App increasing sales in workshop
The Prevost bus company is well ahead of its North-American competitors when it comes to offering customers applications for smartphones that solve different problems.
“This is a business advantage for us. However, we are far too small to be able to afford to develop these apps ourselves. So we have taken advantage of being part of the Volvo Group,” says Helene Gamner, product line manager and the person responsible for co-ordinating the mobile strategy at Prevost.
Prevost’s products are different luxury coach models that are primarily used as tourist coaches and so-called motor homes or entertainers which are owned by both private individuals and entertainers in the USA and Canada.
In 2011, its first app was launched – the Prevost service locator mobile app. It is helping Prevost’s customers to find the nearest service point on their journeys through North America.
“It’s available for both Androids and iPhones and it was developed in the space of two to three months with the assistance of Volvo IT’s mobility group, in close collaboration with us,” explains Helene.
What do your customers think of the app?
“We knew it was going to help our customers. In the second week following its launch, we heard from one of our customers who had been given rapid assistance thanks to the app. We have since received many positive comments, such as ‘the app saved our trip’,” answers Helene.
“We have also seen an increase in the sale of our workshop services, as customers can now find us more easily.”
Needless to say, the fact that Prevost is the first bus company to offer its customers mobility tools is a real incentive. Helene, who has strategic responsibility for both Prevost’s mobility and telematics, is extremely enthusiastic about the future.
“I have loads of ideas for future apps from which our customers could benefit, but, to turn some of them into reality, the telematics need to be developed still further. It would be fantastic, for example, to have an app that could turn on the engine heater in a vehicle remotely. Volvo Cars already has one and it would be perfect for our customers in Canada and northern USA.”
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