Fleets will benefit from a cloud-based booking system being introduced by a provider of demonstrator vehicles to corporates and company car user-choosers.

AutoXP says the new system will enable manufacturers to maximise vehicle utilisation, prioritise customer bookings and match demonstrator bookings to eventual fleet sales.

It also aims to give fleet decision-makers and company car drivers access to a larger pool of demonstrator vehicles enabling them to get behind the wheel.

Each of AutoXP’s manufacturer clients can make demonstrator bookings in real-time enabling them to match vehicle availability to demand, and potentially source vehicles from other demonstrator ‘silos’, such as franchise dealers, events, courtesy cars or press, to maximise fleet booking requests.

The company says it has invested “hundreds of thousands of pounds” in XP Fleet Control (XPFC), which has taken two years to develop.

Furthermore, AutoXP’s 120 employed drivers known as ‘brand ambassadors’ are each equipped with tablets providing access to XPFC when on the road delivering/collecting demonstrators.

Ed Sabisky (pictured), chairman and acting CEO of AutoXP and the company’s largest shareholder, said: “XPFC is a complete operating system, while our competitors are more focused on a vehicle booking system.”

Sabisky, who spent 22 years with General Motors including being CFO at Vauxhall Motors followed by spells as CFO of Interleasing UK and managing director of Masterlease Europe, continued: “XPFC is best-in-class and adds to the string of USPs that AutoXP already delivers to our motor manufacturer customers.”

AutoXP’s drivers clocked up 5.9 million miles delivering 25,000 demonstrator vehicles last year, on behalf of a growing portfolio of manufacturer clients including, Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Dacia, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles, Renault, Smart and Toyota. They also delivered vehicles to support more than 500 client events.

AutoXP brand director Jeremy Holmes explained: “Maximising demonstrator utilisation delivers an improved service to manufacturers’ customers, fleet managers and company car drivers. XPFC enables manufacturers’ to obtain an improved return on their investment in demonstrator fleets.”

XPFC is accessible 24/7from any location and is compatible with any mobile, tablet or operating system. Demonstrator bookings can be made via multiple methods including model, fuel type, body style, transmission, fleet policy or colour.

The real-time management reports available from XPFC enable manufacturers to more effectively link demonstrator bookings to company car and van sales and models earning a place on fleet choice lists.

Mike Bonner, a former fleet director at Vauxhall joined AutoXP two years ago in a part-time role liaising with clients and prospective clients, said: “Fleet decision-makers and company car and van drivers can research vehicles online, but ultimately they want to drive the vehicle before making a final decision. Providing demonstrators is a key part of the sales process.”

Sabisky continued: “From the customer relationship management work undertaken, typically 45% of demonstrator bookings result directly in sales and we expect the introduction of XPFC to significantly increase that return.”

The delivery includes a walk-round of a vehicle and an explanation of features. Meanwhile, XPFC enables AutoXP’s ‘brand ambassadors’ to liaise with the recipient of the demonstrator and to be in permanent contact with its fleet controllers.

XPFC tools include: individual manufacturer’s video tailored to the car being delivered; vehicle recipients signing online, triggering the sending to the client of a real time PDF brochure confirming the handover of the car and other essential information; and a camera to film vehicle condition upon collection.

Having transformed demonstrator bookings from a predominantly paper-based system to online, Sabisky, who led the acquisition of McKenzie Myers in 2008, which was subsequently rebranded AutoXP, said: “The capabilities of XPFC are enormous and will enable AutoXP to develop new service lines for our manufacturer customers.”

That could include delivering new cars to fleet customers and working with franchise dealers to increase the utilisation of their own demonstrator fleets with locally-based SMEs.