Automotive Software: DMS, Workshop Planning, Vehicle Data and EV Charging Infrastructure for Dealers and Fleets

The automotive industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation that touches every part of the value chain, from manufacturer to dealer to end user. The transition to electric vehicles is fundamentally changing the product offering: dealers must advise on range, charging infrastructure and incentives while their technical expertise still largely centres on internal combustion engines. Connected car technology generates a continuous stream of vehicle data that creates opportunities for predictive maintenance and personalised service offers, yet this data remains untapped at most dealerships. Changing ownership models such as personal contract hire, car subscriptions and mobility-as-a-service shift the focus from one-off sales to long-term customer relationships with recurring revenue. Meanwhile dealers wrestle with legacy Dealer Management Systems (DMS) that were not designed for this new reality. Workshop scheduling is manual, inventory visibility across locations is unreliable and the customer journey is fragmented: online configuration, showroom visit and after-sales contact flow through different systems without continuity. Custom software enables automotive businesses to break through this fragmentation. A modern DMS connects sales, workshop, parts and finance. Connected car platforms translate vehicle telemetry into concrete service actions. Multi-location inventory management optimises stock rotation with AI-driven pricing. And an omnichannel platform gives the customer a seamless journey from initial interest to years of after-sales relationship.

Pain points

• Outdated Dealer Management Systems (DMS) that do not align with modern customer journey models and the digital expectations of today's car buyer, creating a disconnect between the online and in-showroom experience
• Lack of insight into vehicle data and diagnostics because connected car telemetry is not read or linked to the service scheduling system, making proactive maintenance impossible and keeping repairs purely reactive
• Complex inventory management for new and used vehicles across multiple dealer locations with unreliable availability information and manual pricing not based on current market data
• Fragmented customer journey where online configuration, showroom visit, test drive, financing and after-sales contact run through different systems with no continuity in customer history
• Difficult integration with manufacturer systems for warranty claims, parts ordering and recall campaigns, and with vehicle registries for registration data and roadworthiness records
• Manual workshop scheduling leading to unused mechanic capacity, overbooking at peak times and lack of visibility into average repair duration per job type
• Insufficient support for the EV transition: dealers lack tools for range simulation, charging advice, incentive calculations and planning charging infrastructure at their own locations
• Limited insight into customer lifetime value because sales data, service history and communication records sit in different unconnected systems

Our solutions

• Modern Dealer Management System (DMS) with integrated CRM, workshop scheduling with capacity optimisation, parts logistics and financial administration in a single platform. The system provides complete customer history from first contact through years of after-sales relationship
• Connected car platform translating vehicle telemetry via OBD-II dongles or manufacturer APIs into maintenance alerts, service offers and proactive appointment scheduling. Fault codes are automatically linked to repair procedures and required parts
• Multi-location inventory management with AI-driven pricing for used vehicles based on market data from major listing platforms, including dealer stock sharing so the entire network functions as one inventory for customers
• Omnichannel customer journey platform with online configuration, showroom appointment booking, digital finance application, test drive reservation and digital handover, allowing customers to continue on any channel where they left off
• API integrations with manufacturer systems for warranty claims and parts ordering, vehicle registries for registration data and roadworthiness records, insurers for damage repair and finance companies for lease contracts
• Workshop scheduling module with capacity optimisation per mechanic and bay, estimated repair duration based on historical data, and automated customer communication about progress and collection time
• EV transition toolkit with range simulation, customer charging advice, incentive calculations, charging infrastructure planning for dealer locations and energy management for on-site charging points

Benefits

• Considerably higher workshop utilisation through predictive maintenance based on vehicle telemetry and optimised workshop scheduling that maximises mechanic capacity and minimises customer wait times
• Faster vehicle turnover through data-driven pricing based on current market data and inventory rotation optimisation that ensures vehicles do not remain in stock too long and are offered at the right price point
• Higher customer satisfaction through a seamless omnichannel experience from online browsing to years of after-sales relationship, where the customer is recognised at every touchpoint and receives relevant communication
• Better margins on used vehicles through AI-driven market price analysis that optimises purchase prices, selling prices and days in stock based on supply and demand data from the market
• Successful EV transition through tools that enable the sales team to advise customers on range, charging options and total cost of ownership, increasing the conversion rate from EV interest to sale
• Complete customer insight by connecting sales data, service history, communication records and vehicle telemetry in a single profile, enabling personalised marketing and service based on the individual customer relationship

Technologies

Our approach

Automotive projects start with an audit of your dealership operations, workshop processes, vehicle data streams and customer journey touchpoints. We inventory the existing DMS architecture, manufacturer integrations and connectivity requirements with vehicle registries, finance partners and insurers. Development begins with the module delivering the highest impact, typically DMS modernisation or connected car integration, and expands with inventory optimisation, omnichannel customer experience and EV transition tools. Each module is tested by your sales advisors, workshop planners and reception staff in daily practice. Legacy systems are phased out or exposed via API layers so operations are not disrupted during the transition.

How to measure success?

Key metrics for automotive software include workshop utilisation rate (percentage of used mechanic capacity), average vehicle sales cycle time from intake to delivery, customer satisfaction score after service (measured via NPS or CSAT), used vehicle inventory turnover speed (average days in stock), percentage of proactively scheduled service appointments based on vehicle telemetry, and EV conversion ratio (percentage of EV enquiries resulting in a sale). We monitor these KPIs through integrated dealer dashboards with breakdowns by location, brand and individual sales advisor.