Two directors at Fleet Alliance have invested in customer handover communications platform AutoBuzz, helping to drive future fleet developments.

Fleet Alliance CEO Andy Bruce

CEO Andy Bruce and COO Nigel McMinn have taken a minority stake and non-executive advisory roles in AutoComms Solutions, which owns the AutoBuzz platform.

The two directors plan to support AutoComms’ continued growth in retail automotive as well as driving the offering for the fleet and leasing space.

AutoBuzz tackles the order to handover period in the car-buying journey, which AutoComms says is often overlooked. The platform helps to keep customers engaged in the arrival of their new vehicle with personalised and localised content throughout the post-order, pre-handover gap.

Andy Bruce said it provides a huge opportunity within the retail automotive industry around the car buying process.

“The technology has proven to positively impact customer satisfaction levels as well as selling additional products and services. The ROI to retailers and OEMs is hugely compelling,” he added.

Nigel McMinn, Fleet Alliance COO

An offering for the fleet world is also being worked on with the help of the new investors; Nigel McMinn said he believed this is a market where significant potential exists.

“We know the retail automotive space well, but we are now immersed in the fleet and leasing sector and AutoBuzz can easily support some key challenges in this world. Fleet managers and their drivers need a lot of information about their vehicle as well as its latest delivery updates,” he commented.

Both Bruce and McMinn bring background experience in the retail automotive industry with Lookers Plc.

Ingram Sanders, CEO and co-founder of AutoComms Solutions, said: “The level of experience and insight that Andy Bruce and Nigel McMinn have is unbelievable and a massive coup for our business.

“Since we started talking with them at the end of last year it was clear that they believed in our vision and feel compelled to come on this journey with us and the other shareholders.

“We’re all very excited to see how we can develop the technology together at a time when maximising customer value and giving exceptional customer experience is a top priority being discussed at automotive board room level up and down the country.”

Bruce added that, despite the investment, their core focus remained on developing and managing the Fleet Alliance business.

“We are non-exec advisers to AutoComms. That does not detract from our central business which is successfully managing the development of Fleet Alliance,” he affirmed.