ATU chooses Avayler software for German mobile tyre service

Following earlier reports on 25 November 2022, Avayler, Halfords’ B2B software arm has confirmed that ATU has selected the Avayler mobile solution to support its new mobile servicing and tyre fitting division. Avayler Mobile will initially be rolled out in Munich as part of ATU’s “Mobile Workshop” pilot project, with further plans for expansion throughout Germany.

Halfords reports that the Avayler Mobile solution is designed to drive operational excellence. ATU Technicians are given all the tools they need to complete a job successfully, right down to ensuring the correct routes to get them to the job, alert the customer of their arrival time, and give technicians all the information they require for the job at hand. Using the specially designed customer portal, ATU customers can pick a time slot for service that works for them and the business, driven by a dynamic pricing engine. The portal will also ensure digital communication is maintained with the customer throughout the service.

ATU is Germany’s leading automotive services provider with a mix of 556 centres, 531 in Germany and 25 in Austria. The company identified a need to reach a new and growing demographic to expand its customer base by introducing mobile servicing and repairs into its business operations. ATU selected Avayler Mobile after a market review that included on-site visits to see the Avayler solution in action for the Halfords Mobile Expert network of 253 consumer vans and 440 commercial vans in the UK. According to its maker, the technology has enabled Halfords to become the number one automotive aftermarket service company globally, with a 4.8+ score on Trustpilot.

To drive further business and customer value, specific components within Avayler Mobile can build in dynamic pricing to influence where and when customers receive mobile services. These preferences are then dynamically scheduled into daily planning to maximise the number of jobs completed per technician route, ultimately ensuring the new ATU mobile service division is profitable, not a cost centre. The solution will initially be introduced across Munich, before being gradually rolled out on a nationwide basis.

“At ATU, our aim is to differentiate our business in the automotive repair market. This means finding new ways to service our customers at times and places that suit them, outside of our physical workshops. This was the driving force behind our move to mobile operations, the challenge was then to select the right technology to underpin this transition and ensure we can drive operational efficiency and customer centricity,” said Lars Heyne, CTO, ATU. “Avayler Mobile was a perfect fit for this ambition, and we saw synergy with Halfords and Avayler from both a business strategy and technology perspective.”

Andy Randall, chairman, Avayler, commented on the growing success of the Avayler platform: “The selection by ATU underlines that Avayler is built by the industry, for the industry. The industry-specificity of the Avayler product offering perfectly matches the needs of automotive service providers looking to take that step to get out and closer to their customers. We’ve now seen strong global traction for the solution, first in the US with American Tire Distributors and TireBuyer and now in Europe with ATU.”

Traction continues for the Avayler business unit, as ATU becomes one of the latest major automotive repair and service providers worldwide to select Avayler software following its launch in July 2021. It follows American Tire Distributors Inc. (ATD), one of the largest independent suppliers of tyres to the replacement tyre market in North America, which in turn partners leading online tyre retailer Tirebuyer.com. Avayler representatives reports there has also been “significant interest” from other major organisations across Europe and the Asia-Pacific.

ATU was founded in 1985. Its approximately 10,000 employees generate a turnover of around 1 billion euros per year. Since 2016, ATU has been part of French group Mobivia which itself has 19 brands, over 2,000 branches and more than 22,000 employees. The typical ATU centre covers 1350m2, runs between 5 and 8 bays and employs 10 people on average per site.