ATLANTA, May 7, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Equifax Inc.(NYSE:EFX), a global information solutions provider, announced today that it has signed an agreement with the National Independent Automotive Dealers Association (NIADA) to be a National Member Benefit Partner. Through this relationship, Equifax will provide NIADA-member dealers access to the next generation of tools and information to help them deliver vehicles including its recently upgraded online portal focused on improving a dealer's ability to facilitate their used vehicle sales.
The online portal, Equifax ePort™, provides independent dealers access to auto shoppers' credit data as well as verification of income and employment to remove lender stipulations, mitigate fraud and ultimately speed the delivery of used vehicles. Equifax ePort also enables simple and more secure access to the daily data and information that dealerships need to work more efficiently with both consumers and lenders.
NIADA and Equifax recently began working together to identify the common pain points independent dealers face. Through this collaboration, both organizations believe they will be more strongly positioned to better help independent dealers overcome some of the identified challenges by providing information in one easy-to-access portal. As a result, dealers are able to:
- Clear stipulations quickly with instant access to income and employment verifications;
- Access multiple credit scores to work more effectively and efficiently with lenders;
- Streamline fraud checks and similar verifications to stay focused on selling; and
- Help provide an auditable and documented process for interactions with consumers and lenders.
Equifax ePort is a revolutionary approach to solving headaches frequently encountered by our member dealers," said Scott Lilja, Senior Vice President of Member Services at NIADA. "Our members can now streamline the delivery process and drive sales by leveraging a single source for consumer information. We are excited to work with Equifax, and together, we aim to continue improving the quality of solutions available for independent dealers now and in the future."
"Over the years, Equifax has been a trusted resource for providing consumer credit information to auto dealers to help them make more informed decisions during the vehicle sales process," said Gary Hughes, General Manager of Automotive Services, Equifax. "Now, with the enhanced capabilities of our Equifax ePort platform for dealers, we will be able to offer even more solutions to the auto market. We are pleased to join with NIADA to better empower independent dealers as they continue to grow their business and navigate the road ahead."
Equifax will be unveiling its upgraded capabilities for independent dealers at the annual NIADA Convention & Expo, June 23-26, 2014 in Las Vegas.
About Equifax
Equifax is a global leader in consumer, commercial and workforce information solutions that provide businesses of all sizes and consumers with insight and information they can trust. Equifax organizes and assimilates data on more than 600 million consumers and 81 million businesses worldwide. The company's significant investments in differentiated data, its expertise in advanced analytics to explore and develop new multi-source data solutions, and its leading-edge proprietary technology enable it to create and deliver unparalleled customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates or has investments in 19 countries and is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500® Index. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. In 2013, Equifax was named a Bloomberg BusinessWeek Top 50 company, was #3 in Fortune's Most Admired list in its category, and was named to InfoWeek 500 as well as the FinTech 100. For more information, please visit www.equifax.com.
About NIADA
The National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA), founded in 1946 has represented quality independent automobile dealers for over 65 years. NIADA assists its members in becoming more successful within the used motor vehicle industry. Through membership in NIADA, organizations and individuals join with over 20,000 other professional auto dealers who share the dream of financial prosperity for your business. NIADA is your legislative advocate -- protecting your business interests. The association consistently brings you industry education, valuable information, services and benefits designed to prepare members for an ever-changing marketplace. For more information, please visit www.niada.com.