An app has been launched that guides customers through the aftersales process, from booking a car in, to authorising work, through to receiving notification that it’s ready to collect.      

Ingelby, a digital agency, has launched the aftersales app for download on Apple and Android mobile devices.

Ingelby Automotive apps’ managing director Ollie Lane said: “The app delivers enhanced customer engagement, providing numerous touch points with the customer throughout the service day.

“Our complementary value added concierge service which issues reminders on car tax, insurance and MoTs is key in building brand recognition and loyalty. And we can run customer service or ‘voice of the customer’ surveys to further engage with customers and generate additional feedback.”

Using the app enables the dealer to send real-time service updates to the end customer at five stages of the process: the initial check-in; an ‘in-progress update’; Electronic Vehicle Health Check (EVHC) approval of additional work, (supplemented by video evidence, which customers can review and sign-off); cleaning and finally an alert the car is ready to collect.

Throughout the process, customer interaction is “instant, seamless and auditable”, providing a service trail for dealers and manufacturers as well as allowing for further communications via push messaging around up-sale opportunities, promotions and offers of potential interest.

Customers benefit from the convenience of being able to book a service at any time and will know how the service is progressing, together with the ability to approve or pay for work done.

“Customers also have the opportunity to save relevant documents like the EVHC summary and the invoice for work done on their mobile device and have it always to hand, eliminating the need to save paper documents,” Lane said.

The app means efficiencies for dealers by reducing calls to the service desk, facilitating timely customer payments and reducing approval times.

Ingelby Automotive said it has has been able to cut average response time to EVHC decisions to 9.08 minutes across app customers, with some approving work in less than one minute.

Moreover, it is offering the app as a white label option, customisable by a manufacturer or dealer.

The launch follows successful trials with BMW across a total of three dealership sites in London and Solihull.

Ingelby plans to roll out the app (the Ingelby Automotive Aftersales Service app) across BMW’s UK network, while also pitching it in to other UK-based manufacturers and dealer groups.      

The app can also be fully integrated with CDK’s service online platform, plus in addition to other dealer management systems and solutions.

A non-integrated version is also available. Ingelby has also developed a call centre version of the app dashboard to sign-up new app customers.