Stoneacre claims to have become “UK’s first connected used car dealer” after partnering with the Smartdriverclub to offer customers a connected car service.

The deal will give the retailer a connected link to customer’s cars in a bid to support customer acquisition, boost retention and increase aftersales revenue.

Customers will, in turn, benefit from access to a range of cost-saving and peace of mind benefits for the lifetime of their vehicle – from crash alerts to car tracking.

Commenting on the new offering – dubbed Stoneacre Connect – Gerry George, aftersales director at Stoneacre, said: “One of the biggest challenges for the UK used car dealer market is generating aftersales revenue and you can only really do that if you give your customers a very good reason to come back to you again and again.

“Smartdriverclub came to us with a truly innovative idea to use connectivity as a way to strengthen our customer relationships, enabling us to reach out to our existing customers, as well as new ones.  The response so far has been fantastic.

“The beauty of Stoneacre Connect is that it benefits our customers on a number of levels – it not only makes their lives easier by helping us to be proactive in offering our services when they need them but offers a whole range of useful additional services that currently only new car buyers can enjoy.”

Through a new service Stoneacre’s 49 dealer sites can now access important knowledge about their customers’ cars post sale, via a simple plug in telematics device in the OBD port.

The feed of data from the device will enable Smartdriverclub to deliver daily reports of mileage information, fault alerts, low battery, collisions and stolen vehicles so that dealers can proactively contact customers to arrange services, repairs and replacement vehicles.

As a member of Stoneacre Connect, customers will have access to essential safety features like 24/7 emergency assistance in the case of an accident, ‘Where’s My Car’ to help locate their vehicle if they have forgotten where it’s parked, business mileage information, theft tracking that can speed up Police recovery plus access to insurance from Smartdriverclub with the potential for good drivers to earn up to 40% discount. 

In addition, they will be able to view special deals from Stoneacre such as offers on tyres and MOTs. 

Customers can view all of their Stoneacre Connect services via their smartphone using the free Stoneacre Connect app or online via their laptop or tablet device.

Smartdriverclub chief executive, Penny Searles said: “The team at Stoneacre immediately recognised the opportunity to increase revenue and enhance customer retention with connected car technology, as well as the potential to change the way they interact with customers once they leave the showroom. 

“The launch of Stoneacre Connect gives them a real point of difference in a highly competitive market.

“Stoneacre’s centralised services match perfectly with the simple proposition of listening to the car and delivering ongoing services to the customer. We look forward to working closely with Stoneacre and welcoming more dealers to the service.”