THE internet promises to revolutionise the way vehicles are serviced and maintained by stripping out mistakes, delays and cost, the conference heard.

At the Fleet News' conference Move Your Fleet Online, in a talk sponsored by Epyx, producers of 1Link, Peter Scholfield, head of strategy and marketing for Lloyds TSB autolease, said authorisation and booking were key issues.

Unlike traditional methods, where garages risked waiting several hours on the phone for the fleet department to agree to the work, the internet could reduce the time needed to minutes. Bookings could also automatically be directed to the nearest cost-effective supplier.

Scholfield said the way forward was through online service booking and integrated electronic billing and payment, removing the need for a paper invoice.