four-hour response commitment with no resolution target means someone acknowledges the ticket and nothing more. Ask what the provider commits to for resolution or workaround, and what happens when that is missed.
Availability needs a measurement method
Ask what counts as downtime, whether planned maintenance is excluded, what the measurement window is, and who reports the number. An availability figure the vendor calculates and never publishes is not a commitment.
Make the remedy proportionate
Service credits that refund a fraction of a monthly fee do not cover a lost Saturday. Where the system is genuinely operationally critical, negotiate escalation rights and termination rights for repeated failure rather than relying on credits.
What to verify
Define severity in dealership terms, not vendor terms
Separate response commitment from resolution commitment
Ask how availability is measured and who reports it
Negotiate escalation and termination rights for repeated failure
Continue the research
Related dealership technology questions
What software do car dealerships use?
Most dealerships use a DMS as the operating and financial backbone, plus a CRM, website/CMS, inventory tools, digital retailing, communications, marketing, analytics, F&I and fixed-operations systems. The right combination depends on franchise obligations, market, store count and operating model.
DMS definitionWhat is a dealer management system (DMS)?
A dealer management system is the dealership-specific operational and financial platform used for functions such as accounting, vehicle sales, parts, repair orders, manufacturer reporting and management reporting. Exact modules and OEM eligibility vary by provider and market.
DMS versus CRMWhat is the difference between a DMS and a CRM?
A DMS is normally the operating and financial system of record for deals, accounting, parts and service. A CRM is normally the sales and customer-workflow system for leads, communications, appointments and follow-up. A suite may include both, but the data and workflow boundaries still need to be documented.
Dealership software pricingHow much does dealership software cost?
There is no dependable universal price because dealership software is commonly quoted by rooftop, module, user, usage, media spend, data volume or transaction. Compare a three-year total-cost schedule instead of a headline monthly amount.