Company car, van and truck drivers can now book directly into workshop diaries online for the first time without the need for human intervention, thanks to a new innovation.

Tim Meadows, chief commercial officer at Epyx

Integration between Epyx’s 1link Service Network platform and dealer software from Realtime Communications (RTC) opens the door to faster booking, available 24/7.

Users can access Epyx’s Driver Booking Module through almost any digital device and then select their preferred dealer, view the slots available, and book a time and date directly into the diary of participating workshops using the Realtime Communications API suite.

Tim Meadows, chief commercial officer at Epyx, said the new solution could reduce the workshop booking process from potentially hours down to a matter of moments.

“Instead of drivers sending a proposed booking to a workshop online and receiving what is essentially a manual reply from a user of the dealer’s software, they can go directly into the workshop diary and book their own slot. It’s a benefit for everyone involved in the booking.”

Epyx introduced the 1link Service Network Driver Booking Module in 2021 and last year added a rules engine that allows fleets to steer company vehicles towards maintenance providers that are most suited to their needs in terms of expertise, convenience and costs.

“When we announced the module, we took the unusual step of outlining the enhancements that we were aiming to deliver in the medium term and direct booking was one of those we specified. Working with RTC has made this possible.”

RTC chief product officer Julian Wheway said the partnership would create definite benefits for both workshops and fleets.

“Many of our customers are already listed as suppliers on 1link Service Network, so it made perfect sense to partner on this project, which is a great way to further enhance the booking process.

“When it comes to administrative tasks such as fleet bookings, calling customers to confirm, and updating or changing times, the new integration is vastly more efficient than the previous manual process, allowing the customer to view and select available slots from the live diary. In addition, it also means that bookings can be made 24/7, something our existing online service booking customers make great use of.”

RTC is now looking to partner with other platforms in the automotive space to drive efficiency and streamline operations for fleets and garages.