HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. and ATLANTA — CDK Global Inc. today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ELEAD1ONE. The value of the transaction, which was unanimously approved by CDK’s board of directors, was not disclosed.
The deal was first reported on Sunday by The Banks Report, which described the acquisition as checking off “several boxes for CDK while filling a big product hole — a viable integrated CRM platform with significant market share.” According to CDK’s press release, ELEAD1ONE works with approximately 4,000 auto dealership across North America.
“As we looked at how best to rapidly address the needs of dealers in today’s evolving marketplace, we determined that ELEAD1ONE’s centerpiece CRM offering a fully integrated suite of layered applications fit well with our diversified product offerings,” said Brian MacDonald, president and CEO of CDK Global. “In addition, ELEAD1ONE’s well-regarded customer service capabilities will complement our focus on delivering an outstanding experience to its dealer customers. We look forward to helping dealers deliver a great customer experience with our combined products and services.”
ELEAD1ONE’s automotive customer relationship management (CRM) software and call center solutions enable seamless interaction between sales, service and marketing operations to provide dealers with a customer acquisition and retention platform. According to The Banks Report, CDK is acquiring a company with annual revenue of more than $100 million.
“ELEAD1ONE dealers demand superior performance from the most advanced and integrated CRM software solution in the automotive industry,” said ELEAD1ONE Founder and CEO Hugh Hathcock. "Recognized as a clear industry leader, ELEAD1ONE has consistently developed and delivered powerful cutting-edge dealer solutions, combining CRM with our successful ELEAD1ONE Contact Center, and Fixed Ops platform."
Judy Hathcock, founder and president of ELEAD1ONE, added, “Together with CDK, the integrated companies will leverage vast resources to continue to invest in state-of-the-art information technology, innovative software application development, and highly effective communication platforms that emphasize superior user experiences with significant measurable ROI and reporting. Together we remain dedicated to focusing on innovation, support, and delivering the highest quality technology, products, and services."
According to The Banks Report, the deal was submitted to the Federal Trade Commission several days ago and should close within a month following a regulatory review. The FTC halted CDK Global’s acquisition of Auto/Mate this past March. The media out said it does not believe federal regulators will block this transaction.
