Recently Oxlo made the decision to join Open Secure Access (OSA) as a member and signatory on their open letter to dealers. We had been invited to join OSA previously and declined. Though Oxlo has always been fundamentally in agreement with the five principles espoused by OSA, we have carefully avoided anything confrontational with the two major dealer systems providers, preferring to find ways to work cooperatively with them. However recent events such as the DealerTrack IPO, the introduction of the Reynolds RCI program, and the UCS acquisition of Reynolds, have combined to strongly suggest the industry is at a crossroads. The issue OSA brings to our attention is core to the future of the industry. Now is the right time for a debate in the industry, and industry participants should declare their positions.
Like Reynolds and ADP, the vendors that are members of OSA, including Oxlo, are in business simply to produce value for their shareholders. Our opinions on the behavior of other participants in the market are not particularly important. Ultimately the customers, both dealers and OEMs, must decide whether the business practices of Reynolds and ADP are worthy of their continued support. And so OSA, whatever the motives of its individual member companies, is performing a valuable service to the industry. Oxlo’s intent in joining OSA is to encourage the discussion. By bringing the issues to dealers and OEMs, they can make informed decisions about what is important to them, and how they will spend their money.
