D&G AUTOCARE IS FIRST IN UK TO SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCH AN INNOVATIVE, EASY TO USE VEHICLE MANAGEMENT APP
D&G Autocare, Scotland’s leading independent garage group, with fifteen locations across Fife, Tayside, the Lothians and the Central Belt, including a garage at Stevenson Road, Murrayfield, has claimed a UK industry first with the launch of an innovative vehicle management app.
The new app, which took around two months to plan, develop, test and bring to market, was created in house by D&G Autocare’s online and mobile marketing team, based at its Headquarters in Kirkcaldy. It represents a technological investment of £10,000 for D&G, which was voted “Best Scottish Group” in 2016-17 by customers of www.whocanfixmycar.com, one of the country’s leading autocare search websites.
Those downloading the easy to use app, which is completely free, and covers both android and i phones, can now take advantage of a host of motorist benefits, including receiving timely reminders for their vehicle’s MOT and servicing. They can use the app to book their cars into a D&G garage of their choice, also being given the directions to the garage through the app. And they can check the service and insurance history of any car before deciding whether or not to purchase it.
Commenting on the launch of the new app, Pete Wood, D&G’s Director of Operations said: “We are excited to launch this new innovation to the Autocare Industry, having worked extremely hard to a number of deadlines to ensure that we are the very first garage group to achieve this in the UK. It’s always fantastic to be first, as the technology is moving at a very fast pace.”
As he explained, the app’s development was brought about by changes in marketing trends, as well as new legislation brought about by the DVLA and DVSA.
“Apps are becoming more and more popular with busy consumers, and are in many ways revolutionising how we are selecting and booking products and services we need,” he said. “Several other significant developments in the motoring sector, such as the removal of tax discs from windscreens, and MOT certificates and information on a vehicle’s history being stored electronically, made us think that an easy to use, vehicle management tool, controlled through your phone, could help our customers.”
“It’s a hugely positive development that anyone can now check a car online to see whether or not it is taxed, has an MOT and is insured,” said Pete Wood. “This will save motorists money when they come to buy a used car, as well as ensure less unsafe cars are on the roads.”
Mr Wood added, that in D&G ‘s experience, many of their customers had told them that they had unwittingly allowed their car tax to expire, with no paper tax disc reminder on their windscreens.
“The issue of car tax renewal has become increasingly problematic for busy motorists,” he said, “and our simple but effective app takes the uncertainty away, acting as a handy reminder that the tax is due. Using it to log when MOT’s and servicing is due cuts down on paper reminders in the post, along with unwanted texts and emails. It’s a one point of contact tool.”
The D&G Autocare App is free to download from the company’s website at www.dandgautocare.co.uk, plus through Google play and iTunes. Once a customer has the app they will get automatic reminders a week before their tax, MOT or car insurance is due to expire.
Multi award winning D&G Autocare is continuing to look at further expansion across the central belt. In 2014 it launched a garage in East Kilbride, it’s furthest west to date, but also established itself in Tayside with a garage at Taygate Trading Centre in Dundee in 2017 and added their newest garage, to date, at Etna Trade Centre in Falkirk, the same year. It’s first Dunfermline garage, at Rumblingwell, has recently relocated to larger premises just down the road at Balridgeburn.
D&G continues to operate an apprenticeship scheme for both trainee mechanics and administration staff, with eight young apprentices across the group.
D&G Autocare is an independent garage group with 15 garages across Central Scotland, from East Kilbride in the West across Stirling, Perth and Dundee to Fife and the Lothians. The company, employing a total of 105 people, covers all servicing requirements from MOTS, tyres, exhausts and brakes, to suspension & clutches, and can replace all car parts. It can also supply tyres and wheels and has DVSA Authorised Testing Facilities (up to Class 7 Light Commercial Vehicles) in its branches. Company cars, fleet and lease vehicles are all welcome.
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