CONTRACT hire and leasing company Alphabet has awarded Inchcape Automotive a two-year contract to to provide the internet technology to remarket its end-of-contract vehicles.

Inchcape will be responsible for handling the disposal of 8,000 Alphabet vehicles annually, providing the internet support which includes administering vehicle inspections using Inchcape hand-held terminals. Vehicle inspections are part of Inchcape's 'inspect and collect' service and Gerry Lynch, the company's sales and marketing director, said: 'The original tender was for an 'inspect and collect' service. However, we were able to show that we had a fully integrated fleet management and remarketing support service which could manage collection though delivery to the disposal location which we determine based on Alphabet's strategy.'

The hand-held terminal used for vehicle inspections generates a price for damage repair. The customer then signs the screen agreeing to the costs before the vehicle is re-marketed.

Inchcape then decides on the best remarketing location for vehicles based on age, condition and mileage.

Mark Sinclair, general manager at Alphabet, added: 'Inchcape's ability to provide a fully comprehensive end-of-contract service backed by real- time data provision and reporting via the internet has allowed us to maximise efficiencies and improve control over end-of-contract processes. Our customers benefit through a faster turnaround cycle for vehicle inspection and collection.'