Member Article

NE entrepreneurs unveil award-winning technology to transform vehicle rental market

A group of North East entrepreneurs has launched a unique mobile app to help the vehicle supply sector improve systems, offer accurate reporting and, ultimately, increase damage revenues and profit margins.

The new app- which has already received a business award- has been under development for two years and is in response to increasing demands from manufacturers, hire companies and dealerships for a standardised approach to the reporting of a vehicle’s use as it passes through a supply chain.

POINTSoftware is the brainchild of Sunderland-based sisters, Gillian Frary and Deborah Briggs, sales and marketing director, Paula Lumley from Darlington and IT specialists, David Frame and Andy Walton, based in Hebburn.

The state-of-the-art delivery, inspection and collection app, which has seen a six figure investment, is the first of its kind in the vehicle rental sector and reports accurately and efficiently on the status of a vehicle and its condition as it passes through the supply chain.

POINTSoftware, which can be used as an inspection or delivery and collection tool by a range of businesses with a fleet of vehicles of varying sizes, increases the visibility of a vehicle and reports with pinpoint accuracy as any damage is identified.

With a combined experience of over 60 years in the vehicle rental sector, the POINTSoftware team recognised the need for the new technology to record the delivery, collection and assessment of damage to fleets, as well as the provision of pro-active reporting. Much of the vehicle rental and supply sectors still uses paper documentation which leads to inaccuracies and inefficiencies.

The new software combats many inconsistencies in vehicle inspection, offering real-time information and tracking. As a result, businesses and organisations experience a tangible return on investment with benefits including 90% damage recharge success, indisputable evidence of any damage, a 25% increase in the amount of data captured, a 90% reduction in customer queries and a significant reduction in paperwork and the time it takes to invoice.

Ultimately, the app can increase damage revenue within the hire sector- which is critical for maintaining profit margins- and offers greater visibility for anyone using the straightforward system.

POINTSoftware has spent over two years researching the market and the type of technology required to ensure that the new app streamlines operations and reduces paperwork and any associated costs. The app creates accurate change-in-status reporting as the vehicle is used by the supply chain which reduces the risk of errors and creates unparalleled consistency across a business.

The app was recognised recently (November 2014) at the North East Female Entrepreneur Awards in the ‘Best Use of Technology’ category where it received the top award.

MD of POINTSoftware, Gillian Frary, said: “Our research showed that millions of pounds are lost every year in the UK vehicle rental market alone- without even taking into account the full supply chain- because vehicle suppliers are unable to recharge damage caused by the hirer or identify where damage has occurred. The current, paper-based systems and basic technologies aren’t sufficient whereas our app pinpoints exactly where damage has occurred, with real-time evidence, which simply cannot be disputed.

“The new app leads to the faster recovery of damage recharge as the software provides an accurate recording and reporting mechanism. Hence, the app could lead to increased revenue thanks to its ability to accurately pinpoint more data which, in turn, leads to more rapid invoicing and a faster turnaround time on the vehicles collected and delivered.”

Sales and marketing director of POINTSoftware, Paula Lumley, said: “The new software has been borne out of the many frustrations in the vehicle rental sector. The new technology is a major step forward as it provides valuable management information and is really easy to use. Most importantly, it can be flexibly applied to the processes of most businesses along the supply chain offering a significant return on investment for those organisations opting to use the system.”

As a number of organisations in the vehicle supply sector are realising the benefits of using POINTSoftware, the company now plans to make the app available for other sectors in the coming months.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison Associates .