Certifications – a game changer in the SaaS and automotive retail industry

CDK Global delivers innovative automotive and heavy-truck software solutions spanning every dealership department-back office, marketing, sales, parts, service-plus security and networking. Our platforms help retailers overcome complexity, optimize workflows, and create best-in-class customer experiences through measurable, technology-enabled performance.

Briefly describe the nominated organization: history and past performance (up to 1,250 characters):

CDK University (CDKU) was established to solve persistent challenges in automotive retail and heavy-truck dealerships: uneven role proficiency, extended onboarding, and rising software complexity that erode customer experience and ROI. Historically, training success was measured by course completion and test scores, not real-world capability. CDKU set out to change that.

Built on four pillars-Product Education, Process & Skill Education, Leadership Development, and Certification-CDKU supports most dealership job functions with a modern, unified learning experience. Learners can access 1,200+ eLearning courses, virtual instructor-led training, micro-learning, and how-to content on a 24/7 basis. Power User controls and dashboards give managers visibility to their team's progress and performance. Training begins prior to implementation, includes go-live instruction, and continues through renewal, ensuring skills stay current. In 2024, CDKU launched a role- and product-based certification program that validates applied proficiency-not just course completion. Since launch, thousands of learners have advanced along prescribed learning plans and earned micro-credentials and badges they can share socially, verifying capability. CDKU's evolution reflects a long-standing commitment to measurable proficiency, workforce development, and dealership success across North America.

Outline the organization's achievements since July 1, 2023 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 1,500 characters):

Challenge - Dealerships were onboarding new hires into complex workflows with inconsistent training outcomes. Traditional SaaS certifications validated test-taking rather than role-ready performance, driving longer time-to-proficiency, higher support dependence, and uneven customer experiences.

Intervention - CDK University launched role- and product-based certifications that blend sequenced learning plans, eLearning/VILT, micro-learning, and assessments. Learners earn badges and micro-credentials across 1,200+ courses, and managers track progress with dashboards, automated reporting, and cascading visibility.

Execution - Certification aligns to the full customer journey-onboarding, adoption, expansion, and renewal-so skills are validated as roles evolve and products update. Power Users standardize assignments and reporting across multi-store groups to accelerate consistency.

Results (highlights) - 14,500+ enrollments, 9,500+ unique learners in certification; 3,800+ completed certification paths; 7,500+ paths in progress; 1,600+ unique customers certified across roles and products; reported reductions in onboarding time, fewer workflow errors, and higher manager confidence in staffing certified talent.

Impact - Dealerships use certification outcomes to staff with confidence, reduce reliance on ad-hoc coaching, and improve process adherence-leading to better customer experiences, greater efficiency, and stronger staff retention. CDKU transformed training from knowledge transfer into a scalable system for verified performance.

Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 1,500 characters):

Most SaaS training programs equate certification with a passing score. CDKU defines certification as verified, role-ready proficiency directly tied to real dealership workflows. This addresses the core industry gap: the inability to reliably confirm that employees can apply skills in live operations.

What's unique - CDKU integrates structured learning plans, eLearning/VILT, micro-credentialing, hands-on assessments, and gamification into a continuous certification system. Credentials are role- and product-specific, with dashboards that managers use to standardize performance across locations.

Why it matters - Certification provides verifiable signals that leaders can trust-shortening time-to-proficiency, reducing workflow errors, and improving process consistency. Dealers report higher confidence in staffing talent and less reliance on reactive support.

Scale and outcomes - With 1,200+ courses, 100+ certifications, and thousands of completed certification paths, CDKU demonstrates sustained behavior change rather than one-off training events. This places CDKU ahead of conventional SaaS programs that certify attendance, not capability.

Bottom line - CDKU Certification creates measurable workforce impact-efficiency, retention, and customer experience-while giving organizations a repeatable framework for skill verification as technology evolves. It sets a new benchmark for customer service training in technology-enabled retail.

Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 1,500 characters):

Supporting Facts Slide Deck: Summary of CDKU and Certification Pillars, platform features, and certification plus social-share badges. Certification adoption and momentum visuals (enrollments, unique learners, completed paths, in-progress trajectories). Learning Catalog Breadth: Counts for 1,200+ eLearning courses, VILT cadence, micro-learning library, and role-specific learning plans.

Introduction Videos: provide overview of the ease which customers can access CDKU, the breadth of training options and ability of managers/power users to easily assign courses and track progress.

CDK Certification Landing Page: Increasing Knowledge and Productivity: Lays out the benefits and value of the program for our customers.

LinkedIn Social Media Post by a CDK Customer: Demonstrates how customers value the certification program and the socially shareable aspect of the program.

Together, these materials corroborate claims about scale, methodology, and measurable progress, and illustrate how certification aligns with the end-to-end customer journey (onboarding adoption expansion renewal).