The number of transactions processed through the industry standard 1link Service Network e-commerce platform has increased to more than 12,000 per day.

The platform is used by almost all of the UK’s top 50 vehicle leasing companies working together with 15,000 franchise dealers, independent garages and fast fit centres to manage service and maintenance for around two million company cars and vans.

Ken Trinder, head of business development at epyx, the company behind 1link, explained: “Over the last year, we have seen a concerted effort on the part of several major manufacturers to use e-commerce to drive up aftersales in their franchise networks.

“These manufacturers are aware that, over a period of time, they have been losing fleet service and maintenance business to independents and fast-fits and this is their way of fighting back.”

Trinder said that there were a number of e-commerce tools being used by manufacturers – including menu pricing, service booking desks and improved customer service through CSI tools.

He explained: “E-commerce lets the menu pricing principle be applied to hundreds or even thousands of typical fleet SMR actions and lets manufacturers respond quickly to changing conditions.

“Specialist service booking desks based around e-commerce have also been successful, largely in the area of ensuring that company car and van drivers are able to book their vehicle into a franchise dealer at convenient time through a fast and easy process.

“Finally, manufacturers are also using e-commerce to drive up franchise dealer service standards. The CSI tools available within 1link enable drivers to rate the dealers they use and manufacturers to identify those that they don’t believe are performing well.”