The Art of AI Integration at Inchcape: enhancing Customer and OEM experiences

by Alex Capewell

Introduction to AI at Inchcape?

Navigating the buzz around Artificial Intelligence (AI) points to an exciting future but can be overwhelming with every player in the industry claiming revolutionary advances. At Inchcape, our journey with AI is one of challenges, success and lots of learning. This mini-series shares some examples of real-world AI solutions bringing success for our customers and OEM partners, and the secrets of success that helped us along the way.

Our journey began modestly - from zero machine learning algorithms to over 250 in just three years. We are really pleased with this, but ,the real story is the impact these algorithms have on our operations, touching every aspect of our business from logistics to customer service. This isn't just about quantity; it's about creating solutions that drive measurable improvements in operational efficiency and our bottom line. ?

Global vision with local benefits?

From the outset, we prioritized developing broad, globally scalable AI solutions rather than localized fixes. This approach required more in terms of change management and engagement but ensured our solutions were comprehensive and created significant long-term value. It's about enhancing the entire ecosystem, ensuring our AI implementations offer substantial benefits to our partners and customers worldwide.

We started from having zero machine learning algorithms to over 250 in just three years.

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Case study: AI-driven customer retention?

A prime example of our AI success is the Aftersales Customer Churn Prediction algorithm. This tool doesn’t just analyze why customers might leave; it empowers us to proactively engage with them, improving their overall experience and ensuring they remain within our network. This directly benefits our OEMs through increased parts sales and boosts vehicle repurchase rates, showcasing our commitment to supporting our partners and enhancing customer loyalty.?

Secrets to success?

Our success with AI hasn’t just been about launching numerous projects; it’s been about choosing the right opportunities and scaling what works. Integration over isolation has been key - ensuring AI solutions blend smoothly into existing processes and that our colleagues are fully engaged with these changes.?

What’s next??

In our next installment, we will delve deeper into our AI initiatives, including our Real-Time Lead Scoring and the AI Body and Paint Quotation solution which enables us to customize our customer care approach using data. Stay tuned. ?