CDK Global announced that nearly 15,000 car dealerships across North America are back online after experiencing a software blackout caused by a cyber incident almost two weeks ago. An automated message on CDK’s customer care phone line indicated that the company is ahead of schedule in resolving the issue.
The outage began on June 19, after two cyber incidents disrupted CDK’s systems that serve car dealerships in North America. CDK provides software to manage various aspects of auto dealerships, including scheduling and record-keeping.
While CDK has restored its core management system, efforts are ongoing to bring other applications back online. The Customer Relationship Management system is expected to begin rolling out on July 4. The outage could have cost dealerships millions of dollars more if it continued, according to an estimate by Anderson Economic Group.
The resolution of this issue is a positive development for dealerships and customers alike. The blackout had severely impacted operations, making it challenging for dealers to track customer interactions, orders, and sales. This disruption affected dealers’ ability to conduct business and, in some cases, impacted their income.
The outage has highlighted the importance of efficient software systems in the functioning of modern auto dealerships. Bernard Irvin, a salesperson at a Ford dealership in South Carolina, expressed concern about the impact on payroll and operational efficiency caused by the blackout. The restoration of CDK’s software is a welcome relief for dealerships that were affected by the cyber incident.