Next-Generation Auto Finance Platform ensures speed, accuracy, and compliance

AVOCA, Pa., Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ProGuard Warranty announced today that they have formed a professional alliance with OTTOMOTO® to bring their lending aggregation and Business Continuity Platform to ProGuard’s base of independent and franchise dealers across the United States. With tight credit markets and interest rates negatively affecting sales, this modernized software enterprise improves access and efficiency to close more deals.

“The traditional lending process is outdated and painful for both the dealer and the consumer. Dealers want to offer a broad spectrum of lenders to match their customer base, but don’t have the resources to find suitable institutions. They often shot gun credit applications to every lender, many of which are denied outright. This puts them at a competitive disadvantage to the lot down the street that can offer a better rate and payment terms,” said Dominic Limongelli, President of ProGuard Warranty. “We are always seeking alliances with companies that can help our dealer partners succeed. OTTOMOTO® streamlines every part of retail financing — from credit applications through funding. Through their unique lender verification tool, they guide dealers to the most appropriate lenders for each customer, enhancing the probability of credit approval to close more deals.”

Through the OTTOMOTO® platform, dealers of all sizes have access to an array of lenders across the entire credit spectrum. A comprehensive suite of tools helps dealers enhance security, ensure compliance, and improve efficiency. F&I products, including ProGuard protection plans, can be added into financing with one click to further increase revenue. The customer experience is enhanced as well, allowing buyers to complete their credit application or get prequalified anywhere by simply scanning a QR code. Real-time text notifications alert them to any additional requirements needed for approval, improving funding turnaround time and customer satisfaction.

OTTOMOTO® is also a valuable compliance tool, eliminating data entry and legibility errors that can lead to FTC Safeguards Rule violations and fines. “At a time when privacy is a top concern, dealers are still collecting paper documents with personal information on it,” stated Limongelli. “One fine can put a dealer out of business but with OTTOMOTO® all aspects of financing are done online. It’s an effortless way to stay compliant without increasing staff.”

 “ProGuard has an excellent reputation for transparency and recognized the value we could bring to their dealers,” said Paul Nicholas, CEO of OTTOMOTO®. “Their timing was excellent as we have enhanced our offering to include the Digital Deal Jacket which further enhances security and compliance. By integrating automated compliance checks and advanced fraud detection we have significantly increased our ability to prevent fraud and protect our clients.”  Added Limongelli, “Further enriching the customer experience is our top priority and this robust desking tool does so by raising the bar on efficiency.”

About ProGuard Warranty

ProGuard is a third-generation, family-owned business that has been serving the automotive industry for over seventy years. Their many years in the industry has led to a unique expertise in knowing the products and coverage needed to protect dealers and their customers. An expansive menu of new and pre-owned vehicle protection plans is available through their nationwide network of dealer partners. The product offering also includes a unique product for Farm and Ranch Trucks, another designed specifically for commercial vehicles, a standalone OEM technology package and Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) waivers. Dealers appreciate the company’s tradition of flexibility, transparency, and accessibility, and knowing their customers are protected from the high cost of repairs.

Media Contact: Al Celentano, VP of Strategic Alliances, acelentano@proguardwarranty.com

About OTTOMOTO®

OTTOMOTO® is at the forefront of transforming the lending landscape. By pioneering a digital-lender-first approach, OTTOMOTO® streamlines lending into a fast, secure, and fully compliant digital process that benefits dealers, consumers, and financial institutions alike. Addressing longstanding inefficiencies in traditional lending practices, OTTOMOTO® capitalizes on industry demand for a more efficient and transparent approach to financing. Leveraging strategic partnerships and deep expertise in finance, OTTOMOTO® is positioned as a trailblazer in lending technology. For more information, visit ottomoto.net.

Media Contact: Carol Docalavich, Co-Founder and COO carol@ottomotoapp.com 

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SOURCE ProGuard Warranty

New Release Expands Seamless Creative Collaboration Across Desktop, Web and Mobile

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — LucidLink, the storage collaboration platform for creative teams, today announced the launch of its next-generation product. This major release expands LucidLink’s real-time cloud collaboration across desktop, browser and mobile, freeing teams to instantly and securely access their data wherever they are working.

