"With the introduction of SMS applications we have improved the cost efficiency of our car dealers and at the same time we boost the innovative image of our VW and Audi brands."

Marc Bauduin, After Sales and Quality Coordination Manager at D'Ieteren.

D'Ieteren is an international group at the service of the motorist wih three main activities: automobile distribution in Belgium (Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Porsche), short-term car rental in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and vehicle glass repair and replacement in Europe, North and South America, Australia and New-Zealand.

Over the years, managing appointments with customers had become a huge workload for D'Ieteren. Notifications by e-mail proved to be insufficient, as people often did not show up for their scheduled appointments. The issue was to provide a cost effective communication tool to car dealers to manage their appointments.

When a car is ready to be picked up, the customer receives an SMS message using the MobileWeb.be SMS Gateway. This message is automatically generated, but employees can personalize it by, for example, adding opening hours or other important details. To boost the innovative reputation of D'Ieteren, MobileWeb.be also developed a mobile dealer locator and a mobile internet site.

The SMS Alert service has automated an important communication between car dealers and their customers. Employees no longer need to call the customers, which increases the efficiency of the work process. In addition, the communication is not limited to e-mail, avoiding situations where customers didn't read the notification in time and miss the planned appointment. This service helped to build up a large client database, which can be used for loyalty and after-sales services.