Logical, part of the JSE-listed Datatec group of companies, has taken the initial step in creating what is thought to be the first fully fledged online insurance offering in the country on behalf of Audi of South Africa.
This e-business initiative, developed by Logical for AudiSure, offers consumers a one-stop shop on the Internet for insuring their new or second hand vehicles. AudiSure are the approved insurers of Audi of South Africa, offering a professional insurance service for Audi drivers.
Previously, consumers had to obtain quotes telephonically, fill in various forms and only then have insurance cover. Now, however, this can be done quickly and easily over the Internet. Logical has created a guaranteed quoting system, which can be verified by dealers, who in turn issue a certificate on the spot. In addition, the site will automatically e-mail registered users 45 days before their policy is up to notify them of their renewal and to check if details are still correct.
Grant Flaum, Customer Relationship Manager at Logical, says the new Web site will eventually incorporate all of Audi`s value-added products, which include Audi Financial Services, Audi Freeway Plan (Audi`s full maintenance programme) and Audi Assist (a roadside assistance programme).
"We have put this system together for Audi so it will have a market edge for its value added products," he explains.
The site will be marketed from the 64 franchised dealerships countrywide to enhance overall service and, according to Francois Hugo, managing director of AudiSure, represents the first stage of the future environment for Audi.
Jacques Olivier, IT manager at AudiSure, says he is in the process of planning the dealer training schedule to educate them in e-commerce and create a drive to get them live on the system. Once the training is complete, the site will go live at the end of June.
"Logical has already set up three pilot dealers for training which proved so successful that one dealership wanted to implement the system immediately," he says.
Olivier adds that one of the advantages of the site is that there aren`t a large number of questions for consumers to fill in, but have rather concentrated on the essential fields needed to generate an immediate quote.
"Although other insurance providers do have a similar concept to ours, theirs doesn`t offer quick, realtime response," he adds.
Flaum explains that the AudiSure site is based on a Microsoft environment, with a Web-based database sitting at Logical`s offices.
"The data is stored and downloaded once a day from Logical and offers synchronisation between the Web database and AudiSure`s database for internal applications."
Logical designed the application in Borland Delphi 4.0 to enable AudiSure to change the formulae as and when they wanted to.
"It was also one of the first Microsoft Solution Framework sites we`ve developed, so it`s been a learning curve for us too," Flaum says.
Hugo says he is happy with Logical`s service. "The team members put their nose to the grindstone to get the work done within time and cost budgets and we are very happy with the smooth roll out," he adds.
"They are professional to a T and we have got what we wanted from the system and much more!"
AudiSure has the option of offering insurance for other products too and there will be links on their own site to the other offerings.
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