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PULSE vs. NCM Axcessa: Which Platform Drives Performance Further?

When it comes to dealership analytics platforms, performance is about more than just reports — it’s about visibility, motivation, and strategic insight. PULSE and NCM Axcessa are both popular choices, but they serve dealership leadership in very different ways. This blog compares these platforms across key categories that matter most to high-performing dealer groups.

Category	PULSE	NCM Axcessa
Ease of Use and UI	Staff-facing leaderboards, mobile-friendly, built for real-time engagement	Simple, management-focused dashboards with hundreds of prebuilt reports
Scalability	Built for dealer groups; includes Enterprise Leaderboard and multi-store rollups	Supports multi-store access and benchmarking; data refreshes 8x daily
Data Visualization	Live dashboards, trend lines, drill-downs, Pulse AI for instant visual insights	Templated reports with benchmark comparisons; limited customization
Integration	Seamless DMS & CRM integration across all departments; auto-refresh every few hours	Tight DMS integration with frequent updates; benchmark data from NCM composites
Support	High-touch, responsive service with custom tweaks and onboarding	Support tied to NCM’s strategic consulting approach; less hands-on for daily customizations
Unique Selling Points	Real-time visibility + AI + team motivation via public displays and mobile tools	Industry benchmark comparisons and NCM’s consulting-backed reporting philosophy

Table of Contents

Ease of Use and User Interface

🟩 Digital Dealership System (DDS) PULSE

PULSE brings KPIs out of the back office and into the real world. With staff-facing displays, mobile dashboards, and TV leaderboards, PULSE turns every department into a performance hub. The interface is modern, glanceable, and built to energize staff. Managers get real-time views; employees see their metrics all day. It’s not just intuitive—it’s impossible to ignore.

🟥 NCM Axcessa

Axcessa is designed for management simplicity. With hundreds of preformatted reports and charts, it’s easy to pull up metrics without coding or customization. The interface is straightforward and web-based, making it accessible from anywhere. While effective for leadership teams, the design is more focused on backend reporting than staff-facing engagement.

Scalability and Multi-Store Support

🟩 Digital Dealership System (DDS) PULSE

PULSE supports dealer groups of any size. Its Enterprise Leaderboard allows executives to view roll-up metrics across multiple stores, while each store can still operate independently. Cloud-based access, live data syncing, and multi-location single sign-on ensure fast, frictionless performance at scale.

🟥 NCM Axcessa

Axcessa serves both single stores and large dealer groups. It updates eight times per day and provides comparative views using NCM’s industry benchmarks. While it does offer multi-rooftop access and group views, its strength lies in standardized reporting rather than interactive group dashboards.

Data Visualization and Insights

🟩 Digital Dealership System (DDS) PULSE

PULSE visualizes dealership health in real-time. From CSI trend lines to $/RO bars, every dashboard is updated live and built to inspire action. Visuals are enhanced by PULSE AI, which answers questions like “Which advisor has the highest gross this week?” with instant charts and summaries. PULSE turns data into motivation.

🟥 NCM Axcessa

Axcessa offers practical visualizations tailored to dealership managers. Reports are templated for quick reference—like open ROs, service efficiency, or CIT aging—and often benchmarked against industry standards. Visuals are effective for spotting trends and gaps, but customization is limited compared to BI platforms or AI-driven tools.

Integration and DMS/CRM Compatibility

🟩 Digital Dealership System (DDS) PULSE

PULSE integrates directly with major DMS and CRM platforms. Data updates automatically throughout the day and includes all departments—sales, service, BDC, F&I—into one live dashboard. DDS manages the backend, so dealers just see clean, reliable data, always up to date.

🟥 NCM Axcessa

Axcessa integrates with most major DMS providers and refreshes data eight times daily. It’s built specifically for DMS data, focusing on financials, inventory, and operations. CRM integration may be possible but is not a core feature. The system also incorporates NCM Benchmark data for valuable context.

Support and Service

🟩 Digital Dealership System (DDS) PULSE

DDS offers white-glove support with fast turnaround on updates, report tweaks, and customizations. Dealerships consistently praise the service, with many noting that the DDS team works as a partner—not just a provider. Training and onboarding are direct and hands-on, tailored to the dealership’s structure.

🟥 NCM Axcessa

Axcessa users benefit from NCM’s rich history in dealership consulting. Support includes help interpreting metrics, setting goals, and leveraging benchmarks. While tech support is available, much of the value comes from the NCM team’s strategic insight. However, Axcessa’s support is more oriented toward executive coaching than day-to-day system optimization.

Unique Selling Points

🟩 Digital Dealership System (DDS) PULSE

PULSE’s biggest differentiator is visibility: leaderboards on TVs, live dashboards, and an interface designed to motivate teams in real time. Its AI integration is cutting-edge, making PULSE not only reactive but proactive. It creates a performance culture—boosting accountability, morale, and profits.

🟥 NCM Axcessa

Axcessa’s edge is benchmarking. It shows your dealership’s performance compared to NCM’s composites—so managers don’t just see how they’re doing, but how they should be doing. It’s a tool for standardization and industry comparison, deeply rooted in NCM’s 20 Group methodology.

Final Thoughts: Engagement or Evaluation?

NCM Axcessa is a strong platform for managers looking to evaluate performance against benchmarks and simplify reporting.

But if your goal is to engage your team, energize performance, and act in real time, PULSE wins. With its live data, leaderboard displays, and AI analysis, PULSE drives action—not just observation.

There’s a Reason Why Digital Dealership Systems is the #1 Choice for Top Car Dealerships:

Staff-Facing TVs rotate with live reports to track and motivate staff throughout the day instead of waiting for meetings or printed reports.

Mobile alerts and reports give staff and managers updated information including pace, goals, and sales history while away from their desk.

Simple desktop reporting and closeout reports allows managers to focus on today’s tasks and not building and analyzing reports based on past performance.

AI Overviews, Interactive reports, performance evaluations and coaching allow managers to boost sales and motivate teams without being bogged down by reports and analytics.

Digital Dealership System is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the third-party companies or products referenced on this page. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, details may change over time. If you notice any inaccuracies, omissions, or require content corrections, please submit a request for updates.

Reference

Axcessa by NCM Associates – https://ncmassociates.com/dealer-solutions/axcessa (acc. June 5, 2025)

Alexi Walters is a trailblazing technology journalist known for her insightful coverage of how tech shapes society. With a background in journalism and a passion for innovation, she breaks down complex topics into engaging, accessible stories. Her work focuses on the transformative power of technology in fields like education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability, often highlighting the empowerment of women through tech.

A frequent contributor to leading tech publications, Alexi also advocates for women in STEM and regularly speaks at events to inspire the next generation. Her voice brings a fresh, critical perspective to the world of tech journalism.