Installing screens is only the beginning. For a large dealer group, the more important question is what happens afterward: Who keeps the content relevant? Who responds when something goes wrong? And can the platform support different needs across multiple locations?
Ferman Auto Group needed stronger answers to those questions.
Established in 1895, Ferman is one of Tampa Bay’s longest-standing automotive groups, with a legacy built around the Golden Rule and valuing every customer. Its digital signage needed a dependable foundation that could support the group’s operations and evolve alongside them.
The Challenge: Screens Without the Support Behind Them
Ferman’s previous digital signage provider was falling short in several connected areas. Support was poor. Content had become stale, irrelevant, and ineffective at supporting sales. Streaming frequently buffered, creating customer frustration. The platform also lacked the advanced integrations the group needed.
These were not simply display problems. They were problems with the service and technology behind the displays.
Replacing outdated programming would address only part of the issue. Ferman needed a provider that could deliver reliable content, respond to the needs of a large organization, and connect its screens to practical dealership workflows.
The goal was not more screens. It was a more dependable system behind them.
The Solution: Managed Content Connected to Dealership Operations
Digital Dealership System replaced the former provider across the group with managed content and appointment, service-status, and sales integrations. The approach addressed both what appeared on the screens and how those screens supported the dealership.
Managed programming keeps content current and relevant while reducing the buffering and unreliable streaming Ferman had previously experienced. Appointment boards, service-status displays, and sales integrations give the screens a role beyond passive content playback.
That distinction matters when evaluating dealership digital signage. Content should be appropriate for its setting, but it should also have a clear purpose. An appointment board and a customer lounge TV serve different needs. A useful platform must accommodate those differences rather than treating every display as an interchangeable content channel.
One Platform, Flexibility Across 18 Rooftops
For Ferman, scalability meant establishing a consistent foundation without requiring every dealership to use an identical combination of services.
DDS provided a platform capable of supporting the group’s 18 rooftops while allowing individual locations to use the services they need. That gives the group a shared technology foundation with flexibility at the dealership level.
A DDS customer since 2023, Ferman uses a combination of Customer Lounge TVs with Service Status, Customer Lounge TVs, Sales Appointment Boards, Showroom TVs, Service Appointment Boards, and a Greeter Board.
The lesson for other dealer groups is straightforward: standardize the foundation, not necessarily every screen’s function. A group-wide platform should support consistency while leaving room for the needs of each location.
A Strong Foundation With Room to Evolve
For Joe Pelaez, Ferman’s IT Director, the value of the relationship comes down to reliability, service, and flexibility:
“We needed a provider that could support the needs of a large dealer group. Reliable content and responsive service were both important to us. Digital Dealership System delivered the strong foundation we were looking for. This flexibility allows us to continue expanding the system as we evolve.”
— Joe Pelaez, IT Director, Ferman Auto Group
His perspective puts the purchasing decision in context. A provider should be evaluated not only on what it can install today, but also on how well it can support the organization as its needs change.
What Dealer Groups Should Take Away
Ferman’s experience offers a useful starting point for any dealer group reviewing its digital signage.
Begin with the communication problem, not the hardware. Define what each screen should accomplish. Establish who is responsible for content and support. Then evaluate whether the platform can deliver a consistent experience across the group without limiting individual locations.
Getting content onto a screen is a capability. Keeping that screen relevant, reliable, and useful is an ongoing commitment.
Want to look at the full Case Study? Click Here. Freman Auto Group
Looking for a stronger digital signage foundation for your dealer group? Contact Digital Dealership System to discuss managed content, dealership integrations, and a solution built around your locations’ needs.
