The ‘candid camera’ will get an all new meaning as a new service called the ‘Audi cam’ is set to roll out this week by the German automaker in the UK. This service will not only enable the customers to see and hear about the repair work on their cars but also to approve it through a mobile phone or a computer. The system gives owners a web page, onto which a short clip identifying the customer car, along with clips detailing problem areas are uploaded. This is a unique step from the brand to improve their clarity and transparency in its customer relationships.

The Audi cam is basically a head mounted or hand held video camera capable of delivering high quality footage with excellent sound quality. The technicians who are well trained will use it first to visually and verbally identify a customer’s car on film after conducting an initial inspection. They will then identify the issue and clearly explain it and then propose the solution to the identified problem. After that the video will be uploaded to a special page within minutes, on the other hand a secure link to that page will be emailed to the customer, who can access it through the unique PIN number which is sent to their mobile phone.  The page is optimized for compatibility with home computers and smartphones, so its full functionality is available ‘on-the-move’.

The page will consist of certain relevant film clip or clips, and classifies each problem as either ‘urgent’, ‘advisory’ or ‘for info’. Along with that includes a VAT-inclusive price quotation for each job and action buttons that lets the customer to approve the solution, reject or call back to further discuss it. “By effectively beaming the workshop to our customers’ homes or smartphones, Audi Cam greatly simplifies the service and repair process, and at the same time breaks down more of the barriers between the service bay and the customer that have traditionally fostered skepticism and suspicion,” commented Paul Sansom, Head of After sales and Service for Audi UK.

via CarScoop