A sub-20 minute response time for fleets making franchise dealer service bookings has been achieved by Honda.

This target was reached with the help of epyx, the company behind the industry standard 1link Service Network service and maintenance processing e-commerce platform, which is now in use by fleets totalling more than two million vehicles.

Epyx set up a specialist service booking desk for Honda at its headquarters in Meriden, Warwickshire, at the start of the year with the aim of ensuring that bookings are dealt with efficiently.

Matt Gibson, head of customer and aftersales at Honda UK, explained that the move had been made as part of a general strategy to ensure that the manufacturer’s franchise dealer network captured as much fleet service and maintenance work as possible.

He said: “Fast response times are an essential part of attracting and keeping fleet business. Customers in this sector want an efficient service and the work we have done to speed up our booking process over the course of this year is already reaping rewards in terms of increased levels of fleet business through the franchise network.”

Ken Trinder, head of business development at epyx, added that a number of major manufacturers were currently working with his company to increase the amount of work that proactively enters their franchise networks through 1link Service Network.

He said: “Raising service levels across the franchise network is one way that manufacturers can increase the attractiveness of their dealers to fleet customers. Several manufacturers now have specialist service desks in place here at epyx and we are seeing interest from others. It is a strategy that delivers results.”