Our Company

Auto-IT has enjoyed a strong presence in New Zealand for decades, operating from its Wellington office since 1996.

We help people in the retail automotive, trucking, agriculture and construction equipment industries to operate and grow their businesses. We do this through the development and support of innovative and robust dealer management software systems (DMSs), distributor systems and other software solutions.

We’ve delivered powerful systems to the market for over 40 years, and we collaborate with all major OEMs and allied industry partners. You’ll find our systems in New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia, plus the USA, Canada, South Africa, and Mexico. Our offices are in Wellington, Melbourne, Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Bangalore, plus channel partners in South Africa and Mexico.

Our clients range in size from six users to over 200, and we treat them all with the same care and respect. We see ourselves as your business partner, not just a software provider, and given the chance, we’d welcome the opportunity to form a partnership with you as well. When you do business with us as your local supplier, you get the additional resources of our international parent company in Australia.

Auto-IT is a profitable private company, and one of the two largest dealer management system providers in Australasia, employing over 120 staff. The company was formed in 2000 – a merger between two respected dealer management software system suppliers, KGM Management and Newmans Information Services – both veterans of the DMS industry for more than 35 years.

Our People

Our people bring a wealth of experience from the IT and retail dealership industries. Many have worked in a variety of dealership roles, as well as IT, software development, finance and management positions. Our success over the last 40 years is a testament to the skill and care of our team.

Core Products

Modern Windows-based system for large retail dealers in the trucking, agriculture and construction industries.

A powerful BI (business intelligence) tool with tailored business processes and a comprehensive dashboard.

Our easy-to-use Windows-based system that’s tailored to the needs of large retail automotive dealers.

Our Guiding Principles

MISSION

We develop and support innovative Dealer Management Solutions for the Automotive, Agricultural, Trucking and Construction Equipment industries.

These systems are designed to improve the experience of customers in our clients’ businesses and to maximise our dealers’ productivity and profits.

VISION

Auto-IT will be the number one DMS supplier in terms of market share, or market share growth, in every market in which we choose to compete.

The success of our customers will be the ultimate measure of the uncompromising quest for excellence by all our people.

VALUES

Honesty and Integrity – We will abide by our code of ethics in all our dealings with our customers and with each other. We will be honest and truthful in all our dealings at all times.

Respect – We will treat our customers and each other with respect. This means listening to their opinions and accepting the right of others to hold differing views.

Fairness – We will treat customers and staff at all times in a fair and equitable manner.

We will

  • Be scrupulously honest with clients, suppliers and trading partners.
  • Never “undersell” a system and add fees and charges later.
  • Not misrepresent our product and what it can do.
  • Not mislead or confuse others with technical jargon.
  • Not denigrate the competition.
  • Disclose any potential conflict of interest to our trading partners.
  • Maintain the confidentiality of our clients and their information.
  • Work hard to keep our promises & never make promises we can’t keep.

Our Goal

Our goal is to be independently rated number one for customer satisfaction, in all markets in which we choose to compete.

Leadership Team

Ken Fife | Chairman of the Board of Directors

Ken Fife was the CEO of Auto-IT since the company was formed by merger in January 2000, until March 2014. Prior to that, in 1987, he founded automotive system specialist company KGM Management. Under his leadership, the initial operation – comprising four people and 14 dealer management system (DMS) clients – has grown to more than 100 staff with over 24,000 software licensees in 1,400 dealer locations.

Ken has been a leader in the dealer management system market for 35 years and has formed strong industry relationships in all the global markets where Auto-IT is actively engaged.

He was a major force behind the formation of the Australian Dealer Software Suppliers Association (ADSSA) in the mid 1990s and, apart from leading Auto-IT as its CEO, he has been the principal architect of Auto-IT’s strong offshore expansion. Ken relinquished his CEO role in 2014 to assume the role of Auto-IT’s Chairman of Directors.

Roger Peffers

International Sales & Marketing Director

Roger Peffers

Roger leads the Malaysian and New Zealand teams with a constant focus on the relationships they develop with their partner clients.

Having come from a dealership background as a mechanic and rising to After-Sales Manager in a Toyota franchise, Roger is no stranger to the stringent requirements of the auto industry. Now, after more than 15 years with Auto-IT in NZ and offshore, he has earned a reputation for his honesty, technical ability and willingness to do whatever it takes to satisfy the expectations of his clients.

Jono Sutherland

Snr. Implementation/Support Consultant

Jono Sutherland

Jono has been with Auto-IT NZ for 10 years now, with a background in parts and service departments in a franchise dealership as well as an eye for the Technical aspects of the job.

With a passion of delivering solutions or if something doesn’t work, Jono is the go-to guy!

Ben Pierce

Implementation/Support Consultant

Ben Pierce

Ben joins the team at Auto-IT after four years in a similar role. As Support & Implementation Consultant, Ben will be on the front line during installations and providing on-going training and support.

Alongside his previous DMS experience, Ben has University qualifications in Business Studies, Robotics, and Engineering. His ability to adapt and quickly understand any areas of your business ensures he can promptly provide you with the guidance and solutions you require.

Michelle Beale

Special Projects

Michelle Beale

Michelle is the structured one in the team. Her accounting background and experience as Financial Controller in a dealership means that she is the one we send to set things up the right way when we start your installation. Michelle has an unerring ability to see things in black and white, and to show you how our DMS can be made to give you the results you are looking for. If it’s policies and procedures that you are looking for, Michelle’s 15+ years of experience mean that she is the one who can deliver.

Darrell Dighton

Snr. Implementation/Support Consultant

Darrell Dighton

Darrell has had more than 10 years with Auto-IT in NZ, focussing on the delivery of our DMS into the Parts and Service departments with our partner clients. Having been a Parts Manager in a multi-franchise dealership, and spending time with Ford NZ as Fixed Operations Manager, Darrell has seen both sides of the dealer world. He’s no stranger to the pressure of a busy service department, and you would not find a better bloke to have by your side whilst acclimatising to your new DMS. Darrell is also part of our skilled help desk support team.

Debbie Blundell

Accounting Support & Implementation Consultant

Debbie Blundell

Debbie has over 19 years of experience in the automotive industry; 12 of them in one of New Zealand's largest dealerships. Debbie's main focus is around the administration department, but she's worked in all departments other than Parts. As a result, she has a deep understanding of the dealership environment and its internal processes. And for extra points, she's also been a UNITS® user for over 10 years!

Dale Pavis-Hall

Support Consultant

Dale Pavis-Hall

Prior to joing Auto-IT, Dale spent 10 years in the automotive aftermarket parts arena. Prior to that, he was a sales rep for two years, before holding a management position for six years. He has a passion for PC’s, and has built a number of them for himself and for friends. As they say, "If you do what you love for a living, you'll never work a day in your life." Dale believes he's doing exactly that. Bravo!

Olivia Gray

Support Consultant

Olivia Gray

Olivia has over 10 years’ experience in the automotive industry in CRM & Service roles at a multi franchise dealership.

Olivia’s focus will be around the Service, Marketing departments as well as providing ongoing support and training via our helpdesk support team.

We’re looking for partners. Come join us.

We are actively seeking channel partners to assist with (and benefit from) our ongoing, world-wide expansion.

We’re looking for quality solutions-based companies with knowledge of the retail dealer systems market in automotive, agriculture, construction or trucking. Partners must demonstrate sufficient capacity to install and support our solutions. In exchange, we offer a substantial international opportunity with a generous profit-sharing program. We take a vested interest in your long-term success and provide you with full training and third-level support. Arrange a discussion today.

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