CDK Global is still down as car dealerships brace for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. The software outage, which has been ongoing since last week, has impacted nearly 15,000 dealerships across North America. CDK has stated that they are working on restoring their software, but car buyers and dealers remain stuck in limbo.
CDK Global provides crucial data and technology to automotive dealerships, used for managing various tasks such as scheduling and record-keeping. While not all dealers rely on CDK’s systems for every aspect of their operations, the outage has caused significant disruptions.
Salespeople and service employees have been forced to resort to pen and paper to process transactions due to the inability to access CDK’s systems. This has led to longer wait times for customers, with delays in purchases and car repairs being reported.
Customers like Don Aycock have faced challenges in completing transactions, with some having to wait days to sign paperwork or get license plates due to the software outage. Dealerships have also had to make alternative arrangements for processing vehicle registrations, causing delays in important tasks.
CDK Global has expressed that they do not expect their systems to be back online before June 30th. While some progress has been made in restoring certain applications, the company is still working on full restoration. Investigations are ongoing into the cyber incidents that triggered the outage, with CDK yet to confirm the source of the attacks.
Experts have highlighted the vulnerabilities of interconnected cloud systems, cautioning against the risks of widespread hacks. The industry-wide impact of the CDK outage underscores the potential leverage that hackers can gain by targeting critical software providers in the supply chain.
The outage has had far-reaching effects on dealerships and customers alike, impacting business operations and limiting customer choices. As the situation continues to unfold, both CDK Global and affected dealers are working to mitigate the disruptions and find solutions to the ongoing software outage.
