‘We are the Booking.com of automotive’

Oliebollenspecial 2023: ‘Our online booking system understands and comprehends available capacity in a workshop and there is a link to a replacement car.’

Photo: Marcel Cazemier

Almost seven out of ten car dealers now work with Plan-IT. Not surprisingly, as the workshop scheduler has now attracted more than 1,500 workshops, has over 5,800 active users and over five million online appointments have already been made via Plan-IT. 

One million online appointments were achieved this year alone, hosted by more than 1,800 rooftops. A downright success story, built up over 27 years. ‘We are the ‘Booking.com’ of automotive. Our online booking system understands and comprehends the available capacity in a workshop and there is a link to a replacement car,’ says account manager Leon Wonnink (pictured left). ‘It anticipates the different specialisms of mechanics. The system does not plan for, say, six mechanics, but takes into account that there are three different specialisms. Plan-IT also measures at half-hourly level, what is possible. All peripheral matters are also taken care of, such as a message ‘car ready’. We Whatsap and text a bit with the customer and present it nicely, which inspires confidence. Last month, we processed the five millionth online appointment. Other integrated systems often do not have the same functional capabilities. We link with almost all DMSs. Apart from our thoroughness, therein lies our strength. We have very little turnover in our customer base. That's how good our system is. It's not a sexy product, but extremely effective.’

Time for customers

‘The product has very few problems, so we have all the time we need for customers,’ says managing director Julian Hendriks. ‘I regularly hear ‘finally an IT company that listens to the end user’. Plan-IT's operation is the same as systems from many other colleagues in the market, but our guidance is much better. We can present whatever we want, but you also have to have a good back office. That is always in order with us. All grown in 27 years. Initially, we conquered the market dealer by dealer, where our great strength was, and still is, that our software can also be linked to other systems. The best proof of quality is when other vendors start copying your software. Another compliment is when an employee asks during his job interview if his future dealership uses Plan-IT. It is amazing how many well-known automotive names use Plan-IT. Several large dealer holding companies are our customers, but there are also partnerships with renowned companies from the IT world. So there is plenty of thinking at Plan-IT about how to channel growth. Besides cars, it is now also available in the bike world and for truck maintenance. It is suitable for anything with wheels. We also have demand from abroad, especially in Germany they are interested.’ The ‘sky is the limit’, because one thing is certain: Plan-IT works.

Source: Automotive Magazine Oliebollenspecial 2023