In the automotive dealer ecosystem, speed, clarity, and trust are essential. Dealerships evaluating used inventory need immediate access to accurate vehicle information, clear logistics context, and a straightforward way to engage in purchasing decisions.
For an early-stage automotive brokerage connecting individual vehicle sellers with dealerships, creating that experience was central to their business model. They needed a platform that could support complex, real-world workflows in Sales Cloud while presenting a polished, professional experience to dealers through a secure, external portal from day one.
Salesforce Sales Cloud and Experience Cloud together provided the foundation to make that possible.
Using Salesforce as a Platform, Not Just a Tool
Salesforce was implemented as the core system to manage sellers, dealerships, vehicles, and transactions. Experience Cloud extended that foundation by enabling secure, role-based access for external dealer users.
Rather than operating as a standalone portal, Experience Cloud allows the dealer experience to remain tightly connected to the same data and processes used internally. This approach ensures consistency, visibility, and scalability across the platform.
From the outset, the goal was clear. Design a dealer experience that feels intuitive and purpose-built while leveraging Salesforce’s strengths in data management, security, and scalability.
Designing a Dealer Experience Around Real Workflows
Working closely with the client, Rithom designed a dealer-facing experience that reflects how dealerships evaluate and acquire vehicles.
Through the portal, dealerships can:
- Browse vehicles available for purchase
- Review key vehicle details and supporting documentation
- Submit offers or buy-it-now bids
- Track negotiation progress and outcomes
- Monitor shipment and delivery status
Salesforce Sales Cloud manages the underlying lifecycle, ensuring each vehicle, offer, and transaction is tracked accurately and consistently. Experience Cloud delivers a streamlined interface tailored to external users.
The result is a cohesive platform where internal teams and dealerships operate from the same source of truth, each with the appropriate level of access.
Extending Experience Cloud with Custom Components
One of Salesforce’s greatest strengths is its ability to be extended when business needs go beyond standard use cases.
In this project, custom Lightning Web Components were used to enhance the dealer experience and surface information that supports confident purchasing decisions. Location-based insights were incorporated to help dealerships understand distance and logistics considerations when evaluating vehicles.
These enhancements complement Salesforce’s native capabilities and allow the platform to align more closely with the client’s business model and operating workflows.
Accelerating Delivery Through Collaboration and AI
A key factor in the project’s success was close collaboration. The client brought technical insight and worked directly with Rithom’s delivery team throughout design and implementation.
AI-assisted development tools supported faster iteration, more efficient customization, and clearer translation of requirements into working solutions. This approach made it possible to deliver a highly tailored Experience Cloud implementation while maintaining focus on scalability and long-term maintainability.
Results: A Scalable, Dealer-Ready Platform
The resulting Salesforce platform provides a centralized system for managing sellers, dealerships, vehicles, offers, and logistics within a single, connected environment.
Dealerships are able to engage with vehicle inventory through a professional, purpose-built portal that aligns with how they evaluate and purchase vehicles. Internal teams benefit from consistent data, structured workflows, and full visibility into the vehicle lifecycle.
Most importantly, the solution establishes a scalable foundation that supports future growth, additional dealer participation, and evolving business requirements without requiring a redesign of the core platform.
A Takeaway for Salesforce-Powered Platforms
Salesforce Experience Cloud is most effective when used as a framework for building tailored digital experiences. With thoughtful design and the right implementation approach, it can support highly specialized workflows while maintaining the integrity, security, and scalability Salesforce is known for.
This project demonstrates how Salesforce can power modern, industry-specific platforms when its capabilities are aligned with real business needs.
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