Epyx’s 1link Service Network is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month in a milestone for fleet service, maintenance and repair (SMR) technology.

Since its launch, more than 54 million repairs have been undertaken via 1link Service Network

Said to be the first SMR processing platform of its kind, the solution has been adopted by major fleets to handle transactions with franchise dealers, independent garages and fast-fits.

Since its launch, more than 54 million repairs have been undertaken, 26 million services fulfilled, eight million MOT tests completed and almost five million tyres fitted, generating 46 million invoices and a spend of nearly £10bn.

It’s now used by 105 major fleets including 41 of the UK’s top 50 leasing companies, alongside nearly 9,000 service providers.

Tim Meadows, chief commercial officer at Epyx, said 1link Service Network had been continuously developed over time to take account of changing fleet and garage needs, as well as developments in technology.

“Today’s 1link Service Network fulfils essentially the same role as the launch product but has been continually refined and evolved to the point where it provides a degree of control that is unrivalled by any other method of handling SMR.”

Future developments will further enhance the platform – including a complete ground-up rewrite of the job sheet process.

“We’re also well aware of the potential of developments such as connected car, diary booking integration for dealers and artificial intelligence. All of these are in various stages of incorporation into future product plans.”

Tim Meadows, CCO at Epyx

Meadows said 1link Service Network could lay claim to being the first major e-commerce platform to become widely used not just in the fleet sector but the motor industry as a whole.

“When it was launched, we quite often had to not just introduce fleets and garages to the platform but to the whole idea of using the internet at work. For some, we even helped to get them online.

“Its impact cannot be understated. Before 1link, booking and authorising a service or maintenance transaction between a major fleet and its suppliers involved endless phone calls and faxing and, even then, the rejection rate for the final invoice was very high.

“Instead, our technology allowed the transaction to be agreed and authorised online in moments. Within a few years, it was in use by virtually every major vehicle leasing company as well as many other major fleets – and that situation continues to this day.”