In today’s competitive dealership landscape, fixed-ops (service and parts departments) have emerged as critical profit centers—accounting for nearly 49% of gross profit for car dealerships . To capitalize on this opportunity, modern dealerships are turning to Xtime, a cloud-based service experience platform from Cox Automotive. With its integrated suite of tools—Invite, Schedule, Engage, and Inspect—Xtime helps dealerships attract service demand, streamline workflows, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.
What is Xtime?
Xtime, also known as Xtime Spectrum, is a cloud-native platform engineered to transform the entire service journey—from appointment booking to final payment and beyond. Launched in 2016, its core modules work together to:
Attract service opportunities.
Capture bookings efficiently.
Engage customers during service.
Inspect vehicles digitally for transparency.
It is trusted by over 7,000 dealerships and aligned with 24+ OEM partners .
Core Modules of Xtime Spectrum
1. Invite – Drive Service Demand
Xtime Invite helps dealerships keep service bays busy through targeted marketing campaigns:
Sends timely email/SMS reminders for scheduled maintenance, recalls, or unfulfilled services .
Recaptures declined services via personalized marketing.
Automates outreach to reduce manual effort and improve ROI.
These data-driven outreach tools help turn occasional visitors into repeat customers and fill idle shop capacity .
2. Schedule – Simplify Appointments
Xtime Schedule offers 24/7 online and mobile appointment booking:
Displays real-time technician availability and integrates with DMS, CRM, and OEM telematics .
Includes capacity management tools to optimize shop utilization .
Features multimedia attachments during booking and optional ride-sharing via Lyft .
This module reduces call volume, lowers no-shows with automatic reminders, and improves customer convenience .
3. Engage – Modernize the Service Lane
Xtime Engage creates a digital-first check-in and service experience:
Tablet-based check-in presents service history, menus, pricing, and recall information .
Advisors can send real-time updates and status alerts via SMS or email .
Additional Service Recommendations (ASRs) come with multimedia previews, leading to approval in as fast as 7 minutes.
This module enhances transparency, boosts upsell rates, and reduces friction in routine workflows.
4. Inspect – Digital Inspections for Transparency
Xtime Inspect transforms technician inspections:
Technicians conduct multi-point inspections using tablets, complete with photos, videos, and notes .
Visual evidence helps build customer trust and supports upselling efforts.
With enhanced inspection flows, dealerships see increased approval rates and reduced dispute over service work.
2025 Enhancements: Making Xtime Smarter
In January 2025, Cox Automotive introduced a slew of enhancements to the Xtime platform :
Advanced messaging center: Supports bulk and real-time texting with customers and prospects.
Upgraded media quality: High-res, branded videos with subtitles and noise reduction accelerate ASR approvals—as fast as 7 minutes .
Integrated performance dashboards: Provide actionable data insights for service lane performance.
Stronger DMS integration: Enables seamless workflow and tighter data synchronization.
These features meet evolving consumer expectations and dealership needs for clarity, speed, and efficiency .
Integrations That Keep Xtime Connected
Xtime integrates seamlessly with key dealership systems:
DMS platforms like CDK, Dealertrack, PBS, Reynolds & Reynolds .
CRMs including VinSolutions, enabling smarter customer engagement .
Payment processors like Worldpay and Vantiv for tablet and mobile transactions.
OEM tools including ride-share (Lyft) and telematics for a comprehensive customer experience .
This robust integration ensures data flow across sales, service, and customer experience touchpoints.
Results That Speak Volumes
Analytics demonstrate Xtime's positive impact:
Dealers experience more ROs per month and increased revenue per RO—specific numbers often kept private but highly positive .
Enhanced ASR acceptance rates, with more revenue unlocked via visual inspections and quick approvals .
Fixed ops retention has increased; Invite and Schedule help convert one-time customers into repeat clients .
Overall, Xtime users report improved satisfaction, shop utilization, and operational performance.
Industry & Dealer Feedback
Positive Feedback:
Dealers praise Xtime for:
Digital conveniences: Modern scheduling, tablet check-in, and mobile payments.
Efficiency gains: Simplified inspection flows and communication.
Customer approval rates: Visual ASRs and quick multimedia approvals.
Constructive Criticism:
Some users on platforms like Reddit report backend friction:
“The interface itself isn’t bad… but it has so many issues on the parts side…takes forever to populate parts lines…feel really buggy.”
“Messaging doesn’t work... quoting is horrific... api error ~50% of the time.”
Common complaints include parts sync lag, double quoting when using Dealertrack, and occasional interface glitches.
Despite these concerns, many acknowledge that with proper setup and training, Xtime performs well .
Support and Services
Xtime doesn’t just provide software—it offers full support services to ensure success:
Performance managers and on-site consulting help enhance KPI performance .
Dealer performance specialists provide ongoing coaching at no extra cost .
Managed services assist in running Invite campaigns and analyzing results .
Support includes Xtime University, Help Center, and Client Resource Center for self-service learning .
Who Should Use Xtime?
Xtime is ideal for franchised dealerships and high-volume service centers looking to:
Improve shop capacity utilization
Enhance customer communication and transparency
Increase upsell and ASR acceptance rates
Gain real-time performance insights
Independent shops or smaller operations may find base pricing and integrations less relevant, but larger dealerships stand to benefit immensely.
Best Practices for Xtime Success
Invest in training: Ensure advisors, techs, and parts teams understand cross-module workflows Stress-test integrations: Confirm DMS, parts sync, quoting flows, and ride-share connections.
Customize messaging: Tailor SMS/email cadence and content for better Invite results.
Monitor metrics: Use dashboards to track shop utilization, ASR conversions, and customer response.
Iterate and scale: Add modules like Text Marketing, video enhancements, and valet integrations as ROI grows.
Final Verdict
Xtime is a powerful fixed-ops solution that empowers dealerships to exceed modern customer expectations. By unifying appointment scheduling, inspection transparency, digital approvals, and enhanced communication, it delivers measurable improvements in service revenue, customer retention, and operational efficiency.
While certain backend areas—especially parts integration—may require tuning, the platform’s ongoing product enhancements and expert support make it a top-tier choice for dealership transformation in 2025.
