Xtime: The All‑In‑One Platform Revolutionizing Dealership Service

With digital experiences becoming the norm, the automotive service lane needs to evolve faster. Long wait times, unclear inspections, and fragmented processes frustrate today’s car owners. Xtime a Cox Automotive cloud-based platform—is transforming the fixed-ops experience by integrating scheduling, check-in, inspections, payments, and retention marketing into one seamless journey.

1. What Is Xtime?

Xtime is a service experience platform trusted by over 7,600 dealerships and endorsed by 44 global OEMs . It empowers dealers to optimize every stage of the service funnel, delivering transparency, efficiency, and above-market profitability.

Its core modules include:

• Schedule – appointment booking

• Engage – digital check-in

• Inspect – media-rich multipoint inspections

• Pay – contactless payment processing

• Invite – automated customer retention campaigns

2. Schedule: Smart, 24/7 Appointment Booking

Xtime Schedule offers 24/7 booking via desktop or mobile, integrating with DMS and OEM recall systems . Dealerships benefit from:

• Real‑time availability displays to prevent overbooking

• Automated reminders, reducing no-shows

• Customizable service menus and pricing

• Add-ons like rideshare (Lyft) and voice AI assistance

These features reduce inbound call traffic and drive better bay utilization.

3. Engage: Digital Check-In and Customer Connection

Xtime Engage replaces manual check-ins with tablet-based, personalized workflows . Advisors can:

• Greet by name, present service history

• Capture walkarounds and advisor notes

• Send real-time SMS updates

• Offer flexible checkout and financing options

This digital-first approach speeds up check-ins and reduces errors while keeping customers informed.

4. Inspect: Visual, Multimedia Vehicle Checks

Technicians use tablets to perform digital multipoint inspections, attaching photos and videos . These enhanced multi-media tools include high-definition video, noise suppression, subtitles, and dealer branding .

• Visual evidence increases customer trust

• Median approval times drop to 7 minutes

• Media-rich RO packages lead to higher upsell rates

5. Pay: Contactless, Mobile‑First Payments

Xtime Pay streamlines the final step: checkout. Customers receive invoices via text or email, enabling payment from their phone or in-lane tablets . Features include:

• Contactless checkout

• PCI‑compliant secure processing

• Seamless sync to DMS and accounting systems

The result? Fewer lines, faster handoffs, and happier customers.

6. Invite: Retention Campaign Automation

Xtime Invite helps dealers keep customers coming back. It runs targeted service campaigns—maintenance reminders, follow-ups on declined services, seasonal promotions, and recall alerts .

This module ensures steady bay utilization and nurtures long-term loyalty.

7. 2025 Enhancements: Messaging, Reporting & AI

In January 2025, Xtime doubled down on digital-first convenience with enhancements across:

• Messaging Center: bulk texting, threaded conversation tracking

• Multimedia upgrades: improved video capture with noise reduction, subtitles, faster approvals

• Real-time performance dashboards: ASR scoring and lane performance analytics

• Streamlined reporting and DMS integrations: improved workflow and data accuracy

Deepening the platform’s integration within Cox Automotive’s Retail360 ecosystem ensures smoother transitions from sales to service .

8. Proven Impact & ROI

Key results from Xtime dealers:

With millions of appointments and billions in service revenue, Xtime provides measurable ROI through improved transparency and efficiency .

9. User Insights: Praise & Challenges

Positives:

“XTime as a customer facing tool is fantastic. It’s clean, crisp, and user friendly.”
“Allows accountability… logs and timestamps everything.”

Common concerns:

• DMS integration issues (CDK, Dealertrack) leading to duplicate entry

• Bugs in inspect and parts quoting, scrolling issues

• Learning curve requiring consistent training

Dealerships highlight that success depends on clean DMS integration, thorough onboarding, and consistent use across departments.

10. Best Practices for Deployment

To maximize Xtime’s benefits:

1. Train thoroughly – On-site and ongoing support via Performance Managers

2. Ensure cross‑department alignment – Scheduling, parts, techs all using the platform

3. Maintain clean integrations – Regularly audit DMS syncs and pricing accuracy

4. Track performance metrics – Use dashboards to monitor ASR penetration, cycle times, etc.

5. Refine retention campaigns – Use Invite data to drive ROI during slow cycles

11. Is Xtime Right for You?

Xtime is ideal for:

• Franchise dealerships

• Multi-rooftop groups

• Dealers ready for digital-first workflows

• Teams focused on transparency and retention

However, it requires organizational buy-in, structured onboarding, and clean data integration. When implemented properly, it delivers faster approvals, higher RO yields, and increased CSI.

12. Getting Started

Curious about Xtime?

• Visit xtime.com to explore modules and success stories

• Request a demo tailored to your dealership’s needs

• Estimate your ROI using their benchmarks

• Plan your rollout o Start with Schedule & Engage o Add Inspect, Pay, and Invite over time

• Invest in training to ensure platform adoption and optimal use

13. The Future of Service is Digital

Customer expectations are evolving—and service departments must follow. Xtime delivers: scheduling, transparency, mobile communication, quick payment, and effective retention. In a digital-first world, the service lane can no longer be a weak link—it must be a growth engine.

Xtime is more than a software suite it’s a transformation engine for dealership fixed ops. By digitizing every touchpoint from appointment to retention, Xtime empowers service departments to boost efficiency, increase revenue, and delight customers. To explore how Xtime can elevate your service operations.