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An Inside Look at AUTO1 Group's Quality Department
13 August 2024
At AUTO1 Group, quality is a cornerstone of our operations and a key component of our product offering. Whether it's building trust with dealers on the AUTO1.com platform or ensuring a seamless buying experience for Autohero customers, our commitment to quality is unwavering. We spoke with James Norman, Director of Evaluation Quality Assurance, to understand more about the Quality Department and its pivotal role within our company.
What does Quality mean at AUTO1 Group?
Quality is a key component of the group's product offering. For dealers using the AUTO1.com platform, in order to generate and maintain trust, we must provide reliable evaluations reflecting the true condition of our vehicles. Through this trust-building, we create strong dealer relationships and boost trading on the platform. For Autohero, the overall buying experience is reliant on providing customers with used cars that strictly adhere to our quality standard. This is crucial for upholding the brand's reputation and facilitating growth.
Can you describe your department and its primary responsibilities?
Our department consists of three sub-teams: one highly qualified group of mechanics is responsible for calculating damage values for all AUTO1.com claims, another is responsible for maintaining accurate car descriptions on our AUTO1.com platform, and the final team drives quality initiatives and processes across the group. Overall, the teams are responsible for optimizing our claims processes for both brands, as well as ideating and developing features in our purchase app and on our AUTO1.com platform to improve car quality.
How do you measure the success of your quality assurance efforts?
We have several sources of feedback that we regularly call upon in forming our overall quality vision. Our claims survey data in both AUTO1.com and Autohero, dealers club event feedback, claim behavior and trends, as well as regular check-ins with our sales teams, are used to pinpoint areas of improvement and prioritize next steps.
What are some examples of recent initiatives or projects your team has launched?
On the AUTO1.com platform, we have introduced several enhancements to improve the user experience and build dealer confidence. After receiving consistent feedback from our Dealers Club participants and performing a competitive analysis, we introduced our new paint thickness feature, capturing 11 paint thickness measurements per car. Additionally, we launched the Premium Return Right, which offers dealers the option to return cars with no questions asked for a small fee. Both of these initiatives have boosted dealer trust in our vehicles and overall platform.
Recently, we also developed a back-office claims tool for Autohero, establishing an EU standard for claims management and significantly increasing staffing efficiency.
You have been with AUTO1 Group for over nine years. How has the department developed over this period?
It has been quite an exciting ride. Initially, when we created the quality team, we focused purely on claims management. As time progressed, we became more involved in addressing claims at their root cause through our involvement in optimizing the purchase app. This was a gateway for radically addressing quality from a full-funnel perspective. From a small team of 4 to a team of 40, we have expanded our reach, enabling us to work on quality initiatives from a group perspective. Through developing a close connection between purchasing, pricing, sales, production, and retail, we have been able to identify key quality levers as well as align the departments to maintain the quality chain, whilst balancing other company goals.
What are your future goals and vision for the department?
Improving quality is an ongoing day-by-day task which involves close alignment with many departments. Beyond this, we have several platform features in the pipeline which will facilitate further quality improvements. Namely, improving our accident vehicle detection, using GPS technology to log test drive information, and creating a dedicated section for mileage-related issues. In general, we are continuously working to meet customer and dealer demands, which keeps the team motivated and excited to contribute to the company's growth.
Finally, what advice would you give to someone looking to join the quality team at AUTO1 Group?
Being part of the quality department is really about being a team player, having an objective perspective on all topics, and holding a passion for analyzing data and processes to drive improvements that target our overall quality vision. The work is relatively dynamic, providing team members with the opportunity to constantly learn and develop their own skills in an open and inclusive environment. So if that sounds appealing, look no further.
The Quality department is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards in what we do. Interested in joining our dynamic team? Find the list of open positions on our careers page. We welcome applicants of all genders, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds to apply.