BMW dealers were given an insight into the issues and challenges faced when company cars are booked into their workshops for service, maintenance and repair (SMR) work when they attended a fleet aftersales working party hosted by Fleet Assist.

The supply chain management specialist has many franchised BMW dealerships within its nationwide network of more than 7,000 service outlets.

Fleet Assist provides its contract hire and leasing company clients, which collectively operate some 700,000 vehicles, with a nationwide network of audited service outlets delivering SMR to pre-agreed terms and conditions, pricing and service standards with quality management and performance monitoring.

During the day-long visit, attendees were given a demonstration of Fleet Assist’s bespoke SMR booking system, discussed the flow of information between leasing companies and BMW centres and sat in with the control centre bookings team as they co-ordinated and arranged work to take place.

Simon Anderson, service programmes manager, BMW Group (UK), said: “We want to ensure that BMW centres offer the best possible service to our corporate customers and effective SMR bookings processes are fundamental to that aim.

“There are very clear benefits for the BMW Centres to fully understand the service provided by Fleet Assist and how the SMR booking system functions.

"We want to ensure that the service is utilised to the maximum in terms of securing bookings and offering a fast and efficient service to leasing companies, their end-user fleet customers and company car drivers.”