Join leading companies like CarMax, Discount Tire, and Yamaha who are using Leverege to transform their real-world operations.
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Join leading companies like CarMax, Discount Tire, and Yamaha who are using Leverege to transform their real-world operations.
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Leading companies like CarMax have implemented AutoTrace to track hundreds of thousands of mobile assets, like vehicles and car keys, reducing costs and driving new revenue.
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Leading companies like TPI Composites rely on WorkWatch to improve production efficiency, security and safety with complete operational visibility.
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Leading companies like Discount Tire have implemented PitCrew in all their service centers to achieve maximum performance and throughput.
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Leading companies like Schnucks Markets have implemented ExpressLane wherever they have lines of people or vehicles, delighting customers with shorter wait times and faster service.
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Lost keys cost more than time—they impact sales, security, and customer trust. AutoTrace turns that risk into ROI.
In the fast-moving world of automotive dealerships, every minute matters. Yet, one of the simplest—and most costly—sources of friction is often overlooked: key management.
Here we’ll explore some of the expensive repercussions and risks your dealership faces if keys get lost, and why modern keytracking solutions like AutoTrace not only help prevent administrative headaches and worst-case security scenarios, but also make your day-to-day operations more efficient.
Misplaced keys can cause more than just momentary frustration. They leave vehicles idle on the lot, wasting valuable space and delaying sales. Staff members are pulled away from customer service to hunt for missing sets. Worse, if a key is truly lost, replacements can cost hundreds of dollars. These delays ripple through the dealership’s operations, tying up capital and slowing down inventory turns.
A missing key could result in a stolen vehicle—and a five-figure loss. Even if theft doesn’t occur, unauthorized use is a serious liability. A single joyride can damage a vehicle, jeopardize insurance coverage, and hurt a dealership’s reputation. The low-risk, high-reward nature of key misuse makes it an urgent issue to solve.
Dealership wait times are on the rise, and no one is happy about it. Any delay due to misplaced keys could be the difference between a completed sale and a lost opportunity. Whether it’s a stalled test drive or a delayed delivery, unplanned downtime can cost hundreds of dollars an hour. Customers expect a smooth, professional experience. Long waits frustrate them, hurt CSI scores, and reduce the chance of return visits or referrals.
Manual methods like clipboards, spreadsheets, and outdated key cabinets are slow, prone to human error, and create fragmented data silos between teams. If critical decisions are based on incomplete or inaccurate information, performance suffers across the board.
What’s more, dealerships that store keys in unsecured drawers or use manual logbooks are creating prime targets for theft by collecting keys and valuable information about them all in one place.
At the end of the day, manual key tracking solutions depend on consistent employee follow-through. When that consistency breaks down, what once passed as a functional system quickly becomes unreliable, offering the illusion of control while actually masking disorganization.
As Dennis Gingrich, Sales & Finance Director at The Niello Company, points out in a discussion of key management with IoT For All: Even if you’ve been tracking access to keys, it doesn’t mean you know where they are. “We know that Ryan took those keys out at 12:32 in the afternoon, and Ryan has them,” Gingrich says. “But maybe Ryan doesn’t even know where he left them.”
Key tracking systems like AutoTrace are transforming how dealerships operate by delivering a level of visibility no manual process can match. But AutoTrace goes further offering a smarter way to find keys and run your dealership. Where basic tracking tools start and stop at location updates, AutoTrace layers in intelligence, seamless integration, and real business impact.
With AutoTrace, you get real-time visibility not just into where your keys are, but how they’re being used. Location guidance helps staff find keys faster using audio cues, while system-wide usage data reveals which vehicles move most, and which don’t. These insights reduce wasted time, accelerate lot operations, and support smarter decisions around staffing, lot layout, and vehicle purchasing.
Managers can get immediate alerts for unusual activity, and detailed audit trails protect against unauthorized use or loss. Dealerships using AutoTrace have seen up to a 45% increase in stolen vehicle recovery, turning potential losses into measurable wins.
AutoTrace integrates seamlessly with your existing tools and workflows. Whether you’re using it in a single store or across hundreds of locations, the system scales easily. The platform is simple to set up, easy to train on, and backed by a team that knows dealership operations inside and out.
AutoTrace also helps dealerships grow the bottom line. With the option to bundle key tracking as part of a vehicle protection package that buyers can use directly after purchase, you can turn a backend loss prevention measure into a new F&I revenue stream. That’s security with ROI baked in.
Are your keys working for you—or against you? Book a demo and experience the future of smart key tracking.
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