Scot McConnor | Page 3 of 3 | Helion Technologies

Does the FTC Safeguards Rule Apply to Heavy Truck Dealerships?

October 13, 2026 by Scot McConnor

Class 8 semi tractor outside a heavy truck dealership service bay with a deal folder, keys, and a padlock on the workbench, illustrating the FTC Safeguards Rule for truck dealerships

Does the FTC Safeguards Rule apply to truck dealerships that sell to businesses? Yes, with limits. See what commercial credit changes and what applies anyway.

AI Phone Agents for Dealerships: A Security and Consent Checklist

October 12, 2026 by Scot McConnor

Dealership reception desk with a desk phone in a bright showroom, illustrating AI phone agents for dealerships

An AI receptionist for car dealerships touches customer data, call recordings, and consent law. Use this 14-item security and consent checklist before you sign.

Mercedes-Benz Dealer ISO 27001 / TISAX Requirement: What Now That the Deadline Has Passed

October 14, 2026October 11, 2026 by Scot McConnor

Luxury car dealership showroom with a desk calendar and binder on the reception desk, representing the Mercedes-Benz dealer ISO 27001 and TISAX deadline that has passed

The Mercedes-Benz dealer ISO 27001 or TISAX Level 2 date of September 30, 2026 has passed, and the factory now also accepts the CIS Critical Security Controls. What a store does next depends on whether it’s certified, mid-audit, or hasn’t started. Mercedes-Benz USA’s guidelines for dealers aren’t published, so check the wording in your own … Read more

FTC Safeguards Rule Breach Notification: What Dealers Must Report Within 30 Days

October 10, 2026 by Scot McConnor

Dealership general manager's desk with a folder, desk calendar and red pen overlooking the car lot, representing the 30-day FTC Safeguards Rule breach notification deadline

The FTC Safeguards Rule notification requirement gives a dealership 30 days from discovery to report a breach to the FTC when unencrypted customer information on 500 or more consumers is acquired without authorization. It’s been in force since May 13, 2024. Day one of a breach, nobody at the store is thinking about a federal … Read more

Heavy Truck Dealership Cybersecurity: Lessons From the Motility DMS Breach

October 9, 2026 by Scot McConnor

Heavy truck dealership service building at dusk with Class 8 semi tractors under security floodlights, illustrating truck dealership cybersecurity after the Motility DMS breach

The Motility breach proved that a truck dealer’s DMS vendor is part of the dealer’s own attack surface. Ransomware hit the Reynolds-owned dealer software provider in August 2025, exposed data on 766,670 people, and ended in a $4.95 million class settlement. Picture the letter. It isn’t from a hacker. It’s from your software company, and … Read more

The Best Managed IT Providers for Dealerships in 2026

October 8, 2026 by Scot McConnor

Laptop with abstract charts on a dealership manager desk at dusk with the lit lot behind

Choosing a managed IT provider for a dealership isn’t the same decision as choosing one for a law firm or a retail chain. Dealership operations run on a DMS, get audited under FTC Safeguards, and can’t afford downtime during a sales event or a service rush. That means the providers who actually understand this industry … Read more

Karmak Bought DSI: An IT Checklist for PACCAR Dealers Moving Off Blaze

October 8, 2026 by Scot McConnor

Truck dealership general manager holding a printed checklist beside a row of long-nose Class 8 trucks outside the service shop at sunrise

Karmak bought DSI Solutions, the company behind the Blaze DMS, in a deal effective September 30, 2025, and now holds more than half of the DMS market among PACCAR dealers. Blaze is still sold and supported. Moving to Fusion is a choice, and it’s an IT project before it’s a software project. I sold CRM … Read more