--Allows car sales staff to make repair shop reservations on mobile phones--
TOKYO (Dec. 16, 2005)—Starting in January 2006, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., will introduce a system that will allow “car life advisors,” or sales staff, in Japan to make repair shop reservations for customers online, including on a mobile phone.
The new system will allow sales people, who frequently make door-to-door calls, to respond quicker to customers’ requests for such reservations. In the past, sales people would have to check with their dealer for available time slots.
The “i-PORT” system was introduced on a trial basis starting in May 2005 and has been tested by 13 dealers. By September 2006, all of Nissan’s 142 dealers nationwide are expected to have adopted the system.
Nissan is the first automaker in Japan to introduce a system that allows its sales staff to make repair shop reservations online from a mobile phone.
The “i-PORT” system was originally developed by Kai Nissan Auto Sales Co., Ltd., a Nissan dealer headquartered in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, and one of its vendors. Nissan made further improvements to the system to make it available to its dealers throughout Japan.
Under Nissan’s mid-term business plan NISSAN Value-Up that began in April, the company is stepping up its effort to provide value-added sales and services to its customers.
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