Tips for Better Replacement Car Management

Are there improvements to be made throughout the courtesy car management process?

The truth is, yes. The trick lies in the small details.

So, as if we were hiring a big consultancy firm, let's put on our "consultant hat" and off we go!

How to optimize the management of replacement cars

We need to be practical. We're not going to "reinvent the wheel".

The difference will be noticeable in the small details.

But to find them, we first need to put the entire process down on paper, in order to identify the hot spots in our replacement vehicle management.

In general terms, the process consists of 3 phases:

• Data collection/key handover
• Repair/replacement period
• Vehicle return

So now we are in a good position to identify problems and solutions phase by phase.

Save time and work

The main problem during data collection usually lies in the inefficiencies caused by working with paper. Therefore, as much as possible, let's look for a solution to all that paperwork for managing a reservation.

Preferably, let's turn to systems where the customer themselves fills in their data through an App on their mobile phone. For example, the Bequikly App.

This way, they will be the ones to take a photo of their ID and driver's license. And there will be no need for a key handover because they will be able to open the car with their own mobile phone.

Of course, all that data will be 100% accessible information for your advisors.

And this translates into time savings for service advisors.

Keep your vehicles under control at all times. Wherever they are

During the time the repair takes, the fundamental optimization lies in increasing the control we have, both over the vehicle and the reservation information.

That is, being able to have everything located within this business area.

And the fact is, if the workshop or dealership works with an App like the one we mentioned earlier, we won't just have the reservation under control at all times. We will also have 24/7 control of the vehicles via GPS.

In this case, we not only gain peace of mind, but a database (mileage, schedule, destinations...) will also be generated.

Simplify and speed up vehicle return

Returning the replacement vehicle is usually the simplest part of the process, although any service advisor knows it can get complicated if there have been any incidents with the vehicle.

If our goal is to streamline work within this business area, then any work the customer does for our service advisors will always be a relief.

Since with the Bequikly App, they can finalize their contract themselves, report damage, and could even return the car outside of the workshop's working hours.

All of this is only possible with a sufficient degree of digitalization, such as the one an App that our customers have on their own mobile phones can provide.

To recap, there are 2 conclusions we should reach. First, paper is the main obstacle in managing replacement vehicles due to its very limited nature.

Second, any degree of digitalization will directly impact the three stages of this area, which is critical for customer satisfaction and brand trust.

Therefore, investing in Apps that allow the customer to do work that service advisors do today will always be a direct saving for our workshop. Especially considering the very affordable price of this technology (from €11.50 per month).

Did you find this article useful? We invite you to share it with colleagues in the sector who might need it.

And, of course, if you are considering any of the solutions mentioned in this article, feel free to get in touch. We'll be happy to advise you!