Am I the ONLY one at a Lexus store that is having to brush up on my html coding?

[Trent Rogers]

So I have recently taken a job as the Internet Manager of a Lexus store that as I'm sure some of you know has a 1000000 year contract with Cobalt.com. Today I called into support for what I thought was a stupid question. I wanted to post a jpeg in a text box. Simple right? Surely I'm missing something, a button, a drop down, can't be THAT hard. After talking to the support guy I learn that I had to switch to the html view of the page and insert the coding and the source. REALLY??

Am I the only one that is surprised by this? I'm not trying to start a "Lets Bash Cobalt" thread, I just can't believe that ANYONE'S back-end tool would require someone to do their own coding. Maybe I expect too much and if so I'll shut-up and put by head back down and start writing code.

I also should say that I'm pretty sure if we were to spend a little more money with Cobalt we would have a "consultant", but once my complete overhaul of our site is done I shouldn't need a "consultant" for minor changes and maintenance.


With that being said.....I do want to say that every time I call into Cobalt support they really do a great job! Especially because instructing someone via the phone isn't the easiest thing in the world. If any of you Cobalt support guys or gals are reading this.... Keep up the good work, and you all deserve raises!!!

 

[ddavis]

Trent, I have a little experience with this. Lexus doesn't want you to have much control over your website. Think about it, you have cartoon pictures for you new car inventory. Every other manufacturer, on the planet, has actual new car inventory. The template that you are required to send out is a roadblock to a sale. All of this is was designed by a dealer committee that doesn't have a clue.

The tech support group is excellent and they will help you all that they can. They are limited by the idiots, on the committee, and Lexus. I've worked with most of the manufacturers, these people are a joke.

 

[yagoparamo]

Many people could write a book about the things Cobalt can't do, but there is also a book for the ones they can.

I don't know where is that you want to add your jpeg, but this is a pretty hefty assumption:

"I wanted to post a jpeg in a text box. Simple right?"

King of like me saying:

"I wanted to sell a car. Simple right?"

It depends where, the code in the page, how flexible the pages were made to add custom stuff, etc. The more complicated the pages are, the less flexible the system is because it already has a lot of things in it. I also don't know how you expected to add an image in a page with tables, scripts, etc without getting into the code. There is no "drag and drop" custom website system for the automotive business (or any other business) that needs pages as complicated as ours.

Now the truth of what's going on in 2012 as we approach 2013. While coding is not required for our jobs, basic HTML is almost a must for those that want to push the envelope in website building and understanding. HTML is becoming what MS Word was some years back, you didn't turn in your resume with a typewriter. More was expected. Learn HTML, it is easy and it will pay off great dividends for you over the years.

While I would also love to show you my website system which I enjoy thinking is better than Cobalt's (and yes, I'm Seattle pretty close to them) they do have the Lexus deal locked up. You can't even have a secondary Lexus site like many other makes allow so dealers can be web entrepreneurs and marketers as it should be. So that being said, don't lay your name on a thread that bashes Cobalt if you plan to stick with the Japanese brand for a while.

 

[ddavis]

Yago, the problem isn't with Cobalt. It's with Lexus.

 

[Trent Rogers]

I appreciate the responses guys, thank you!

My goal is not to "bash cobalt" at ALL! I actually stated exactly that in the second part of my post. As for HTML...I do know it, it's just been a little while since I have had to use it. That's why I stated.....

"Maybe I expect too much and if so I'll shut-up and put by head back down and start writing code"

My sole intent was to see if this is more common in the industry than I assumed, and how others were working with it. And really that is who this thread is targeted toward, those that have used the website editor on a cobalt site. Perhaps they can share some insight or just simple words of wisdom. Admittedly there is a thin line between constructive criticism and "bashing", but this is how we improve upon things and make them better for everyone. To clear up any confusion, I assure anyone reading this thread it was created in a constructive spirit. Open forums like these are where anyone in an industry can weight in and propose ideas or help others from their experience. I have no problem playing the cards I'm dealt, and doing what I need to do to get our site 110%, I'm just trying to work smarter, not harder.

 

[Neil Frutuoso]

I'm not a Lexus store but use cobalt and we can simply copy and past a jpeg into our site with out any source code or coding, although I find it a lot easier to use simple code to adjust sizes and postioning.

 

[yagoparamo]

Yago, the problem isn't with Cobalt. It's with Lexus.

I know, and quoting myself:

You can't even have a secondary Lexus site like many other makes allow so dealers can be web entrepreneurs and marketers as it should be.

 

[Trent Rogers]

@Yago....JM Lexus, who as far as I know, is the largest Lexus dealer in the country DOES have a secondary site. Its JMNEWCARS.COM. Apparently you just have to tip toe around the covenant, and have the budget to float two sites. Which the secondary site is a vinsolutions site, and they have some really good stuff. I converted my last dealership to vinsolutions.

And in response to the website being sabotage to the sale, that really doesn't benefit anyone. I'm sure there is a reason these "quirks" are what they are. I'm just interested to hear from other people who are in my position with this specific editor. Based on the feedback I'm getting in this thread it's starting to look like I'm just gonna put my big boy pants on and get busy. So much for finding a silver bullet to fix my problems. My Cobalt rep and other friends in the industry assure me better things are on the horizon.

 

[bzweifel]

Trent I use cobalt . Everything you've said is true. Don't get me wrong, my website is subpar, let us get that straight. To answer your question , the easiest route that ive found is to call cobalt for everything and have them do it. Ideal? No it's not, but they are accommodating if you insist. They will get the job done, don't use the website editor for anything else than settings, it's not worth it. Just call them.

Shout out to Dustin @ cobalt for helping me get my certified cars un**cked today. It's not resolved yet, but after a 4 way, 45 minute conference call with cobalt, digital motor works and dealer specialties, that dustin took upon himself to arrange on the fly, we have found the problem (dealer specialties).

 

[ddavis]

Shout out to Dustin @ cobalt for helping me get my certified cars un**cked today. It's not resolved yet, but after a 4 way, 45 minute conference call with cobalt, digital motor works and dealer specialties, that dustin took upon himself to arrange on the fly, we have found the problem (dealer specialties).

You have to get all the parties on the phone at once or you just get three people pointing fingers at each other and nothing resolved. I've been endured these phone menage a tois too many times. For those that that haven't experienced this, I think Jerry Thibeau has a class.