Autofutura has acquired Chrysalis Loyalty to combine the lead management and customer retention knowhow for car retailers, manufacturers and fleet operators.

Business intelligence provider Autofutura, which is backed by Inflexion Private Equity, said that it will be able to offer an “unrivalled offering in the automotive industry” following its acquisition of the leading loyalty solutions supplier.

The new entity will be led by Autofutura chief executive, Christian Erlandson, with Chrysalis Loyalty CEO and founder Jolyon Barker assuming the role of strategic adviser.

A statement confirming the deal this morning (February 5) said that the company would serve customers in over 20 markets via its UK-based headquarters and international offices in Australia, Canada and Germany.

Erlandson, who became Autofutura CEO in June last year, said: “Combining the leading-edge capability and reach of Autofutura with the renowned pedigree of Chrysalis Loyalty creates a unique fusion of expertise.

“Forged into one focused team, our new venture will leverage best of breed technology and data, giving us an unparalleled offering in the market.

“Through our enriched suite of solutions, we will be expertly positioned to support both new and existing clients as they seek to capitalise on opportunities today and future-proof their operations and strategic planning decisions for tomorrow.”

Chrysalis Loyalty ‘s global head of academy training, Lyn Howdon, and commercial director, presented a Renewal and Retention 2021 Vision seminar at AM Live Virtual.

Giving insight into how core retention processes have paid dividends in a COVID-impacted automotive marketplace, it is one of 18 presentations now freely available on the expo’s online platform.

Click here to register for full access.

Autofutura and Chrysalis Loyalty provide complementary solutions to the global lead management, loyalty and retention, and risk management, solutions to the global automotive industry.

Chrysalis specialises in the retail sector, while Autofutura has expertise in both the fleet and retail sectors.

The statement issued by the new combined business said that the ability to retain customer loyalty, through a seamless and engaging customer experience, with personalised finance offerings, would be key to success an automotive sector that had experienced significant growth in ecommerce, mobility and evolving vehicle ownership models.

Autofutura was advised by Taylor Wessing and GCA Altium during the acquisition of Chrysalis and the transaction will see the business consolidated into two privately owned companies.

“The blend of assets such as Data Warehousing, Portfolio Analysis, Call Centres, Training and Consultancy provided by Chrysalis and elements such as Forecasting Tools, Re-Evaluation Acquisition modules and IT Optimisation offered by Autofutura, will ensure every customer and potential customer’s needs are met, both now and in the future”, today’s statement said.

Barker said: “When Chrysalis launched in 2004, we defined a new approach to retention and loyalty technology with our award-winning Key2Key software platform.

“I am excited that Autofutura and Chrysalis are now joining forces. The combination of our highly skilled and dedicated teams, leading-edge global-data insights and technologies will provide OEMs, Fleets, Financiers and Retailers an even greater wealth of customer acquisition, retention and renewal assets, which have never been more crucial for delivering success than in this period of remarkable transformation within the global automotive industry.”