The new LucidLink introduces a sleek, collaboration-first user experience designed to unify the customer journey across all creative touchpoints. With flexible pricing and scalable infrastructure, this release empowers teams of any size — from freelancers to global enterprises — to collaborate without limits.

“The new LucidLink is both an evolution of everything we’ve built so far and a revolution in how teams collaborate globally,” said Peter Thompson, Co-Founder and CEO of LucidLink. “For the first time, teams can collaborate instantly on projects of any size from desktop, browser or mobile, all while ensuring their data is secure.”

While the initial release focuses on a seamless desktop and web experience, future updates will unlock real-time collaboration on mobile, giving teams even more freedom to connect and create. This update also marks LucidLink’s emergence as a platform, unlocking deeper integrations, business intelligence and advanced tiered pricing tailored to the needs of teams worldwide.

The first wave of LucidLink’s all-new features:

Real-time collaboration across platforms: The release launches with a reimagined experience for both desktop and web, built on an entirely new architecture. Future updates will introduce mobile apps, freeing creatives to instantly access and collaborate on files wherever they’re working.

New desktop and web applications: Now teams can collaborate in real-time across workflows that span home, on-prem and cloud without needing to download, sync or transfer data. This is an upgraded, sleek user experience across desktop and web applications that simplifies administration on both platforms.

Global user model: With a single account, users can join multiple filespaces seamlessly across mobile, web and desktop — taking LucidLink wherever they go. Ideal for freelancers and the companies that work with them.

Streamlined macOS installation: A faster and smoother installation process for macOS users eliminates reboots or security changes, allowing creatives to get started faster.

Simplified onboarding: New teammates can be onboarded with a simple link for fast, friction-free setup.

Scalable infrastructure: Users can choose from LucidLink’s bundled high-performance, egress-free storage options powered by AWS or bring their own cloud storage provider.

Future-forward collaboration updates

LucidLink’s new release is only the beginning. The launch lays the foundation for a series of future updates coming in early 2025 that will redefine how teams collaborate in the cloud, including:

Mobile apps for Android and iOS: Full-featured mobile apps will give users immediate access to data on the go.External link sharing: Users can share content with external collaborators without needing the desktop application.Browser-based upload: Users can drag and drop files directly from their browser for seamless collaboration.Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and SAML-based SSO: Enhanced security options for all users.Guest links: Teams can collaborate securely without requiring full user accounts.

An upcoming filespace upgrade tool will also give existing customers a smooth path to the new LucidLink. With instant access to files of any size across desktop, web browser and mobile, teams will have the freedom to create and collaborate securely whenever and wherever inspiration strikes.

“This milestone release marks a new chapter in our mission to make data instantly and securely accessible from anywhere and from any touchpoint,” added Thompson. “As we introduce more new features in the coming months, our focus remains on empowering teams to collaborate seamlessly, wherever they are.”

About LucidLink

LucidLink is the storage collaboration platform that frees creative teams to work together from anywhere. With a single shared filespace protected by zero-knowledge encryption, teams can instantly and securely access, edit and share projects of any size.

Combining the ease of a local drive with the power of the cloud, LucidLink gives teams on-demand access to their files. Now creatives can get straight to work without downloading, syncing or versioning disasters.

Spotify, Paramount, Adobe and creative teams worldwide have used LucidLink to 5x productivity, access the best talent globally and free their people to focus on creating.

Just like its customers, LucidLink’s teams work together from anywhere. Privately held and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an office in Sofia, Bulgaria, LucidLink’s hybrid and remote employees work across Europe, North America and Australia. Discover more about lucidlink.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Clare Plaisted
PRComs
clare@prcoms.com

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SOURCE LucidLink

TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Economic activity in the hospital subsector grew in October for the 14th consecutive month after contracting twice in the previous four-month period, with 35 consecutive months of growth prior to that, say the nation’s hospital supply executives in the latest Hospital ISM® Report On Business®.

