Compilator’s Software Offerings Helping Firms across the Commercial Vehicle Sector to Achieve their Efficiency Goals

So how does InfoRoute deliver its tyre inspections? The system comprises of an android app for smartphones or tablets and an online portal for reporting and transparency. Once synchronisation of the inspection data and the app is completed, any inspection can be carried out offline with the data transferred to the cloud whenever there is a connection.

Glover added, “the system manages all of the vehicles that are inspected. It reports on any missing vehicles, so you’re alerted to any vehicle that is due an inspection. Therefore, this gives the customer peace of mind that their tread depths are legal and the service is being carried out to a high standard.”

According to Glover, InfoRoute performs equally well for small and larger fleets that operate across countries or continents with its TTM (Truck Tyre Manager) Synchronize and Authorize functionalities helping to bring together local teams and companies to create a single service network. Each service provider technician can instantly recall any vehicle details in the fleet without needing any internet access, whilst tyre and fleet operator managers have the capability to share the latest information online at the click of a button.

This scalability is something that has been designed into InfoRoute from the very beginning of its journey. Glover explains, “Scalability is something that has been designed into the product since day one. We have some customers that inspect 100 vehicles per month and some which inspect 11,000, so scalability is very easy.”

In terms of set-up and configuration, Glover explained that InfoRoute is relatively simple and low-cost with it being feasible to start using the product on day one through the simple creation of a database, the download of the tyre check app and a brief training session delivered over the phone or online.

“The database can be populated with a list of vehicles, locations, tyre sizes etc., through an Excel file. It really is as simple as downloading the app to the phone. You enter your email address and password, which is already created, and following this, you then have access to all of the fleets on the database that you're assigned to.”

In terms of the training required to use the app, although Compilator can arrange training sessions with new clients to help with the roll out of the product, Glover suggested that this is not strictly necessary given how intuitive and easy-to-use the product is. “InfoRoute is very, very intuitive,” he claims. “In fact, one of the product’s USPs is its simplicity and the easy of inputting the information. In practice, you will go to a registration number with the vehicle schematic coming up, you input the tyre tread depths and identify any damage or any service actions that are required.”

Opportunities Available with Leasing and Tyre Management Companies but also Tyre Manufacturers to Grow InfoRoute

So how is Compilator approaching the commercialisation of InfoRoute? According to Glover, the approach is to work with the leasing companies themselves, since these operations will have their own customers who drive the behaviour of the tyre dealer that they want to see.

Another potential option in terms of the growth of InfoRoute is through integrations with the tyre manufacturers themselves. Glover explained that historically tyre manufacturers had tried developing their own tools which had had varying degrees of success. This obviously presents an opportunity for Compilator especially given InfoRoute’s capabilities and experience in linking to third-party systems, which has already happened with a few leading tyre manufacturers.

Glover detailed how this operates in theory, “There is an API, or a set of APIs that the system has, and if you imagine an API is a set of tentacles that extends out from the system with the end of those tentacles having a piece of information. In addition to this, the data involved in a fleet inspection is actually pretty common across anybody who wants to receive the data.”

It could be an inaccurate interpretation, but these comments from Glover may suggest that Compilator sees an opportunity in integrating with tyre manufacturers across the board due to the common nature of the data provided in fleet inspections. Although different corporate cultures or dynamics and competitive hurdles that differentiate the leading tyre manufacturers can always prove to be a stumbling block, with data and simplicity at the heart of InfoRoute pushing the product forward, the product is seemingly well poised to have more success.

Glover said, “We continue to develop sales for InfoRoute within our existing customer base and seek new opportunities with tyre manufacturers, tyre dealers who specialise in fleet business. A more recently identified opportunity is with fleet customers especially in the rental and leasing sector.”

Transition of Team Two Well Underway in the UK and Ireland for Team 2 Software

Moving away from Compilator’s InfoRoute solution, we began to focus on the company’s tyre & maintenance software product solutions in the shape of DD5 and TEAM2, with the former being utilised in Scandinavia and the latter across the UK and Ireland.

In terms of Scandinavia and Northern Europe, Compilator the leading providers of tyre & maintenance software and serves clients such as Euromaster and Volvo Cars amongst other prominent tyre chains and independent workshops. As of 2019, the company launched DD5 and during 2020 began migrating its customers in the region to the new system. DD5 is currently available in 5 languages and currencies and according to Glover has “the flexibility to expand easily.”

Although DD5 remains Compilators’ flagship web-based solution designed with extensive API functionality to enable even the largest customers to connect peripheral systems like accounting and CRM, the company also has a second offering which is available in the UK and Ireland in the form of TEAM2, users of which are currently in the process of being upgraded from the older software to the latest version of the product.

At this point, a fair question to ask would be why do Compilator have two versions of the same product for different markets? The Sales Director at Compilator AB added some context regarding the history of TEAM2 and its predecessor TEAM1, “Team Systems was purchased by Compilator Sweden in 2016, and the previous owner had promised for many years that the product called TEAM1 at the time would be upgraded. In 2018, we rolled out an early version of TEAM2 which has now been polished.

“As a result, we are now moving into a secondary phase with TEAM2, which is moving customers from the old software to the newer one. We have done approximately half of the  customers now, and we are hoping to have the rest done during 2022.”

Glover also admitted that the impact of COVID-19 hadn’t gone unnoticed, with the pandemic impeding the speed of transition to TEAM2 as Compilator had originally forecasted to complete the project by the end of 2021. The pandemic continues to exert its influence.

Longer term, the question remained how Compilator would manage and develop two products delivering the similar functionality in different territories. Glover explained that in the future and once the conversion was finalised to TEAM2 in the UK and Ireland, Compilator would be looking to introduce DD5.

“Ideally, we would like to complete the conversion of UK and Irish customers to TEAM2 and then look to introduce DD5 when we have an ecosystem in place to support that growth. Following this, we see an opportunity to capitalise on the potential of DD5 with its modern architecture and design to win customers from what are mostly very old software solutions in the market, and with the ability to scale easily from a single outlet to ones with hundreds of workshops.”

And beyond the future transition to DD5? Glover underlined the goal would be to integrate InfoRoute into DD5. Although on the face of it the company is facing lots of integration and development work, with the strong product base and existing integrations with tyre manufacturers supporting it, Compilator is well-positioned to build on its success in the tyre software business.