Pinewood has made it possible for its car dealer clients to sell and manage vehicle their stock directly from their smartphone or tablet with the introduction of its new Stock+ app.

Neville Briggs, the managing director at the Pendragon-owned automotive software specialist, said that the new development would benefit dealers in a number of ways, allowing them to “Respond to customers with personalised videos, quickly and efficiently update stock information, and store vehicle and customer documentation for future reference.”

Pinewood said that Stock+ allows salespeople to send personalised videos, providing a better customer experience, which helps convert more enquiries into sales.

Full integration with Pinewood DMS means users can update dealer website pages with photos and videos, captured and uploaded straight from a mobile device.

It also has a built-in video editor, which allows salespeople to add intro and outro clips, for example to adhere to dealer brand guidelines. Furthermore, GDPR options enable compliance with the law, it said.

Briggs added: “Photos and videos of available stock are essential for vehicle sales. Stock+ makes it very quick and easy for sales execs to showcase their dealership’s stock, so you never lose an enquiry due to a lack of media content”.

“Apart from multimedia, we’ve made it easy to add used optional extras to the spec listing. Quite often you’ll find only basic spec details listed online, which can be frustrating for customers trying to compare vehicles and ultimately result in them going elsewhere.”

Pinewood, which lies at the heart of Pendragon’s growth and profitability plans, has this week welcomed 19 new undergraduate placement students into the business as part of its plans to nurture future talent and drive innovation.

It said that, with around 200 team members in total, the undergraduates represent “a significant investment in their next generation of talent”.

The students, which are currently undertaking degree courses in computer science and various business fields, will spend a year in industry, acquiring hands-on experience, learning from Pinewood's knowledgeable software team, working on projects that will have a direct impact on the DMS.

Jessica Thompson, marketing assistant and placement mentor, said that the new additions would help to provide “fresh perspectives” adding that they are given an opportunity to “make an immediate impact on real projects”.

Pinewood also works with South and City College Birmingham to offer a BTEC Level 3 apprenticeship as a Software Development Technician.

This gives young, driven individuals the opportunity to ‘earn-while-they-learn’ in a fast-growing company where they can achieve their career goals.

This apprenticeship can lead to a degree education, where Pinewood will fund their successful apprentices through further education - a BSc in Digital & Technology Solutions, delivered through Aston University.