The report was issued today by Nancy LeMaster, MBA, Chair of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) Hospital Business Survey Committee: “The Hospital PMI® registered 51.9 percent in October, a 3.1-percentage point decrease from the September reading of 55 percent, indicating a 14th consecutive month of growth. October’s Hospital PMI® reading is the lowest since a contraction in August 2023 (47.5 percent). The Business Activity Index moved into contraction territory after expanding for 13 straight months. The New Orders Index returned to contraction after two consecutive months of expansion, and the Employment Index also moved back into contraction territory in October after expanding for five straight months. The Supplier Deliveries Index remained in expansion (which indicates slower delivery performance) for the 14th consecutive month. The Prices: Pharmaceuticals Index went into contraction (or ‘decreasing’) territory for the first time since Hospital ISM® Report On Business® data collection began in April 2018.

“The Case Mix Index expanded in October after contracting in the previous month and expanding for four consecutive months prior to that, registering 52 percent, 3.5 percentage points higher than September’s figure of 48.5 percent. The Days Payable Outstanding Index returned to contraction in October, registering 45.5 percent, down 6.5 percentage points from the 52 percent reported in September. The Technology Spend Index reading of 61 percent is an increase of 4.5 percentage points compared to the 56.5 percent recorded in September. The Touchless Orders Index returned to expansion territory in October, registering 50.5 percent, up 3.5 percentage points from the 47 percent reported in September.”

LeMaster continues, “Two hurricanes in less than two weeks in late September and early October reminded everyone of the fragility of the health-care supply chain. The Baxter IV solutions plant in North Carolina was significantly damaged, and the B. Braun plant in Florida sustained minor damage. In addition, supply deliveries were interrupted, and there were widespread elective procedure cancellations. The federal government is working to quickly provide emergency authorization for importation of IV fluids from other countries. The North Carolina facility also manufactured peritoneal dialysis fluids and bags used by pharmacies to compound fluids. It is unclear how much of the reduction in the Employment Index was related to a decrease in demand versus budget constraints and turnover.” 

About This Report
The information compiled in this report is for the month of October 2024.

The Hospital PMI® was developed in collaboration with the Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM), an association for the health care supply chain profession, and a professional membership group of the American Hospital Association (AHA).

The data presented herein is obtained from a survey of hospital supply executives based on information they have collected within their respective organizations. ISM® makes no representation, other than that stated within this release, regarding the individual company data collection procedures. The data should be compared to all other economic data sources when used in decision-making.

Data and Method of Presentation
The Hospital ISM® Report On Business® is based on data compiled from hospital purchasing and supply executives nationwide. Survey responses reflect the change, if any, in the current month compared to the previous month. For each of the indicators measured (Business Activity, New Orders, Employment, Supplier Deliveries, Inventories, Prices, Prices: Pharmaceuticals, Prices: Supplies, Backlog of Orders, Imports, Inventory Sentiment, Case Mix, Days Payable Outstanding, Technology Spend, and Touchless Orders), this report shows the percentage reporting each response and the diffusion index. Responses represent raw data and are never changed. Beginning in January 2021, the Report On Business® staff and consultants are gathering market information to better validate the Exports Index. Exports Index data are still being collected.

The Hospital PMI® is a composite index computed from the following, equally weighted indexes: Business Activity, New Orders, Employment and Supplier Deliveries. Diffusion indexes have the properties of leading indicators and are convenient summary measures showing the prevailing direction of change and the scope of change. A Hospital PMI® index reading above 50 percent indicates that the hospital sub-sector is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally declining. For the sub-indexes, except Supplier Deliveries, an index reading above 50 percent indicates that the sub-index is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally contracting. A Supplier Deliveries Index above 50 percent indicates slower deliveries and below 50 percent indicates faster deliveries.

The Hospital ISM® Report On Business® survey is sent out to the Hospital Business Survey Panel respondents the first part of each month. Respondents are asked to ONLY report on U.S. operations for the current month. ISM® receives survey responses throughout most of any given month, with the majority of respondents generally waiting until late in the month to submit responses to give the most accurate picture of current business activity. ISM® then compiles the report for release on the fifth business day of the following month.

