Managed IT Services and Cybersecurity Services for Auto Dealerships

Auto dealerships have complex IT and cybersecurity needs. While any business that handles personal data should have a strong IT infrastructure and cybersecurity measures in place, recent FTC changes place even greater responsibility on dealerships. As a trusted managed IT service provider specializing in cybersecurity, we can oversee the full scope of your IT needs while deploying robust security solutions and helping you maintain compliance.

Why Auto Dealership Need Managed IT Services

Auto sales is a fast-paced industry, and your associates need to focus on the initiatives that keep your business profitable. From managing transactions to overseeing a complex service schedule, many of your business’s core activities take place online. As such, car dealerships need a strong, dependable IT infrastructure to maintain efficient operations.

The backend tasks needed to monitor and support such an extensive IT environment can become overwhelming. Effective IT management calls for technical expertise, though it rarely makes financial sense for dealerships to dedicate full-time employees to this role. Instead, forward-thinking auto dealerships turn to specialists who provide managed IT services efficiently and economically.

IT ArchiTeks can take the hassle out of IT by managing the crucial tasks that keep your dealership running smoothly. We offer comprehensive services in three core pillars of IT management:

  • Monitoring
  • Maintenance
  • Support

We know that most dealerships are operating seven days a week, and often remain open after most businesses are shuttered for the day — and your business’s ongoing sales depend on your ability to stay connected. For this reason, we offer 24×7 live support to ensure your dealership receives assistance when it’s truly needed. We also provide proactive alert handling to help you avoid major issues down the road.

Our team of experts will oversee all of the hardware and software elements of your IT infrastructure, including servers, network devices, and printers. While this is by no means exhaustive, some of the specific services we provide include:

  • Help desk and support
  • Software updates and patch management
  • Security systems management (anti-virus, anti-malware, and others)
  • File sharing management
  • Disaster management, including data backup and disaster recovery
  • Online asset management

With a comprehensive remote monitoring and management system, we can meet the needs of any dealership, no matter the size or scope.

The Need for Robust Cybersecurity in Auto Dealerships

Aside from the managed IT services we provide, IT ArchiTeks also specializes in cybersecurity for auto dealerships. While data security has been essential for dealers since the start of the Digital Age, it’s become even more critical as transactions, credit applications, and other financial activities increasingly shift to the web. To ensure private customer information remains safe against cyberthreats, the FTC has recently updated its Safeguards Rule, which has affected a number of industries — including auto dealerships.

How the FTC Safeguards Rule Affects Your Auto Dealership

While the original 2003 Safeguards Rule focused primarily on financial institutions, its scope was expanded drastically in 2021. The amended rule now affects all companies involved in financial activities such as extending credit lines or offering loans, as well as businesses that are in any way involved with consumers’ access to money.

The sweeping reform means auto dealership will now be required to develop, implement, and maintain a program that protects consumer data. The program requirements are extensive, and according to the FTC, must:

  • Ensure customer data is secure and confidential
  • Protect against anticipated threats or hazards to the integrity or security of private data
  • Protect against unauthorized access to private consumer information

To support these outcomes, the FTC calls for a nine-step information security program which includes risk assessments, safeguards, and routine monitoring, among other activities.

If all this sounds overwhelming and beyond the scope of what your auto dealership can manage with its current cybersecurity solutions, we understand — and that’s where we come in.

Cybersecurity & FTC Compliance for Auto Dealerships

Our specialists are ready to help your auto dealership’s IT infrastructure become safer, more efficient, and compliant. Contact us below to get started.

Unfortunately, many businesses simply don’t have the level of protection they need to prevent cybercrime. These vulnerabilities make auto dealers prime targets for potentially devastating attacks that could result in extreme financial losses as well as irreparable reputational damage. The good news is that our solutions protect your auto dealership against cyberattacks such as malware, phishing scams, and others.

We can also implement a defensible information security program that complies with the FTC’s amended Safeguards Rule. Since the 2023 compliance date is rapidly approaching, now is the time to begin planning and implementing a program that aligns your dealership’s activities with the new regulations.