The disclosure comes amid a broader discussion of products and innovation at a show where CDK joins a number of technology companies to showcase new and updated products to thousands of dealer attendees.
CDK’s workforce reductions are part of the company’s “fit and focus” initiative, MacDonald said. He declined to share details, but said the cuts were generally made across the division and aimed to “leverage tooling and automation and process changes” to increase efficiency.
MacDonald said the move comes after Brookfield completed an $8.3 billion deal to buy CDK after taking over as CEO six months ago, working to increase efficiency and foster innovation. stated that it was in accordance with the statement of
“When we took over the company, we told our employee base that one of our key priorities was to stay fit and focused, to focus on what we want to do, to be really good at it, to prioritize it. I said it was downgrade [other] I feel a little better,” McDonald said.
CDK employs approximately 6,000 people. Staff numbers are now “where we want them to be,” McDonald said, and there are no plans for another company-wide layoff at this time.
MacDonald, who led CDK from January 2016 to November 2018, also outlined the technological advances the company is pushing at the NADA show this week.
According to him, the focus was to modernize existing products and launch innovative products. This includes the formal debut of CDK’s Neuron Performance View reporting tool, which the company touts as providing intelligent insights through advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and near real-time updates. CDK also demonstrated its CDK Intelligent Connect product, a conversational AI virtual assistant that will launch in the spring. This product is intended to partially help dealers strengthen their connection with their consumers.
CDK also highlighted a new virtual chief information security officer product. The tool connects dealers with trained security professionals to help them develop cybersecurity strategies that comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s updated safeguard rules to help keep customer information safe. The FTC in November extended the deadline to comply with the safeguard rule changes until June 9 of this year.