ISM ROB Content
The Institute for Supply Management® (“ISM”) Report On Business® (Manufacturing, Services, and Hospital reports) (“ISM ROB”) contains information, text, files, images, video, sounds, musical works, works of authorship, applications, and any other materials or content (collectively, “Content”) of ISM (“ISM ROB Content”). ISM ROB Content is protected by copyright, trademark, trade secret, and other laws, and as between you and ISM, ISM owns and retains all rights in the ISM ROB Content. ISM hereby grants you a limited, revocable, nonsublicensable license to access and display on your individual device the ISM ROB Content (excluding any software code) solely for your personal, non-commercial use. The ISM ROB Content shall also contain Content of users and other ISM licensors. Except as provided herein or as explicitly allowed in writing by ISM, you shall not copy, download, stream, capture, reproduce, duplicate, archive, upload, modify, translate, publish, broadcast, transmit, retransmit, distribute, perform, display, sell, or otherwise use any ISM ROB Content.

Except as explicitly and expressly permitted by ISM, you are strictly prohibited from creating works or materials (including, but not limited to tables, charts, data streams, time-series variables, fonts, icons, link buttons, wallpaper, desktop themes, online postcards, montages, mashups and similar videos, greeting cards, and unlicensed merchandise) that derive from or are based on the ISM ROB Content. This prohibition applies regardless of whether the derivative works or materials are sold, bartered, or given away. You shall not either directly or through the use of any device, software, internet site, web-based service, or other means remove, alter, bypass, avoid, interfere with, or circumvent any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices marked on the Content or any digital rights management mechanism, device, or other content protection or access control measure associated with the Content including geo-filtering mechanisms. Without prior written authorization from ISM, you shall not build a business utilizing the Content, whether or not for profit.

You shall not create, recreate, distribute, incorporate in other work, or advertise an index of any portion of the Content unless you receive prior written authorization from ISM. Requests for permission to reproduce or distribute ISM ROB Content can be made by contacting Rose Marie Goupil in writing at: ISM Research, Institute for Supply Management, 309 W. Elliot Road, Suite 113, Tempe, AZ 85284-1556, or by emailing rgoupil@ismworld.org; Subject: Content Request.

ISM shall not have any liability, duty, or obligation for or relating to the ISM ROB Content or other information contained herein, any errors, inaccuracies, omissions or delays in providing any ISM ROB Content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. In no event shall ISM be liable for any special, incidental, or consequential damages, arising out of the use of the ISM ROB. Report On Business®, PMI®, Manufacturing PMI®, Services PMI®, and Hospital PMI® are registered trademarks and trademarks of Institute for Supply Management®. Institute for Supply Management® and ISM® are registered trademarks of Institute for Supply Management, Inc.

About Institute for Supply Management®
Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) is the first and leading not-for-profit professional supply management organization worldwide. Its community of more than 50,000 in more than 100 countries manage about US$1 trillion in corporate and government supply chain procurement annually. Founded in 1915 by practitioners, ISM is committed to advancing the practice of supply management to drive value and competitive advantage for its members, contributing to a prosperous and sustainable world. ISM empowers and leads the profession through the ISM® Report On Business®, its highly-regarded certification and training programs, corporate services, events, and assessments. The ISM® Report On Business®, Manufacturing, Services, and Hospital, are three of the most reliable economic indicators available, providing guidance to supply management professionals, economists, analysts, and government and business leaders. For more information, please visit: www.ismworld.org.

The text version of the public Hospital ISM® Report On Business® is posted on ISM®’s website at www.ismrob.org on the fifth business day* of every month at 10:00 a.m. ET.

The next Hospital ISM® Report On Business® featuring November 2024 data will be released at 10:00 a.m. ET on Friday, December 6, 2024.

*Unless the New York Stock Exchange is closed.

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SOURCE Institute for Supply Management