Published by isobel.regan@dontpanicprojects.com
Published Date 28.09.2023 
We are Automotive Transformation Group, a leading supplier of retailing solutions to the automotive sector based in Kent.
We launched in the summer of 2021 following the industry-shifting merger of 4 technology suppliers. Our mission is to free Retailers, OEMs, Financiers, Fleet Suppliers and their consumers from the shackles of complicated vehicle sales, by seamlessly connecting proprietary digital, data and retention solutions to make buying cars easy.
With over 35,000 global users across our platform and over 12.4 billion tracked interactions in relation to digital car purchase journeys, we have developed a hyper-realistic global view of consumer activity. This, accompanied by 20 years of automotive expertise and innovative talent, has helped us to create consumer-centric solutions that automotive and improve the efficiency of automotive operations and introduce tangible cost savings for our customers.
We feel privileged to be named finalists within the Ecommerce Innovation category of this year’s UK Ecommerce Awards. Our NetDirector® Auto-e product is more than a web platform. It is a consumer-centric purchasing experience, delivered through a SaaS subscription that spans all touchpoints both online and in-store. So, this award is confirmation that we have executed this vision well. Moreover, as we take our customers with us on a journey towards true omnichannel retailing, this development reinforces the fact we are on the right path to exceeding consumer expectations.
Our business intelligence confirms that consumer demand is evolving post-pandemic, with reservations making up 85% of total online transactions so far this year*. We acknowledge the majority of consumers are looking to browse and locate their ideal vehicle online at a time and place that best suits them. However, many consumers aren’t ready to transact fully online. Instead, they wish to continue their purchase in-store with the support of a salesperson, collaborating with them to get the best deal and democratise the buying experience. Plus, as their trust in the process increases, more and more consumers are looking to take their quotes home following dealership intervention and progress online where there may be less pressure and can discuss the purchase with family members.
Our technology is one of the first of its kind to satisfy this demand. NetDirector® Auto-e facilitates self-serve for up to 100% of the purchase (including finance applications). However, for consumers who wish to do so, they can also take their purchase in-store and then back online again through a connected user account. This ability to store preferences and provide a personalised journey makes it a truly omnichannel experience.
Whether it’s 3-point buying propositions, open connectivity, secure finance options or advanced search functionality, we are continually innovating and releasing SaaS upgrades to our products, ensuring they always reflect the latest consumer trends. We commit to designing products in a way that reflects how a consumer thinks rather than the way a dealership is laid out and acknowledge that in doing so we have embarked on a perpetual journey of further ecommerce innovation. We hope this will be the first of many awards outside of the automotive industry for which we are shortlisted and would like to wish all the nominees across each category the best of luck for the awards ceremony. Particularly, Frosts Cars who, following our collaboration, have been shortlisted for UK User Experience of the Year.
“This award is a testament to the ongoing commitment of our teams to innovate solutions that better connect our customers with their consumers. It is the culmination of decades of technological development and consumer-first engineering, and it means a great deal to all those involved in bringing these products to life. We’d like to thank the UK Ecommerce Awards for recognising our success and will keep our fingers crossed for the awards ceremony in November.” – Chief Product Officer, Anson Moniz
